Marlins owner confirms team signs Stanton to record 13-year, $325M deal
The speculation can be put to rest.
Power-hitter Giancarlo Stanton and the Miami Marlins have completed the richest contract in professional sports history.
The two sides reached agreement on a 13-year, $325 million deal, Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria told Manny Navarro of the Miami Herald. Stanton will be introduced in a press conference Wednesday in Miami.
"A landmark day," Loria told the Herald on Monday. "It means everything to the franchise. We have a face of the franchise for the next 13 years."
The deal contains full no-trade protection and also includes an opt-out clause after the sixth season - which would come after the 2020 campaign.
But Loria doesn't believe Stanton is going anywhere, and says he will provide the two-time All-Star with more than just a monetary incentive to stay put.
"I expect him to be a Marlin for 13 years. We are going to be surrounding him, we have already started to surround him, with all-star caliber players, and there will be more."
The Marlins went all-in for the 2012 season - the first year in their new ballpark - but a disappointing 69-93 finish led to a flurry of moves that dismantled what looked like a promising team. Miami made a pair of significant in-season deals by trading shortstop Hanley Ramirez to the Los Angeles Dodgers, and right-hander Anibal Sanchez to the Detroit Tigers before tearing down the majority of its core with a blockbuster offseason trade.
In December 2012, the Marlins moved pitchers Josh Johnson and Mark Buehrle, along with shortstop Jose Reyes to the Toronto Blue Jays as part of a 12-player deal that landed the organization a bevy of young, controllable talents in Adeiny Hechavarria, Henderson Alvarez, Jake Marisnick, Justin Nicolino and Anthony DeSclafani. Marisnick was dealt this past season to the Houston Astros for right-hander Jarred Cosart.
While the deal hurt the Marlins in 2013 - they went 62-100 - it has set them up well for the future. Miami went 77-85 last season and heads into 2015 with a roster full of intriguing talents.
Loria thinks the Marlins' 2014 played a large roll in convincing Stanton to sign long term.
"He obviously saw last year that the franchise was serious about winning and serious about doing great things in the new stadium," Loria said. "I talked to him (Monday) afternoon just after all the tests were completed. He passed with flying colors. I'm thrilled. What can I tell you? He's a wonderful young guy and he's a talent."
Stanton, the 76th overall pick in 2007, already has five years of major league service under his belt (despite turning 25 just nine days ago) and is coming off the best season of his young career. In 145 games in 2014, the slugger slashed .288/.395/.555 with 37 home runs and 105 RBIs, finishing second in National League MVP voting. Stanton has hit at least 22 home runs in each of his first five seasons.
The deal eclipses the previous club record signing of Reyes's six-year, $106 million contract. Reyes spent one season in Miami before he was packaged to the Blue Jays.