Miami Marlins trade rumors: Rangers, Reds sought Marcell Ozuna

Now that the Marlins signed free agent starter Wei-Yin Chen, trading Marcell Ozuna for another starting infielder is unlikely. But before Chen was signed, the Marlins "made specific proposals" to the Rangers and Reds, according to The Miami Herald's Barry Jackson.

Ozuna's name has been mentioned in trade rumors all off-season as the Marlins attempted to upgrade their starting rotation. Miami first shopped Ozuna before the July non-waiver trade deadline and was reportedly seeking at least one top starter in return. This winter, the asking price did not appear to change.

Cleveland was among the clubs that expressed interest in Ozuna in July, but the Reds and Rangers might have had enough pitching depth to get a deal done. Since the Marlins do not have a top outfield prospect emerging, the club would have had to add an outfielder if it traded Ozuna.

Jackson adds the Marlins "decided internally they would trade him only if those teams met their exact asking price, including starting pitching."

Although the Marlins were not necessarily in a position to move Ozuna, the organization could have easily done it. Ozuna struggled throughout 2015, also spending time in Triple-A, and if a top pitcher was a realistic return, the Marlins might have deemed a deal reasonable. But if the asking price was more than a starter, interested clubs could have been hesitant.

While the Marlins would lose a top outfielder by trading Ozuna, there is still a chance a move is made. Miami consistently notes it can never have too much pitching, and if a team is willing to overpay, there is a good chance the Marlins take advantage.

Ozuna batted a mere .259/.308/.383 to complement 10 home runs and 44 RBIs over 123 games last year. He could be a bounce-back candidate next season, but his departure would likely result in a lack of power beyond Giancarlo Stanton from the right side of the plate.

If the Marlins want to trade Ozuna, multiple clubs appear to be interested. But at this point, a deal still seems unrealistic.