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See below for the latest Marlins-related rumors and my analysis leading up to the Monday 4 p.m. ET MLB trade deadline.
DFA Limbo
Right-hander Brett Eibner, catcher Brian Navarreto and left-hander Josh D. Smith were designated for assignment on Saturday. Perhaps Smith could be claimed by another team; the other two are highly likely to clear waivers.
RP target Rosenthal comes off the market
As first reported by The Athletic, veteran right-hander Trevor Rosenthal has been traded from the Royals to the Padres. Rosenthal—a pending free agent—has seven saves this season while striking out 37.5% of all batters faced.
Two prospects are going to be headed to Kansas City if the deal, which is pending medicals, is completed as expected. First on the deal was Trevor Rosenthal's Uncle Ken.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) August 29, 2020
(Editor's note: @Ken_Rosenthal isn't actually Trevor's uncle. Trevor is too tall for that to be the case.)
Last week, MLB Network’s Jon Morosi linked the Marlins to Kansas City’s relievers. This move all but confirms that the Royals (entering the day with a 12-20 record) are among the few active sellers at the deadline.
Fellow rental Greg Holland (3.38 ERA, 4.03 FIP, 0.1 fWAR in 16.0 IP) could be a target for the Fish. So could outstanding rookie Josh Staumont (0.66 ERA, 3.01 FIP, 0.3 fWAR in 13.2 IP), though he is expected to a command a much larger talent haul, akin to Miami’s own Nick Anderson at the 2019 deadline.
Ureña on the block?
Marlins have had pretty standard trade talks to this point. Nothing is considered imminent. They really shocked us last deadline. Jose Ureña is a good piece for a club looking for starting pitching. Miami could move him.
— Craig Mish (@CraigMish) August 28, 2020
MLB Network’s Craig Mish suggests that José Ureña is available for the right return. But it’s worth noting that Mish also identified him as a trade candidate last winter and throughout spring training, yet nothing materialized.
Ureña received news the morning of July 26 that he had tested positive for COVID-19 and he hasn’t pitched in a major league game since. Marlins president of baseball operations Michael Hill says he is nearing a return from the injured list, though that won’t happen before Monday’s deadline.
The veteran right-hander is earning a pro-rated $3.75 million salary this season. He’d be in line for a similar amount in 2021, his final year of arbitration eligibility. However, Ureña is also a non-tender candidate if he struggles in September.
If the Marlins do find a taker for Ureña, one of the main motivations will be to create breathing room on their 40-man roster. Expect them to receive international bonus pool slot money or a player to be named later in return.
Marlins “looking to upgrade”
It’s never as simple as “buying” or “selling” with this Marlins front office, but Eno Sarris and Brittany Ghiroli of The Athletic report that the Fish are seeking major league-ready players on the trade market. These additions would most likely be relievers or catchers as Jorge Alfaro has struggled offensively and there isn’t yet a timeline for Francisco Cervelli (concussion) to return from the injured list.
Don’t count on Miami to be in the mix for high-salaried players. After all, this is the organization that recently laid off dozens of business operations employees and hasn’t yet finalized the terms of its next local television rights contract (the current one with FOX Sports Florida is ending this fall).