Miami Marlins

The Miami Marlins appear set to continue their fire sale by putting outfielder Christian Yelich and catcher J.T. Realmuto on the trade block. 

According to Jon Morosi of MLB Network, the team has been involved in "active trade discussions" for both players although no deals appear to be close. Unsurprisingly, the asking price is high for both young players.

The Marlins have been slashing payroll throughout the offseason since coming under new ownership, trading away top players like Giancarlo Stanton, Marcell Ozuna and Dee Gordon.

Yelich is not only one of the highest-priced players remaining on the roster but is also the only player signed past 2020. According to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports, he is owed $58.25 million over the next five years and has been "in play" for a deal for the past few weeks.

The 26-year-old hit .282 last season with 18 home runs and 16 stolen bases and already has both a Gold Glove and a Silver Slugger on his resume. He earned MVP votes in 2016 thanks to his career-high .859 on-base plus slugging percentage.

Realmuto is a bit of a different story considering he still has three more years of team control before hitting free agency. He is eligible for arbitration for the first time this winter.

However, he made it clear he didn't want to stick around for a rebuild with everyone else gone from the roster. Craig Mish of SiriusXM reported the catcher requested a trade in mid-December. Yelich was similarly "unhappy," per Jerry Crasnick of ESPN, although he didn't specifically ask out of town.

At 26 years old with quality power—he hit a career-high 17 home runs last season—Realmuto is already one of the top catchers in the game and won't come cheap.

Although the Marlins could get a good return from both players in a potential deal, it would remove two of the only noteworthy players left in Miami.

Appearing on ESPN Radio's The Dan Le Batard Show on Wednesday, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred defended Miami Marlins owner Derek Jeter and his recent fire sale.

As seen in the following video, courtesy of ESPN, Manfred made it clear he had no intention of micromanaging the Marlins' roster moves:

According to ESPN.com, Manfred didn't take issue with the decisions Marlins ownership made:

"We do not get involved in operating-level decisions in the ownership approval process. Clubs make those local decisions. We did not have player-specific plans from the Miami Marlins or any other team that has been in the ownership process. Those are decisions that the individual owners make, and they do not have to be cleared by us or approved by us. ... Those are local decisions that really are not part of the approval process."

The Marlins have slashed payroll significantly this offseason, trading outfielder Giancarlo Stanton to the New York Yankees, second baseman Dee Gordon to the Seattle Mariners and outfielder Marcell Ozuna to the St. Louis Cardinals for largely mid-tier prospects and salary relief.

Manfred told Le Batard he was satisfied with the ownership group and its plan despite the decimation of Miami's roster:

"This is really simple. We approved a very well-funded group that made numerous presentations to us about their commitment to provide winning baseball in South Florida over the long haul. That's generally what we look for in the approval process.

"We don't get into, are you going to trade 'Player X' or 'Player Y' at a particular point in time, nor do we ask them to make a commitment to people before they even got in and made an evaluation of their talent level, their ability to win with the people that they have. That's just not how the ownership process works."

While the Marlins have parted with much of their top-end offensive talent this offseason, they aren't stripping down a team that enjoyed much success in the first place.

Miami went just 77-85 last season, hasn't had a winning season since 2009 and hasn't reached the playoffs since winning the World Series in 2003.

As an example of a team that's turned things around after selling off pieces, Manfred mentioned the reigning World Series champion Houston Astros:

"The strategy that, apparently, the Marlins have adopted is one that is tried and true in baseball. I'm not saying it's without pain. As a matter of fact, I think the fans in Houston endured some bad seasons. But it was a process that ultimately produced a winner, and that process is really dominant in terms of the thinking in our game right now, in terms, particularly, of smaller markets' ability to win."

Stanton won the National League MVP award last season after hitting .281 with 59 home runs and 132 RBI, but the Marlins potentially saved $260 million by moving his contract.

Miami Marlins fans expressed their displeasure with the direction of the franchise Tuesday at an emotional and ultimately bizarre town hall meeting with chief executive officer Derek Jeter.

Laurence Leavy, better known as Marlins Man, was among the most notable speakers, and he took a hard line with the club after it shipped off reigning NL MVP Giancarlo Stanton, left fielder Marcell Ozuna and shortstop Dee Gordon in separate trades at the winter meetings. 

According to the Miami Herald's Barry Jackson, Leavy—who has had season tickets since the franchise's inception—hasn't renewed his ticket plan because he's not satisfied with paying top dollar "for [a] Triple A team."

Leavy added that the new regime's decision to dramatically slash payroll has him missing old owner Jeffrey Loria: 

On top of that, WPLG's Will Manso reported one fan was reduced to tears "while talking to Jeter about Stanton and Ichiro" no longer being with the club. 

According to Andy Slater of 940-AM WINZ, another attendee decided to take out his frustration regarding the Stanton deal by telling Jeter it was "ironic" the meeting was held at the stadium's Budweiser Bar in left field "because there won't be a ball hit in the area by the home team next year."

Jeter reportedly countered some of the criticisms by saying the front office is aiming to rebuild the team by keeping its books clean and replenishing the farm system with young talent. 

Speaking candidly, Jeter said the ownership group "didn't buy this team to continue losing money or more importantly losing games," per Jackson. 

"Throwing money at a problem is not the answer," he added. 

There was also the following exchange, which highlighted Jeter's stance: 

Needless to say, fans fed up with the team's 14-year postseason drought are likely to be disappointed for the foreseeable future. 

But if Jeter can hold up his end of the bargain and stockpile the prospects necessary to bolster Miami's farm system, the Marlins could develop into a formidable National League contender a few years down the line.  

J.T. Realmuto apparently doesn't want to stick around after the Marlins traded away many of the team's top players this offseason. 

According to Craig Mish of SiriusXM, the catcher has requested a trade. Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports added that the move is in response to what's happening with the Marlins organization.

Over the last few weeks, Miami has dealt away Giancarlo Stanton, Marcell Ozuna and Dee Gordon in an effort to slash payroll under new ownership.

While Realmuto is often overshadowed by other top players on the roster, the 26-year-old has been a top player at his position in recent years.

After hitting .303 with 11 home runs in 2016, the catcher added to his power numbers in 2017 with 17 home runs. His .278 batting average was second among catchers with at least 400 plate appearances, trailing only Buster Posey.

Mish and Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports noted the potential value on the open market:

Realmuto is one of the game's best (if not THE best) young catchers, clearly the Marlins can get back a tremendous haul. May be best for both sides to explore.

— Craig Mish (@CraigMish) December 18, 2017

Players like Stanton and Gordon were high-priced talents, reducing the potential teams that could make a deal work. However, Realmuto is heading into his first year of arbitration, meaning he will still be under a team-friendly deal for a few more seasons.

Any team in need of a catcher would likely call the Marlins front office, leading to a heavy bidding war for the young player.

Unfortunately, it would remove one of the few recognizable players remaining on Miami's roster going into 2018.

The Miami Marlins' offseason makeover could mean outfielder Christian Yelich will be the next player traded from the club. 

Per Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports, after dealing Marcell Ozuna and Giancarlo Stanton, the Marlins have told teams they will move Yelich, but the price will be more than it was for Ozuna because Yelich is under contract for up to the next five years. 

Craig Mish of SiriusXM reported Ozuna was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday. 

The Marlins entered the offseason with a clear plan under new ownership. Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald reported in October co-owners Derek Jeter and Bruce Sherman intended to bring the payroll down to $90 million after it climbed to $115 million in 2017. 

Stanton was the most expensive player on Miami's roster, as he was due to make $25 million in 2018, per Spotrac. He was dealt to the New York Yankees on Monday. 

Yelich could end up being the most valuable trade piece for the Marlins because of his contract, which will pay him a total of $43.25 million over the next four seasons, per Spotrac.

Just 26 years old, Yelich has a .290/.369/.432 slash line in five MLB seasons. He has seen a spike in power over the past two years with 39 of his 59 career homers coming since 2016. 

Agent Scott Boras suggested that the Miami Marlins' new ownership is operating like a pawn shop with the intention of selling off its top players, per Jerry Crasnick of ESPN:

"You would hope that MLB would screen new ownership so that we have someone come in and provide additions. (Instead), the come in and they redirect, so you're not a jewelry store that's coveting your diamonds. You become a pawn shop that's trying to pay the rent of the building.

"I think major-league markets are damaged by that. I think it's disappointing for players who grew up with one another. You always hear people talk about development and growing in an organization. That process was exhibited and functioning at a high level in Miami, and it was basically redirected due to debt service—paying off the purchase price for the ownership, as opposed to giving that fan base something to look forward to."

Boras' comments come in the wake of the Marlins trading defending National League MVP Giancarlo Stanton to the New York Yankees in exchange for Starlin Castro and minor leaguers Jorge Guzman and Jose Devers, a deal that was widely panned for the Marlins and praised for the Yankees.

That wasn't the only deal in Miami's winter purge, however. Before the Stanton deal, the Marlins traded second baseman Dee Gordon and international bonus money to the Seattle Mariners in exchange for minor league prospects Nick Neidert, Christopher Torres and Robert Dugger.

And Wednesday, the team reportedly traded slugger Marcell Ozuna to the St. Louis Cardinals, according to Craig Mish of SiriusXM. Stanton, Gordon and Ozuna accounted for 98 homers, 289 RBI and 330 runs in 2017. 

Boras is hardly alone in being critical of Miami's approach this winter, though:

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred, however, previously backed Miami's potential rebuilding efforts.

"I think it's important for new owners to come in, evaluate the state of their franchise, decide where they think they're headed long-term and kind of write with a clean slate,'' Manfred said in November, per Crasnick. "Whatever decisions are made, I hope the fans in Miami give [principal owner Bruce Sherman and co-owner and CEO Derek Jeter] an opportunity to show what their plan is for moving that franchise forward."

The plan, for the moment, appears to be a full-blown firesale. 

The New York Yankees officially announced Monday they acquired Giancarlo Stanton in a trade, but the Miami Marlins apparently wanted their star player to go elsewhere.

Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports provided the details:

Stanton had refused to waive his no-trade clause for potential deals to the St. Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants.

The National League MVP admitted his growing up a Dodgers fan helped sway his decision against going to the Giants.

"I'd say a little bit. I wouldn't base a decision off that, but I also wouldn't want to go to the team that they disliked the most," Stanton said Monday, per Daniel Brown of the Mercury News. "And I wasn't sure if they were going to beat that team, either. But at the same time if they were in the right position that I wanted, I would have done it."

While neither the Giants nor the Cardinals made the playoffs last season, the Yankees went to the American League Championship Series before losing to the eventual World Series champion Houston Astros in seven games. 

Pairing Stanton with Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez and others makes an already elite offense arguably the best in the majors.

Considering the 28-year-old has never reached the playoffs with the Marlins, it's understandable for him to want to go to a ready-made contender.

On the other hand, Stanton did sign a 13-year deal with Miami with a no-trade clause that would have kept him in town through at least 2027. Threatening him to stay in his current deal that he already agreed to was a weird strategy that clearly didn't work out for the front office.

New Miami Marlins second baseman Starlin Castro was reportedly put on the trade block soon after he was acquired in Saturday's blockbuster deal that sent Giancarlo Stanton to the New York Yankees.

Joel Sherman of the New York Post first noted Castro's presence in the reported Stanton swap. Bob Nightengale of USA Today added it's "hard to believe" Castro will ever make an appearance for Miami.

The 27-year-old Dominican Republic native is coming off a strong 2017 season in which he hit .300/.338/.454 with 16 home runs across 112 games for the Yankees. Though he played second almost exclusively for the Yankees, Castro started 836 games at shortstop for the Chicago Cubs from 2010 to 2015.

His contract calls for salaries of $10.9 million in 2018, $11.9 million in 2019 and $16 million in 2020, which is a club option year, per Spotrac.

That's a concern for the Marlins, who are trying to significantly reduce payroll—an aim that was the main driver behind the Stanton deal.

In October, Barry Jackson and Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald reported the team set a $90 million payroll target for next year. Two of the players listed among the trade options, Stanton and second baseman Dee Gordon, who was traded to the Seattle Mariners on Thursday, have been moved.

In theory, Castro's versatility in the field should increase the number of possible suitors, but he's accumulated negative defensive runs saved figures at both middle infield spots, according to FanGraphs.

Miami Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton is refusing to approve a trade to the San Francisco Giants or St. Louis Cardinals, instead preferring to hold out for the Los Angeles Dodgers or New York Yankees to become a serious player.

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported the news. Craig Mish of SiriusXM reported the Yankees, Dodgers, Chicago Cubs and Houston Astros are the only teams Stanton is willing to approve. 

Stanton, 28, hit .281/.376/.631 with 59 home runs and 132 runs batted in this past season on his way to the National League MVP. His 59 homers were the most since Sammy Sosa hit 61 and Barry Bonds set the single-season record with 73 in 2001.

The Marlins are looking to move Stanton for salary purposes. The slugger has $295 million remaining on his 13-year, $325 million deal he signed in 2015. Miami's new ownership group, spearheaded by former Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter, is looking to shed salary as part of a full-scale effort to make the franchise profitable and competitive.

“It’s an organization that’s been losing money for quite some time, so we have to turn that around,” Jeter told reporters last month. “How we do that, it’s not clear.”

Stanton has known he was a likely trade target for months, including the stretch run of his MVP campaign.

"It's an interesting feeling and situation for me,” Stanton told reporters in October. "This is the only place I've known, but I also understand the business part of it and the direction the new ownership wants to go.

"The thoughts [this week] were up and down...Everything that's going on, how is this going to turn out, what's going to happen with my team and my teammates and me, etc. It's a lot of thoughts going on, but luckily I don't have to worry about playing at 7 o'clock every night [with] those thoughts.”

The Giants and Cardinals reportedly have a general framework of a trade agreed upon with Miami, but those deals are contingent on Stanton waiving his no-trade clause. Rosenthal reported it's possible Stanton will add different teams to his list at some point. 

The world champion Houston Astros reportedly explored trading for Miami Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton at one point, but they are no longer in the running, according to Craig Mish of SiriusXM.

Many teams have been linked to Stanton this offseason; however, the San Francisco Giants and St. Louis Cardinals are widely considered the leaders for his services, as MLB Network's Jon Morosi reported Sunday that the Marlins agreed to the framework of a deal involving Stanton with both teams.

Houston won its first World Series title in franchise history last season due largely to a stacked lineup that included American League MVP Jose Altuve, shortstop Carlos Correa and World Series MVP George Springer.

As things currently stand, the Astros have a strong outfield comprised of Marwin Gonzalez, Josh Reddick and Springer.

Gonzalez can play anywhere on the diamond, however, and Reddick struggled during the playoffs after hitting .314 with 13 home runs and 82 RBI during the regular season.

Also, designated hitter Carlos Beltran retired, which opened a potential hole in the lineup.

Stanton would have made arguably the deepest and best lineup in Major League Baseball even stronger, but the cost could have been great.

In addition to the prospects Houston would have been forced to surrender, it likely would have been asked to take on a sizable portion of the $295 million remaining on his contract.

It is easy to see why trading for Stanton may have appealed to the Astros since he hit .281 with 59 home runs and 132 RBI en route to winning the National League MVP award in 2017.

Stanton likely would have solidified the Astros as the World Series favorite entering 2018, but based on the youth and talent still on the roster, they remain a strong bet to repeat regardless.