MLB Rumors: Miami Marlins want to extend Giancarlo Stanton
Giancarlo Stanton is one of the premier young sluggers in Major League Baseball and after avoiding arbitration with the Miami Marlins on a one-year deal worth $6.5 million, the team and Stanton hope to work out an extension to keep him in Miami for the foreseeable future.
Miami general manager Dan Jennins spoke with Jim Bowden on XM Sirius Radio on Thursday to say the club would like to extend their corner outfielder sooner rather than later.
Jennings @marlins told us they have communicated with Giancarlo Stanton their desire to sign him to a longterm deal the soonerthebetter XM89
— Jim Bowden⚾️🏈 (@JimBowdenGM) January 23, 2014
Stanton is slated to enter free agency before the 2017 season and is under team control until then meaning the two parties will hope to avoid arbitration until then, but a long-term deal in the six or seven year neighborhood would keep the 24-year-old right fielder with 117 career home runs in a Marlins uniform and actually give them a building block in their lineup.
With Rookie of the Year Jose Fernandez leading the rotation and Stanton penciled into the cleanup spot in the batting order, the Marlins may have their two best talents since Miguel Cabrera and Josh Beckett helped the Marlins with their last World Series.
The big question remaining is if Stanton will be interested in remaining in Miami if he is not convinced the team is serious about winning.