Miami Marlins plan to sign Giancarlo Stanton long-term

In an interview with MLB Network Radio Sunday morning, Miami Marlins president of baseball operations Michael Hill said the team is hoping to sign slugging superstar Giancarlo Stanton to a contract extension prior to the Winter Meetings – despite the two sides having little to no dialogue throughout the regular season.

Stanton, whose season was cut short when he was hit in the face by a pitch against the Milwaukee Brewers, still tied a career-high with 37 home runs and drove in 105 runs, which was the second-highest total in the National League, trailing only Adrian Gonzalez of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who drove in 116 runs. He would be considered the front-runner for the NL MVP Award, but he faces stiff competition in the form of Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw, who put together a masterful campaign of his own.

The outfielder is set to become a free agent after the 2016 season and he would undoubtedly draw suitors from across the league in trade talks, but would also come with an astronomically-high asking price. After the fire sale from a few seasons ago, Marlins management would face intense public scrutiny if they lost a player like Stanton, who has emerged as the face of the franchise in recent years.

In the same interview, Hill emphasized that Marlins ace Jose Fernandez is not expected back until the midseason point after undergoing Tommy John surgery last season. The right-hander boasts a 2.24 career earned run average. In his rookie season in 2013, Fernandez earned an All-Star selection, won the National League Rookie of the Year and finished third in the NL Cy Young balloting. In 28 starts, the 20-year-old posted a 2.19 ERA, notching 187 strikeouts in 172 2/3 innings.

In 2014, he made just eight starts, going 4-2 with a 2.44 ERA before his season came to an end. After undergoing surgery, the young ace has progressed well, but, as mentioned, despite optimism, Hill cautioned fans from expecting Fernandez back before June or July next year.

Last year, Miami finished fourth in the National League East, ahead of the Philadelphia Phillies with a record of 77-85.