As teams look to re-up for the upcoming Major League Baseball season, the hottest commodity as we move into the 2018 Winter Meetings is Miami Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton. This will be Stanton’s age 28 season, and since he has never made it to the postseason, he should be afforded the opportunity to play in October baseball while still in his prime. In addition to this, we know that Stanton’s current team, the Miami Marlins, are under new ownership and are heading toward a rebuild.
The Red Sox have showed interest in acquiring the star slugger to improve their offense, which struggled last season. There have been mixed reports on Stanton’s interest in coming to Boston. Stanton has a full no-trade clause in his contract meaning he could potentially veto any trade he wanted to. If Stanton truly has an open mind while on the trade market, Boston should acquire the young star. This also means avoiding the sacrifice of their young core.
According to a report from ESPN’s Buster Olney, the Marlins asking price for Stanton is “shockingly high.” Why shouldn’t it be? The Marlins are a team that had their vision for the future completely derailed with the death of star pitcher Jose Fernandez last year, and then Stanton, their only real trade chip left, turns in a season so dominant it gave baseball purists a migraine headache with flashbacks to the steroid era. Stanton mashed a whopping 59 home runs to lead all of baseball last year in a notoriously pitcher-friendly ballpark. The Marlins should sell high on him, but is this the price the Red Sox should pay?
If Stanton is willing to come to Boston, it’s certainly an exciting opportunity that the Red Sox should be exploring. After leading all of baseball in runs in 2016, the Red Sox regressed to tenth this past season in runs scored, and all the way down to 27 in home runs hit. The Philadelphia Phillies hit more home runs than the Red Sox last season—let that sink in. Stanton alone hit more than one-third of the total home runs the entire Red Sox roster last season. Imagine that kind of power in the hitter-friendly dimensions of Fenway Park.
The question is not whether the Sox would love to have Stanton or not. Of course, Boston would welcome the best home run hitter in baseball with open arms. But should the Red Sox be willing to meet the demands made by the Marlins? Right now, Miami probably wants pitching and some MLB-ready talent. If I had to guess, Miami is probably seeking a package of Andrew Benintendi, Rafael Devers, and Boston’s top pitching prospect, Jason Groome. That is a hefty price. Even for someone of Stanton’s caliber, that is a deal I would stay away from. Now, if the Marlins were willing to accept Benintendi or Devers, then that is worth exploring. If Boston could sell the Marlins on a package of Benintendi/Devers, Groome, and Jackie Bradley Jr., then that is a fantastic deal.
It all hinges on whether other teams are willing to overpay. One team linked to Stanton the most is the St. Louis Cardinals. They have the benefit of several top prospects they could offer Miami, including pitching and bats. However, Miami lacks talent that’s both ready for the major leagues and ready to trade—at least some that still have upside. Benintendi and Devers just competed and had success in the postseason. With both younger than 25, they still have plenty of upside.
Boston should certainly stay on this potential blockbuster, but also be wary of overpaying. The Red Sox have built a fantastic roster through drafting and stockpiling assets, and that’s not something that should be given away, even for the likes of Stanton.