Miami Marlins star right fielder Giancarlo Stanton would approve trades to the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs and defending World Series champion Houston Astros, according to Craig Mish of SiriusXM.
Stanton reportedly provided the Marlins with a list in late November of teams to which he would approve a trade. With the MLB’s annual winter meetings set to begin Sunday in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., Stanton trade rumours are expected to ramp up. The 28-year-old has a say in where he ends up since he has a full no-trade clause in the 13-year, $325-million contract extension he signed in 2014. Stanton also has the option to opt out of the deal following the 2020 campaign.
It was reported this past weekend that the Marlins had agreed to a “general framework” for two separate Stanton trades involving the San Francisco Giants and St. Louis Cardinals. A Thursday night report from Ken Rosenthal, however, indicated neither the Giants nor Cardinals were at the top of Stanton’s list.
It’s likely to be a busy off-season for the Marlins and a potentially frustrating one for fans of the team. The Marlins are reportedly in debt to the tune of approximately $400 million so team management fronted by new CEO Derek Jeter, the former Yankees great, is looking to cut payroll.
All-star second baseman Dee Gordon was dealt to the Seattle Mariners Thursday in exchange for prospects Nick Neidert, Robert Dugger and Chris Torres. It appears it’s only a matter of time before Stanton is moved.
“He is arguably the best player in the game,” Jeter recently said. “He had one of the greatest seasons I’ve seen a player have in the last 20-plus years.”
The reigning National League MVP led the majors with a career-high 59 home runs and 132 RBI in 2017.
[relatedlinks]
