SAN FRANCISCO -- Once again, the Giants did not receive the rose, and this rejection will sting for quite a bit longer than previous ones.
The Giants announced Friday afternoon that they are out of the Giancarlo Stanton chase. Earlier in the afternoon, the Cardinals announced the same thing.
"Our agreement with the Marlins to acquire Giancarlo Stanton subject to his waiving of the no-trade clause will not move forward and it is our understanding that the Marlins and Stanton are exploring other options," the Giants said in a statement.
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The Giants have chased Stanton for months, keeping in touch with the Marlins during a 98-loss season and then putting the full-court press on once the World Series was over and it became clear that a new ownership group in Miami would trade the reigning National League MVP. For several weeks, the Giants had been co-favorites with the Cardinals, and both organizations met with Stanton and his representatives in Los Angeles last week.
Stanton would have been a new star to build around for the next decade, and in the short term he would have represented a massive upgrade for a lineup that has aged quickly. The Giants finished last in the Majors last season with 128 homers; Stanton hit 59 all by himself, more than Brandon Crawford, Brandon Belt, Buster Posey and Hunter Pence combined (57).
The Giants believed Stanton could slide right into the No. 2 spot in their lineup and hit in front of Buster Posey, giving them a lineup capable of contending. Instead, they will have to regroup, and it's unclear what the next steps will be.
Team officials originally anticipated a much more modest offseason, with upgrades to center field, third base and the bullpen. Stanton would have been a splash move approved by ownership, but the Giants do want to dip under the luxury tax at some point, and they're about $10 million away from the 2018 tax number already.
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