1:21pm: The Marlins are also interested in Arizona center fielder Starling Marte, tweets Heyman. Like Bradley, he’s controlled through 2021 and would give the Fish an upgrade this year and next. Numerous clubs figure to have interest in Marte, should the D-backs ultimately move him, although as Heyman rightly notes, Miami has plenty of young pitching to offer. And it’s worth noting, at least tangentially, that the two sides lined up on last year’s Zac Gallen-for-Jazz Chisholm swap.
9:50am: The Marlins are reportedly getting calls asking about their own closer, but they’re more focused on adding to the ’pen than subtracting and have reached out to the D-backs on closer Archie Bradley, tweets MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro. The Diamondbacks have fallen into a miserable slump and, at 14-21, could very well sell off some shorter-term pieces in advance of today’s 3pm CT trade deadline. They’re said to be open to offers for Bradley.
Bradley, 28, is in his second season as Arizona’s primary closing option and has been a quality member of the ’pen for the past four years now. The former No. 7 overall pick was long one of the game’s most highly regarded pitching prospects, but he struggled in 34 big league starts before finding a home in the D-backs’ relief corp. Dating back to 2017, Bradley has pitched to a strong 2.98 ERA and 3.17 FIP with averages of 10.1 strikeouts, 3.2 walks and 0.7 homers per nine innings (despite pitching in a hitter-friendly home park).
Controlled through the 2021 season, Bradley agreed to a $4.1MM salary in arbitration this past winter. That’s been prorated to about $1.48MM in this year’s shortened schedule, and roughly $617K of that sum remains to be paid out. He’ll be eligible for arbitration once more this winter.
Frisaro notes that the Fish have expressed interest in “many” relievers around the league as they look to take advantage of a surprising start to the season and the emergence of some well-regarded youngsters who have helped thrust them into contention in a lackluster NL East division. Miami is just 14-15 on the season, but that’s good for a second-place tie in the East. And with the National League as a whole playing at pretty substandard levels — only four of the 15 teams have a winning record — there’s ample opportunity for some surprise clubs to find themselves in this year’s expanded playoff field.
Everyone is interested in everybody. If none of these trades start happening, this is gunna be a major case of blue balls.
Except for your crude comment at the end, I was going to say the same thing.
Let’s go Marlins. Most surprising team this year by far.
Marlins are going to get Mattingly a Manager of the Year award.
Have you seen them lately? It looks like they’re back to what was expected.
I’d like to propose
Archie and Starling Marte for Nick Neidhart, Harold Ramirez, Mangueris Sierra and Jordan Holloway. Maybe a filler or two.
D Backs get solid OF replacement in Ramirez and Sierra who could help as a 4th OF, to replace Marte, and get two solid young arms with potential in Holloway and Neidhart. Marlins get a good defensive CF with a modest ‘21 salary to pair with Dickerson and Jesus Sanchez or Monte Harrison (allowing JJ Bleday more development time). Bradley could serve as closer for 21.
All in all, gives the fish two more proven vets to help them get back into playoff contention this year and next, at a reasonable value. Gives D’Backs some young players with upside for guys who will be free agents at the end of 21, anyways.
Marlins would do that deal without hesitation.
My guess is Archie Bradley will be going with Starling Marte to the Yankees a couple of minutes right before the trading deadline ends.
We can only hope!!
if 2020 couldnt get crazy enough, we could see the Marlins make the playoffs and not win the World Series
We have like 10 outfielders, and more coming. let the kids play. Fine go after Archie, but let the kids play in the outfield.
Who would have guessed the Marlins might try to buy from the Diamondbacks before this year started?