Giancarlo Stanton admitted his Yankees tenure feels 'incomplete' without a championship as he enters his ninth season in pinstripes. The 36-year-old slugger, who signed a $325 million, 13-year contract with Miami before joining New York, has battled injuries throughout his Yankees career but remains a feared middle-of-the-order presence when healthy.

Stanton hit .273 with 24 homers and a .944 OPS in just 77 games last season after missing the first 70 with elbow inflammation. He requires constant maintenance on both elbows but insists he's ready for the grind. Yankees manager Aaron Boone praised Stanton's veteran presence and ability to process pitchers, calling him 'huge' for the club's makeup.

Despite earning $64 million in guaranteed money over the next two seasons, Stanton isn't focused on personal milestones like 500 homers. 'Numbers like the next one and the next one is good for now,' he said, emphasizing that winning the World Series matters most. His salary counts $27.5 million against the Yankees' luxury tax payroll due to the 110% rate they'll likely pay.