MLB Free Agents: 5 hitters set to test the market in 2021
Giancarlo Stanton – New York Yankees (Player Option)
Giancarlo Stanton is in a difficult situation currently. After being traded to the New York Yankees after his 2017 NL MVP season, he has failed to live up to the hype.
In 2018, though he carried the Yankees to a 100-win season, he wasn’t quite the player he was in Miami. Then in 2019, he simply just couldn’t stay healthy.
So, the 2020 MLB season couldn’t be more important for a guy like Stanton and I happen to believe that he will have a monster season, especially after missing out on all the fun with the juiced baseballs.
It will be Stanton’s third season in the Bronx, so he should start to become familiar with it’s intricacies: hitting to murderer’s row, the deepest part of the ballpark, the fans are unforgiving, and playing for a very (un)popular Yankees team.
Also, it will be the first time since signing his 13-year, $325M deal that he will have an opportunity to play for more money.
If Stanton can return to the 50 HR-hitting, .600 SLG hitter, who leads the Yankees to prominence again, he can turn his remaining 8-years, $218M ($27.25M AAV) into Anthony Rendon money (7-years, $245M).