NEWSLETTER
As I’ve said before: given the market implications and trickle-down effect on other teams and free agents, it would not surprise me at all if (1) Giancarlo Stanton trade talks are holding up the rest of the movement around the league, and (2) he is dealt relatively soon (or the situation otherwise resolves itself in a very clear way, limited to just one or two teams).
I wonder now if we’re seeing that playing out, given that offers rolled in over the weekend, and the two that were explicitly reported were the Giants and the Cardinals. And now there’s this:
Source says Marlins and Giants have had "deeper discussions" on a Giancarlo Stanton deal. Believes Giants are favorites to land the NL MVP, though Cardinals may still be a factor.
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) November 21, 2017
To me, given what we know, that reads like the Marlins and Giants are very deep in the weeds on the particulars of a trade – the players and the money – with the Cardinals at the periphery if the Giants deal doesn’t get completed, or if the Cardinals step up their offer.
None of that is to say that these are the only two teams involved *for sure*, but they’ve definitely been the most connected in the past week, and each makes a ton of sense as a trade partner for the Marlins.
Now we see whether the Marlins pull the trigger, and whether Stanton OKs the trade (he has a full no-trade clause). Obviously we’d much rather see him go to the Giants at this point, but if it winds up being the Cardinals, here’s hoping their system is ravaged and they take on the whole contract. Somehow. That would be an insane trade to make.
Alternatively, please complete the trade to the Cardinals … only to have Stanton say no.
