LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Now slugging for the Bronx Bombers, Giancarlo Stanton.
Stanton’s trade to the New York Yankees from Miami was finalized Monday, a deal that sent second baseman Starlin Castro and two minor leaguers to the Marlins for the NL MVP.
“They’re winners,” Stanton said during a news conference on the opening day of the winter meetings. “They’re young and they’re in a good position to win for a long time, and I lost for a long time. So I want to change that dynamic and be a winner.”
He joins a team that reached Game 7 of the AL Championship Series against Houston with a young roster that includes young sluggers Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez and Greg Bird. The Yankees expect top infield prospect Gleyber Torres to join the big league team next season.
“New York’s a marquee town, and I think it’s important to have some marquee players,” Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner said. “But more important than that, I think it’s important to have veteran players that could be mentors for the young kids.”
Stanton, a 28-year-old who like Judge plays right field, is owed $295 million over the final decade of his record $325 million, 13-year contract. The Marlins, with former Yankees star Derek Jeter as their new CEO, will send $30 million to the Yankees if Stanton doesn’t exercise his right to opt out of the deal and become a free agent after the 2020 season: $5 million each on July 1 and Oct. 1 in 2026, 2027 and 2028. Under a change in baseball’s new labor contract, that money will be prorated for the luxury tax and Stanton will count as $22 million annually.
“I wouldn’t say sad day,” Marlins President of Baseball Operations Michael Hill said. “It’s a win-win for both sides. … I know Giancarlo made it clear midway through the 2017 season he didn’t want to be part of a rebuild.”
Stanton led the majors with 59 home runs and 132 RBI last season. Judge was second in the majors with 52 homers, New York topped baseball with 241 home runs last season, and the daunting duo figures to create must-see BP before games.
Stanton will keep his No. 27 jersey.
His contract includes a no-trade provision, and last week he turned down prospective deals to St. Louis and San Francisco. He told the Marlins he was willing to accept trades only to the Yankees, his hometown Los Angeles Dodgers, the Astros and Chicago Cubs.
“I would have been putting it over the hump rather than jumping into a team already prepared to be there,” he said.
Having grown up in Southern California, going to the Giants was a particular difficultly.
“I wouldn’t base a decision off that, but also I wouldn’t want to go to a team that they disliked the most – and wasn’t sure if they were going to beat that team, either,” he said.
RED SOX: Free-agent first baseman Carlos Santana is among several targets of the team at the winter meetings.
The Red Sox met with Santana’s agents at the general manager’s meetings last month and FanRag Sports’ Jon Heyman reports the Red Sox are actively interested in the veteran.
According to Cleveland.com’s Paul Hoynes, the Indians made an offer to Santana recently but he rejected it, opting to see how the rest of the market pans out with free agents Eric Hosmer and J.D. Martinez still available.
The Indians did make a one-year qualifying offer of $17.4 million to Santana at the end of the season, in order to ensure they wouldn’t lose a draft pick if he signed elsewhere. Santana turned that deal down, too, likely in search of a multiyear deal.
Hoynes reports that the Indians have been told they will get a chance to make a counteroffer if Santana is offered a deal by another team.
Last season, the switch-hitter, who has spent his entire eight-year career in Cleveland, hit .259 with an .818 OPS, 23 homers and 37 doubles. He hit a career-high 34 homers in 2016.
RANGERS: A person with direct knowledge of the deal says the Texas Rangers and right-hander Chris Martin have agreed on a $4 million, two-year contract after the reliever spent the past two seasons in Japan.
The Rangers will be Martin’s third major league team after previous stints with Colorado and the New York Yankees. Martin pitched part of two seasons with the Portland Sea Dogs.
PHILLIES: A person familiar with the deal tells The Associated Press that free-agent relief pitcher Pat Neshek is returning to the Philadelphia Phillies.
Neshek will get a $16.5 million, two-year contact pending a successful physical. The righty was a combined 5-3 with one save and a 1.59 ERA in 71 games. He had a 1.12 ERA in 43 games for the last-place Phillies.
BREWERS: Manager Craig Counsell has reiterated that ace Jimmy Nelson will not resume throwing until spring training and won’t be ready for opening day as he comes back from shoulder injury.
Nelson was 12-6 with a 3.49 ERA last season. The right-hander was hurt Sept. 8 diving back to first after rounding the base after getting a single.
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