
Final 12 months, appropriate ahead of the trade deadline, the Marlins knocked on the Pirates’ doorway to talk to about Bryan Reynolds’ availability. They had been rejected as Pittsburgh would like to rebuild all over Reynolds, who’s beneath crew regulate right until 2025. But Miami didn’t give up—according to the Miami Herald, they resumed talks with the Bucs in advance of the MLB lockout, hoping to encourage them to structure a trade.
However, Reynolds will not occur inexpensive. The Marlins are just one of many groups with noted fascination in him, a group that incorporates the Yankees, the Astros, and the Planet Sequence winner Braves. Getting the All-Star center fielder with so much time to go right before free of charge agency would have to have a tempting bundle and one particular that the Pirates want a lot more than the delivers made by other suitors.
The Marlins have a farm procedure loaded with promising arms and position gamers to enable the Pirates fill the probable Reynolds void. For what it’s really worth, these groups just collaborated on a 4-participant trade right before the lockout—Jacob Stallings for Kyle Nicolas, Zach Thompson and Connor Scott—which shows that their front workplaces have a purposeful doing the job romance.
Of program, Reynolds arrives with a larger price tag than Stallings. The 27-yr-previous change-hitter is coming into his prime coming off a 35-double, 24-homer, and 90-RBI year. He set up a 6. WAR, a league-major eight triples, 169 hits, and a .912 OPS, many thanks to a .390 OBP and a .522 slugging proportion. Marlins enthusiasts will remember what it was like searching Christian Yelich four yrs back. Effectively, Reynolds is even much better.
A essential ingredient to any Reynolds trade offer would be slight league pitching, potentially even various top arms. I pray that the Marlins don’t trade Max Meyer, but they can go with righty Edward Cabrera, lefty Jake Eder, or the enigmatic Sixto Sánchez, who didn’t pitch in 2021 because of to damage.
JJ Bleday restored his prospect inventory with a excellent efficiency in the Arizona Drop League. This could be Miami’s chance to market significant by such as him in a blockbuster deal.
Except the Pirates are content material with continuing to reduce for several years to occur, they may possibly also ask for a pitcher with MLB experience. The Marlins will think about Sandy Alcántara and Trevor Rogers to be off limits, leaving Pablo López as a opportunity healthy. López has been constant through the previous two seasons, other than for a shoulder injury that kept him off the mound for a significant chunk of the 2021 marketing campaign. But when Pablo’s wholesome, he can be a top quality pitcher. He’s under handle for 3 additional seasons and projected for reduce salaries than Reynolds during that time period.
I get it. You may well not like seeing these names discussed as trade chips, but I insist, if the Marlins seriously want to purchase Reynolds, they have to be ready to make uncomfortable sacrifices.
The moment the MLB transaction freeze is lifted, the offseason promises to get attention-grabbing for the Marlins after again. They by now acquired Stallings, Joey Wendle and Avisaíl García, but they may well not be carried out however, primarily with Reynolds in their sights. There are so lots of fascinating chances out there for the Fish to finish upgrading for 2022!