A career year in which he won the only MVP Award in Miami Marlins franchise history was followed by Giancarlo Stanton landing on the trading block once the offseason began. With a new ownership group in place, the Marlins put a priority on slashing payroll for 2018.
Moving Stanton was certainly one means to accomplish that goal, but aside from the 10 years and $295 million remaining on his deal, it proved no easy task because of Stanton’s full no-trade clause. He exercised that right by refusing to approve deals with the San Francisco Giants or St. Louis Cardinals.
The Chicago Cubs, Houston Astros, Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees were identified as the teams Stanton would waive his no-trade clause to join. Talks between the Marlins and Yankees quickly heated up and neared the finish line.
That came Saturday, when the Marlins agreed to trade Stanton to the Yankees, according to Jon Heyman of Today’s Knuckleball:
The Miami Marlins have agreed to send the reigning National League Most Valuable Player and homerun champion to the New York Yankees, sources tell FanRag Sports. The two teams are just finalizing the details, but the principals have been agreed upon, sources say.
In the trade it appears the Yankees will be taking on $265 million of Stanton’s contract and will be sending second baseman Starlin Castro along with two prospects to Miami, via Mark Feinsand of MLB.com:
Source: Marlins will get Castro and two prospects from the Yankees. Yankees will assume $265 million of the $295 million on Stanton’s contract.
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) December 9, 2017
The Yankees, who surpisingly were one win from reaching the 2017 World Series, will boast as formidable of a duo of sluggers that you’ll find in Aaron Judge and Stanton. The reigning AL Rookie of the Year and NL MVP combined to hit 111 home runs this season.
Each surpassed the 50-home run mark, with Stanton’s 59 homers pacing the Majors. Overall, he hit .281/.376/.631 with 32 doubles, 132 RBI and a 165 OPS+.
While it was widely believed his preference was to return home, the Dodgers were said to have concerns over the luxury tax threshold and what assuming a bulk of Stanton’s mega-contract would entail.
With Shohei Ohtani having decided to sign with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, and now that a resolution on the Stanton front has been reached, MLB free agency and other trades should pick up during and after the Winter Meetings.
