Giancarlo Stanton Eyeing Franchise Record for RBI in 2017

Miami Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton needs just 39 RBI during the 2017 season to pass Mike Lowell's mark of 578 for the most in franchise history, per Matt Kelly of MLB.com.

Stanton is set to enter his eighth season with the Marlins, while Mike Lowell required just seven to reach his total. However, the superstar right fielder has missed a significant chunk of games in his career through injury, keeping him from passing the number already. Since entering the league in 2010, Stanton has played more than 125 games in a campaign just twice.

Despite skipping large portions of multiple seasons, Stanton hasn't hit under 22 home runs in a campaign. That came in 2010, when he clubbed 22 home runs over 100 games as a 20-year-old rookie. He hit 27 bombs in 74 games during 2015, putting him on pace for nearly 60 over the course of an entire season.

Stanton launched one homer over 17 at-bats with the Marlins during spring training before leaving for the World Baseball Classic. He and the United States won the tournament for the first time, beating Puerto Rico 8-0 in the final. The 27-year-old hit a mammoth home run in a second-round game against the Dominican Republic to give Team USA a 4-2 lead in an eventual 6-3 victory to earn a spot in the semifinals.

Assuming he can stay on the field in 2017, it's a pretty solid bet that Stanton will provide plenty of power and production for the Marlins. On his way, he should easily surpass the 39 RBI mark and take the top spot on Miami's all-time leaderboard. Given he's under contract with the club through 2028—though he has a player option beginning in 2021—Stanton has a lot of time to increase his total.