Yankees Get: Giancarlo Stanton: 59 HR, .281/.376/.631, 2 SB, 156 wRC+, 6.9 fWAR
$30 million (if Stanton does not opt out after 2020 season)
Marlins Get: Starlin Castro: 16 HR, .300/.338/.454, 2 SB, 110 wRC+, 1.9 fWAR
Jorge Guzman: 5-3, 2.30 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 88/18 K/BB, 66.2 IP at Class A Short Season
Jose Devers: 1 HR, .245/.336/.342, 16 SB, 100 wRC+ at DSL and GCL
In the blockbuster trade we've been waiting for, the Yankees acquired reigning NL MVP Giancarlo Stanton from the Marlins in exchange for Starlin Castro and two low-level prospects. Stanton comes with a massive ten year, $295 million contract that runs through 2027, though Stanton can opt out after the 2020 season, which would leave the Yankees on the hook for three years and $77 million. The Marlins have agreed to ship $30 million along with Stanton if he does not exercise his opt-out, bringing the Yankees' total cost to $265 million, but they'll get no money if he does opt out. This likely takes New York out of the running to sign Bryce Harper after the 2018 season. Stanton gives the Yankees both baseball's two premier power hitters, and he and Aaron Judge could be the most fearsome offensive combination in the game, having combined for 111 home runs last season. Stanton will likely serve as the DH as Judge plus some combination of Brett Gardner, Aaron Hicks, and Jacoby Ellsbury man the outfield, though Ellsbury's name has been mentioned in trade rumors. This is a very dangerous Yankees team, and if you combine their star power with their depth and farm system, we are likely seeing the beginning of a new dynasty. For Stanton himself, he is coming off an MVP season in which he crushed 59 home runs and slashed .281/.376/.631 over 159 games, posting a 156 wRC+ and racking up 6.9 fWAR. Expect his numbers to get a boost in cozy Yankee Stadium and with better hitters protecting him in the lineup, but also know that most of Stanton's home runs go so far that the fence distance doesn't really matter. For his career, the LA native has 267 home runs, a .268/.360/.554 slash line, a 144 wRC+, and 34.1 fWAR over 986 games.
The most important thing the Marlins get out of this trade is salary relief. Stanton's contract was simply too expensive for the new ownership to handle, and the Marlins are rebuilding anyways so having Stanton on the books doesn't really make sense. Starlin Castro is the lone major leaguer going back to Miami, and he will slot right in at second base, which was just vacated by the Dee Gordon trade a few days earlier. Castro is on the hook for two years and $22 million, which wouldn't even make a dent in Stanton's ten year, $295 million (or three year, $77 million) deal and is still considerably cheaper than Gordon's three years and $38 million. Castro is coming off a very good season, having slashed .300/.338/.454 with 16 home runs and a 110 wRC+ for the Yankees, good for 1.9 fWAR in 119 games. He could use a few more walks to get that on-base percentage up, but for a rebuilding team, he can be a major contributor on offense and serve as a trade chip down the line. Meanwhile, Jorge Guzman is a 21 year old right handed pitcher who was acquired from the Astros in last year's Brian McCann trade. He had a huge breakout year in 2017 in Short Season ball with Staten Island, going 5-3 with a 2.30 ERA, a 1.04 WHIP, and an 88/18 strikeout to walk ratio in 66.2 innings over 13 starts. Guzman brings blazing heat, throwing his fastball in the upper 90's while touching 101, 102, and even 103 MPH, enough juice to strike out 33.5% of the New York-Penn League hitters he faced this year. He also possesses the rare trait of being able to command that fastball, evidenced by a 6.8% walk rate this year. However, he does come with a few downsides. Guzman has a lot of work to do on his offspeed pitches, as he can't get by on fastball alone as he moves up to full season ball and beyond. He also turns 22 in January, so while he isn't old for a prospect, we're yet to see him pitch in full season ball and he's not exactly the youngest guy around. If it all breaks right, he has mid-rotation potential, but if those offspeed pitches never develop, he'll likely be a set-up man. Jose Devers, cousin of Red Sox star Rafael Devers, is an 18 year old shortstop out of the Dominican Republic. He is very much a wild card given his age and could develop in any number of directions, but we do know that he has a very good glove and can likely stick at shortstop. After slashing .239/.255/.326 with an ugly 16/0 strikeout to walk ratio over 11 games in the Dominican Summer League, he improved to .246/.359/.348 with a home run and a much better 21/18 strikeout to walk ratio over 42 games upon a promotion to the Gulf Coast League. As I said, he has a long way to go, but he'll be 18 for all of 2018 and has plenty of time to develop.
No comments:
Post a Comment