How Giancarlo Stanton turned himself into a fearsome pinch-hitter

It’s funny how quickly perspectives can change with just a few days’ time — and a few big swings — in the course of a baseball season.

Over the weekend, when Giancarlo Stanton was out of the Yankees lineup for all three games at Busch Stadium because of lingering soreness from playing the outfield for three straight days last week, there was outrage and incredulity from the fan base on social media.

By Wednesday night, you wouldn’t dare find a bad word said about Stanton after his pinch-hit, two-run home run in the 10th inning — after starting the game on the bench to give his body a breather from playing right field Tuesday — helped lift the Yankees over the Rays for their fifth straight win.

“The guy is one of the most focused players I’ve ever seen,” Aaron Judge said. “He was locked in, dialed in. It doesn’t matter if he hasn’t had an at-bat all night, he’s going to be ready for his moment, and he came up big.”