In their desperation to dump the nearly $300 million remaining on Giancarlo Stanton’s contract, the Miami Marlins might be willing to take a very underwhelming return.
While the Hot Stove continues preheating, the Giancarlo Stanton rumors just keep coming. It’s no longer really a matter of if, but when the Miami Marlins deal their superstar right fielder and 2017 NL MVP. Judging by some of the initial reports, the new ownership group is willing to accept a very minimal return for Stanton in terms of prospects if it means they will not be on the hook to pay much of his remaining contract.
Jon Morosi of MLB Network has the details on a potential trade that would send Stanton along with All-Star second baseman Dee Gordon to San Francisco for the Giants second baseman, Joe Panik, and prospects Tyler Beede and Chris Shaw. Panik is coming off a year where he hit .282/.347/.421 with 10 home runs and 53 RBI. Beede is a right-handed starter who projects as a mid-rotation arm at best. He went 6-7 with a 4.79 ERA in 19 starts at Triple-A last season.
Shaw is the second-rated prospect in the Giants system and hit a combined .292/.346/.525 with 24 home runs and 79 RBI across Double-A and Triple-A in 2017. He has played first base in his two years in the minor leagues and has limited defensive value.
If this is the early offer on the table for the Marlins and they would be willing to accept it, then it is painfully obvious that dealing Stanton right now is all about dumping his salary. Panik is a light-hitting second baseman, Beede might be a number-five starter or a long reliever and Shaw has the body of a DH stuck in the National League. That it has become known that this trade package would be enough to land Stanton is terrible for the Marlins. There is no reason for teams to try and wow the Marlins with top-100 prospects.
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The new ownership group in Miami can spin this however they want, but this is a cash dump, plain and simple. For anyone who thought business would be different with Jeffrey Loria out of the picture, think again. Stanton still holds the power to steer his final destination, but he will be traded very soon. Christian Yelich and Marcell Ozuna could follow close behind as the Marlins latest and greatest fire sale kicks off in earnest.