The Brewers and Marlins are “engaged in ongoing dialogue” about Miami right-hander Dan Straily, according to Jon Morosi of MLB Network (on Twitter). Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald first noted the Brewers’ interest in Straily.
A report Friday indicated that the Marlins had taken Straily off the market after briefly shopping him, yet they continue to discuss him as Monday’s trade deadline nears. In theory, Straily should represent a cheaper alternative to the Athletics’ Sonny Gray, the most desirable controllable starter available. However, one National League executive told Jon Heyman of FanRag that the Marlins have placed a “Sonny Gray type price” on Straily, whom they seemingly want to keep.
Straily is “no Sonny Gray,” one rival exec told Heyman, but he’d still bring back a legitimate return in his own right. The 28-year-old is an established major league starter who’s making a near-minimum salary now and comes with arbitration eligibility through 2020, so moving him would help the Marlins restock their fallow farm system.
After logging appealing results in Cincinnati last year, where he registered a 3.76 ERA, 7.62 K/9 and a 3.43 BB/9 over 191 1/3 innings, Straily went to the Marlins in an offseason trade involving righty Luis Castillo and has fared well again in 2017. Straily has thrown 117 1/3 frames and recorded a 3.84 ERA, 8.21 K/9 and a 2.53 BB/9. While Straily’s ground-ball rate is at just 34.4 percent (up from 32 percent a year ago), he has offset that with a 14.4 percent infield fly mark that ranks No. 1 among major league starters.
As was the case last year, ERA indicators such as FIP (4.38), xFIP (4.65) and SIERA (4.32) aren’t really buying into Straily’s success, and he’s once again benefiting from a low batting average on balls in play (.272 this season, .239 in 2016). Statcast data paints a rosier picture, though: Straily’s weighted on-base average against is a strong .318, but his xwOBA is an even better .298, per Baseball Savant (Gray’s is a strikingly similar .296).
Thanks to Straily’s performance and affordable control, it’s easy to see why teams – including the Brewers – would want him. Milwaukee has lost nine of 14 since the All-Star break to fall to 55-50 and lose its grip on the National League Central, which the Cubs now lead by a half-game, and seen its playoff odds dwindle significantly. While a postseason trip might not be in the cards for the upstart Brewers this year, acquiring Straily would give them a third proven big league starter who’s under wraps at palatable costs through 2020. The team already has Chase Anderson, who’s soon to return from a lengthy absence stemming from an oblique injury, and Jimmy Nelson. Adding Straily to that duo would ostensibly increase the Brewers’ chances to contend this season and in future years.
Clark and Dubon for Straily
Nope
This potential move makes the most sense to me with where Milkwaukee is at in their timeline. He won’t cost nearly as much as guys like Gray and Darvish yet he would help them but not decimate the future with the talent they have coming.
Just sit pat Stearns. Need top of rotation guys, not more 3/4 starters. Already have Nelson, Anderson, Davies, Suter etc for those spots
Wonder if the Braves would be interested.
Looks like we might have another one of those “no trades until 10 at night” days on our hands.
Freddy Peralta, Corbin Burnes and another lower level prospect for Straily
They should’ve had taken a chance on A’s Gray… After all, Prospects are just prospects…
Marlins need a Future 3B and Pitchers so no Phillips.
Peralta, Erceg and Medeiros
That’s probably too much.
So your definition of “too much” is a 3rd baseman who can’t hit, a LHP who is getting lit up in the low minors and a starting pitcher who is just okay? You are in for a rude awakening my friend. The Marlins gave up more than that when they acquired him and he was less established at the time…..It’s probably gonna take Peralta, Brickford and Burnes to even get the conversation started.
Exactly. They have arguably the best OF in the game, why would they want any OF prospects that are close to the majors? I could see getting a high upside OF in rookie ball or something, but they have no need for Phillips or Brinson.
Because Ozuna only has a year or two left in Miami, at best, and Stanton is likely to opt out after 2020, if he’s not traded by that time. What Miami really needs is prospects at every position. Definitely need some young pitching in the class A/AA minors threshold so that they begin to filter into the majors come 2019/2020.
Stanton who still owns the richest guaranteed contract in sports by 75 million is gonna opt out? Glad you’re not his agent.
He’s no Sonny Gray, but I remember when JA Happ outperformed fellow trade deadline acquisition David Price down the stretch, so you never know.
His contract alone should get the Marlins something decent.
Cubs never should have traded him. Valbuena was plenty for Fowler.
Screw it! Get both Straily and Gray!Pitching is a must!
Luis Ortiz and Isan Diaz gets it done
And that’s a huge overpay by the Brewers.
Kinda but Straily is cheap, serviceable, and under control for 3 more seasons so that’s my reasoning for the overpay.
Also quality SP is thin currently and the marlins don’t need to trade him.
If Brewers offer that, I’d take that in a heartbeat. However, it’s an overpay for Milwaukee, and I’m a Marlins fan…
No way. I’d punt on being a fan if we traded theses two for Straily.
Straily for Braun to play 3B in Miami, done deal, World Series lol
I could see several different packages that would be nice to grab from Milwaukee, so hopefully that happens
Passsss. We have Davies who has been lights out lately, Suter has been amazing andersons return, woodruff had a good start tonight and is ready to come up and look how good hader was tonight?!