Stanton Want Marlins to Keep Cishek: Report

Fans of the Miami Marlins may be about to go through the exact same thing Miami Heat fans just got done with: a star player who can leave making it known who he wants to keep on the team, but may leave anyway.

According to the Miami Herald, a major league scout said if the Marlins trade closer Steve Cishek, “they could pretty much kiss him (Giancarlo Stanton) goodbye.”

Stanton has repeatedly said he wants to see the team show a commitment to winning before he decides where he will sign a long-term contract. This year, the Marlins started off strong but when ace pitcher Jose Fernandez went down; the wheels slowly began to come off for the season.

The Marlins are currently in fourth place in the National League Eastern division with a 43-52 record. The team is in Atlanta, who is tied for the division lead, for four games including Monday night’s tilt at Turner Field.

If the Marlins fall further out of contention, the trade rumors around the team will turn from being a buyer, to a seller. The Herald reported the team may wait to see how the four-game series in Atlanta turns out before deciding whether or not to move players.

Cishek could command several young players in a trade with a contender. He’s under team control through 2018, according to the Herald. He is qualified for salary arbitration and made $3.8 million this season and will get much more in the next four seasons.

Signing Stanton long-term could be the team’s first chance to get rid of the image of being a team more worried about payroll than competing. The team, according to the Herald, is planning on offering Stanton a contract extension after the current season.

If Stanton declines a contract extension, he would be eligible for arbitration next year and will become a free agent in 2017.

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