The Major League Baseball season hasn’t officially ended yet, but it’s never too early to fire up the ol’ rumor mill.
That’s what late-night host Jimmy Kimmel tried to do Tuesday night with his guest, Miami Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton. After getting Stanton to divulge he hasn’t talked with the Marlins’ new Derek Jeter-led ownership group despite persistent trade rumors, Kimmel ran through a list of potential destinations for the All-Star — one of which was the Boston Red Sox.
Kimmel broached the topic of Stanton playing in Boston by asking the outfielder if he’d be interested in switching to designated hitter for the American League club.
“Yeah, I could be a DH. That’s fine,” Stanton responded, before jokingly adding, “I think the day games I could be DH, you know? Wake up early, kick back, just focus on hitting.”
To be clear, we shouldn’t read much into any of this. Kimmel and Stanton were entertaining the audience more than anything, and the two also discussed him potentially joining the New York Mets and his hometown Los Angeles Dodgers. (“I grew up a Dodger fan, if that’s where they want to go.”)
But the Stanton-to-Boston rumors have floated around for quite some time, and the 27-year-old certainly didn’t squash them. Judging by how his chat with Marlins ownership goes — they plan to meet after the World Series — there could be more than a few eyeballs on baseball’s reigning home run king this winter.
Thumbnail photo via Jasen Vinlove/USA TODAY Sports Images