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Brian Cashman’s fiery defense of the Yankees last week included a frank evaluation about Giancarlo Stanton being injury prone.

Joel Wolfe, Stanton’s agent, is now coming to his client’s defense and warning others — Wolfe also represents Japanese ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who is set to be posted this offseason and become the top free-agent pitcher on the market — about playing in New York.

“I think it’s a good reminder for all free agents considering signing in New York both foreign and domestic that to play for that team you’ve got to be made of Teflon, both mentally and physically because you can never let your guard down even in the offseason,” Wolfe told The Athletic on Tuesday.

Cashman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Wolfe declined to comment when reached by The Post’s Joel Sherman.

At last week’s GM meetings, Cashman spoke for over an hour on the state of the Yankees.

During an extended answer about the impact of director of health and player performance Eric Cressey and the Yankees’ long list of injuries, Cashman brought up Stanton.


  Giancarlo Stanton Robert Sabo for the NY Post Giancarlo Stanton Robert Sabo for the NY Post

“We can talk about it and we’re talking about Stanton, trying to limit the time he’s down,” Cashman said. “But I’m not gonna tell you he’s gonna play every game next year. Because he’s not. He’s going to wind up getting hurt again more likely than not because it seems to be part of his game. But I know that when he’s right and healthy, other than this past year, the guy’s a great hitter and has been for a long time.”

Stanton is coming off the worst year of his career after hitting just .191 with a .695 OPS and 24 home runs across 101 games.

He missed six weeks early in the season with a hamstring strain and upon returning his mobility was limited as he tried to prevent another injury.


  Yankees GM Brian Cashman speaks at the MLB GM meetings on Nov. 7, 2023. AP Yankees GM Brian Cashman speaks at the MLB GM meetings on Nov. 7, 2023. AP

The 34-year-old Stanton, who has four years and $98 million left on his contract (along with a no-trade clause), also missed time in 2022 with ankle inflammation and Achilles tendinitis; in 2021 with a quad strain; in 2020 with a hamstring strain; and in 2019 with a biceps strain and a knee strain.

“We’ve got to get Stanton up and running again,” Cashman said. “He’s injury prone. We all have lived and known that, but he’s never not hit when he’s playing and this year is the first time that that’s happened.”

With regards to Stanton’s mobility, Cashman said it was something the Yankees have been trying to work through.

“I know he’s frustrated by it,” Cashman said. “We know he’s certainly better than what we saw last year.”

Wolfe’s comment, particularly noting “both foreign and domestic” free agents, was especially notable because he represents Yamamoto.

The Yankees are expected to be one of the many teams pursuing him.

Stanton, whose work ethic has never been in question, made his injury frustrations clear in April when he landed on the IL with the hamstring strain after legging out a double.

“It’s unacceptable, this often, right now,” Stanton said then. “The team relies on me and I can’t have this continue to happen and put us in … a spot that we weren’t prepared for.”

At the end of the season, Stanton pledged that he would be making “a lot of changes” in the offseason to bounce back next year.

The Yankees on Tuesday added RHP Clayton Beeter and C Agustin Ramirez to their 40-man roster, protecting them from next month’s Rule 5 draft.

The Yankees now have six catchers on their 40-man roster, but that is likely to change, perhaps as soon as Friday’s non-tender deadline.

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