To the extent that there's any reliable clarity to the Giancarlo Stanton trade situation, it appears the Marlins are down to the Giants and Cardinals as current serious suitors, with the Dodgers' lurking at the margins. These things are highly fluid, of course, and it's entirely possible that other potential destinations will emerge before any deal goes down.
What we do know is that the Marlins are looking to offload the vast majority of the almost $300 million remaining on Stanton's contract, and as such they're not going to get a premium return in terms of talent coming back to Miami. Really, it's either agree to pay a large chunk of the contract you're trying to move and get premium young talents in return or don't kick in much cash and get get not all that much in return. The Marlins, it seems, are focused on the latter approach.
Anyhow, the Giants and Marlins reportedly have the framework of a deal in place, and now the Cardinals' rumored offer is taking shape. The details ...
In Giancarlo Stanton trade talks, #Marlins have shown interest in Michael Wacha and José Martínez, according to a report by the terrific Venezuelan baseball journalist @WilmerReina. @MLB
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) December 4, 2017
Michael Wacha, 26, has been a core member of the St. Louis staff for five seasons. For his career, he owns an ERA+ of 104 with a K/BB ratio of 2.78. Wacha's dealt with shoulder issues in the past, and in large part that's why he hasn't fully realized the potential he flashed in 2013. Wacha did, however, enjoy a velocity rebound in 2017, and that may bode well moving forward. He's eligible for free agency following the 2019 season.
Jose Martinez is a 29-year-old corner outfielder and first baseman who's logged just 325 plate appearances at the highest level. Over that span, however, he's slashed a robust .316/.386/.517 (136 OPS+) with 14 homers in 118 games. Some semi-recent swing changes underpin those big numbers, so it's possible Martinez is a real near- to mid-term asset.
As well, we've already seen the name of Sandy Alcantara, who has one of the livest arms among pitching prospects, mentioned as parts of the Cardinals-Marlins talk. Presumably, Wacha and Martinez are being discussed in addition to Alcantara. While there's some talent in there, that's not an eye-catching return package when talking about the reigning NL MVP. As mentioned, however, the Marlins are looking to shed future payroll obligations on a massive scale, and that's going to reduce the caliber of what they get back.
It's worth repeating that Stanton, as part of his 13-year, $325 million contract (that includes an opt-out after the 2020 season), has full no-trade powers. He's got a stated preference to play on the West Coast, so it's not to be assumed that he'd approve a trade to St. Louis. If he does, though, then this might be what what the Marlins can expect in return.
