Giancarlo Stanton Trade Rumors: Giants Have 'Strongest Interest' in Deal

The San Francisco Giants are among a handful of teams with interest in trading for Miami Marlins superstar Giancarlo Stanton this offseason, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today.

While the St. Louis Cardinals, Texas Rangers and Philadelphia Phillies have also inquired into Stanton's availability, the Giants have expressed the "strongest interest" in acquiring the 27-year-old, Nightengale reported.

It's hardly surprising that plenty of interest surrounds Stanton. The Marlins superstar is having an epic 2017 season, hitting .296 with 50 home runs and 108 RBI in just 127 games. That has made him the fastest player to reach 50 homers in a season since Barry Bonds and Sammy Sosa in 2001.

There's a caveat about Stanton: He's signed to a 13-year, $325 million contract that will take him through his age-37 season. That's a major salary to absorb, though big-market teams looking for a superstar slugger can afford the investment.

When Stanton is healthy, he's one of the game's most dangerous power hitters. He's hit at least 20 home runs in every year of his career and 30 or more dingers in four seasons.

"He's locked in right now in a way that people may think is extraordinary, but for me, I view it as ordinary," Marlins president David Samson told Nightengale. "This is the Giancarlo who we know. He wants to be the best.

"So the recent surge people are calling historic, I think it's something he's super capable of doing for another decade, at least," he continued. "He's the type of guy in his prime, that he stays healthy, you're talking about the first Marlins Hall of Famer, in my mind. That's what we thought about when we signed him, but who knows what tomorrow brings?"

The Giants could use his pop in the lineup. They have hit just 101 home runs, fewest in the majors. Brandon Belt tops the team in homers (18), and Brandon Crawford leads the way in RBI (63).

Stanton would represent a significant upgrade to the middle of San Francisco's lineup.