The Miami Marlins have formulated their offseason plan to get below $90 million in payroll, and it involves trading away superstar slugger Giancarlo Stanton, along with Dee Gordon and Martin Prado, according to a report from Barry Jackson and Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald.
Stanton's name has popped up in the rumor mill with increasing frequency since Derek Jeter seized control of the baseball operations department with the recent acquisition of the team. During Bruce Sherman and Jeter's presentation in the summer to the other 29 owners, a reported plan to cut payroll to as low as $55 million was floated out by the then-prospective owners.
The 27-year-old Stanton is coming off of a 59-homer season, and begins the pricier portion of the 13-year, $325-million contract extension he signed prior to the 2015 season. In 2018, Stanton will be due $25 million - a $10.5-million raise on last year - that will only continue to escalate for the remaining nine seasons.
Meanwhile, Gordon's contract is decidedly less prohibitive. The speedy second baseman is due $10.8 million next year and is guaranteed $38.9 million over the next three seasons, with an option for the 2021 campaign. In 158 games, the 29-year-old led all of baseball with 60 stolen bases and posted a .308/.341/.375 slash line.
Prado could be the toughest contract to move of them all though. The 34-year-old third baseman was sidelined for the majority of the year and underwent knee surgery in July. While he resumed baseball activities before the season ended, Prado's .636 OPS in limited work, combined with the fact he's due $28.5 million over the next two years could make moving him difficult for the Marlins.
If the Marlins are to move Stanton, Gordon, and Prado, and retain none of their salaries, Miami's payroll commitments for the 2018 season would drop to roughly $85 million including arbitration projections. In all likelihood though, the contracts of Stanton and Prado will need to be partially retained to entice would-be bidders this winter.
