Giancarlo Stanton Notes: Tuesday

MLBTR’s Kyle Downing recently rounded up everything we have learned this offseason about the Marlins’ marketing of star slugger Giancarlo Stanton. But there have been developments over the past few days … some of which are in some tension, perhaps reflecting different viewpoints from the actors involved in the high-stakes negotiations.

• Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch explains that if the two sides get close to a deal, the Marlins could grant the Cardinals an exclusive negotiation window of roughly 48 to 72 hours to make a pitch directly to Stanton. While MLB clubs are typically forbidden from talking to players that are under contract with another team, Goold confirmed with MLB officials that the Marlins could designate a window to “convince a player to waive his no-trade (clause) without contract modification.”
• Meanwhile, Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald reports that the Marlins told Stanton back in October that if he declined to ultimately approve a deal, the Marlins would have to explore other ways to shed salary, which could leave him as the lone star on a roster devoid of other top-tier talent. The scenario wasn’t presented to Stanton as an ultimatum, Spencer stresses, but it does underscore the possibility that the Marlins could eventually pivot and market less challenging stars, including Marcell Ozuna and Christian Yelich.
• The Red Sox are an “extreme long shot” to acquire Stanton, a source tells Evan Drellich of NBC Sports Boston. It seems that Boston is not enamored of the current value proposition that a Stanton acquisition would represent, given the Marlins’ asking price.

Earlier Updates

• Yesterday, we heard indications both that Stanton had informed the Marlins of where he’d approve a trade and that there was a general expectation that resolution could be in sight. But the latest report, a subscription piece from Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, has a different twist on those themes. Rosenthal explains that a deal may not come together quite as promptly as might have been expected, writing that both Stanton and the team can afford some patience. Notably, per the report, that’s reflected in Stanton’s stance on his full no-trade rights. Per Rosenthal, Stanton hasn’t simply given Miami a list of yays or nays; rather, he has told them of his “preferences” but would like to know the “overall plans” of a potential acquiring team before approving or nixing any move.
• We already know that the Giants and Cardinals have made initial proposals to the Marlins for Stanton. One other team is “engaged” with the Marlins on Stanton, says Rosenthal, with the Red Sox believed to be the last member of that trio. That said, Boston was only recently reported to have only “tepid” interest in Stanton.
• Per Rosenthal, there are another three unknown organizations “on the periphery.” But there’s still no clear indication of what other teams may be loitering around the edges of the Stanton market. Speculation has rather naturally centered upon the Dodgers, given Stanton’s strong ties to Los Angeles. As ESPN.com’s Buster Olney recently wrote (subscription link), Stanton has every right to stand on any personal preference — if, say, he’s mostly interested in playing for the Dodgers. Then again, as Bob Nightengale of USA Today reminds us on Twitter, the L.A. brass has given rather strong signals that it isn’t looking to add that kind of contractual commitment. In his piece, Rosenthal wonders whether there are some ways around that stance, though none seem to be particularly feasible and clear connections between the organizations are lacking at present.
• The Dodgers were among the teams we identified a few weeks back as being good fits on paper, though of course there are also cases to be made for quite a few more, as we explored in detail. That post is still worth a read if you haven’t checked it out yet. Those looking for more information on the game’s most interesting trade candidate should also give a look at this Statcast-based assessment from MLB.com’s Mike Petriello, who examines how Stanton’s homer tally might be impacted by a new home ballpark.