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Giancarlo Stanton

Giants Could Move Hunter Pence To Part-Time Role

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The Giants are casting a wide net as they search for outfield help, and they’re prepared to move Hunter Pence to a part-time role if their other acquisitions necessitate such a transition, GM Bobby Evans tells Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.

Evans tells Crasnick that the team’s “focus is center field” and upgrading the defense, though San Francisco has, of course, been widely linked to Marlins star Giancarlo Stanton in trade talks as well. The acquisition of a center fielder wouldn’t appear to force Pence into a timeshare at first glance, though John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle tweeted this afternoon that if the Giants are successful in adding both a center fielder and a right fielder such as Stanton, the team could put Pence and Denard Span into a left-field platoon.

Landing Stanton and an established center fielder would be a lofty goal, though Shea also tweets that a short-term fix could be an option in center field. The organization is high on 24-year-old Steven Duggar and believes he could eventually be an internal candidate to man center on a long-term basis. The 2015 sixth-rounder is likely to open next year in Triple-A, per Shea.

Of course, it remains to be seen just how the Giants will remedy their outfield situation. Joel Sherman of the New York Post also chatted with Evans, and the GM acknowledged that the poor reputation of San Francisco’s farm system makes trading with other organizations more difficult. Evans also plainly stated that the Giants would “prefer not to go over [the luxury tax barrier] for the fourth straight year.”

Adding Stanton’s $25MM average annual value to the luxury tax ledger would almost certainly put the Giants right up against that threshold. Between the average annual values of Buster Posey, Johnny Cueto, Jeff Samardzija, Brandon Belt, Brandon Crawford, Mark Melancon, Denard Span, Madison Bumgarner, Matt Moore and Pence (plus $13.9MM in arbitration projections), the Giants already have nearly $154MM on the luxury tax ledger. That’s not even including a potential center-field addition, pre-arbitration players or the roughly $13MM of player benefits that is included in luxury tax calculations. Nevertheless, Sherman characterizes them as a legitimate suitor for the 2017 home run king.

[Related: San Francisco Giants payroll outlook]

As Crasnick notes, the Giants have been tied to virtually every outfielder on the free-agent or trade market. In addition to Stanton, San Francisco has been linked to Lorenzo Cain (link), Jackie Bradley Jr. (link), Billy Hamilton (link) and Jay Bruce (link) in the past week alone.

San Francisco outfielders were far and away the least productive unit in all of Major League Baseball last season, hitting just .255/.309/.375 while also posting the fifth-worst Defensive Runs Saved total in the game (-42). Pence, 35 next April, played no small role in those struggles. The former All-Star hit .260/.315/.385 with passable but unspectacular defense in right field. He’s owed $18.5MM next season — the final year of a five-year, $90MM contract with the Giants.

Giancarlo Stanton Rumors: Tuesday

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Marlins star Giancarlo Stanton has already generated plenty of buzz at the GM Meetings. Perhaps that’s unsurprising, given that his massive contract represents a key factor in the Miami organization’s offseason — and those of the teams that will consider acquiring it. Given the unique circumstances at play, perhaps it wouldn’t be surprising if he were to be dealt at a relatively early stage.

Here’s the latest:

  • The Dodgers are indeed in the mix for Stanton, tweets MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand. To what extent Los Angeles is interested remains unclear, but the Dodgers certainly have the payroll capacity to take on the contract as well as the young talent in order to entice the Marlins to part with Stanton.
  • Stanton actually has not ruled out the Red Sox — or, it seems, any other organizations — according to a report from Evan Drellich of NBC Sports Boston. While the slugger may have initial preferences, Drellich writes that he’s maintaining a “’completely’ open mind.” It’s ultimately not too surprising to hear some competing information flying about Stanton’s approach, for the reasons Goold explores in the below-linked piece. But if the slugger is indeed willing to entertain any possibilities, then that will presumably make for a more wide-open process — and keep things interesting right up to the point that Stanton weighs an actual opportunity t change teams, should it arise.

Earlier Updates

  • The Giants have at times given signals of going big for Stanton (or another expensive player) or instead trying to stay under the luxury tax line. But it seems the organization is engaged with the Marlins in earnest. Per MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro, via Twitter, the clubs are discussing Giants prospect Heliot Ramos as a possible element of a hypothetical return for Stanton. San Francisco is joined by at least three others in chasing the slugger at this point, he adds. (Those looking for subtle signals will also note that Giants GM Bobby Evans and Marlins president of baseball ops Michael Hill were spotted on a joint foyer foray this morning, as John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle tweets.)
  • Jon Heyman of Fan Rag, meanwhile, hears at least seven clubs have shown some level of interest in Stanton, noting that the Marlins front office is “encouraged” by the early dialogue. Front office sources from other organizations framed things a bit differently; ESPN.com’s Buster Olney tweets that there’s a perception that the Marlins are seeking a “shockingly high” package for the rights to pay Stanton at a premium rate, particularly since his deal includes an opt-out clause.
  • Importantly, per Heyman, Miami is said to be open to hanging on to some of Stanton’s contract. Additionally, the team is focused on achieving value rather than on getting young pitching, specifically.
  • Of course, Stanton’s own preferences hold the final say in any deal. While it’s far from certain, there are rumblings that Stanton is not inclined to approve a swap that would send him to the Cardinals or Red Sox, as Chad Jennings of the Boston Herald reports. If nothing else, anything less than a full blessing from Stanton with regard to a given organization would likely complicate any effort to finalize a deal.
  • The no-trade clause obviously ties into the subject of leverage, which is a key issue for the Fish, as Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch explains. Since Miami would do well to keep its cards close to the vest with regard to Stanton’s preferences, the information flow is critical to the Marlins’ effort to maximize their return while finding a landing spot Stanton that will authorize.
  • While the Red Sox “may have checked in” on Stanton, they seem to be focused elsewhere. And the Dodgers haven’t engaged yet at all, Heyman adds. Both of those teams were highlighted by MLBTR as among the best fits on paper for the star slugger.

NL East Notes: Stanton, Phillies, Mets Needs, Nats, Werth

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With the GM Meetings underway, we’ll be rounding up the key bits of information from around the league. Let’s get things started with the NL East:

  • While the Marlins haven’t yet committed to trading Giancarlo Stanton, his pursuit could be the first major piece of the offseason puzzle. As Tim Healey of the Sun-Sentinel reports, Miami president of baseball operations Michael Hill acknowledges that the front offices has “a sense” of where Stanton would be willing to go via trade. While the team isn’t disclosing that publicly, it’ll obviously be a key factor as the team tries to craft a trade that will meet its needs and receive approval from Stanton, who can veto any swap through his no-trade clause. Hill did also say it’s “definitely a possibility” that Stanton won’t be dealt, though the team’s payroll plans make him an exceedingly tough fit. [RELATED: MLBTR’s breakdown of Stanton’s market and compilation of the latest rumors]
  • One team that has been tied to Stanton, the Phillies, may not be that realistic a suitor after all. Per Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Philadelphia organization has not engaged the Marlins in “substantive talks” and do not see the slugger as a fit. As Gelb notes, GM Matt Klentak emphasized today that the club is “pretty comfortable with our position-player group right now” and prefers to “let those young players play” — barring, at least, “a pretty unique set of circumstances.” Klentak also acknowledged that “this offseason is the first time since I’ve been here that we will explore contracts of more than one year with free agents.”
  • As they seek to modernize the use of their pitching staff, the Mets seemingly hope to improve the rotation without necessarily spending resources on new acquisitions. As Marc Carig of Newsday writes, GM Sandy Alderson plans both to buttress the training approach and to improve the team’s bullpen. New York could be a player for pitchers such as Brandon Morrow, Mike Minor, and Bryan Shaw — each of whom MLBTR predicts to land a three-year deal. That said, achieving depth will surely involve multiple additions. The team is considering righty Wily Peralta as one swingman candidate, Mike Puma of the New York Post tweets.
  • Of course, the Mets also have other needs, and committing resources to the pen will make for sacrifices. Second base is an obvious need, though Carig suggests the club may not look to commit too big a chunk of salary to filling that hole. The Mets will also look for a quality hitter that can play right field and/or first base, helping to cover for the questions surrounding Michael Conforto and Dominic Smith (the latter of whom was the recipient of some blunt words from Alderson). It sounds like the team is more or less seeking the same thing it was when it inked Michael Cuddyer a few years back. A righty bat would make the most sense from a platoon perspective, though that could mean giving the lion’s share of time in center to Juan Lagares — a possibility that Carig credits.
  • Nationals president of baseball ops Mike Rizzo downplayed the possibility of the organization landing a top-flight starter, as Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post reports on Twitter. He did, however, say that depth in the rotation and the pen were on his offseason wish list. It’s interesting to hear that Rizzo isn’t keen (at least publicly) to pursue more significant additions to the pitching staff. After all, the lineup is also mostly set; on the whole, the ballclub has few holes in terms of its major contributors (with catcher arguably representing a major exception). But with a mandate to pursue an elusive, deep playoff run, that has left some wondering where the team will look to improve. Perhaps building out a strong supporting cast will be the focus; then again, it could be that larger moves could be pursued in a stealthier manner.
  • Rizzo said he wouldn’t rule out the possibility that the Nationals would retain Jayson Werth, as Jorge Castillo of the Washington Post reports on Twitter. “We haven’t really discussed that or gone down that road yet,” said Rizzo, “but I wouldn’t close the door on it.” He did note that such a move would “have to fit into what we want to do,” likely hinting at a much-reduced role for the veteran. In honesty, it’s somewhat difficult to see just how Werth would fit in with the team’s current alignment, though perhaps it’s possible he’d mostly work as a bench bat and depth option.

Crasnick’s Latest: Stanton, Ohtani, JDM, Darvish, Royals, McCutchen

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In this year’s edition of his annual Hot Stove survey (an always-excellent read), ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick surveyed 40 front office execs and scouts from around the league on nine offseason issues as this week’s GM Meetings kick off. Among the topics discussed, at length, are the possibility of a Giancarlo Stanton trade (and his likeliest destination), where Japanese star Shohei Ohtani will land, how much J.D. Martinez can command in free agency, and whether Yu Darvish’s poor World Series showing hampered his free-agent stock. Crasnick also polled the 40 baseball ops/scouting minds on multiple groups of free agents and trade candidates, asking which will provide the most value and which are likeliest to be dealt.

If you follow the offseason even loosely, you’ll want to be sure to read through the entire column, which is packed with quotes and insight from general managers, scouts and other front-office executives on the players in question and their potential landing spots. Some abbreviated highlights…

  • Three quarters of the respondents indicated that they expect Stanton to be traded this offseason, with nearly a third listing the Cardinals as the likeliest landing spot. The Giants were the second-most popular spot, though one scout tells Crasnick he has a difficult time envisioning that match, calling the Giants a “bottom-five farm system.” One respondent who felt Stanton would stay in Miami suggests to Crasnick that the Marlins may be underestimating just how much of the contract they’ll need to pay down.
  • The Yankees and Dodgers split the vote on the surveyed group’s likeliest destinations for Ohtani, with the Rangers not far behind. Several other clubs received a few votes, and four of the 40 respondents suggested that they believed Ohtani would remain with the Nippon Ham Fighters in 2018. There’s still some work to be done with the league, the players’ union and Nippon Professional Baseball before the posting process can begin in earnest. The agreement between MLB and NPB on the current iteration of the posting system expired this offseason.
  • The Red Sox were the overwhelming favorite when it came to the question of Martinez’s next team, though expectations for his contract varied in size. One GM pegged Martinez at around six years and $140MM, Crasnick notes. Some execs felt he’d fall closer to Justin Upton’s $106MM guarantee.
  • Only three of the 40 respondents thought that Darvish’s pair of World Series meltdowns would have a substantial impact on his offseason earning capacity. Crasnick’s piece has plenty of insightful quotes on Darvish — more than any other player — from the scouts that were polled. An AL scout tells Crasnick that 15 years ago, the World Series might’ve hurt Darvish, but in a largely sabermetric environment, his late struggles are a “void blip in the radar.”
  • Crasnick also asked respondents which of the Royals’ big three free agents (Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas, Lorenzo Cain) would provide the best value on his next deal, which of Carlos Gomez or Carlos Gonzalez had a better chance of reestablishing himself as a star, and which major 2018-19 free agent among Andrew McCutchen, Josh Donaldson and Manny Machado is likeliest to be traded this winter. I found it somewhat of a surprise to see Hosmer as the decisive favorite in that Royals question, though many scouts praised his glovework despite poor reviews from defensive metrics. McCutchen, less surprisingly, was deemed likeliest of his trio to go, while Gonzalez topped Gomez handily in their own respective face-off.

Giancarlo Stanton Rumors: Sunday

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Heading into the upcoming week’s general managers meetings, Marlins right fielder Giancarlo Stanton ranks as the majors’ best on-the-block player. Here are the latest rumblings involving the 27-year-old National League MVP hopeful:

  • Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald reported Saturday that Boston is “definitely in play” for Stanton, but sources tell Jon Heyman of FanRag that the Red Sox don’t look like the front-runners for him at the moment. Rather, the Sox are more focused on other players, including free agent outfielder J.D. Martinez, per Heyman.
  • The Cardinals, who have discussed Stanton with the Marlins, are “determined” in their interest, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. The two clubs expect to continue their Stanton talks at the meetings, according to Goold, who adds that the Cardinals also have Marlins closer Brad Ziegler on their radar. The 38-year-old Ziegler is due $9MM in 2018, and it’s fair to surmise that the payroll-slashing Marlins would like to remove as much of his money as possible from their books.
  • Stanton has also piqued San Francisco’s interest, though the Marlins are bearish on the Giants’ farm system and don’t believe the team could put together a satisfactory package for the slugger, John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle relays. So, to increase their odds of acquiring Stanton, the Giants would have to commit to taking on more of his enormous contract than a team with better prospects, Shea contends. That would seemingly be problematic for the Giants, who don’t want to spend past the $197MM luxury tax threshold in 2018 and already have significant money on their books.

Giancarlo Stanton Rumors: Saturday

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On Friday, we learned that the Marlins have had preliminary talks about outfielder Giancarlo Stanton with four MLB teams. As more rumors involving the prolific slugger swirl about today, we’ll keep track of them here.

  • Talks between the Marlins and Red Sox involving Stanton “may be heating up”, according to Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald. His source tells him that the Red Sox are “definitely in play”. Spencer also mentions that Stanton’s incredible power would play well at Fenway Park, adding that Boston hit the fewest home runs of any MLB team in 2017. The Red Sox certainly seem like a reasonable fit for many other reasons as well, and Spencer lists a small handful in his piece. They’ve been said to be interested in spending more money, even to the point of exceeding the luxury tax, while it has been said that Stanton prefers to play near a coast. President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski is no stranger to making deals with the Marlins, having helped engineer a blockbuster trade to bring Miguel Cabrera to the Tigers back in 2007.

Latest On Giancarlo Stanton: Talks Between Marlins, 4 Teams

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The Red Sox, Cardinals, Giants and Phillies are early contenders to put together a trade for Marlins superstar Giancarlo Stanton, Jon Morosi of MLB Network reports (on Twitter). There has been “preliminary communication” regarding the right fielder between each of those teams and the Marlins, according to Morosi, who adds that talks are likely to “intensify” at next week’s general managers meetings.

With the Marlins primed to slash payroll under new owners Bruce Sherman and Derek Jeter, Stanton stands out as their most obvious trade candidate. The 2017 major league home run king (59) and National League MVP finalist is owed either $295MM through 2028 or $77MM through 2020, depending on whether he exercises his opt-out clause. The amount of money left on the contract, the opt-out and Stanton’s full no-trade rights could combine to make a trade rather complicated. But the 27-year-old Stanton’s no-trade clause may not be a major hindrance, given that he is fed up with losing and would like to join a contender. The Marlins appear poised to embark on a lengthy rebuild, so it seems doubtful Stanton would stand in the way of a deal if he feels the acquiring team would give him a chance to play meaningful games into the fall – something he hasn’t done since bursting on the big league scene in 2010.

While the Marlins have never even posted an above-.500 season during Stanton’s eight-year career, the Red Sox, Cardinals and Giants have typically served as contenders during that span (though San Francisco’s coming off a major league-worst 68-win season). The Phillies, meanwhile, have finished toward the bottom of the NL East for five years running, but several of their young players showed progress in 2017, and the club figures to return to its high-spending ways when it’s officially ready to leave its own long rebuild behind. Stanton reportedly wasn’t willing to waive his NTC to go to Philadelphia as of late in the season, though, and it could also hurt the team’s cause that it shares a division with the Marlins, who would have to face the p.r. backlash of dealing the face of their franchise to a close rival.

As with the Phillies, there are reasons why a Stanton acquisition would and wouldn’t work for each of the other three suitors (and several other teams), as MLBTR’s Jeff Todd deftly laid out on Thursday. Regardless of whether the Marlins ultimately send him to one of the four front-runners or another club, the Stanton sweepstakes will go down as one of the most fascinating sagas of the offseason.

NL Notes: Giants, Mattingly, Stanton, Braves, Schu

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Giants executive Brian Sabean discussed his organization’s chief needs recently with reporters including MLB.com’s Chris Haft. While the team is facing a difficult situation with regard to payroll — both in 2018 and beyond — Sabean says there’s urgency to improve in several areas. “Center field needs to be upgraded,” he said. “We have to find an everyday third baseman. And we have to be resourceful in how we reconstruct the bullpen.” Those are the primary spots that seem in need of improvement from the outside; truly getting better, though, will require some combination of creativity and tough tradeoffs.

Here’s more from the National League:

  • The Marlins have confirmed that Don Mattingly will, as expected, be back as manager, as Tim Healey of the Sun-Sentinel writes. The veteran skipper is under contract, as president of baseball operations Michael Hill noted, but the organization had not yet made clear in the midst of an ownership change that he would retain his role. (Of course, it would have rated as a big surprise had the team suddenly gone in a different direction at this point in the offseason.) Mattingly has said he’s excited to get underway with the new ownership group led by fellow Yankees legend Derek Jeter, but it’s yet to be seen just what kind of roster he’ll have to work with.
  • Speaking of notable possible roster changes, Hill has held a conversation with Giancarlo Stanton, Healey reports, but the Marlins are understandably keeping things close to the vest. Expectations remain that the club will slash salary through some significant trades; Hill acknowledged that things haven’t gone as hoped of late and says the goal is to “build a sustainable, consistent, productive major league organization.” Stanton’s massive contract and excellent 2017 season seemingly make him a rather obvious trade piece, and we took a look earlier today at some teams that could line up on paper for Stanton, but his no-trade clause gives him quite a lot of say in a future destination.
  • We’re still waiting to hear about league punishments for the Braves slate of alleged amateur signing transgressions, and it seems the wait will take a while longer. A decision is expected sometime between the GM Meetings and Winter Meetings, per Joel Sherman of the New York Post. It’s likely that word won’t come down until December, ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick adds on Twitter. Interestingly, though, Sherman says that the organization could end up making a front office decision before the commisioner’s office acts. Indeed, the team has been “quietly interviewing” some potential candidates that could join the front office in some capacity, per Sherman, who adds that the preference remains to seek a reunion with Royals GM Dayton Moore — who hasn’t been allowed to speak with the Atlanta organization to this point.
  • The Giants have hired Rick Schu as their assistant hitting coach, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports on Twitter. Schu, a former big league third baseman, had served as the Nationals’ hitting coach since 2013 but was among the personnel allowed to seek other opportunities after the Nats decided not to retain Dusty Baker. Washington ended up hiring Kevin Long as its new hitting coach.

Assessing The Trade Market For Giancarlo Stanton

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Giancarlo Stanton was a star before 2017, but he elevated his profile even further with a huge campaign. As was just announced, the burly slugger is among the three finalists for the National League’s Most Valuable Player Award after a season in which he fell just shy of the 60 home run threshold.

Giancarlo Stanton Trade Market

On the whole, Stanton’s 2017 performance — a .281/.376/.631 slash and 156 wRC+ — wasn’t actually all that different from his prior high-water marks in 2012, 2014, and 2015 (by measure of wRC+). It’s promising that he was able to post a personal-low 23.6% strikeout rate while swatting 59 long balls and a .350 ISO. On the other hand, it also seems a bit unlikely that Stanton will sustain a monster 34.3% HR/FB rate and his lofty 16.9% infield fly rate is perhaps cause for some concern. What’s most important, though, is that he was able to demonstrate that an injury-plagued 2016 was mostly a blip.

Stanton, clearly, is among the game’s best hitters. Unlike some other top sluggers, he’s also a quality fielder, making him a legitimate organizational centerpiece. He also just marked his 28th birthday. That relative youth is particularly important given his checkered injury history. Stanton’s 159 games played in 2017 not only sets a personal high, but represents only the third season in which he has appeared in more than 123 contests. While the looming Stanton is a paragon of fitness, and does not have a specific health issue of particular concern, he’s also a very large man who could face some challenges as he ages.

If Stanton was a free agent, he’d unquestionably be the top player available. How much might he get? That’s debatable, but $295MM — the amount left on his contract — isn’t a terrible guess. Opt-outs are de rigueur these days, so Stanton’s post-2020 opportunity would be a reasonable addition, as would be no-trade protection.

Instead of a free-agent bidding war, though, we’ll be treated to one of the trade variety — assuming the Marlins follow through on their intentions to deal Stanton — that’ll hinge upon myriad questions. How much will the opt-out function as a deterrent? What about the availability of other quality power bats this year (J.D. Martinez) and next (Bryce Harper, et al.) in free agency? Is there surplus value in the contract? Can the Marlins get a team to give something significant up for the right to pay Stanton at roughly his market rate?

The answers to those queries will ultimately flow from the demand side. Stanton’s own preferences, of course, represent a critical — and largely unknown — factor. He’ll have to be involved given his veto power. Stanton is from the west coast, though the strength of the geographic pull isn’t entirely clear. All that’s really clear at this point is that he has a strong desire to avoid a rebuilding situation. Let’s take a look, then, at which rival organizations might show interest, and how strong that interest might be:

Best Matches (alphabetical order)

Cardinals

[Depth Chart – Payroll]

  • Why it works: The Cards’ need for a big bat is probably overstated — after all, the team was right at league average in hitting last year — but the team clearly wants to add pop. More importantly, St. Louis has a broad base of talent at or near the MLB level, but perhaps lacks sufficient premium players on its roster. Swapping out some of that affordable depth for higher-quality players holds obvious appeal, and the Cardinals are even said to be willing to dangle quality young pitching talent. St. Louis also has excess young outfield talent to work with. That would unquestionably hold appeal to Miami, though indications are that the Cards would also be looking for some cost savings on Stanton’s contract if its top young arms are in play.
  • Why it doesn’t: Stanton wouldn’t bust the Cardinals’ payroll, but he’d come close. The team has not gone north of $150MM to start a season yet, and already has $116MM allotted to salaries for 2018 entering the offseason. Perhaps that payroll line could go up, but it’s notable that the early chatter already involves considerations of financial tweaks that may not be to the Marlins’ liking. After all, the Fish are already swallowing hard to consider trading such a star player, and are motivated to do so primarily by payroll pressures.
  • Outlook: The Cards will surely take a long look at Stanton, though they’ll no doubt also be looking into the Marlins’ two other talented outfielders, Marcell Ozuna and Christian Yelich. There are plenty of imaginable scenarios that make decent sense on paper between these organizations, but getting something done will require a lot of careful balancing.

Dodgers

[Depth Chart – Payroll]

  • Why it works: If you just look at positional openings and payroll, this feels like an obvious fit. The Dodgers’ best outfielders last year — Chris Taylor and Cody Bellinger — are both infielders by training, and at least one is likely to return there for 2018. Yasiel Puig is one year away from free agency. While there are a variety of other quality options — including Joc Pederson, Enrique Hernandez, a rehabbing Andrew Toles, and top prospect Alex Verdugo — the Dodgers could easily stand to plug in a superstar. Arguably, they should, after coming up one game shy of an elusive World Series title. Sure, the team has a lot committed to payroll already in 2018, but it can probably afford more, and the books are fairly clear in the future. If the team previously had interest in Ryan Braun, why not now go after a better and younger option in Stanton?
  • Why it doesn’t: It hardly needs to be said, but these aren’t your older sibling’s pre-Friedman Dodgers. This is an organization that has focused, first and foremost, on bringing in and developing amateur talent (Puig, Bellinger, Corey Seager, etc.) while finding and polishing diamonds in the rough at the MLB level (Taylor, Justin Turner, etc.). The administration has paid in dollars and prospects in some circumstances, such as for international amateur talent, somewhat risky veteran starting pitching, veteran bench pieces, retention of stars (Turner, Kenley Jansen), and mid-season rental acquisitions. A splashy outside acquisition, though, would be new territory. There’s a reason, too, beyond the thrill of finding value in hard-to-find places. While the Dodgers can out-spend most organizations, that doesn’t mean they prefer to from a business perspective. Creating a sustainable, annual contender also means avoiding cycles of contractual inefficiencies, and the club needs to consider a future in which Clayton Kershaw and others will command massive new contracts to remain in place.
  • Outlook: Los Angeles probably won’t over-extend itself unless it really feels Stanton is a critical piece of the puzzle. But if the Dodgers do think that plugging in an everyday star in the corner outfield is the way to go, they’d likely be the odds-on favorite to make a deal.

Red Sox

[Depth Chart – Payroll]

  • Why it works: Boston president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski is no stranger to swinging big deals and the Sox offense was out-homered by all but three teams last year. Cost isn’t much of an impediment, as the team has now re-set its luxury tax level and has a payroll capacity likely exceeded by only two other teams. While adding Stanton would likely mean going on to trade rangy center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. to create space, that’s essentially the scenario we posited in predicting that Boston would land top free agent slugger J.D. Martinez. Bradley, certainly, would also be quite an attractive trade piece that would allow the organization to address another need. (Three-team scenarios are especially fun to ponder.) In the long run, Stanton could find a soft landing at DH.
  • Why it doesn’t: The Red Sox’ payroll isn’t limitless — it actually has never topped $200MM to open a season — and the club already has some risky long-term commitments. Plus, in the mid-term the pitching staff is arguably the greater concern, as several top arms will hit the open market over the coming years. Bradley is no slouch; he’s younger and cheaper than Stanton and handily outperformed him in a 5-WAR season in 2016. Perhaps re-arranging the deck chairs in this manner isn’t the most efficient way to improve in the near term and isn’t worth the long-term risk. The club might find it easier simply to acquire a shiny new first baseman, with Jose Abreu representing a particularly interesting trade candidate. And the Sox aren’t exactly overflowing with expendable, quality young players at or near the majors in the way that the Cardinals are; that doesn’t preclude a deal, but makes it a bit more difficult to see how the sides would line up if there’s competition in the market.
  • Outlook: Getting Stanton would make for something of a classic Dombrowski move, but it’s not a perfect fit. Boston has other options for adding the power it desires, though it also must be considered one of the chief possibilities until we hear otherwise.

Other Possibilities (alphabetical order)

Astros

[Depth Chart – Payroll]

  • Why it works: The Astros, you may have heard, are fresh off of a World Series victory. Staying at the top of the hill, though, means always looking for the next opportunity. The team has a fair bit of money committed to its 2017 payroll, but relatively little beyond it. And it’s easy to imagine freeing some added salary by non-tendering or trading players such as Evan Gattis and Mike Fiers. While Marwin Gonzalez was a revelation and Josh Reddick had a strong season in the first year of his contract, the corner outfield is a clear spot for the ’Stros to make strides. Putting Stanton’s bat in the middle of the lineup might also free the organization to dangle young players such as Derek Fisher and Kyle Tucker in a bid to add controllable, high-quality pitching. This is the sort of move that could represent an appropriate tradeoff given the fact that the team is obviously at or near a high point of MLB talent. And we do know there has been some past interest on Houston’s behalf.
  • Why it doesn’t: Houston had the game’s best offense, by a wide margin, in 2017. So this isn’t really a target area, particularly with Fisher, Tucker, and others on the rise. It’s arguable that the Houston front office would be wiser to target shorter-term role players that fit in with the current roster core, rather than taking some risky gambit at adding another central piece. Pitching, though, can always be improved; the Astros could instead look to spend their money to pursue a quality starter, top-end closer, and/or bullpen depth. Plus, we don’t really know how high the payroll can go. And the future money would remove resources that might be used if the team tries to strike long-term deals with current stars such as George Springer, Carlos Correa, Jose Altuve, and Dallas Keuchel.
  • Outlook: Once the confetti is swept up, the Astros will be left facing a tough but enviable question of how to build upon the success. Stanton will have to be a name that’s at least considered, but it’s anybody’s guess whether he’s seriously pursued.

Blue Jays

[Depth Chart – Payroll]

  • Why it works: If you look past the current season, the Blue Jays have loads of free payroll. With Edwin Encarnacion gone and Jose Bautista on his way back to free agency, there’s a need for a slugging corner outfielder. The Jays did make a fairly significant offer to Encarnacion early last winter, so there’s some willingness to commit cash to a power bat. Adding Stanton would give the team a major lineup threat to pair with Josh Donaldson for 2018 and replace him if he departs via free agency next winter.
  • Why it doesn’t: The Toronto balance sheet isn’t quite as favorable for 2018 as it is beyond. And GM Ross Atkins and president Mark Shapiro haven’t yet taken on or handed out a major, long-term deal since taking over the front office in 2016. Indeed, they allowed Encarnacion to depart and did not extend Bautista before he hit free agency (though he ultimately returned). The biggest barrier here, though, is probably Stanton’s no-trade rights. We have no way of knowing whether he’d be inclined to go to Toronto, but the tax implications for his contract could make it a much harder sell. (Analyses reach different conclusions, and this point is perhaps generally overstated, but it seems that highly compensated athletes in Canada should expect to pay at least as much or more than they would in any U.S. state. Estimates from the major Jays-Marlins trade of 2012 suggest a significant financial difference between playing in Canada and Florida.)
  • Outlook: These organizations have a history of swapping major contracts, but Stanton will call the shots here. If he is truly willing to go north, and the Jays are open to considering that kind of contract, then they make as good a fit as any team.

Braves

[Depth Chart – Payroll]

  • Why it works: Atlanta is looking to a future in which aging corner outfielders Nick Markakis and Matt Kemp are replaced by top youngster Ronald Acuna and … a player to be determined. Plugging Stanton into the mix would be an emphatic move to boost the club into contention and settle a long-term need. He and Acuna, surely, would be quite pleasing additions to a lineup rooted by Freddie Freeman. And the Braves are overflowing with the kind of pitching talent that the Marlins so desperately need. After opening a new park in 2017, perhaps the Braves could consider trying to keep the good times rolling by stunning the baseball world with a Stanton deal.
  • Why it doesn’t: The Braves’ ownership group, Liberty Media, may or may not be willing to boost payroll, but it surely won’t operate the way a megarich individual owner would — in some cases, at least, throwing profits to the wind in the hunt for a title. That makes a Stanton-level commitment feel steep for this organization. And then there’s the front office uncertainty. At this point, it’s unclear who’ll be running the show and what kind of advisers will be around to dole out opinions. Pulling off a move of this magnitude in this particular winter may be asking too much. Beyond all that, patience is often a virtue in a rebuilding effort; the organization may be better served by waiting to see how its internal assets develop before committing to a major outside move. And the team would need to convince Stanton that it’s ready to contend.
  • Outlook: If the Marlins decide to push for a Stanton deal early in the offseason, it’s tough to see the Braves as a plausible suitor. But perhaps if the process drags out, Atlanta could get involved.

Cubs

[Depth Chart – Payroll]

  • Why it works: Chicago is a big-market team with a mandate to win, which gets you much of the way to understanding why this can’t be ruled out. The Cubs have room to spend and are far from settled in the outfield corners, where Kyle Schwarber, Jason Heyward, Ben Zobrist, and Ian Happ are all imperfect options. While the big need is pitching, Chicago could conceivably strike a deal for Stanton, then spin off a few other assets to land the rotation and pen help that’s lacking. Since Zobrist and Happ can play in the outfield or at second base, there are plenty of ways the pieces could be shuffled to make it all work.
  • Why it doesn’t: To some extent, Heyward already represents the team’s big move in the outfield. That he hasn’t worked out as hoped represents a major problem for the organization and could preclude another big bet on a younger, high-end outfielder. There are only so many huge salaries a given team can carry, after all, and Chicago needs to keep some powder dry to accommodate pitching additions, allow for contingencies, and eventually, perhaps, enable the organization to retain still-cheap stars Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, and Willson Contreras. Plus, the Cubs have already moved most of the upper-level talent they are willing to trade, making it tough to structure a deal that would appeal to Miami.
  • Outlook: This would be a more plausible scenario were it not for Heyward’s contract. As it stands, it’s hardly an impossibility, but doesn’t seem like the best match.

Giants

[Depth Chart – Payroll]

  • Why it works: Lots of chatter has linked the Giants to Stanton, who is just the type of player they want to add. With a notable power outage in 2017, Stanton would provide an immediate upgrade. He’s capable of fielding the spacious outfield in AT&T Park, too. For an organization that is in need of some excitement, a big move for the game’s best-known slugger would surely do it. And unlike many big free agent moves, adding Stanton wouldn’t mean parting with draft picks and international money — a particular consideration given the Giants’ excellent amateur position next summer.
  • Why it doesn’t: Frankly, it’s still not entirely clear how the San Francisco organization is going to proceed with a tricky offseason. The team’s future balance sheets are riddled with questionable commitments to older, often injury-plagued players. Adding a commitment of this magnitude just feels awfully dangerous and would almost certainly mean another year of luxury tax payments. Plus, the Giants would really prefer to add a new center fielder, while mostly relying upon Hunter Pence and Denard Span in the corners. That’s not going to dictate a decision on Stanton, but will factor into the calculus. The team has to be looking to improve in other areas, too, and making this kind of blockbuster might limit the more budget-friendly means of getting better. Then there’s the matter of the return; what pieces would work to make a match with Miami?
  • Outlook: This may well be the move the Giants want to make. But it would take quite a leap of faith to do it, and it’s frankly difficult to imagine that taking place.

Mariners

[Depth Chart – Payroll]

  • Why it works: The M’s have found themselves within six games of .500 (in either direction) in each of the past four seasons. Breaking out of that magnetic field of mediocrity could require a bold move. While GM Jerry Dipoto’s many trades have focused mostly on enhancing the team’s youth and control rather than on taking shots on veteran players, perhaps those efforts make it plausible to imagine the addition of another major salary. With Nelson Cruz entering his walk season and two more years left on Felix Hernandez’s contract, two of the club’s bigger payroll slots will be opening — and there’ll be a need to fill in for Cruz’s power production. The corner outfield would certainly be a nice spot to target for a power bat, as Seattle could utilize Mitch Haniger in center with Ben Gamel and Guillermo Heredia sharing left field and spelling the others.
  • Why it doesn’t: In the near term, Seattle may not have much room to spend. The club opened last year with a club-record $154MM payroll and is already pushing that tally before filling out a 2018 roster. In the long run, the team owes Robinson Cano $24MM annually through 2023. It’s worth remembering, too, that #HelloCano hasn’t quite panned out as hoped; while he has mostly played at a high level, it wasn’t enough to put the M’s over the top. In any event, there’s a bigger hole at first base, where the club could hope to find a highly productive bat at a much lower cost. There’s an argument to be made that the team’s rotation should be targeted if there’s to be a bold investment. And the Mariners surely won’t be interested in parting with the controllable pitching that the Marlins will likely seek in a deal — to the extent it can even be said that they possess it in the first place.
  • Outlook: The Mariners have been incredibly active on the trade market under Dipoto, but haven’t pursued prospects-for-stars deals of this type. While that could always change, a bold move for Stanton doesn’t feel like it fits the m.o. of this iteration of the organization’s leadership.

Nationals

[Depth Chart – Payroll]

  • Why it works: As with the Yanks, there’s no hole that needs to be filled, but there are arguments for doing it anyway. In this case, upon landing Stanton, the Nats would presumably keep Adam Eaton in center field while utilizing Michael Taylor as a quality fourth outfielder (or, instead, as part of this trade or in another). While the DH angle isn’t available here, the addition of Stanton would function to give the team a ready replacement for Bryce Harper, who’s entering his final season of control. And the Nats don’t really have many glaring needs that are susceptible of being addressed anyway, leaving the team free this winter to act in an opportunistic way to make good on an ownership mandate to win a World Series.
  • Why it doesn’t: While the Nats’ long-term commitments aren’t too great in total, they mostly reflect two major obligations to veteran starters (Stephen Strasburg and Max Scherzer). It could be too risky to add another premium salary. And if the team is going to do so, perhaps it first ought to exhaust every possibility of making a deal with Harper, who is a homegrown star and a younger player — even if he may prefer to seek a gobstopping deal on the open market. (Daniel Murphy and Anthony Rendon are also nearing their own free agencies; the latter, in particular, seems to be an extension candidate — and one that won’t be cheap.) Regardless of the long-term outlook, adding Stanton would mean blowing past the luxury tax line and all prior payroll highpoints for 2018. The Lerner family has deep enough pockets to do that, but it would be a big step for an organization that has already reached new spending heights in recent years. Top prospect Victor Robles is also a factor; while he could coexist with Stanton and Eaton in a hypothetical post-Harper outfield, his presence (and perhaps also that of fellow young outfielder Juan Soto) arguably reduces the need to take this kind of drastic action.
  • Outlook: Again, you can see an avenue to a fit, but it’s far from a slam dunk. The fact that the Nats share a division with the Marlins may complicate things a bit, too, since the incoming ownership group will no doubt be sensitive to its fans watching Stanton launch bombs in Marlins Park in a different uniform.

Phillies

[Depth Chart – Payroll]

  • Why it works: Don’t sleep on the Phillies, because they may be nearing an awakening. Let’s focus less on the solid second-half record than on the pieces this organization has compiled. With Rhys Hoskins showing himself to be a fearsome young slugger, J.P. Crawford reaching the majors, and Aaron Nola pitching like an ace, quite a lot of the team’s best young talent is now at or near the majors. The club had established itself as one of the league’s biggest spenders before reaching a new TV deal that locked in big money for decades to come, and the future payroll is virtually devoid of commitments. If GM Matt Klentak and President Andy MacPhail decide it’s time to ramp things up and land a superstar, the reasonably youthful Stanton is a nice target. And the team has quite a few solid young players that could be sent to Miami in return; like the Cardinals, the upper-level depth situation seems favorable to aiding the Fish in what will be a tough transition.
  • Why it doesn’t: The Phillies have practiced their pitch on fans, but they’ll need it to convince Stanton that they are ready to win. After all, the club was significantly worse than the Marlins last year. But should they even bother? There’s a strong case to be made that the club would be better served spending its cash on pitching assets — or, perhaps, keeping it dry to pursue yet younger premium free agents next winter. Plus, corner outfielders Nick Williams and Aaron Altherr joined Odubel Herrera to make a productive trio last year, so it would be sensible for the team to give them a longer leash.
  • Outlook: There’s just somewhat less urgency for the Phillies than for the other teams listed in this grouping. While the club would no doubt like to begin competing, and would see Stanton as a near and long-term asset, there are questions whether they’d extend themselves this far, this soon, for this player.

Rangers

[Depth Chart – Payroll]

  • Why it works: Texas is no stranger to significant splashes and could have a fair bit of open payroll space to work with — for 2018 and into the future. While Nomar Mazara is still viewed as the answer at one corner outfield spot, the other is unsettled. The team’s most promising offensive possibilities — expensive veteran Shin-Soo Choo, Darvish deal headliner Willie Calhoun, and all-or-nothing slugger Joey Gallo — are all best written into the lineup at first base or DH. Adding Stanton might increase the team’s desire to move on from Choo, both to avoid a logjam and to clear some of his salary, but that’s probably not going to drive any decisions here.
  • Why it doesn’t: As with the Cubs, the chief need for the Rangers is pitching. And on offense, power wasn’t exactly in short supply; in fact, the club posted the third-highest homer tally in the majors. Making this kind of financial commitment for a slugger — even one as well-rounded as Stanton — would be a debatable approach with the pitching staff looking so rough. As importantly, Texas would likely be served much better by adding a center fielder if the team is going to spend on a hitter. With payroll likely to move south, there’s not a lot of free space to fit this kind of contract.
  • Outlook: This isn’t a terrible fit, despite some logistical impediments, but it would be tough to make this kind of acquisition while also sufficiently improving the team’s unappealing pitching staff.

Rockies

[Depth Chart – Payroll]

  • Why it works: We all would love to see Stanton driving baseballs out toward the organization’s namesake mountains, but might the Rockies really consider it? He could replace the presence and former power of Carlos Gonzalez while helping the team prepare for the eventual loss of Charlie Blackmon. The Rox finally made it back to the postseason in 2017 but are hardly guaranteed a return. While the bullpen is a need, the rotation may mostly be set, so this represents a reasonable area in which to improve. Plus, Colorado’s best prospect talent is made up of pitchers and infielders, reducing concerns over blocking the youngsters and leaving the Rox with plenty of trade chips to entice the Marlins.
  • Why it doesn’t: The Rockies have never struggled to produce bats, and ought to be able to find quality short-term candidates for a reasonable rate, so perhaps there’s no real cause to make a major acquisition in the outfield. Plus, the Rockies have a less problematic version of the Heyward difficulty in Ian Desmond’s contract. He will presumably shift to the outfield next year, for one. And he’s still owed $62MM over four years (including a 2022 option buyout) under his backloaded contract. That deal represents a bit of an impediment and a cautionary tale for an organization that is only just moving into a new payroll bracket. And supposing Miami does want to recoup some young pitching, is that really the type of asset the Rockies should be willing to part with?
  • Outlook: If the Rockies are going to trade for a big hitter, Jose Abreu could make for a better fit.

Twins

[Depth Chart – Payroll]

  • Why it works: The Twins raced back into contention last year and have a lot of talented younger players — as well as an unspoiled balance sheet after 2019. Eddie Rosario had a big season last year in left, but Max Kepler was not quite as exciting in right. And primary DH Robbie Grossman has been more solid than spectacular. Adding Stanton would transform the lineup, plugging in a star bat alongside Miguel Sano while reducing the roles of some of those players to the betterment of the entire lineup.
  • Why it doesn’t: Again, the need for pitching suggests that’s where any big investment would and should go. For an organization that is trying to build something sustainable, this sort of splash would constitute a monumental — and quite likely unnecessary — level of risk. The Minnesota org has never opened a season with over $113MM on its books (way back in 2011), so Stanton’s average annual salary would gobble up something on the order of a quarter of the team’s peak Opening Day payroll. As the team’s homegrown stars reach and proceed through arbitration, they’ll increasingly be expensive, and the club will no doubt also find it necessary to spend on both the rotation and the bullpen.
  • Outlook: In the end, it’s just hard to make it all work. If chief baseball officer Derek Falvey is to push the pedal to the floor, it’s much more likely to happen with the pitching staff.

Yankees

[Depth Chart – Payroll]

  • Why it works: Some might say that the emergence of Aaron Judge precludes the need for Stanton; for others, perhaps recalling the addition of A-Rod to an infield already featuring Jeter, it’s all the more tantalizing to consider a lineup that features both otherworldly sluggers. Strictly speaking, New York doesn’t need to do this. But it can, especially if the team opens a roster spot and clears some payroll by shipping out Jacoby Ellsbury. Aaron Hicks and Brett Gardner would still fit quite comfortably, allowing the organization to rotate players through the DH slot to keep everyone fresh. And it should not be forgotten that the Yankees have a lot of open future payroll space.
  • Why it doesn’t: The organization is trying to dip under the luxury tax line to reset its tax rate. While it’s possible to do that while adding Stanton, there wouldn’t be much room for other additions (or, rather, for mid-season acquisitions). It’s plenty arguable that, if the organization is going to take on a major commitment, the better risk would be on a premium starter. Even if resources will go to the lineup, the infield could be upgraded in several ways and/or the team could plug a bat-only player into the DH slot for a much lower price. And then there’s the question whether the Yanks would rather wait to make a run at Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, or another big-time free agent next winter, once the luxury tax limbo has been accomplished.
  • Outlook: GM Brian Cashman and owner Hal Steinbrenner have legitimately changed how things run in New York. As with the Dodgers, though, that only makes for a more fearsome market presence. It’s far from clear that a big move for Stanton is the right play, but it’s not out of the question.

Rumors: Cards, Stanton, Yelich, Rangers, Yu, Cobb, Tribe

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The Cardinals are more likely to trade for an impact bat than sign one, suggests Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Peter Gammons of GammonsDaily.com reported Saturday that the Cardinals are willing to offer “one of their best young pitchers” for Marlins right fielder Giancarlo Stanton, and Goold adds that the Redbirds will have discussions with Miami about both Stanton and center fielder Christian Yelich this offseason.

Meanwhile, a much-needed addition to the Cardinals’ bullpen could come soon. The Cards have reached out to representatives for certain impending free agent relievers this weekend, relays Goold, who expects them to pursue a closer and possibly a setup man. Trading for bullpen help also seems possible, as the Cardinals are facing a 40-man roster logjam in advance of next month’s Rule 5 draft. With the need to finalize his 40-man by the Nov. 20 deadline, president of baseball operations John Mozeliak told Goold that the team may “consider moving two roster players for one. That kind of thing. We have to be open to try.”

  • Former Rangers ace and soon-to-be free agent Yu Darvish is not atop their offseason wish list, Jeff Wilson of the Star-Telegram reports. The Rangers will contact Darvish’s agent during free agency, but the likelihood is that he’ll be too pricey to return to the team, per Wilson. With a Darvish reunion looking like a long shot, the Rangers might turn to another established free agent right-hander in Alex Cobb, whom they covet, according to Wilson. The longtime Ray, 30, returned from a 2015 Tommy John procedure in earnest this year, tossing 179 1/3 innings of 3.66 ERA/4.16 FIP ball.
  • The Indians aren’t optimistic that they’ll be able to re-sign impending free agent reliever Bryan Shaw, Paul Hoynes of cleveland.com reports. Shaw has been an effective workhorse out of the Indians’ bullpen since 2013, having pitched to a 3.11 ERA across 358 2/3 innings during that five-year span, and appears poised to parlay his success in Cleveland into a contract out of the club’s price range. MLBTR projects a three-year, $21MM deal for Shaw, which the Indians believe will prove close to accurate, Terry Pluto of cleveland.com writes. With the soon-to-be 30-year-old Shaw apparently on his way out, the Tribe could feel more urgency to re-sign fellow impending free agent reliever Joe Smith, Hoynes notes. Smith, who will play his age-34 season in 2018, is fresh off a terrific campaign divided between Toronto and Cleveland.
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