Marlins' Stanton Wins MVP Award

Miami Marlins All-Star Giancarlo Stanton was named the National League's Most Valuable Player on Thursday.

Stanton's historic season set franchise records, as well as Major League Baseball marks. With 59 home runs, Stanton kept Miami in the playoff race and brought excitement daily to the ballpark. Stanton is also the first player in franchise history to take home the MVP award.

Stanton finished ahead of Joey Votto of the Cincinnati Reds and Paul Goldschmidt of the Arizona Diamondbacks for the honor. The trip were named as finalists following the World Series, with Stanton seen as the favorite by many. Goldschmidt's Diamondbacks reached the playoffs, which likely helped him finish second in votes.

Stanton picked up a Silver Slugger award and the Hank Aaron award earlier this off-season, while also competing for a Gold Glove. 2017 was Stanton's best season as a big-leaguer thus far. It also may have been Stanton's final campaign in South Florida.

Due to a higher salary and new ownership, Stanton is a prime candidate to be traded this off-season. While the Marlins have not publicly stated a desire to trade Stanton, rumors continue to swirl. Miami has reportedly been active in discussions with multiple teams, but the progress of those talks is unknown.

Should Stanton exit Miami, he will leave as the holder of multiple franchise records. At only 29, the sky is the limit for Stanton and a trip to Cooperstown is a possibility. With ten years remaining on his current contract, Stanton's name should become even more prevalent in the history books.

Should Miami retain Stanton's services, it is likely that the team will trade away at least one other outfielder instead. With Stanton's salary set to be the highest on the team, it could prove difficult to field a competing roster at a lower payroll total.