Yankees: 4 Potential Giancarlo Stanton Trade Destinations

With the National League implementing a designated hitter for 2020 and beyond, there are a few teams that could be potential trade partners if the New York Yankees look to deal Giancarlo Stanton.

When Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman pulled the trigger on acquiring Giancarlo Stanton ahead of the 2018 season, it shocked the world. The thought of the reigning NL MVP and NL HR leader hitting back-to-back with 2017 AL Rookie of the Year and AL HR leader Aaron Judge was mind blowing.

In 2017, Stanton hit 59 HR while Judge hit 52, combining for 111 HR. Fans started fantasizing about just how many HR the two could combine for as teammates for years to come, as Stanton was under contract through 2028 and Judge was under team control for several more seasons.

However, the dream of the two sluggers mashing HR left and right in the same lineup throughout a whole season has yet to come true. In 2018, Stanton played 158 games and hit 38 HR with a slash line of .266/.343/.509, all of which were decreases from 2017. Meanwhile, Judge missed 50 games due to injury and hit 27 HR.

The following year, Judge missed 60 games and hit 27 HR again. On the other hand, Stanton missed virtually the whole season, playing just 18 games with three HR. So, in the two years they’ve been teammates, the two have combined for 95 HR.

Obviously, it’s to no fault of their own that the two haven’t hit as many HR as we thought, as when they are on the field, they do undeniably produce. However, with Stanton’s gigantic contract, the Yankees wouldn’t be beside themselves if they got a shot at unloading it onto another franchise, especially considering how deep the offense has become outside of Stanton.

Will Stanton actually be traded in the near future? It’s doubtful, especially considering he has a no-trade clause, but if Cashman wanted to free up some salary to extend the likes of Judge, Gary Sanchez, Gleyber Torres, etc, then he’ll have to at least consider the possibility. With the NL adding a DH, it certainly opens up some additional doors if Stanton were to ever waive his clause.

Health has been an issue for Stanton, but with a universal DH, any team can now slot him in there if needed. When he’s fully healthy, he’s proven to be a more than capable outfielder as well.

Stanton is entering his age-30 season, and has accumulated a 40.4 WAR in 1,162 games. There’s no question he’s been one of the top players in the game when he’s on the field, and he’s still got plenty left in the tank.

With that being said, here are four potential suitors for a Giancarlo Stanton trade.