Report: Giants are the favorites to land Giancarlo Stanton

While the MLB world waits for the first shoe to drop, it’s looking more and more like NL MVP Giancarlo Stanton might head out west to the San Francisco Giants.

According to this report from Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, the Miami Marlins have had “deeper discussions” with the Giants to trade their star outfielder. The Giants themselves are now seen as favorites to land Stanton.

A report came out during the season that San Francisco was indeed looking to add the 2017 home run king. But now that the hot stove has heated up and discussions are taking place, this seems like a real possibility.

According to rumors that surfaced earlier in the week, parameters of a potential trade included Dee Gordon heading to San Francisco with Stanton, while the Giants would send infielder Joe Panik as well as top prospects Tyler Beede and Chris Shaw to the Marlins.

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic also noted that San Francisco is willing to pick up a large chunk of Stanton’s contract.

“The Giants are willing to pick up a sizable amount of Stanton’s contract, one source said. Such a deal, however, would exacerbate the team’s luxury-tax concerns, likely resulting in the trade of at least one high-priced veteran, perhaps as part of a package going to the Marlins, perhaps to other clubs,” Rosenthal reported.

That’s potentially a sticking point in any Stanton trade. The 28-year old Stanton still has 10 years and $295 million remaining on his contract. If the Giants are willing to pick up a nice amount of said contract, a trade could very well be imminent here.

To say that San Francisco is in need of a power bat would be an understatement. Brandon Belt led the team with 18 homers during a 98-loss 2017 campaign. Hunter Pence led all outfielders with 13 homers.

Stanton and his 59 homers almost doubled those two figures by himself.