Yankees land home-run leader, Stanton
MIAMI — After helping the New York Yankees to five World Series titles, Derek Jeter might help them win another.
The Yankees and Jeter’s Miami Marlins have agreed to a trade that would send NL MVP Giancarlo Stanton to New York, pending a physical.
Second baseman Starlin Castro would go to Miami as part of the trade, a person familiar with the negotiations said. The Marlins would also receive prospects Jorge Guzman, a right-hander, and Jose Devers, an infielder who is a cousin of Boston prospect Rafael Devers.
The deal also calls for the Marlins to send $30 million to the Yankees if Stanton doesn’t exercise his right to opt out of his contract and become a free agent following the 2020 season.
Stanton has a no-trade clause in his record $325-million, 13-year contract and has indicated he will approve this move.
St. Louis and San Francisco said Friday that Stanton had vetoed deals to them.
As for the physical, injuries curtailed Stanton’s season in four of the past six years, but he played a career-high 159 games in 2017 and led the majors with 59 homers and 132 RBIs.
If the Yankees complete the trade with Jeter, their former captain and the new Marlins’ CEO, the Bronx Bombers would pair Stanton with Aaron Judge, who led the AL with 52 in his rookie season. That would give New York a one-two punch to rival Ruth-Gehrig or Mantle-Maris, making for must-see batting practice.
Judge sent a tweet to Stanton showing a clip from the movie “Step Brothers” with Will Ferrell saying, “Did we just become best friends?”
Obtaining the 28-year-old Stanton would be reminiscent of the Yankees’ acquisition of AL MVP Alex Rodriguez from Texas after the 2003 season for second baseman Alfonso Soriano. Rodriguez signed a $275-million, 10-year contract after the 2007 season that ran through age 42.
Stanton’s deal runs through age 38. His salary will rise to $25 million in 2018.