With a 97 mile per hour fastball and a 29% strikeout rate, Marlins lefty Tanner Scott is one of the better relievers likely to be dealt today – especially since he’s eligible for free agency after the season. But it’s also worth considering several lower-profile members of the Marlins’ bullpen, with Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic naming Huascar Brazoban, Anthony Bender, and Declan Cronin as trade candidates in an article today.
The Marlins already traded their setup man, A.J. Puk, to the Diamondbacks five days ago. Third in leverage index for manager Skip Schumaker over the last month after Scott and Puk: Brazoban. Brazoban, 35 in October, broke into the Majors with the Fish as a 32-year-old. His fastball sits around 96 miles per hour, and this year he’s improved both his strikeout and walk rates to reach 27.2% and 8.8%, respectively. He also has a healthy 50% groundball rate. Team control is perhaps less exciting for a player soon to turn 35, but Brazoban will not be eligible for arbitration until 2026, and would reach free agency after 2028.
Brazoban has shined over his last ten appearances, with no runs allowed and a 34.5 K%. He could be just as effective as some of the household names changing teams this month, and he’s earning a mere $753K.
Rosenthal also mentioned Bender, a 29-year-old righty who missed all of 2023 due to Tommy John surgery. Bender has bounced back from the procedure to post a 3.83 ERA, 24.4 K%, and 7.0 BB%, and 49.1% groundball rate on the season. However, Bender’s velocity has not returned, as he was at 98.1 prior to surgery and sits at 95.5 this year. His usage suggests he’s mostly been outside Schumaker’s circle of trust this year, but in allowing one run over his last 14 appearances, that’s changing. Bender is earning $770K this year as a Super Two player, and he’s under team control through 2027.
Cronin, 27 in September, was a February waiver claim from the Astros, who had claimed him from the White Sox. The righty has worked to a solid 25 K%, 7.9 BB%, and 54.2% groundball rate this year, racking up 50 1/3 innings. More than half of his appearances have been more than one inning, and he’s been going two-plus often of late. He’s potentially under team control through 2029.
Earlier this month, Craig Mish of the Miami Herald named Scott, Calvin Faucher, and Cronin as potential Marlins bullpen trade candidates, and wouldn’t rule out Andrew Nardi. It’s safe to assume Marlins president of baseball operations Peter Bendix will be listening today on his entire bullpen, and there’s a good chance of more trades. And while this post focused on some new relief names, Rosenthal reminds us that starting pitcher Trevor Rogers and left fielder Bryan De La Cruz are candidates to move as well.
