Miami Marlins

The San Francisco Giants are reportedly leading the pack in trade discussions with the Miami Marlins for 2017 National League MVP Giancarlo Stanton. 

That's according to MLB.com's Mark Feinsand, who reports the St. Louis Cardinals are still a factor in the talks. 

Craig Mish of SiriusXM Radio reported Monday that the Giants and Marlins discussed one trade proposal that would send Stanton and second baseman Dee Gordon to San Francisco for second baseman Joe Panik, minor league pitcher Tyler Beede and minor league outfielder Chris Shaw.

Shaw and Beede are San Francisco's second- and third-ranked prospects, respectively, per MLB.com. Both players finished last season in Triple-A. 

MLB Network's Jon Morosi reported Sunday that the Cardinals made a formal offer for Stanton, though he didn't include details. 

Stanton's contract includes a full no-trade clause, giving him the ability to veto a potential deal to any team. He's signed through 2027 with a club option for 2028 and is owed $295 million over the next 10 years, per Spotrac. 

Just 28 years old, Stanton won his first NL MVP award in 2017 after hitting .281/.376/.631 with 59 home runs and 132 RBI. 

The Miami Marlins and San Francisco Giants have reportedly discussed a trade that would send Giancarlo Stanton and Dee Gordon to the Giants in exchange for second baseman Joe Panik, pitching prospect Tyler Beede and outfielder prospect Chris Shaw, according to Craig Mish of SiriusXM.

That followed a report from Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic on Friday stating the Giants made a proposal for Stanton.

Rosenthal added, "The Giants are willing to pick up a sizable amount of Stanton's contract, one source said. Such a deal, however, would exacerbate the team's luxury-tax concerns, likely resulting in the trade of at least one high-priced veteran, perhaps as part of a package going to the Marlins, perhaps to other clubs."

The Giants aren't the only team that reportedly bid on Stanton's services. Jon Morosi of the MLB Network reported the St. Louis Cardinals had made a proposal for Stanton, while Mish added that pitching prospect Sandy Alcantara would be among the young players offered in the trade package.

Additionally, Rosenthal reported that the Boston Red Sox were expected to make a proposal and that "Other, unidentified clubs also have told the Marlins they will submit offers for Stanton, but the process is just beginning."

Finally, Morosi reported that "Some in the industry expect the Los Angeles Dodgers to make a push to acquire Stanton, although it's unclear if they've made a formal offer."

Any offer will be moot, of course, if Stanton isn't willing to waive his no-trade clause to join a team. As Morosi noted, that could leave Stanton with an interesting choice: 

And any offer will reflect the fact that Stanton still has 10 years and $295 million left on his contract and an opt-out clause after 2020. Most teams are expected to ask the Marlins to absorb some of Stanton's owed money in any deal.

"I know what I want to do. I need to know what you can do," Marlins general manager Michael Hill said at the general manager meetings while describing the approach he's taken in trade talks with other clubs, per Rosenthal. "Until I know where you're at on the contract, the money, all that stuff, I can't engage."

Giancarlo Stanton appears likely to be traded this season, and so far it's the St. Louis Cardinals who are making a move for the Miami Marlins star.

According to Jon Morosi of MLB Network, the Cardinals have made a formal trade offer and are waiting for a response from Miami.

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported Friday the San Francisco Giants had also made a formal offer, with the Boston Red Sox also expected to make a bid.

Stanton was recently named the National League MVP after leading the league with 59 home runs and 132 RBI this season.

Despite his success, the Marlins with their new owners are looking for ways to shed payroll while trading away a player who is set to make $25 million next season, per Barry Jackson and Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald.

Stanton is signed through 2028 with at least $25 million owed per year.

Even if Miami pays some part of the deal, any trade would significantly reduce costs while helping build for the future. On the other side, a contending squad would add one of the top power hitters in baseball.

Although the 28-year-old has sometimes struggled to stay healthy, he has been to four All-Star Games in the last six years and is averaging 44 home runs and 110 RBI per 162 games.

According to Jackson, Stanton would likely waive his no-trade clause for either the Giants or Los Angeles Dodgers.

The San Francisco Giants have reportedly presented the Miami Marlins with a formal trade offer for outfielder Giancarlo Stanton as the sweepstakes to land the reigning MLB home run champion begin in earnest.

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported the Giants' proposal Friday and noted the Marlins are also expecting interest in the slugger from the St. Louis Cardinals, Boston Red Sox and multiple "unidentified clubs."

Stanton is one of several notable players, along with infielders Dee Gordon and Martin Prado, Miami will consider moving over the next few months as it attempts to trim its payroll to around $90 million before the 2018 season, per Barry Jackson and Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald.

The 28-year-old California native was named the National League's Most Valuable Player for 2017 on Thursday after edging Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto by two points in the Baseball Writers' Association of America voting.

His 13-year, $325 million contract is a significant hurdle toward the Marlins' reaching their payroll goal under a new ownership group led by Bruce Sherman and longtime New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter, though.

It's a deal that includes a full no-trade clause, which means Stanton controls his destiny in terms of where he'll play next season and beyond. That said, he suggested to Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports in September he'll consider waiving it if Miami is prepared to undergo another rebuilding project.

"I don't want to rebuild…I've lost for seven years," he said.

On Thursday, Bob Nightengale of USA Today listed the Giants as the "most aggressive" club in the Stanton chase but added the Marlins are "not close" to any type of final agreement.

San Francisco represents an ideal fit on paper. Along with allowing Stanton to return to California, the lineup features an opening in the outfield alongside Denard Span and Hunter Pence. In addition, the team finished last in MLB with just 128 homers in 2017.

Giancarlo Stanton might not be a Miami Marlin for much longer if rampant trade rumors are to be believed. But if he's played his final game as a member of the club, he's gone out in style.

Stanton was named the National League Most Valuable Player on Thursday as he narrowly edged Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto. Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt finished a distant third. Stanton became the first Marlins MVP in history when he beat Votto by two voting points, making it the third-closest vote in NL history, according to the BBWAA.

The Marlins slugger hit .281/.376/.631 with 59 home runs and 132 runs batted in. His 59 homers were the most since 2001, when Sammy Sosa hit 61 and Barry Bonds broke the all-time record with 73. The performance came a year after Stanton set career lows in nearly every major offensive category. 

"He came to spring training on a mission: 'I want to do this, this and this—and don't let the result take me away from it, because I could do something wrong and hit a homer,'" Marlins assistant hitting coach Frank Menechino told Tyler Kepner of the New York Times. "He wanted consistency. After what he went through the year before, he was like, 'That's not happening again.'"

Despite Stanton's power numbers, Goldschmidt seemed a likely candidate. The perennial All-Star has been on the precipice of winning the MVP for years but never quite got the votes. Following yet another brilliant season that saw him lead the Diamondbacks to the playoffs and slash .297/.404/.563 with 36 home runs and 120 RBI, Goldschmidt had a chance to be rewarded as a bastion of consistency.

Instead, he will have to wait at least another year after being outvoted due to Stanton's once-in-a-generation power numbers and Votto's 7.5-WAR, 1.032-OPS season.

Miami Marlins part owner Derek Jeter said Wednesday he hasn't spoken to All-Star outfielder Giancarlo Stanton about the trade rumors that surround him.

According to Andy McCullough of the Los Angeles Times, Jeter said, "If there's a reason to call, I'll call."

Per MLB.com, the Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, San Francisco Giants, Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers are among the teams that have expressed interest in trading for Stanton.

On Tuesday, ESPN's Buster Olney reported that some rival executives believe Miami's prospect asking price for Stanton is "shockingly high."

The 28-year-old Stanton is coming off a monster season, as he hit .281 with a career-high 59 home runs, 132 RBI and 123 runs scored.

Stanton was named an All-Star for the fourth time, and he also won the second Silver Slugger Award of his career.

The issue with Stanton is his huge contract, which has $285 million remaining on it until a club option comes into play for 2028, per Spotrac.

Miami may be looking to cut costs under its new ownership, as evidenced by parting ways with or offering lesser roles to longtime front office stalwarts Jack McKeon, Andre Dawson, Jeff Conine and Tony Perez.

The Marlins went just 77-85 in 2017, and they haven't reached the playoffs since winning the World Series in 2003.

Miami Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton reportedly will not accept a trade to the Boston Red Sox or St. Louis Cardinals, according to Chad Jennings of the Boston Herald.

Stanton has a no-trade clause as a part of his contract, giving him the ability to accept or decline any deals the Marlins agree to.

However, Evan Drellich of NBC Sports cited a source who said Stanton hasn't completely ruled out the Red Sox or any other team.

Marlins president of baseball operations Michael Hill addressed the no-trade clause Tuesday and acknowledged he had an idea of Stanton's preferences, per Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch:

"I do have a sense, and we’ll keep that internally. At the appropriate time we’ll discuss what we need to discuss. ... With the whole trade process, there are rumors out there—and there have been a lot of them—I didn't speak to the media until last week but he was traded 15 million different places. We work internally. We do what we need to do, and if we need to present him with something, we will do so at the appropriate time."

The fact Stanton can revoke any deal is a complicating factor in an already complex situation. Stanton also has at least 10 years and $295 million remaining on his contract, meaning any team that trades for him may want the Marlins to absorb some of that cost.

On the other hand, Stanton is coming off an MVP-level season that saw him hit .281 with 59 homers, 132 RBI and 123 runs. The Marlins won't want to give away their superstar on the cheap—huge contract or not.

Thus, it isn't surprising that it already appears there is a disconnect between the Marlins and interested teams when it comes to the potential compensation for Stanton.

Buster Olney of ESPN noted, "Some rival execs view the Marlins' prospect asking price for Giancarlo Stanton as shockingly high and somewhat out of touch with reality, and not discounted nearly enough given the whopping $295 million he's owed (with the forthcoming out clause after the 2020 season)."

And given that the Marlins want to cut their payroll back to $90 million, they won't be interested in getting anything other than prospects for Stanton. That could leave a team like the Red Sox out in the cold anyway.

As Jennings wrote, "Trading for Chris Sale, Craig Kimbrel, Drew Pomeranz and Tyler Thornburg has left the minor league system relatively bare, and their best remaining trade chips are Rafael Devers and Andrew Benintendi, two players the ballclub would like to keep in the lineup."

The Cardinals have more prospects to work with, including a stable of young outfielders. But it's a moot point if Stanton isn't willing to play in St. Louis.

ESPN's Buster Olney reported Tuesday that some rival executives believe the Miami Marlins' prospect asking price for All-Star outfielder Giancarlo Stanton is "shockingly high."

Olney added that those same execs feel the asking price is "somewhat out of touch with reality" given Stanton's monstrous contract.

According to MLB.com, the Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, San Francisco Giants and Boston Red Sox are among the teams interested in acquiring Stanton.

Stanton trade talk has intensified since the end of the 2017 season, as the Marlins are under new ownership. Included among that group is part owner and legendary New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter.

Per Spotrac, Stanton has 10 years and $285 million remaining on his contract before a club option kicks in for 2028.

Stanton does have a player option for 2021 and beyond, although it is unlikely he would opt out of such a lucrative contract.

While Stanton is one of the best players in baseball, he will be 38 years old in 2027 and will make $25 million in what figures to be the final year of his deal.

Stanton is 28 and coming off his best MLB season by far. In addition to hitting .281, Stanton set career highs with 59 home runs, 132 RBI and 123 runs scored, making him a leading National League MVP candidate.

Miami has struggled to surround him with top-tier talent, however, resulting in the Marlins' 77-85 record last season.

The Miami Marlins have reportedly already engaged in "preliminary communication" with multiple teams regarding a potential Giancarlo Stanton trade.

Jon Morosi of MLB Network reported the news Friday, noting the talks have occurred with the Boston Red Sox, St. Louis Cardinals, San Francisco Giants and Philadelphia Phillies. Morosi noted the conversations are "expected to intensify at" the general manager meetings in the coming week.

While Morosi also pointed to the Red Sox, he echoes a Thursday report from Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports.

According to Heyman, St. Louis is a "prime player" for Stanton, while the Phillies and Giants are also interested. Heyman specifically pointed to the Cardinals, though, noting the Marlins would "most like" to deal with them because of pitching prospects such as Alex Reyes, Sandy Alcantara and Jack Flaherty.

While it may make little sense to trade a dynamic player like Stanton from a purely baseball perspective, Miami's new ownership is reportedly looking to significantly cut payroll.

According to Barry Jackson and Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald, the new ownership—which includes New York Yankees great Derek Jeter—would like to cut payroll to $90 million. If it keeps the roster together as is, the payroll would be $140 million.

Trading Stanton would be a straightforward way to take a serious amount of cash off the books. The slugger made $14.5 million in 2017 but will collect at least $25 million in each of the next 11 seasons and has player options from 2021-27 and a club option in 2028, per Spotrac.

It will be a costly addition, but whichever team trades for Stanton will instantly bolster their lineup with a 28-year-old who slashed .281/.376/.631 with 59 home runs and 132 RBI in 2017.

The Miami Marlins confirmed Thursday that manager Don Mattingly will return to the team in 2018, the Miami Herald's Barry Jackson reported. 

Mattingly has managed the Marlins for two seasons, compiling a 156-167 record during that time. In 2017, Miami finished 20 games behind the National League East champion Washington Nationals, and the Marlins missed a wild-card berth by 10 games.

Mattingly still has two more years left on his current deal with the Marlins, but the team's change in ownership raised some doubt about whether he'd remain at the post.

Derek Jeter, who is among Miami's new owners, declined to offer a firm commitment as to whether Mattingly would return when asked about the manager in October.

"It has been a long season," Jeter told reporters. "I told him to get out of here and go enjoy himself and get back to his family. We'll sit down when the time is right and evaluate everyone."

Mattingly and Jeter played together during Jeter's rookie season with the New York Yankees in 1995.

While Mattingly's return resolves one question, plenty of intrigue surrounds the Marlins, especially regarding slugger Giancarlo Stanton.

Jackson reported in September the new owners may trim the team's payroll, which would make Stanton a prime trade candidate. Stanton will earn $77 million over the next three years before he can opt out of his contract. FanRag Sports' Jon Heyman reported the St. Louis Cardinals are emerging as strong contenders to land Stanton, with the Philadelphia Phillies and San Francisco Giants also in the race.