LogFAQs > #884863023

Yep, if a team claimed him, the Marlins could either let him go and get rid of his contract for no return, or they could try to work out a deal, and if the teams can't work something out, the Marlins would have to pull him back from waivers. The Marlins would then be unable to go through this process again this season.

I'm not shocked that no team wanted to "sign" Stanton to his current deal, but I wouldn't have been shocked if a team did claim him. He's performing at an incredible level at the moment, and he'd be a huge upgrade to a number of teams. Teams sign guys to awful contracts all the time, knowing there's dead money at the end of it. I'm sure the Angels knew that Pujols was gonna hurt them in the last few years of the deal (but it turned out to be much worse than that). Same with Cano and the Mariners. The team is hoping for a few playoff runs and/or big surpluses in value in exchange for shitty performances at the end of the contract.

Stanton can opt out in 2020, I think. He either opts out and becomes a free agent, or he stays and earns $29 million over seven years. For him to opt out, he'd have to be confident that he'd get more than $210 million in a deal. The team has no control over Stanton, but there are sometimes contracts where the team can opt out of a deal. It usually costs them a decent chunk of money to "buy" the player out.
---

"Now I'm about to dunk on you, so get ready champ." - riverdude