MLB Trade Rumors: Miami Marlins Want Matt Harvey in Return for Giancarlo Stanton?

Jul 21, 2013; New York, NY, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Matt Harvey (33) pitches during the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

The Miami Marlins are unlikely to trade Giancarlo Stanton before the July trading deadline next week. However, if they were to trade Stanton, apparently the team would want an equal return of a cost controlled player, preferably controlled longer than Stanton. This is according to Matthew Cerrone of Metsblog.com.

"I’ve been told by people in baseball that, to get Stanton today, a team like the Mets would need to give them Matt Harvey. The way I understand it, the Marlins are encouraged by what they’re seeing in their young players, specifically Jose Fernandez. As such, instead of looking to move Stanton for a basket of three or four top minor leaguers (think Noah Syndergaard, Wilmer Flores, Travis d’Arnaud, etc.), they may look to get equal value, i.e., a current, very productive, affordable player, under contract for longer than Stanton’s remaining three-year deal, i.e., a Harvey."

A Matt Harvey for Giancarlo Stanton swap would indeed be an interesting one, but it would be a trade I would see the Mets having a tough time making. While Stanton is a premium power hitter, Harvey is a young starter that has already blossomed into the Mets ace.

A trade of Stanton for Harvey would actually not be a terrible trade in value, as Dave Cameron of Fangraphs recently rated Stanton has having the eight best trade value in baseball. In seventh place, one slot ahead of Stanton, was Harvey. Cameron had Harvey as the pitcher with the most trade value on the open market today.

Here is what Cameron had to say on Stanton’s trade value:

"If David Price is the player on this list most likely to be traded, Stanton isn’t that far behind. The price that the Marlins are able to extract for their star right fielder is going to be fascinating.  A couple of months on the DL with a bad knee and the dissipation of an extra year of team control have hurt his value, but he’s still perhaps the game’s most exciting young slugger.  He’s 23 and has a career wRC+ of 138.  The players who have done what Stanton has done at this age are mostly in the Hall of Fame.Stanton is going to bring back a mint when the Marlins trade him.  The price is probably going to blow us all away."

Here is what he had to say about Harvey’s trade value:

"Some great young pitchers become great older pitchers.  And it’s not like hitters are risk free either, so while Matt Harvey might be peaking right now, every team in baseball would sign up for the right to see if Harvey could be more Kershaw than Prior.  It’s basically impossible for a pitcher to have more trade value than Matt Harvey does right now."

What do you guys think, would a Matt Harvey-for-Giancarlo Stanton trade make sense for both sides right now? What would be more enjoyable to watch, a front of the rotation of Matt Harvey-Jose Fernandez or a lineup with Stanton and David Wright?