There’s a decent chance that the Miami Marlins and the new ownership group, fronted by future Hall of Famer Derek Jeter, will look to move star outfielder Giancarlo Stanton during the winter. Rumors persisted in this regard long before Jeter and his group bought the club from Jeffrey Loria.
Now coming off a 2017 campaign that saw him hit 59 homers and drive in 132 runs, Stanton will be the highest-profile trade chip during the winter.
According to Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports, it’s the San Francisco Giants who are showing the most interest in the potential NL MVP.
“The San Francisco Giants are the team that’s shown the most interest in Giancarlo Stanton, sources suggest, though they are far from alone, as the St. Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia Phillies and others also expressed hope this summer,” Heyman reported Thursday.
There’s a few logistical issues here. San Francisco definitely needs to add some pop to the lineup after posting a 98-loss season.
It, however, doesn’t have a top-end farm system. That could limit the type of return Miami receives in a potential deal with the Giants. According to Baseball America, San Francisco boasts one of the five-least talented minor league systems in baseball.
The other issue here are finances, and that plays a role in pretty much every trade scenario. Miami signed Stanton to a MLB-record 13-year, $325 million deal back in 2014. He has 11 years and north of $295 million remaining on that deal. Sure the Marlins are likely to eat a nice chunk of that deal, but it would only come in the form of the team also receiving a sizable package in return. That’s something San Francisco can’t offer.
As Heyman notes, Stanton is not up for a lengthy rebuild. Of the teams most-interested in Stanton, San Francisco stands the best chance of turning it around. It still boasts an ace in the form of Madison Bumgarner. And despite this season’s overall team struggles, the likes of Buster Posey and Joe Panik are seen as franchise cornerstones.
If the Giants were to eat a sizable chunk of Stanton’s contract, a deal could definitely be worked out here. It’s something to watch as the postseason comes to a conclusion and the hot stove heats up.