Marlins' Giancarlo Stanton open to playing for Yankees
— -- While the Los Angeles Dodgers have been mentioned as the inevitable fallback option for the Miami Marlins?in their attempts to trade? Giancarlo Stanton, they're not the only big-market glamour team that intrigues the National League MVP.
A source familiar with the trade talks said the New York Yankees are among Stanton's preferred destinations, and that he might be open to waiving his blanket no-trade clause to go to the Bronx.
The new Derek Jeter-led ownership regime in Miami has spent the past five weeks trying to move Stanton, who has a guaranteed $295 million left on his contract.
Jeter and businessman Bruce Sherman took over a franchise that was saddled with debt when they bought the Marlins from Jeffrey Loria for $1.2 billion. They got one big salary off the books Thursday when they traded Dee Gordon to the Seattle Mariners for three minor leaguers. Gordon is owed $37 million in base salary through the 2020 season.
The Cardinals and Giants had expressed the most interest in Stanton, but both teams said Friday that Stanton has refused to waive his no-trade clause to go there.?
The Dodgers have been mentioned prominently in speculation because Stanton grew up in Los Angeles and would be more inclined to waive his no-trade clause to play at home. And the Dodgers, who fielded MLB's highest payroll in 2017, ostensibly have the financial resources to assume a substantial chunk of the money still owed Stanton.?
Although the Yankees also appeal to Stanton, a deal to New York would have to surmount several obstacles. The Yankees are trying to keep a handle on their payroll, and owner Hal Steinbrenner recently reiterated the team's desire to field a roster beneath MLB's $197 million luxury-tax threshold.
"I've said many times, for a number of reasons, it's important for us to get under the cap this year," Steinbrenner told reporters during the MLB owners meetings in November. "It's absolutely a goal of mine -- to be under.
"You can have a world championship-caliber team and not have a $200-plus million payroll, and I think we're finally getting to a point where that's coming true for us, because we've got a lot of good young players on our team.''
If the Marlins want to find common ground on a Stanton trade with New York, they might have to be prepared to take on some contracts in return. One possibility is outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, who is owed about $68.4 million through 2020. Like Stanton, Ellsbury has full no-trade protection. Another possibility is third baseman Chase Headley, who will make $13 million in 2018 in the final year of his deal.
Although Stanton would bring an impact bat to New York, the Yankees have no pressing need for an outfielder at the moment. Right fielder? Aaron Judge hit 52 home runs and finished second to Houston's Jose Altuve in the American League MVP race. Left fielder Brett Gardner is coming off one of his best career seasons, and center fielder Aaron Hicks logged an .847 OPS in 88 games this season while making a base salary of $1.75 million.
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