Passan Says Stanton May Be Marlins' Top-Paid Player After Trade Deadline, He Was Traded In 2017

Depending on how the Miami Marlins handle things leading up to the trade deadline, there's a chance that Giancarlo Stanton could end up being their highest-paid player this season despite having not played for the team since October 2017.

Per ESPN's Jeff Passan, there is a "legitimate chance" that Stanton ends up being the most expensive Marlins player by the end of this season with Sandy Alcántara and Pete Fairbanks likely to draw a lot of trade interest.

As part of their trade with the New York Yankees for Stanton in December 2017, the Marlins agreed to pay $30 million of his total contract. He accounts for $10 million on Miami's payroll this season.

Alcántara and Fairbanks are currently the only players on the Marlins making at least $10 million. Anthony Bender ranks third on the active roster with a $2.8 million base salary.

It's hard to pin down the value for both Alcántara and Fairbanks right now.

Alcántara, the 2022 NL Cy Young winner, had a 5.36 ERA last season, but the fact he made 31 starts was a positive sign that his durability was still there. He opened this season with a 0.74 ERA through three starts.

Things have been rough for Alcántara since April 12 with a 6.21 ERA and 76 hits allowed in 58.0 innings over his last 10 outings. He is making $17.3 million in 2026, with a $21 million team option for 2027.

Fairbanks, who has a $13 million salary this season, boasts a 6.61 ERA in 18 appearances. His track record suggests a turnaround will come, but how much a contending team would be willing to give up to bring him remains to be seen.

Amid all of the discussion about labor talks between MLB and the MLBPA for a new collective bargaining agreement with the current one set to expire after this season, one of the key points of contention is expected to be a salary cap proposed by the league.

The proposal also included a salary floor of $171.2 million. The 2026 Marlins would have to spend nearly $90 million to get to that level, and potentially more if they were to trade Alcántara and/or Fairbanks.