Milwaukee Brewers: Could Giancarlo Stanton join the Crew?

The Milwaukee Brewers made it so close to the postseason in 2017. Now, with the last inning of their season played, they have the off season to look forward to.

So what moves, if any, can the Milwaukee Brewers make push themselves over the threshold?

It isn’t going to require a lot. This team is at the tail end of a rebuild. They are almost there. In fact, they were in a playoff fight until game 161 of the regular season. But who should be sought after?

While no official link has been made, Miami Marlins powerful outfielder Giancarlo Stanton is looking for a move. His reasoning is that he isn’t looking to sit through another rebuild after almost a decade of losing.

That is quite the thought. Stanton in a Milwaukee Brewers uniform, hitting rockets over the Miller Park fence. The slugger has plenty left on his massive contract, and his 2017 yielded nearly 60 homers on the year.

His power is no secret. Just look at MLB Statcast and Stanton will be all over the page. The natural power from his 6’6″ frame is a baseball’s worst nightmare. He can help any lineup he is in to be better.

His .268 career batting average paints him as somewhat of a homerun or bust hitter, which he may be. But he hit .281 in 2017, making him more of a dynamic player who can keep the line moving.

Based solely on what Stanton said, and the state of the Milwaukee Brewers, they could be a great match. But baseball is not so simple. There are a ton of other factors at play here. Those factors essentially squander this match.

There are a couple massive roadblocks in the way. The biggest is Stanton’s contract. He is set to make 25 million in 2018. That can climb as high as 32 million by 2025, and it will end in 2027. There is an opt out for Stanton after the 2020 season along with several incentives. And a full no trade clause.

The Brewers have not built their team with massive contracts. That isn’t them. The numbers at the plate correlate with the numbers in the contract, but the front office is not after that. He is a very quick way for a small market team to drain a bank account.

Another huge issue is the price tag the Marlins will put on him. The contract will soften the blow, but the talent still holds high merit. Without a doubt Lewis Brinson would have to be on the move. And he is not all. Other prospects would have to join him. It would be a tough buy for the Crew.

Next: Free agent starting pitcher targets

But, those are just the obvious reasons. The no trade clause could mean Stanton says he doesn’t want Milwaukee. But man, it would be cool to see Stanton in Milwaukee. His bat would be a catalyst in the middle of the order, and on the surface he is a beautiful match to the Crew. The reality of it, though, is that he simply isn’t that match. Any dream of that power is possibly more a delusion of grandeur.