Giancarlo's G-shaped face guard has been approved for use by MLB
Marlins star Giancarlo Stanton is expected to use the guard in the regular season now.
By
Jon Heyman
•
1 min read
Marlins star Giancarlo Stanton's personalized face guard has been approved for use in the regular season by MLB, people familiar with the situation say.
Stanton has been using the guard, with the signature "G" formed in plastic, throughout spring training, and MLB powers have ruled it will be allowed in games that count, as well. While there isn't necessarily a precedent for such initialed face guards, there was no reason to think Stanton's signature guard would be disallowed, as it provides only protection for one of baseball's great assets, and no sort of advantange.
MLB Sr. VP for Standards and On-Field Operations Joe Garagiola Jr. visited Marlins camp in late February and approved it. The MLB never announced the decision to approve, as has been the case in similar cases, such as Jason Heyward's decision to wear a more typical mask in 2013 after a bad beaning.
Stanton decided to wear the face mask after being beaned Sept. 11 by Milwaukee's Mike Fiers in a scary incident that ended Stanton's season and resulted in facial fractures and dental problems that were fixed over the winter.
Stanton has shown no ill effects in the batters box. He looks the same, and his .286 batting average, three home runs and 11 RBI are similar to his production last season when he finished second in NL MVP voting, to Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw.
Stanton, it was said in early spring, would "experiment" with the face guard in spring training. But he has continued to use the guard, and it can be presumed at this point that he will carry it into the regular season.
Ellis Valentine and Dave Parker were stars of previous eras who wore face guards, but theirs were of the more typical football style. Stanton's has a stylish "G" within the mask. The Miami Herald first reported on the signature style.
His new mask was tested, and it withstood fastballs of up to 100 mph. Stanton has said he finds this mask more conducive to hitting.
Stanton led the NL with 37 home runs last year in a breakout season, and he signed a record 13-year, $325-million contract with the Marlins in November.
