Call to the pen
Fansided

Biggest trades for top MLB talent in Miami Marlins history

By Sean Millerick

21 May 1998: Mike Piazza #31 of the Florida Marlins in a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at the Pro Player Stadium in Miami, Florida. The Diamondbacks defeated the Marlins 6-4. Mandatory Credit: Andy Lyons /Allsport
21 May 1998: Mike Piazza #31 of the Florida Marlins in a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at the Pro Player Stadium in Miami, Florida. The Diamondbacks defeated the Marlins 6-4. Mandatory Credit: Andy Lyons /Allsport /
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Could the Miami Marlins trade for Bryan Reynolds?
CINCINNATI, OHIO – SEPTEMBER 20: Bryan Reynolds #10 of the Pittsburgh Pirates runs the bases after hitting a home run during a game between the Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates at Great American Ball Park on September 20, 2021 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) /

Only four trades in Miami Marlins history come remotely close to being similar to the one they’re rumored to be considering.

The Miami Marlins are rumored to be a player in the Bryan Reynolds sweepstakes.

Unless, of course, they move on Ketel Marte. Or Cedric Mullins. At any rate, the story goes that Miami is primed to kill two birds with one stone, acquiring a starting center fielder that can also carry the offense. Perhaps even becoming the face of the franchise moving forward.

Suffice it to say that kind of trade doesn’t happen very often where the Miami Marlins are concerned.

Or rather, it doesn’t very often result in Miami ending up with the immediate franchise altering MLB player(s) part of the deal. They’ve won plenty a prospect haul championship, sometimes striking it rich, and just as often coming away with fool’s gold in return. Countless times have the Marlins supplied an All-Star to some team getting ready to either make a deep playoff run that season, or at least open up a competitive window.

In fact, as I wrote in this space this past Sunday, I’m inclined to say that it’s only happened once, when Gary Sheffield came over to the Marlins from the cash strapped Padres in 1993.

Including that franchise defining moment for the Fish and the Friars, only four trades are even remotely close to what the Marlins are apparently considering. It’s a big decision, one that some believe might have actually helped cause the divide that led to Derek Jeter taking his CEO talents elsewhere last week. To be clear, this does not include overpaying for a short term solution to a shorter term problem. So this is not swapping top prospect Adrian Gonzalez for the last piece needed for a playoff run, or the many other times Miami tried to emulate that success and fell flat on their face.

No, as alluded to the other day, this is mostly about Miami buying someone at just about peak value, and planning on making them part of the organization’s long term vision. That’s what will happen if any of these rumored trades go through, and that’s the kind of move that hardly ever happens in South Florida. Even though, admittedly, one of the times was rather recent…

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