There have been reports and rumors about potential Giancarlo Stanton trades for weeks now, but no movement on that front. Why has that been the case? Some reportedly believe it has to do with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
MLB Network’s Jon Morosi reports that some teams interested in Stanton believe the outfielder’s first choice is to be traded to the Dodgers. They think the reason he hasn’t been dealt anywhere yet is because he’s holding out to see whether a trade to his hometown team can happen first.
Sources: Giancarlo Stanton’s camp has given #Marlins a list of teams to which he would accept trades. #Dodgers are among them. To this point, Stanton has not formally rejected any trades. @MLB @MLBNetwork
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) November 27, 2017
Sources: Some teams pursuing Giancarlo Stanton believe #Dodgers are his first choice, and that he will be reluctant to approve other destinations until there is clarity with LA. @MLBNetwork @MLB
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) November 27, 2017
Stanton grew up in Los Angeles, which likely explains his high interest in playing for the Dodgers. The fact that they are coming off a World Series berth probably helps too.
We saw something similar during the trade deadline with Justin Verlander. The Houston Astros really wanted him, but he preferred to go to the Dodgers or Cubs. He waited until the final second to see if either of those teams would step up before finally accepting a trade to Houston.
Given their already bloated payroll, not to mention an outfield filled by Chris Taylor, Yasiel Puig, and Joc Pederson, it’s no surprise the Dodgers have been somewhat hesitant on the Stanton front.
A deal for Stanton may take a bit to come together, and our guess is that he will end up having to accept a trade elsewhere. The Giants and Cardinals have been tied to him the most, with the Red Sox also in the mix.
