MLB trade deadline: 3 Miami Marlins predictions on deadline eve

The floodgates are ready to burst now that Tarik Skubal, the grand prize of the 2026 MLB trade deadline market, has been dealt to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Most teams, including the Miami Marlins, have yet to finalize any deals. However, keep in mind that this is the same Peter Bendix-led front office that made six trades on deadline day in 2024.

In advance of this year's deadline on Monday at 6:00 pm ET, here are three Marlins predictions.

Marlins trade Liam Hicks

In 100 games this season, Liam Hicks is slashing .283/.364/.434/.798 with 14 home runs, 62 RBI and a 120 wRC+. On top of that, his 9.5% strikeout rate is the fourth-lowest in MLB and the lowest amongst all catchers.

Liam Hicks drills a 3-run HR off Yoshinobu Yamamoto to give the Marlins the lead 🐠

Hicks is hitting .315 with a 146 wRC+ this year! pic.twitter.com/c0G7HtHa8m

— Just Baseball (@JustBB_Media) April 28, 2026

Hicks is unquestionably a useful hitter, but after beginning the season as Miami's primary catcher, the Marlins called up Joe Mack. Between Mack's arrival and Kyle Stowers' conversion to first base, Hicks is mainly being limited to DH duty. Other teams without their own elite defensive catcher will value him more highly than the Marlins do.

Waiting in the wings with Triple-A Jacksonville, the Marlins still have Agustín Ramírez. As Fish On First reported, the team still believes Ramírez can be a viable catcher, regardless of all the evidence suggesting otherwise. He also has much more raw power than Hicks, so his offensive ceiling is a bit higher if he can tap into it consistently.

Potential fits for Hicks include the Yankees, who have been scouring the market for a catcher. The MLB team getting the worst offensive production out of that position is the Chicago White Sox (42 wRC+). Other deadline buyers to keep in mind are the Boston Red Sox (74 wRC+), Houston Astros (76 wRC+) and the division-rival Philadelphia Phillies (56 wRC+).

Marlins trade Xavier Edwards for starting pitcher with multiple years of control

This one is more specific. It's hard to believe that the Marlins would let this deadline pass without doing anything to help out a starting rotation made up of Sandy Alcantara, Ryan Gusto, Eury Pérez, Janson Junk and Tyler Phillips. Gusto has had a lot of ups and downs, Junk has a limited ceiling and Phillips is better suited back in the bullpen pitching in high-leverage situations. Max Meyer, Robby Snelling, Adam Mazur and Thomas White are all injured, not set to come back anytime soon.

They need another starter to get through the 2026 season, but also should be planning beyond that.

Right-handed pitcher Emerson Hancock of the Seattle Mariners is an attractive option, but it's unlikely that the Mariners will part with him now. They already traded from their rotation surplus this week by sending Luis Castillo to the Chicago White Sox.

The Boston Red Sox also have starters available and find themselves with a hole to fill at second base following Curtis Mead's unlucky injury. The Marlins could aim for left-hander Payton Tolle. In 18 starts this season, Tolle has a 3.30 ERA, 3.42 FIP, 9.80 K/9 and 2.58 BB/9. The rookie is controllable through 2031.

Xavier Edwards is slashing .288/.368/.395/.763 with six home runs, 40 RBI, 18 stolen bases and has posted a 111 wRC+. Turning 27 years old next week, Edwards is entering the prime years of his career and is under club control through 2029. He is also going to be eligible for arbitration for the first time following this season, so expect a significant pay raise.

Edwards has been an important everyday player for the Marlins, but his offense has tailed off dramatically over the last two months. Although smooth defensively at second base, he lacks the versatility to play anywhere else. Javier Sanoja could fill his shoes, assuming there is a plan in place to address third base in a corresponding move.

Multiple relievers traded

"Multiple" likely means two.

The obvious candidate is pending free agent Pete Fairbanks. In 37 games, he has a 6.55 ERA, 4.93 FIP, 12.06 K/9, 3.67 BB/9 and 16 saves, but he is starting to look like a $13M man in his most recent appearances. After some doubts about his strikeout rate decreasing over the years, it is actually the highest it's been since 2023. Most of his struggles have occurred in non-save situations.

Teams may trust Fairbanks' long track record of effective pitching and overlook an uncharacteristic first half. The Marlins should eat as much of his remaining salary as they can to garner the best possible prospect return.

Lefty John King is among the possibilities for a second reliever trade. After struggling with the St. Louis Cardinals, the Marlins picked him up late in free agency and he's been nothing but great. In 44 appearances, King has a 2.45 ERA, 3.92 FIP, 6.55 K/9 and 2.45 BB/9. Left-handed relievers aren't easy to find on the trade market. Moving King, who still has another year of control past this season, could garner them a nice prospect haul.

One other name to consider would be Michael Petersen. This a player with minimal major league experience who had been bouncing around the league. At age 32, he has finally put it all together, posting a 3.20 ERA, 3.28 FIP, 10.40 K/9 and 3.60 BB/9 this season. Petersen has been thrown in all sorts of situations for the Marlins, and for the most part, has been successful. Not even eligible for arbitration yet, the Marlins could cash in now instead of taking the risk of him reverting back to an inconsistent Quad-A type.