Jose Fernandez may be shattering all expectations in his triumphant return from Tommy John surgery, but a few of his teammates on the Miami Marlins pitching staff could soon be moving elsewhere. Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald reports that the club has been shopping starting pitchers Mat Latos and Dan Haren, as well as relievers Brad Hand and Steve Cishek.
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Both Latos and Haren were acquired via offseason trades, but with the Fish crashing out of the National League East, it appears they are prepared to put many of their assets on the table. With the trade deadline three weeks away, contending teams in need of a rotation boost might be giving Miami a call.
The 27-year-old Latos would presumably be the more sought-after pitcher of the group. The big right-hander has struggled in his first season in a Marlins uniform, carrying a 4.90 ERA while averaging less than six innings per start. He has had problems with control, tossing an NL-most seven wild pitches thus far on the year.
Other clubs might see a diamond in the rough, however. Latos’ 3.50 FIP suggests that he has actually performed a bit better than his other numbers indicate. He has experienced improved results of late, managing a 3.31 ERA over his last five starts. His previous three seasons with the Reds were also quite strong. He posted a 33-16 record in Cincinnati along with a 3.31 ERA and a K/BB ratio over 3.0. Interested teams may take a chance that he regains that form.
Dan Haren apparently required some convincing to join the Marlins after the Dodgers traded him over the winter, and he may once again need to get used to the idea of a new home. He has done a very nice job in Florida, though, putting up a 3.34 ERA across 105 innings with a 4.0 K/BB. That’s a significant step up from the last three years in which he posted a much more ordinary 4.33 ERA. Haren still has name recognition, but he will turn 35 in September and teams might wonder how long his current good run will last.
It’s obvious Haren’s heart lies on the West Coast, but could a reunion with the Dodgers actually be possible? The Boys in Blue could use upgrades for their rotation spots not presently occupied by Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke. They will likely aim higher than Haren at first (Cole Hamels is also a California boy) but who knows how everything will shake out by the end of the month.
Hand and Cishek may be tougher sells. Brad Hand has had a rough go of it in 2015, owning a bloated 5.80 ERA and surrendering 11.2 H/9. However, he is still just 25, a lefty and has experience as both a starter and reliever. Steve Cishek hasn’t really been the same since relinquishing the closer’s job, but he has posted a 1.04 ERA in ten appearances since a stint in the minors. Both of these guys are more likely to be throw-ins than the center of any deal.
The Marlins have received their share of bad news of late, what with Giancarlo Stanton‘s injury and dropping ten of their last sixteen contests. Thoughts are shifting to next season, and Jose Fernandez’s recent heroics are brightening that future. Making the right trades before the deadline could brighten it a little more.