The baseball world is laser-focused on where Miami Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton will end up, and according to a new report, Chicago Cubs fans should be very excited about the situation.
That report, from Sirius XM’s Craig Mish, says the Cubs are one of four teams that Stanton will approve a trade to. Stanton has a full no-trade clause in his contract, and has the right to veto any trade that he wants to as the Marlins try to unload his salary from their payroll.
According to Mish, Stanton will accept a trade to the Cubs, the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, and Houston Astros, the four teams that made the League Championship Series in 2017.
Stanton is getting ready to enter the fourth year of the staggering 13-year, $325 million deal that he signed with the Marlins prior to the 2015 season. Stanton’s salary will take a big leap next eason, paying him $25 million per season, and that number will rise to $32 million per season by 2023.
Even if the Cubs were interested in Stanton, and there is no indication that they are at this point, the obstacles facing them would be massive. They do have plenty of money to spend thanks to contracts like Jake Arrieta and John Lackey’s deals coming off the books, but with players like Kris Bryant and Addison Russell in line for pay raises over the next several seasons, Stanton’s deal could hamper them in those efforts.
To make matters more complicated, the Cubs are currently trying to restock their farm system after a series of trades, including the swaps that landed them Aroldis Chapman and Jose Quintana.
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nArguably the best pitching free agent on the market, Arrieta is going to command a big salary when he becomes available. The 2015 Cy Young winner doesn’t have the innings on his arm that most other pitchers of his age do, and he has made it clear that he won’t accept much, if any, of a discount from the Cubs, so it seems unlikely that he will return.
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nThe Cubs were forced to make moves to replace Miguel Montero before the trade deadline, and Avila proved to be a valuable piece, playing strong defense and bringing surprising pop from the catcher’s spot. The team may prefer to use Taylor Davis or Victor Caratini as a back-up to Willson Contreras this season, but it’s possible that they could sign a veteran instead.
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nThe Cubs’ bullpen had some serious issues in 2017, but Davis was far from the problem, as he converted all but one save attempt and was a lockdown reliever for the team. With the struggles of the team’s bullpen in the postseason, it’s possible that Theo Epstein and company could open their checkbooks for Davis, but it seems unlikely given their track record of not shelling out big bucks for bullpen arms.
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nDuensing had a strong season for the Cubs after a rocky start to the campaign, and he’ll be looking to get some extra coin in free agency. It’s unclear at this point if he’ll remain with the team, or if another club will offer him a significant raise, but the Cubs should be interested if he stays within their price range.
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nWith Kyle Schwarber struggling at the plate and Albert Almora struggling to hit against right-handed pitching this season, Jay became a valuable tool for Joe Maddon, batting lead-off and playing center field frequently. The team may opt to go for a more reliable lead-off option for next season, but Jay can’t be ruled out as a possible returning outfielder.
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nAfter a lengthy career, Lackey is likely done as a big league pitcher, but there’s always an outside shot that he could return on a cheap deal. That being said, if he does ride off into the sunset, the Cubs are likely going to be looking to replace two-fifths of their rotation for next season, and it won’t be an interesting task.
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nThe other catcher the Cubs brought in before the playoffs, Rivera was a solid option after being claimed on waivers from the Mets. He could be an attractive buy-low option if the Cubs want to have a veteran backstop behind Contreras.
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nUehara certainly will not command as high a salary next season if he decides to continue pitching for the Cubs after injuries derailed him late in the year. Uehara may choose to retire or play overseas instead, but it seems a reunion with Chicago is unlikely.
Chicago Baseball
Even still, the news that the Cubs could be one of four finalists for Stanton is indeed interesting, if for no other reason than the fact that the St. Louis Cardinals don’t appear to be on Stanton’s approved team list. The Cardinals have reportedly put together a package that the Marlins like for Stanton, but if he won’t approve a trade to the Gateway City, then the deal wouldn’t go through.
The reigning National League MVP coming to the Central Division would be a tough pill to swallow for the Cubs, but if Stanton is serious about not going to St. Louis, then that makes the Cubs’ road to another division title just a little bit easier.
