Miami Marlins considering Jeremy Hellickson to bolster rotation

Searching for starting pitching help, the Miami Marlins are reportedly looking at Phillies right-hander Jeremy Hellickson, among others.

Being in playoff contention isn’t exactly a common occurrence with the Miami Marlins, but here they are on July 18, tied with the division rival New York Mets for the second NL Wild Card spot. For the first time in a good while, the Fish should be clear buyers at the trade deadline.

Much of the trade buzz surrounding the team has focused on starting pitching, and for good reason. Despite housing one of the premier starters in the game in Jose Fernandez, the Marlins rotation has some room for improvement. Miami starting pitchers have posted a 4.26 ERA as a unit, good for 12th in MLB. Remove Fernandez’s 2.52 ERA in 107.1 innings pitched, and that number climbs to 4.73.

Naturally, the Marlins are scouring the market for solid arms to back up their ace. According to Joe Frisaro of MLB.com, one option they are considering is already in the NL East:

the #Marlins will make a trade or two and this week they face someone on their radar, Jeremy Hellickson #Phillies
— Joe Frisaro (@JoeFrisaro) July 18, 2016

Jeremy Hellickson‘s name has come up in trade rumors for months. The Phillies, though better than most probably expected, are still definitely in rebuild mode. As an impending free agent, Hellickson is a viable candidate to be moved. And fortunately for the Phils, he’s maintaining trade value with a respectable season.

The 29-year-old right-hander owns a 4.03 ERA in 111.2 innings of work. That figure certainly doesn’t jump out at you, but he’s been a bit better over the past month, putting up a 3.41 ERA in six outings since June 15. He has also been a fairly reliable innings-eater for Philadelphia, turning in at least six frames in 11 of his last 12 starts.

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Hellickson also sports a 1.20 WHIP, 2.2 BB/9 and 7.9 K/9, which would all be his best since the 2012 season with the Tampa Bay Rays. The main area in which he has experienced trouble is the long ball. Hellickson is allowing 1.5 home runs per nine innings, which would be the highest rate of his career. If his 16.5 percent HR/FB (home run to fly ball) ratio regresses toward the mean a little in the second half (11.3 percent career average), it could help in that regard.

All things considered, Hellickson has been a league average pitcher so far this year (103 ERA+), and that carries definite value in a season that seems like it’s going to have a rather dry starting pitching market. It also likely makes him less expensive than some of the other more accomplished names who could be shopped. That’s good news for the Marlins, who don’t have the most bountiful farm system to draw from.

Miami has been linked to a variety of starters ranging from Matt Moore to Rich Hill to Chris Archer. Moore could be a feasible acquisition, but he’s continued to scuffle (4.33 ERA) since returning from Tommy John surgery last year. There is an air of uncertainty surrounding Hill in light of his persistent blister issues, and the Rays will reportedly only deal Archer in return for a massive haul.

Hellickson might be one of the more attractive and realistic choices for the Marlins as far as boosting their rotation. There are some legitimate counterpoints to consider, however. Does Miami want to dip into an already limited prospect pool to acquire a two- or three-month rental? A pitcher with some degree of team control might be more agreeable, but would likely cost more in the way of talent.

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As Frisaro notes, the Marlins are expected to be active one way or another by the August 1 deadline. Whether that involves Hellickson or another hurler remains to be seen. Miami should be one of the more interesting situations to monitor as they seek to remain at the head of the Wild Card race.