The Marlins have been inching toward a trade for outfielder and super-slugger Giancarlo Stanton this offseason, and MLB Network’s Jon Morosi reports that the club has agreed to a “general framework” for trade proposals from both the Giants and Cardinals. The agreement laid the groundwork for the meetings Stanton attended with the teams last week, and Morosi points out that they would have lost leverage if Stanton had accepted one deal over the other.
Stanton’s pool of suitors is thought to be as wide as five or six teams, but the Giants, Cardinals and Dodgers have emerged as the clear frontrunners so far. Neither the Giants nor the Cardinals are entirely certain that the outfielder would be willing to waive his full no-trade rights to make a deal work, however, and Morosi adds that Stanton has enough control over the situation that he could even postpone his final decision until next summer.
Both the Giants and Cardinals are well-positioned to make compelling cases: the Giants have reportedly offered to take on all of Stanton’s remaining $295 million salary and would greatly benefit from an upgraded outfield, while the Cardinals have excellent prospects to offer and could use a power bat to anchor the middle of their lineup. The slugger is still thought to favor the Dodgers, perhaps because of their recent success and proximity to his home in Los Angeles, but the team may be gun-shy after struggling to remain below the luxury tax threshold.
