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Giancarlo Stanton

Giants Have Reportedly Expressed Strongest Interest In Giancarlo Stanton

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The Phillies, Cardinals and Rangers are among the teams that have reached out to the Marlins to express interest in slugger Giancarlo Stanton, but USA Today’s Bob Nightengale cites a “high-ranking Marlins executive” in reporting that the Giants are the club that has expressed the most interest.

Miami has surged back to within striking distance of an NL Wild Card spot (largely due to Stanton’s recent heroics), so Stanton won’t be changing hands until this offseason, at the earliest. However, despite the recent offensive spike — Stanton is hitting .356/.462/.925 with 29 homers in his past 47 games — there are still numerous obstacles to a potential Stanton swap. Stanton’s 13-year contract affords him full no-trade protection, and Nightengale adds that not one prospective trade partner has expressed a willingness to absorb the remaining 10 years and $295MM on Stanton’s contract beyond the 2017 season.

Beyond that, the Giants’ minor league system is not very well regarded. Tyler Beede entered the year as the top pitching prospect in San Francisco’s minor league ranks, but he’s had a poor season in Triple-A this year (albeit in a very hitter friendly environment). He’s now likely to miss the final two months of the season with a groin injury. Fellow right-hander Joan Gregorio posted a 3.04 ERA in 74 Triple-A innings but carried some questionable secondary metrics and saw his season end in early July due to a PED suspension.

On paper, the Giants make a fair amount of sense as a trading partner for Stanton. San Francisco, as a team, ranks dead last in the Majors with 101 home runs this season. Stanton alone has nearly half that number, while the 29th-ranked Padres have out-homered the Giants by 25. That lack of pop is all the more glaring at a time when home runs are being hit at a record pace throughout the league.

More specifically, the Giants’ outfield has been the worst in baseball this year by measure of slugging percentage, OPS and fWAR. They rank 29th in on-base percentage, ISO and wRC+ as well. Incumbent right fielder Hunter Pence will turn 35 next April and has struggled to a career-worst .254/.306/.378 batting line through 431 plate appearances this season. Stanton would provide a thunderous jolt to any lineup he joined, but there’s very arguably no team that has a more acute need for his skill set than the Giants.

As for the Phillies, there may not be a team in baseball that can better handle his contract from a financial standpoint. Philadelphia’s only long-term commitment at present is to Odubel Herrera, and they have a history of lofty payrolls when contending. The Cardinals have been rumored to be in the market for an impact bat to place in the middle of their lineup since June, and the Rangers have little certainty in their outfield mix beyond 2017.

All of this, of course, is putting the cart before the horse. There’s no guarantee that the new Marlins ownership group will be in a rush to trade Stanton on the heels of the best season of his excellent young career. Doing so would come with massive public relations repercussions and could start the Bruce Sherman/Derek Jeter-led ownership group out on the wrong foot with a fan base that has long harbored a potent distrust of previous owner Jeffrey Loria. That’s especially true when considering the fact that the Marlins would likely have to pay Stanton’s contract down to the point where an interested partner felt it carried enough surplus value not only to acquire Stanton but also to part with well-regarded young talent.

The Marlins’ preference under new ownership, according to Nightengale, is to keep the payroll around $100MM, and Stanton’s salary will jump to $25MM next season. He’ll be paid $26MM in both 2019 and 2020, after which he can opt out of the remaining seven years of the deal. If he forgoes the opt-out, Stanton will be paid $29MM in 2021-22, $32MM in 2023-25, $29MM in 2026 and $25MM in 2027. Stanton’s contract also includes a $25MM option for the 2018 season, which comes with a $10MM buyout.

NL Notes: Brewers, Marlins, Rockies, Reds

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Brewers minor league infielder Julio Mendez suffered a cardiac event after being hit by a pitch during a rookie-level game Saturday in Tempe, Ariz., the team announced (Twitter link via Adam McCalvy of MLB.com). The 20-year-old Mendez is currently in critical but stable condition at a Tempe hospital. “All of our thoughts and prayers are with Julio and his family,” Brewers general manager David Stearns said in a statement. “We will provide updates as soon as we know more.”

MLBTR joins the rest of the baseball world in wishing Mendez the best.

Here’s some lighter news from around the NL:

  • Trading right fielder Giancarlo Stanton and his massive contract would improve the Marlins’ financial situation, but dealing the franchise cornerstone shouldn’t be a consideration for the Derek Jeter-led ownership group that will soon take over in Miami, Buster Olney of ESPN opines. Just as Jeter was the face of the Yankees during his playing days, Stanton is the Marlins’ franchise player, writes Olney, who argues that moving the potential 60-home run man would get the new ownership team off on the wrong foot. But if Jeter & Co. do attempt to part with Stanton, Olney lists several potential fits for the 27-year-old in his column.
  • While the Rockies did offer outfielder Carlos Gonzalez a contract extension during the offseason, the reported four-year term is “not true,” according to the player. “They offered me an extension, but it was not a four-year deal,” Gonzalez told Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post. “I was looking for something bigger, for more years.” Without knowing the details of the offer, it’s tough to say whether Gonzalez erred to a significant degree in declining it. Regardless, it’s clear his stock has tanked thanks to an uncharacteristically poor year – one likely to be his last in Colorado, Saunders notes. Known for his bat, the 31-year-old CarGo has hit a meek .240/.308/.359 in 432 plate appearances.
  • Reds rookie right-hander Luis Castillo has already earned a place in their 2018 rotation, manager Bryan Price told Zach Buchanan of the Cincinnati Enquirer and other reporters Saturday. “In his case, he’s not only pitched really well in our system in Double-A, but he’s continued to pitch well and get better during his time in the big leagues. For me, he’s a guy that’s in our rotation,” Price said of Castillo, who fired seven innings of three-hit, one-run, nine-strikeout ball against the Pirates on Saturday. That will go down as one of the last appearances of the year for Castillo, whom the Reds will soon shut down for the season because of an innings limit, per Buchanan. The flamethrowing 24-year-old has pitched to a 3.26 ERA and posted 9.66 K/9 against 3.61 BB/9, with a 57 percent ground-ball rate, across 77 1/3 major league frames this season.

Rosenthal’s Latest: Stanton, Marlins, J. Upton, Nats

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Thanks to an improbable late-season rally, the Marlins entered Saturday a game over .500 and 4.5 games behind Colorado for the National League’s last wild-card spot. They’re not going to attempt to sell veterans such as 49-home run right fielder Giancarlo Stanton or reliever Brad Ziegler anytime soon, then, Rosenthal suggests (video links). Dealing Stanton during the season looked extremely unlikely even before the Marlins’ recent run, given his enormous contract (10 years, $295MM left after this season), the opt-out in the deal after the 2020 campaign and his full no-trade clause – not to mention the team’s impending ownership change. Nevertheless, the Marlins have been getting calls on the surging 27-year-old, according to Rosenthal, who reports that teams have been offering packages consisting of prospects, salary relief and major leaguers for Stanton. Miami has not seriously considered any offers to this stage, but if Stanton’s incredible performance keeps up, proposals from other clubs should only get more appealing, Rosenthal posits.

Ziegler, meanwhile, could have interested contenders looking for bullpen help. The 37-year-old has posted some mediocre-at-best numbers this season (4.73 ERA, 4.73 K/9, 3.15 BB/9 over 40 innings), but the ground-ball machine (66.6 percent) has worked 11 straight scoreless appearances and is under control in 2018 for a fairly reasonable $9MM. He and Stanton have each reportedly cleared trade waivers this month, freeing them up for August moves, though it looks like a moot point in both cases.

More from Rosenthal on the Marlins and two other clubs:

  • Whether Tigers left fielder Justin Upton continues his torrid pace through September and whether he’s willing to stick with a rebuilding team will help determine his opt-out decision after the season, Rosenthal says. Upton, who has been one of the majors’ most valuable outfielders this season, will have a chance to walk away from the four years and $88.5MM left on his deal in hopes of landing a similar or better pact elsewhere. If he chooses to exit Detroit, facing less competition on the market than he did when he was a free agent in 2015 and not being eligible for a qualifying offer would aid him in his search for another big payday, Rosenthal notes. As a free agent a couple winters ago, Upton inked a six-year, $132.75MM pact with the Tigers despite being part of a class of available players that included other star-caliber outfielders in Jason Heyward, Yoenis Cespedes and Alex Gordon.
  • On account of their unexpected success, the Marlins seem to be on the lookout for rotation help, though president of baseball operations Michael Hill told Rosenthal that the starters who have cleared waivers in August are “not inspiring at all.” Stuck with the likes of Vance Worley and Justin Nicolino in their rotation, the Marlins could promote minor league left-hander Dillon Peters, per Rosenthal. The 24-year-old Peters has posted impressive numbers across 45 2/3 Double-A innings this season, with a 1.97 ERA, 7.88 K/9 against 2.17 BB/9 and a 46 percent grounder rate, and MLB.com ranks him as the Marlins’ fourth-best prospect.
  • The Nationals would like to retain contract-year manager Dusty Baker past this season, GM Mike Rizzo informed Rosenthal. The Baker-led Nats have gone 171-117 since he took over in advance of the 2016 campaign and are coasting to a second straight NL East title. Baker has said on multiple occasions that he wants to remain with the Nationals, but he’s also aiming for a pay raise.

NL Notes: Brewers, Rockies, Lucroy, Cards, Stanton

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A late-season reinforcement is on the way for the Brewers, who will see right-hander Chase Anderson return to their rotation Sunday in Colorado. Rookie left-hander Brandon Woodruff is headed back to Triple-A in a corresponding move. An oblique injury has kept Anderson from the mound since the end of June, before which he turned in 90 1/3 innings of 2.89 ERA ball, with 8.47 K/9 against 2.69 BB/9. The Brewers were two games over .500 at the time of Anderson’s DL placement and are now four above, sitting at 64-60 and two back of the NL Central-leading Cubs. If the 29-year-old Anderson’s breakout continues down the stretch, he could end up as a key figure in a tight division race.

More from the National League:

  • Set to become a free agent in the offseason, Rockies catcher Jonathan Lucroy explained to Adam McCalvy of MLB.com what an ideal situation for him would look like going forward.  “I’m hoping to be somewhere where I can contribute on an everyday basis and help the team win, where I can go out and be depended on to do the job,” Lucroy said. “That’s what I’m looking for. Whether that is here [with the Rockies] or somewhere else, I don’t know what’s going to happen with all that. I do love it here, though. I like it a lot. It’s a great place.” Lucroy, whom the Rockies acquired from the Rangers last month, posted a meager .635 OPS in 306 plate appearances with Texas this year but has hit a much-improved .333/.473/.452 in 51 PAs with his new club. The onetime pitch-framing demigod’s newfound struggles in that department have continued with the Rockies, however, according to Baseball Prospectus.
  • The Cardinals placed righty Adam Wainwright on the DL on Thursday with an elbow impingement, but president John Mozeliak is “optimistic” the former ace will pitch again this season, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes. However, it’s uncertain whether Wainwright will reclaim a spot in the team’s rotation if he does return in 2017. “I think how he’s used will really be dictated by where he’s at,” Mozeliak said. “Prior to his last outing, he indicated to us that the more he threw the better he felt. That would indicate that it would be very difficult to be used in a short-reliever role, then the other relief roles — would he be able to go back-to-back and get hot?” Wainwright received a platement-rich plasma injection Friday and won’t throw for 10 to 14 days. Luke Weaver will slot into St. Louis’ Wainwright-less rotation for the time being.
  • More on the Cardinals, whose refusal to match the Angels’ 10-year, $240MM offer to St. Louis icon Albert Pujols in 2011 is a sign that they won’t pursue a trade for Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton, Jose de Jesus Ortiz of the Post-Dispatch reasons. Stanton is a potential trade candidate who’s due $295MM from 2018-28, and that enormous commitment could cause a mid-level payroll team like the Cards to shy away. Indeed, Mozeliak expressed wariness toward Stanton-like contracts to Ortiz, saying: “When evaluating long-term investments you have to understand the impact on the out years and not simply on the day it’s signed. These types of investments tend to have a lot of risk or downside.” Chairman Bill Dewitt Jr. offered a similar sentiment. “As you can see, some of the long-term free agent contracts don’t really work out toward the end,” Dewitt said. “Clubs wish they hadn’t done them. We can afford a payroll that is very competitive and in the top third, which is where our revenues are, and that’s the way we look at it.”

East News & Rumors: Sabathia, Stanton, Marlins, Nats

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Yankees left-hander C.C. Sabathia’s right knee was in so much pain during an unsuccessful Aug. 8 start against the Blue Jays that the 37-year-old feared he wouldn’t take the ball again, Ken Davidoff of the New York Post reports. “I know that he was pretty emotional that night, because I think he thought he was probably headed for surgery,” manager Joe Girardi said.  A clean MRI and a painkilling injection enabled Sabathia to avoid surgery, though, and he returned from the 10-day disabled list Saturday to throw six innings of two-earned run ball in an upset win over Chris Sale and the Red Sox.  Sabathia is due to become a free agent in the offseason, when he’ll have to decide whether to pursue another deal or call it a career. His performance this year would certainly warrant a contract – the former ace has ridden a 50 percent ground-ball rate to a 3.99 ERA over 108 1/3 innings.

More from the East Coast:

  • Home run-hitting machine Giancarlo Stanton is among the game’s absolute best players at the moment, but the Marlins right fielder’s contract and injury history combine to make him a very tough sell around the majors, Joel Sherman of the New York Post writes. Stanton, who’s due $295MM from 2018-28 and has both full no-trade rights and a 2020 opt-out clause, went through revocable trade waivers unclaimed earlier this month. The executives Sherman spoke with aren’t surprised. “This is the problem if you make emotional decisions in the moment. Stanton is playing great now, but three months ago you would have thought he was at least a $100 million liability and three months from now you might feel the same,” one exec said of Stanton, who will create a dilemma for the Marlins’ new ownership group when it takes the reins. On one hand, Stanton’s contract is the biggest contributor to the franchise’s financial woes – the Marlins will lose $70MM-plus this year, per Sherman – so trading him would benefit Derek Jeter & Co. from a payroll standpoint. On the other, Stanton’s contract means Miami likely wouldn’t get the type of return for him that you’d expect for someone of his immense ability and star power. That means trading the 27-year-old would probably send the wrong message to a fan base that outgoing owner Jeffrey Loria has alienated over the years.
  • Yankees vice president of player development Gary Denbo is an early front-runner to become the Marlins’ general manager once the Jeter group assumes control of the franchise, according to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com (Twitter links).  Denbo has worked in various capacities with the Yankees since the 1990s, the decade in which Jeter’s professional career began, and was a mentor to the the now-retired shortstop during his Hall of Fame-caliber playing days.  The two remain “close,” Feinsand notes.
  • Injuries have ravaged the Nationals’ outfield throughout the season, but here’s some positive news for the first-place club: Left fielder Jayson Werth is “feeling good” and set to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Syracuse on Monday, tweets FanRag’s Jon Heyman.  Werth has had a tough road back since he landed on the disabled list June 5 with a fractured left foot and a bone bruise.  The 38-year-old free agent-to-be was in the midst of a nice season prior to the injury, as he slashed .262/.367/.446 with eight home runs over 196 plate appearances.

NL Notes: Stanton, Spangenberg, Hernandez, Reds

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The Marlins are “willing to engage” other clubs in trade talks regarding Giancarlo Stanton, tweets MLB.com’s Jon Morosi. That much has already been clear — Yahoo’s Jeff Passan indicated yesterday that four clubs had already had some level of dialogue with the Marlins regarding Stanton, who has cleared revocable waivers — but Morosi adds that there have yet to be any serious negotiations regarding the current MLB home run leader. Stanton is the hottest hitter on the planet right now, but he’s also owed a staggering $298.64MM through the end of the 2027 campaign. And while he can technically opt out after the 2020 season, doing so would mean forfeiting the remaining seven years and $218MM on his deal as he heads into his age-31 campaign. Stanton also has a full no-trade clause, which only adds a further layer of complexity.

A few more notes from the National League…

  • After an injury-ruined 2016 season, Padres third baseman Cory Spangenberg has begun to force his way into the team’s plans, writes MLB.com’s AJ Cassavell. Spangenberg tore his right hamstring on two different occasions last year and was limited to 14 games, and he opened the 2017 campaign in Triple-A El Paso. The former first-round pick finally received regular playing time in the Majors this summer, and he’s run with the opportunity while thoroughly impressing manager Andy Green, Cassavell writes. “He was angry about being in the Minor Leagues, thought he belonged in the big leagues and handled it right,” Green added. “He’s gone out and proved it. He’s earned his spot.” Spangenberg entered play Wednesday hitting .280/.333/.442 on the season and .336/.413/.617 in the second half. The strong play of Spangenberg and second baseman Carlos Asuaje has pushed Yangervis Solarte to shortstop in recent weeks.
  • Right-hander David Hernandez tells Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic that the Diamondbacks organization feels like home, and just a couple of weeks into his second stint with the team, it “kind of feels like [he] never left.” Hernandez discussed his struggles in recent seasons with Piecoro and also credits the addition of a slider to his fastball/curveball repertoire as a key factor in his resurgence. Hernandez acknowledges that he was wary of using the new pitch in Spring Training with the Giants, as he was trying to earn a roster spot and was reluctant to use a pitch that he had only recently adopted. He began mixing it in with the Braves’ Triple-A affiliate, though, and the results have been terrific. All three of Hernandez’s offerings carry positive pitch values (per Fangraphs), and he’s posted a 2.01 ERA with 9.2 K/9 against 1.8 BB/9 through 40 1/3 innings this year.
  • The Reds may have more question marks in their pitching staff heading into the final six weeks of the season than they did entering the year, writes Zach Buchanan of the Cincinnati Enquirer. The cavalcade of injuries that has beset the team’s rotation has deprived the Reds of looks at a number of young arms and also created uncertainty around preseason rotation locks such as Anthony DeSclafani and Brandon Finnegan. A six-man rotation could be on the horizon, Buchanan notes, and Robert Stephenson is already set to rejoin the rotation this weekend. Manager Bryan Price also indicated that right-hander Sal Romano will continue starting, per Buchanan. The skipper also indicated that righty reliever Austin Brice could be done for the year due to a lat injury.

Giancarlo Stanton Clears Revocable Waivers

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Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton has cleared revocable waivers, according to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports. While it is far from clear that Stanton is going to end up being traded this month, that’s now possible. He joins a list of other veterans that are known to have made it through waivers without being claimed.

Passan also suggests there could at least be plausible scenarios where a deal comes together. He cites “at least four” teams that have engaged in some level of dialogue with Miami regarding Stanton, noting that there was enough traction with one organization that some returning prospects were discussed.

Stanton, 27, has been on an unholy tear at the plate. After swatting a dozen home runs in 25 games in July, he has launched ten more through just 13 contests in August. That run has helped restore Stanton’s standing as one of the game’s premier sluggers after a down 2016 season. Overall, he owns a .268/.359/.552 batting line with 251 home runs through nearly 4,000 trips to the plate in his eight-year career.

Of course, the question on the trade front has never really been about just how productive the hulking slugger can be. He cleared waivers, rather, due to a somewhat checkered injury history and the massive extension he signed in November of 2014. Stanton’s annual salary ramps up significantly beginning next year; all said, he’s promised $295MM through 2027 (including a buyout on an option for one more year).

That huge commitment isn’t the only complicating factor. Stanton possesses a full no-trade clause, though Passan suggests that won’t be a significant barrier. Of greater significance, perhaps, the Marlins are in the middle of a franchise sale and the massive slugger is the club’s marquee attraction with television rights fees negotiations looming.

Still, Passan argues, the Fish would be best served marketing Stanton now, while his value is ascendant. That’s certainly not a universal opinion — ESPN.com’s Buster Olney argued the opposite recently — but does seem a reasonable approach for an organization with needs that likely outstrip the available resources in the near-term.

NL News & Rumors: Jeter, Stanton, Granderson, Giants, Kershaw

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While the much-maligned Jeffrey Loria will soon hand off Marlins ownership to a group including Derek Jeter, the team’s spending habits aren’t going to change – at least not in the short term – says Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. The Marlins are in the red, losing tens of millions per year, and are in need of a new local television deal. Additionally, Rosenthal points out that Miami already has $95MM set aside for just eight players next season, and in his estimation, it would take roughly a $150MM payroll for the club to contend in 2018. Given the Marlins’ economic difficulties, they’re simply not in position to spend anywhere near that amount.

Despite the franchise’s financial troubles, one thing Jeter & Co. can’t do is unload world-class slugger Giancarlo Stanton’s mammoth contract, opines Buster Olney of ESPN. Doing so would serve as an immediate public relations hit to the new ownership team because it would give off a “same old Marlins” vibe, Olney reasons. Stanton, who hit his major league-leading 42nd home run Sunday, has $295MM remaining on his deal. That, plus Stanton’s full no-trade clause, could prove to be roadblocks even if the Jeter-led faction tries to jettison the soon-to-be 28-year-old.

More from the National League:

  • Mets outfielder Curtis Granderson, who cleared revocable trade waivers on Aug. 5, hasn’t generated much interest on the market, Marc Carig of Newsday reports. That could be thanks in part to the approximately $4.27MM remaining on Granderson’s contract. Even factoring in a nightmarish April in which he hit .128/.174/.221, Granderson has had another fine offensive season. Because the lefty-swinger remains a threat the plate, it’s still possible the Mets will find a taker for him in the next two-plus weeks, Carig writes. Regardless of where he finishes the season, Granderson would like to continue his career in 2018, which would be his age-37 campaign.
  • The Giants have considered moving starter Matt Moore to the bullpen, according to Andrew Baggarly of the Mercury News (on Twitter). Moore has pitched in relief just twice in 131 career appearances, both of which occurred during the left-hander’s short major league introduction with the Rays in 2011. The former big-time prospect has been somewhat disappointing as a starter, though, and has seen his velocity tumble this year amid what may be a career-worst season (5.71 ERA/4.67 FIP/4.91 xFIP in 135.2 innings). The Giants can either bring the 28-year-old Moore back next season on a $9MM club option or buy him out for $1MM.
  • The inimitable Clayton Kershaw could return to the Dodgers’ rotation by month’s end, Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times tweets. Kershaw, out since July 23 with lower back tightness, completed a second bullpen session Sunday and will pitch a simulated game Wednesday. Amazingly, the Dodgers have gone 15-3 without Kershaw, whose injury has prevented him from being part of the same rotation as ballyhooed trade deadline acquisition Yu Darvish. Those two figure to line up for Games 1 and 2 of the Dodgers’ NLDS matchup in October.

NL East Notes: Strasburg, Rizzo, Hill, Marlins, Neshek

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Stephen Strasburg left today’s game between the Nationals and Diamondbacks after just two innings.  Manager Dusty Baker told MLB.com’s Jamal Collier (Twitter links) and other reporters that the star right-hander was removed as a precautionary measure after Strasburg couldn’t get loose.  No tests are scheduled for Strasburg when the team returns to Washington, though he will be examined by team doctors.  “An achy forearm [and] general tightness” is how Strasburg described his injury to the media (including Collier), and the righty said that he preferred to leave the game when he did before the problem turned into something serious.

Here’s more from around the division…

  • Nationals GM Mike Rizzo isn’t planning to look for outfield help before the trade deadline, Rizzo told media (including MASNsports.com’s Mark Zuckerman).  Jayson Werth, Michael Taylor and Chris Heisey are all on the DL, and Ryan Raburn is on bereavement leave, putting the Nats in a tight spot for outfield depth.  Still, Rizzo believes the club has enough depth to hold up without any external additions.  “I think we have confidence in the guys we have, and as long as the core of our lineup is healthy and hitting on all cylinders, I think we can make it through until Jayson and Michael get better.  I don’t see that being too far of a distance,” Rizzo said.
  • Marlins president of baseball operations Michael Hill stated two weeks ago that his team wasn’t looking to move any core names like Giancarlo Stanton, J.T. Realmuto, Marcell Ozuna, Christian Yelich, Justin Bour and Dan Straily at the deadline, and Hill reiterated that stance today.  “It’s not stopping calls from coming in,” Hill tells Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald.  “It’s been fairly consistent, with people checking in to see where we’re at to see if we may be open to expanding the players we’re talking about. But we haven’t put any of those guys in play.”  Hill did note that the team is open to discussing its relievers in trade talks, as evidenced by their trade of David Phelps to the Mariners earlier this week and the significant buzz around closer A.J. Ramos.
  • In an open letter to Jeffrey Loria, FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal (via his Facebook page) asks the Marlins owner to “free Giancarlo Stanton” by trading him before the team is sold.  Such a trade, Rosenthal reasons, would help all parties involved — the Marlins would get some quality prospects, the new owners would get Stanton’s enormous contract off the books, Stanton himself would get to join a contender, and baseball itself would see one of its biggest young stars in a most positive environment.
  • The Cubs and Dodgers recently had scouts watching the Phillies’ Pat Neshek in action, ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick reports (Twitter link).  Both teams have been known to be looking at other relievers, so it isn’t any surprise that Neshek is on their radar.  Neshek, widely expected to be moved before the deadline, has been linked to several teams — Chicago and L.A. are the newest names on a long list that includes the Nationals, Royals, Red Sox, Yankees, Brewers and Rays.

Olney’s Latest: Darvish, Gray, Marlins, Indians

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There’s a belief among some rival evaluators that the Rangers will trade ace Yu Darvish by the July 31 deadline if they don’t believe they’ll be able to re-sign the impending free agent, reports Buster Olney of ESPN.com. With Texas unsure of whether it’ll be able to retain Darvish long term, there’s at least one starter-needy team waiting to make a move until it sees whether the Rangers shop him. Consequently, the possibility of a Darvish trade is affecting the market for starters and “muddying the waters” for the AL West rival Athletics in their quest to deal Sonny Gray, writes Olney.

  • Given that the Marlins’ ownership situation is in limbo, their baseball department isn’t in proper position to weigh offers for outfielders Giancarlo Stanton and Christian Yelich, according to Olney. Moving either could make the Marlins more appealing to potential bidders because their contracts factor into the franchise’s heavy debt, though Olney notes that trading a superstar like Stanton might sabotage the rebranding effort of the next owner. And if Jeffrey Loria’s successor signs off on a Stanton trade, the team’s fan base could see it as a typical Marlins cost-cutting maneuver.
  • First baseman Carlos Santana’s down season may help explain the Indians’ interest in slugging outfielders J.D. Martinez and Jay Bruce, suggests Olney. The Tribe missed out on acquiring Martinez, whom the Tigers sent to the Diamondbacks this week, but the Mets’ Bruce remains a prime trade candidate. It’s unclear whether Bruce would play first for the Indians, who have seen Santana slump to a .238/.335/.406 batting line in 397 plate appearances during a contract year. Cleveland could acquire a natural first baseman instead, with Olney pointing out that Texas’ Mike Napoli (a former Indian) and Oakland’s Yonder Alonso may end up elsewhere.
  • It’s a buyers’ market this year as the deadline approaches, so a successful return for sellers could depend more on how much salary they shed than the quality of prospects they acquire, per Olney. As an example, Olney points to the trade Miami and Seattle made this week. The Marlins received four prospects for reliever David Phelps and got rid of his $4.6MM salary in the process, but only one of those minor leaguers (outfielder Brayan Hernandez) looks particularly promising. The quantity of prospects the Marlins picked up isn’t impressing rival evaluators, as some of them believe landing four players was done to make the package look better than it actually is.
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