TAMPA — Free agency in Major League Baseball has gotten so ugly, even Giancarlo Stanton — the owner of the richest contract in the league’s history — says the current system has “issues” as another free-agency period has extended into spring training.
“It’s nothing like what I’ve seen since I’ve played, an offseason be like this,’’ Stanton said during a press conference Monday at George M. Steinbrenner Field. “I think there [are] some issues there that need to be addressed.’’
Stanton signed a monster 13-year, $325 million deal with the Marlins in November 2014 and when this offseason began, it seemed only a matter of time before Manny Machado or Bryce Harper would either approach that total value or break it.