Major League Baseball’s biggest story of the first half and the All-Star break was Shohei Ohtani. And that story begins with a new Angels front office lifting restrictions on the righty-pitching, lefty-hitting sensation.

They wanted the question answered on exactly what they had. Pitcher? Hitter? Both? Neither? The only way to learn was to remove the handcuffs. Ohtani had incurred injuries in his first three major league seasons, even with multiple tethers. Overprotecting him was not working.

So the Angels let a colt run. The results have been spectacular. For the Yankees, this should be informative.

To be the best team possible, as much in the future as in this dreadful season, that means putting Giancarlo Stanton in the outfield at least a few days a week. If he breaks down, then he breaks down. Stanton has broken down often even with bubble-wrap treatment, similarly to Ohtani before this season.

Maybe you could understand Stanton not playing the outfield when the Yankees were trying to learn if Jay Bruce had anything left or when Mike Tauchman was still around or before Brett Gardner revealed his offensive game had vanished. But how about after injuries to Aaron Hicks, Clint Frazier, Miguel Andujar and Aaron Judge’s COVID-19 absence? How about using Stanton instead of force-feeding infielders Andujar and Tyler Wade in the outfield? It has seemed more likely that Aaron Boone would pull Paul O’Neill from the broadcast booth than deploy Stanton.

Prior to the break, the Yankees’ best lineup against righties would have been Rougned Odor at second, DJ LeMahieu at first, Luke Voit DHing, Stanton in left field and Gardner as a late-game defensive caddy. That Odor would improve the lineup speaks to the 2021 roster. Nevertheless, that was reality and it never happened.

Stanton has not played the outfield since the 2019 ALCS opener. And in this series against Boston, it didn’t make sense to change that because there was no adequate bat to DH instead of him. In this moment of need — with Judge, Voit and Gio Urshela out — Stanton has not been adequate, going 0-for-7 in the first two games against Boston with four strikeouts and plenty of home boos. The Yankees, who had been 0-for-7 against Boston this year, finally beat the Red Sox in spite of Stanton. They won 3-1 due to six strong innings from Gerrit Cole, consecutive homers in the sixth from Gary Sanchez and Gleyber Torres and the game being called after that inning due to rain.

And this being 2021, the Yankees lost another outfielder when Tim Locastro tore an ACL making a terrific first-inning catch, but collided with the wall along the left-field line.

Still, Stanton’s 2021 outfield debut is targeted for three games in Miami (July 30-Aug. 1) when there will be no DH in an NL park. Believe it when you see it. For the Yankees talk as if they are trying to build Stanton up for a daily triathlon rather than to possibly play nine innings in an outfield. Also, by then it could fall into the “why bother?” bin. The trade deadline is July 30 and the Yankees may be sellers, thus, why even risk Stanton’s body? What we know is that before then they could not try to buy, for example, Minnesota’s Nelson Cruz to attempt to jump-start the offense, because Stanton is clogging the DH role.

Also, Derek Jeter could get a good laugh watching Stanton play the outfield in Miami. After all, Stanton played a career-high 149 games in the outfield while winning the 2017 NL MVP as a Marlin. Jeter, then the nascent CEO of the Marlins, took grief for dealing his star that offseason for two lottery ticket prospects and Starlin Castro, while paying the Yankees $30 million. It is the best move of Jeter’s administration to date: Could you imagine Stanton on his expensive contract becoming a DH only in a non-DH league?

It is among the worst trades of Yankees GM Brian Cashman’s tenure. The Yankees failed to land Ohtani and pivoted quickly to a deal that plays like original sin in making the roster too righty, too unathletic and too inflexible. Stanton is a roller coaster offensively, alternating flaming hot streaks and extended cold streaks in which he misses pitches by as much as any batter in the sport. He has not hit consistently enough for a bat-only player.

Subtract what the Marlins are paying and the Yanks owe Stanton seven years at $159 million after this season. If a universal DH is included in the next collective bargaining agreement could the Yankees eat enough money to find a taker? Would Stanton waive his no-trade clause (he refused trades to San Francisco and St. Louis before being dealt to the Yankees)? Could the Yankees do a long-term deal with Judge, a free agent after next season, without knowing whether or not there would be plenty of DH at-bats for him should his big body slow down to the point at which he can’t handle right field daily?

This is why, at least partially, the Yankees need to learn if Stanton, who will turn 32 in November, can handle playing the outfield two or three times a week. They need a roster with more flexibility and, thus, a DH that is not a one-man job.

If Stanton breaks, he breaks. But it’s not as if the bubble-wrap treatment has led to good outcomes.