Surging Marlins could target Miguel González

As noted by fellow Fish Stripes writer Ely Sussman (@RealEly) on Twitter yesterday, the Marlins are hot; only the Dodgers, Red Sox, and Nationals have posted better records than Miami's 45-34 mark over the last 90 days.

While the team is still below .500 and has almost no chance at catching Washington in the NL East, they have been gaining ground in the Wild Card race hand-over-fist in recent weeks, and have pulled within 6.5 games of the Diamondbacks for a tentative postseason place.

Giancarlo Stanton’s historic streak has resulted in the Marlins putting up some impressive offensive numbers while they have been racking up the victories. However, even though the starting pitching has generally been better as of late, the rotation is not currently built for the pressure-cooker atmosphere of the stretch run given the number of injuries it has sustained.

In addition, de facto ace Dan Straily has gone 0-4 with a 5.20 ERA in seven starts since the All-Star break, which means Miami will need rotation help if it is to complete the unlikely comeback and play competitive baseball in October. One option could be White Sox hurler Miguel González, who already cleared waivers earlier this month.

The 33-year-old right-hander started his professional baseball career with the Angels, but enjoyed his best years at the major league level with the Orioles, going 39-33 with a 3.82 ERA in 95 starts between 2012 and 2015. Things have gone slightly worse for the Mexican starter since moving to the south-side of Chicago, but he has begun to quietly turn his season around since the Midsummer Classic, as evident by a 3.07 ERA over his last 41 innings.

Advanced metrics are not kind to González, as he currently owns a 4.92 FIP, and his WHIP is sky-high at 1.47, but he has won nine or more games four times in his career, and that kind of experience would benefit Miami's current rotation greatly. González would not be a huge pickup for the Marlins, but he would not cost a lot, so the farm system would not be impacted too much by the possible move.

Although it is currently a long-shot for the Marlins to seal a place in the Wild Card Game, they have been playing extremely well over the last few months, and pitching has been one of the only things holding them back all summer. Acquiring Miguel González would not automatically send Miami to the playoffs, but he would provide more depth and perhaps, if his recent form is anything to go by, a middle of the rotation arm.