Is it a coincidence that the Yankees' best streak of the season happened without Giancarlo Stanton?

The quick answer - all you Giancarlo buffs: 

Maybe yes, maybe no. 

Let's do some old-fashioned, by-the-book, forensic analysis. 

Since Stanton went on the IL, ten days ago, following Tampa's blowout 9-1 win, the Yankees have gone 7-2, winning their last five and keeping pace with the Redsocks and Rays. (Boston has won four in a row, the Rays - uh-oh - nine.)

In that period, the Yankees have used four DHs:

Luke Voit: 1-7.
DJ LeMahieu: 0-4.
Gary Sanchez: 0-4.
Aaron Judge: 7-16, two HRs. 

Overall, the Yankee DH's are a combined 8-for-31  - .259 - not far below Stanton's .282 average for the season. Of course, before tweaking his whatever, Giancarlo had gone on a tear and was leading the team in RBIs (before Judge this week passed him.)  

But without Stanton as everyday DH, Aaron Boone could give various members of the lineup a half-day rest. Over the course of a seven-month season, a half-day here and there can make a huge difference. With Stanton as DH, the Yankees have no flexibility.  

But but BUT... this recent streak has little to do with the DH. It has hinged on the Yankee starting rotation, which masterfully shut down the Rangers and (thus far) White Sox. The Yankees twice won without scoring three runs, and with anemic batting averages in the bottom of the order.

Yesterday, Mike Ford homered while playing 1B. Were Stanton the DH, rather than Voit - who received a half-game rest - Ford would not have played. 

By resting Judge as DH, the Yankees have given LF Miguel Andujar a few more at-bats, and he has shown signs - fingers crossed - of breaking out. (Clint Frazier? Not so good.) If Judge were RF those four games, Andujar would have continued to rot on the bench; he might have even been returned to Scranton.

With Stanton out, Tyler Wade has received more playing time, and he also seems to have finally secured a place on the roster. 

Listen: A five-game streak is too small a sample size to judge any player's value. But here's a painful realty: The Yankees apparently plan to use Stanton as DH through the year 2028.  

I've said this before: The Yankees should play Stanton in LF and - damn the toll on him - make him a full-time war horse. At 31, he's too young to be coddled. It's too soon to become a fulltime DH. His best year came in the NL, when he played defense. A veteran lineup - which the Yankees will always have - needs a flexible DH slot. It's too early to make Stanton into a dugout kewpie. Play the guy. And if he gets hurt - well, what difference does it make? He's already getting hurt. And turns out, without him, we didn't fall apart.

Okay, some will say Stanton's defense is too rancid to play LF. Clearly, he'd have to improve. He'd have to take flies, he'd have to work on throwing - all that stuff that baseball players are supposed to do. Late inning defensive replacements would be common. And at times - such as the playoffs - he would be the DH. 

Soon, maybe today, Stanton will return from the Injury List. Of course, his bat will help. But the last five week should remind us - it's all about pitching, pitching, pitching... and if we get it, we can win without Stanton. I say, let him play.