The Miami Marlins are still being cheap as they switch ownership groups. After dumping Dee Gordon and his salary onto the Seattle Mariners, who obviously also want some extra international money to throw at Shohei Ohtani, our eyes turn to Giancarlo Stanton, the big contract that is both desirable and that everyone wants to avoid. It would appear the attempt by the Marlins to strong-arm Stanton into a trade has stalled:
Now told Stanton will approve :
Dodgers
Yankees
Cubs
Astros— Craig Mish (@CraigMish) December 8, 2017
Cardinals and Giants not on Stanton's approval. Unclear if either or both teams have been told anything to this point.
— Craig Mish (@CraigMish) December 8, 2017
Before you get too frisky, the massive amount of money on Stanton’s remaining contract and the clogged Cubs outfield pretty much preclude any realistic trade, especially if the Marlins want good prospects or young major league talent in return. There’s also the matter of Jason Heyward, who probably has a similarly immovable contract given his lack of production (and who has his own full no-trade clause), and the all-out pursuit of one Bryce Harper after this season ends.
On the Cubs front, it is pleasing to see that Stanton doesn’t want to help one of their biggest rivals in the Cardinals, and that there’s a chance he might leave the league if the American League teams come knocking. It seems difficult to find a fit for Stanton that gives the Marlins what they want (salary relief and prospects that don’t suck) while giving Stanton what he wants (a winning team on paper before he’s even traded there). But the Cubs are most likely not going to be the right trade matchup, and I’m not sure they want to break up the outfield anyway, as long as Heyward continues to play elite defense. There’s plenty of thump still in the lineup to cover up Heyward’s disappearing bat, and there might still be a chance that the bat returns. I suppose we will see what happens both with Stanton’s trade shenanigans and Heyward’s bat as we look forward to 2018.
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