The Miami Marlins new ownership group, led by Derek Jeter, made it clear when they assumed control of the franchise that a goal for the 2018 season was to reduce payroll. Thus, Giancarlo Stanton has been on the trading block for the past month.
The Marlins are also believed to be open to trading other assets, but none garner the same interest as the 2017 National League MVP. But with 10 years and $295 million remaining on his contract, the Marlins have had a difficult time finding a trade partner for Stanton.
Further complicating matters is he holds a full no-trade clause. The Marlins have two primary options in their trade talks with teams.
One is to assume a portion of Stanton’s remaining salary in order to receive a better return, and the other is to simply get out from under his contract.
According to Buster Olney of ESPN, the belief is the Marlins have prioritized shedding Stanton’s contract from their books:
Some rival evaluators who have spoken to the Marlins on Stanton say their sense is Miami's priority in trade proposals is moving his salary, and that adding talented players in return is the secondary concern.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) December 2, 2017
The San Francisco Giants and St. Louis Cardinals have shown a reported willingness to take on a big portion of Stanton’s salary, but it’s currently unknown if he would waive his no-trade clause for either team.
Representatives from each club reportedly met with Stanton or personnel from his agency in recent days. The Giants were said to have offered Miami a package comprised of second baseman Joe Panik and prospects Tyler Beede and Chris Shaw.
It’s believed the Marlins are inclined to accept such a return, but Stanton’s veto power trumps their cause. Many believe he is holding out hope that his hometown Los Angeles Dodgers will get involved in the sweepstakes.
Although, if the Marlins are focused on finding salary relief, the Dodgers may not be a match as their front office has emphasized getting under the luxury tax threshold.
If Stanton refuses to be traded to any team other than the Dodgers, then it’s plausible Miami will not have much of choice and may need to eat a significant portion of his salary if they ultimately wish to trade the star slugger.
