4 teams that could trade for Stanton before end of August
Giancarlo Stanton is healthy, he's raking, and he could be in another club's uniform before the end of August.
The Miami Marlins slugger cleared waivers Sunday and at least four teams have inquired about the possibility of trading for the 27-year-old, Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports reported Tuesday.
Adding Stanton would be a significant boost for any club, but the home run-mashing outfielder comes with a substantial price tag, which could dissuade suitors from acquiring him.
Stanton is owed $295 million over the next 10 years, which would take him into his late-30s, and there are only so many teams with the available payroll to acquire such a contract.
With all this in mind, let's take a look at four teams that could trade for Stanton before the end of August.
Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies are in no position to contend right now, sitting last in the National League East at 43-73, but they have a lot of money to play with and should be able to accommodate a contract the size of Stanton's.
In July, the Philles reportedly kicked around the idea of acquiring Stanton and fellow Marlins outfielder Christian Yelich, with Philadelphia absorbing most of the owed money.
The Phillies and their front office have been biding their time, looking for the right opportunity to begin their shopping spree, and with Stanton mashing the ball like a Herculean god lately, they may decide it's time to bite the bullet and try to nab themselves one of the game's most powerful hitters.
St. Louis Cardinals
The Cardinals are not only back in the NL Central title race, but they're sitting just 1 1/2 games out of first behind the Chicago Cubs.
Historically, the Cardinals and their fan base despise losing to the Cubs more than any other squad, so they may need something extra to give them an additional push as the postseason approaches.
St. Louis was reportedly interested in the slugger in July and the Cardinals aren't afraid to spend money on the right player. They were reportedly in on David Price when he was a free agent and handed Dexter Fowler a lucrative five-year deal last offseason.
Boston Red Sox
Imagine if Dave Dombrowski brought a monster to the Green Monster.
Boston would almost certainly welcome the addition of the powerful Stanton to Beantown, watching in awe as he hammered baseballs onto Lansdowne Street.
Even though the Red Sox seem to be in good position to make the postseason with their athletic outfield of Mookie Betts, Jackie Bradley Jr. and Andrew Benintendi, a player of Stanton's caliber doesn't come along often and the Red Sox front office are known for blockbuster trades - see Chris Sale.
Boston's reported interest in MLB's home run leader has been faint, but things could heat up if the New York Yankees continue to bite at their heels.
New York Yankees
Speaking of the Yankees, they're going to have a lot of money fall off the books at season's end, and although rumors and speculation have them saving their funds for the Bryce Harper and Manny Machado sweepstakes following the 2018 season, they could use the same funds to pay Stanton now.
If they could somehow get the Marlins to agree to take on the remainder of Jacoby Ellsbury's contract, an outfield of Stanton, Aaron Judge, and - for the time being - Brett Gardner would be very strong.
The Yankees have already reportedly checked in on Stanton, so there's interest there, but what price are they willing to pay to have Judge and Stanton hitting side-by-side in what could be a potential home-run bonanza?