Marlins trade rumor roundup

It’s not a matter of if but when the Marlins will flip several of their productive veterans for promising prospects. Every Friday between now and the 2018 non-waiver trade deadline, Fish Stripes will share and analyze the most significant moves/rumors affecting their selling process.

Infield additions for the Bronx Bombers?

The Marlins and Yankees have already hooked up on two trades since the new administration took over and don’t rule out a third—the fit is there.

Well on their way to the postseason (and a new MLB single-season home run record), the Yankees still have concerns on the right side of their infield. Rookie second baseman Gleyber Torres just landed on the disabled list with a hip injury, Greg Bird has been inconsistent at first base and Neil Walker continues to struggle in a utility role. That has led them to consider outside help, according to Jon Paul Morosi of MLB.com.

Morosi specifically mentions Mike Moustakas as a target and hears that “the team also has explored infield upgrades in recent weeks—even before the [Torres] injury.”

Miami’s potential solutions would be Derek Dietrich and Justin Bour, both significantly above-average hitters in 2018 with team control through 2020. Dietrich and Bour are at their best against right-handed pitching, which the Yankees have been somewhat vulnerable against.

Not acting desperate

Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images

The Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson reports that the Marlins feel no pressure to dump payroll. That was, of course, a motivating factor in several of their offseason moves.

Sources suggested the markets for Bour and Starlin Castro haven’t developed yet. Despite a slow start to his season, pending free agent Brad Ziegler should draw interest before July 31. He’s earning a $9 million salary in 2018, but removing him from the closer’s role has been a blessing in disguise. MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand lists the Indians and Phillies as fits for Ziegler.

A rival executive confirmed to Jackson that the Marlins seek a larger return for Kyle Barraclough than any of their other bullpen pieces.

Any takers?

Outfielder JB Shuck was designated for assignment. He wasn’t producing at Triple-A New Orleans in early April, got called up by the Marlins anyway and predictably posted a hideous .192/.255/.231 slash line across 70 major league games.

The club has a week to work out a trade, pass him through waivers or release him.

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Miscellaneous Marlins player updates

• Martín Prado returned to the active roster Thursday after missing nearly six weeks due to a hamstring injury. He had an immediate impact. However, with $15 million owed to the veteran infielder in 2019, he’s viewed more likely as an August trade candidate (because his contract should pass through waivers). Prado batted .305/.359./417 in his last full season (2016) and continues to demonstrate good contact skills.
• Left-hander Adam Conley was most responsible for Thursday night’s trainwreck. He boasted a 1.42 earned run average and 21-to-5 strikeout-to-walk ratio entering the game, but his season stats look very pedestrian all of the sudden. Still fairly new to relief work, it’s unclear how other teams value Conley, so it would be surprising if he was traded this summer.

• Thorough J.T. Realmuto analysis from Rahul Setty on FanGraphs. He ranks second only to Lorenzo Cain among National League players in both bWAR and fWAR. The Marlins’ asking price is—understandably—astronomical as they continue to mull the possibility of extending Realmuto rather than trading him away.