Let’s face it, there isn’t a Dodger fan on the planet who doesn’t get at least a little bit giddy over the thought of Miami Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton playing at Dodger Stadium in a Dodgers uniform. I mean, we’re talking about a guy coming off a remarkable 2017 season that saw him hit an MLB-best 59 home runs and who has slugged 267 home runs over his eight-year MLB seasons, all with the Marlins. That’s an average of 33.4 home runs per season.

Now granted, the 6′-6′ / 245-pound right fielder and Marlins second-round draft pick in 2007 out of Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, California a mere 14.4 miles from Dodger Stadium turned 28 years old on November 8, but the simple fact is that his power numbers are increasing as he approaches the prime of his career.

On May 12, 2015, Stanton became only the fourth player in its (then) 53-year history to hit a home run completely out of Dodger Stadium, joining Willie Stargell (who did it twice), Mike Piazza and Mark McGwire.
(Video capture courtesy of MLB.com – Click on image to view video)

That’s the good news.

The bad news is that Stanton just completed the third year of an insane 13-year / $325 million contract that runs through the 2027 season. That’s 10 years from now and takes him through his age-37 season.

Here is a spray chart of all 59 home runs hit by Stanton during the 2017 season. Should the Dodgers land the just-turned 28-year-old right fielder, it’s a safe bet that ticket sales in the Left Field Pavilion will soar.
(Image courtesy of hittrackeronline.com – Click on image to enlarge)

Both Stanton and Marlins president and CEO Derek Jeter (yes that Derek Jeter) have made it abundantly clear that Stanton absolutely positively will be traded this off-season. There have also been confirmed reports that Stanton, who has a full no-trade clause in his contract, would love nothing more than to play for the team that he grew up rooting for; the one that is 14.4 miles from where he went to high school. There have also been reports that the Dodgers are indeed kicking the tires on a potential deal for the Marlins’ franchise player. (Note: Stanton has already said that he would exercise his no-trade clause with the Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals).

This is where things get a bit dicey.

With the Dodgers coming off their best season in LA franchise history, and with the bulk of their current 40-man roster still under team control and/or contract, the old adage ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ comes to mind. That being said, the team with the best overall record during the 2017 regular season did not win the World Series … but perhaps they might have, had the best home run hitter since Barry Bonds been on their 25-man World Series roster.

There is little doubt that the Marlins will probably have to absorb at least some of the $295 million still owed to Stanton over the next decade in order to facilitate a trade. However, there is zero doubt that whoever lands the Marlins slugger will have to cough up a boatload of current MLB-ready players and MiLB prospects in order to land him. For the Dodgers, a few of the names that have been tossed around – at least by the media – have included current Dodgers left-hander Julio Urias, right-hander Ross Stripling, outfielder Joc Pederson and Dodgers 2014 second-round draft pick outfield prospect Alex Verdugo.

The one name that appears to be on the Dodgers ‘untouchable list’ (if there is such a thing) in any trade deal is 2015 first-round draft pick right-hander Walker Buehler, who figures to begin the 2018 season firmly planted in the Dodgers starting rotation.

Let the Giancarlo Stanton sweepstakes begin.