YANKS NEGOTIATING FOR SLUGGER STANTON
Yankees in serious talks on deal to land MVP slugger Stanton
Early Friday, the thought of Giancarlo Stanton hitting in the middle of the Yankees’ lineup was met by loud laughter. As Friday moved into Saturday, nobody was smirking.
It didn’t mean new manager Aaron Boone was making plans to hit Aaron Judge, the AL home-run leader, second and Stanton, who led the NL in homers, third, but the possibility had legs.
The Cardinals and Giants, who had presented the Marlins with frameworks of a deal for Stanton, bowed out of the race Friday, citing the fact Stanton had invoked his notrade clause when it came to being dealt to St. Louis or San Francisco.
Enter the Yankees. Stanton, The Post has confirmed, listed the Yankees, his hometown Dodgers and the Astros as teams to which he would accept a trade. The Cubs reportedly also are in the mix.
While the Yankees have talked to the Marlins’ front office, including Yankees icon Derek Jeter, there are hurdles to be cleared before Stanton, 28, becomes half of the “Bronx Bombers Bash Brothers.”
The first obstacle to derail talk of Stanton teaming with Judge is money because the Yankees have vowed to get the 2018 payroll below the $197 million luxury-tax threshold. Stanton is owed $295 million for the next 10 years, and he can opt out following the 2020 season.
According to a person familiar with the Marlins’ plan, they would be willing to absorb about $35 million in salary in a deal if it meant getting rid of Stanton’s contract.
Not only would the Yankees have to find a taker, perhaps the Marlins, for Jacoby Ellsbury and the $68.3 million owed to him over three years, the $6.7 million difference for 2018 would severely dent the Yankees’ plans of bolstering the rotation.
It’s possible the Yankees could trim payroll by dealing Chase Headley (one year, $13 million) and Starlin Castro (two years, $23.8 million) to make room for Stanton and a starter.
Then there is the question of what players the Yankees would give the Marlins.
Do the Yankees, who have worked tirelessly for years to rid themselves of aging players with suffocating contracts, really want to part with the jewels of a minor league system regarded as one of the best in baseball?
Remember, the Yankees parted with prospects Blake Rutherford, James Kaprielian, Dustin Fowler and Jorge Mateo to land Todd Frazier and Sonny Gray last July. Are they ready to move
Gleyber Torres, Justus Sheffield, Clint Frazier, Chance Adams and perhaps starting center fielder Aaron Hicks for Stanton?
Stanton didn’t distinguish himself at the All-Star Game when he quickly tired of questions about Judge, and a former Marlins employee said Stanton’s leadership skills weren’t what you wanted from the best and highest-paid player.
Yet nobody from the Yankees has said they don’t want Stanton, who might have thrown the Bombers into the mix in order to put pressure on his hometown Dodgers.
Could it happen? Sure. Anything is possible.
They aren’t George Steinbrenner’s money-be-damned Yankees, but they aren’t a team turning their backs on something as unique as a chance to team two of the best power hitters in the game.
Will it happen? Stranger things have gone down — see Alex Rodriguez, 2004.