Grant Kiefer

The Marlins were aggressive leading up to the 2023 MLB trade deadline, swinging five different deals. Three of those trades came on deadline day. Dylan Floro, Garrett Cooper, Jean Segura, and Sean Reynolds were sent out from the 40-man roster, while Jorge López, David Robertson, Jake Burger, Josh Bell, and Ryan Weathers were brought in. All of the acquisitions except for Weathers were present for Miami's road series in Cincinnati. Fish On First talked to them about the complications of switching teams midseason. Jake Burger has been pretty happy to leave a less-than-ideal situation on the South Side of Chicago and is ready to learn from a clubhouse that's found winning ways this season. "You know, you have to learn a lot of names and a lot of new people and just become a sponge," Burger said. "I'm enjoying it, though. It's a good group of guys to be around." Burger's familiarity with the guys he faced in Triple-A has helped. Playing for the White Sox affiliate, the Charlotte Knights in 2021 and 2022, he faced a lot of his now-Marlins teammates when they were on the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp. "I was telling Nick Fortes this, but you can always tell who the good guys are on the other team, but you don't really know until you meet them. It's safe to say, my assumptions were correct," Burger said. Josh Bell is no stranger to moving teams at this stage in his career. He's been with the Pirates, Nationals, Padres, and Guardians, a journey that included a 2022 deadline day trade. One guy who has helped Bell adjust quickly is his former Pirates teammate Jacob Stallings. Bell stated, "I played with Stallings from 2012 to 2020, so I've known him for a really long time. It was really cool to be reunited with him and get back in a playoff spot." Bell's case was a little different from Burger's. While they were both traded from the AL Central, Bell's former squad, the Guardians, were in the hunt as well. "Getting traded from Cleveland was kind of weird because they're in the hunt too, but I'm happy to still be competing and it's an awesome opportunity," Bell said. Bell has family ties to the Miami area as well, as he said his sister went to the University of Miami for college. He's always enjoyed visiting the city of Miami and can't wait to spend more time there during the rest of the season. Moving to the bullpen, Jorge López was yet another player traded from the AL Central to Miami. Similarly to Bell, López was on a competing Twins team still in the hunt. The trade was a surprise to him, but he's been trying to adjust well. "Most importantly to me to get to know these guys is just being transparent. Trying to know each other and trying to see what works and what doesn't," López stated. The Marlins bullpen is a tightly-knit group. López has been enamored by the talent of Miami's relievers, stating "These guys are good. They've been doing a really good job. We know what they can do. We know we have really good stuff to compete and take care of each other." Lastly, David Robertson was the most accomplished player the Marlins acquired at the deadline. He was arguably the best reliever dealt, but was surprisingly traded within the NL East, coming from the disappointing New York Mets. "It's kind of an unexpected trade to get sent in division" Robertson said. "But obviously, the Marlins have a good team and they're trying to make something down here. So, I'm trying to make the adjustment and get used to playing for another new team having now played for four teams in two years." Robertson has been impressed with the Miami catching tandem so far, having worked with both Stallings and Nick Fortes already. Robertson stated, "They both receive the ball extremely well. I haven't had a lot of great outings this year but hopefully I get more opportunities." (Robertson and I talked prior to Tuesday's matchup against the Reds; he proceeded to get back-to-back saves to close out a much-needed series win for the Marlins.) These four players have found their roles early on for a team competing for a Wild Card spot. Their veteran leadership, particularly Bell and Robertson, will help guide a young team hoping to play baseball in October. The moves made sense on paper, but now it's time to find out how the new-look Marlins roster performs on the field. Comfort off the field plays a major role in that. Photo by Tim Heitman/Getty Images

CINCINNATI, Ohio—This highly-anticipated rubber match had no shortage of storylines heading into it between Johnny Cueto's return to his original MLB home, Graham Ashcraft looking to continue his hot stretch since coming back from injury, and both the Marlins and Reds struggling as of late desperately needing a win to keep pace in the NL Wild Card race. Despite a delayed start and a three-run deficit, the Marlins put together one of their best comebacks of the year on Wednesday to take the series, 5-4. The Game Both pitchers were cooking the first time through the order, as the game was scoreless after three. However, that changed in the top of the fourth. Josh Bell got the Marlins out to a 1-0 lead for the third time this series on a solo shot. https://bdata-producedclips.mlb.com/7ec6a65e-cd84-409a-8564-c1398ed37d1c.mp4The scoring would continue in the next half-inning. Spencer Steer hit a no-doubter to left field against Cueto. Tie game, 1-1. https://bdata-producedclips.mlb.com/6e9bbec4-496c-4ebd-bf64-6adc1f525707.mp4After Joey Votto reached on an infield single, Christian Encarnacion-Strand blasted a homer to left field of his own to take the lead, 3-1. https://bdata-producedclips.mlb.com/5be180d9-b04c-4b70-8392-3fc9963370e6.mp4Johnny Cueto's final line: 5 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, BB, 5 K, 2 HR. He didn't provide quite as much length as he did in his recent Marlins starts, but he attacked the strike zone with confidence as usual. More on his outing later. In that same fifth inning, Jazz Chisholm Jr. showed why he belongs in center. He threw out the fastest man in baseball on this throw. https://bdata-producedclips.mlb.com/541631bd-e725-4168-9270-2c3ae585207b.mp4Jorge Lopez came on in relief for Cueto, but it didn't go so swimmingly. He allowed three singles to the first four batters he faced, the third of which came from Encarnacion-Strand to drive in Matt McLain. 4-1, Reds. https://bdata-producedclips.mlb.com/d8494461-eb11-4843-b66e-bcbf0ddd5752.mp4With one runner on, Jorge Soler was called out looking on strikes. Skip Schumaker has already had troubles with this umpire crew this week (tossed late in Monday's contest). He gave an animated rant en route to another ejection. That was his second of the series and his fourth on the season. I've been at three of them, with the other in Cleveland earlier this season. Sorry, Skip. This sparked a rally from the Marlins no one saw coming. With Jon Berti already on first, Luis Arraez moved him over to second on a single. Bell then did it again. This was the eight multi-homer game of his career and first as a Marlin. 4-4. Tie. Game. https://bdata-producedclips.mlb.com/639e5d5e-2239-484c-9675-1d20090f5b04.mp4 Tanner Scott recorded three strikeouts in the eighth and looked the best he has all year. Can't be understated how much his improvement from 2022 has helped the team. The ninth inning may have proved who the better De La Cruz was in this series. First pitch, no time wasted. Bryan De La Cruz. 5-4, Miami. https://bdata-producedclips.mlb.com/49f4e3f4-4159-4092-8ac7-8882704f4326.mp4David Robertson would get the save in the ninth for the second day in a row to notch the series win. Game of the year? It's up there. Johnny Cueto beat by the long ball Cueto was dialed in his first time through the order. He retired everyone in the Reds lineup the first time through except for former teammate Joey Votto. He only allowed three hits that weren't homers and two of those were by Votto. His command looked especially good early on, which Votto told me pregame he's "one of the best at." Cueto did enough to win the game in what could be his final start at his first home. /game-coverage/at-the-ballpark/skip-schumaker-johnny-cueto-joey-votto-reds-reunion/A cool note: Cueto threw his 600th strikeout at Great American Ball Park in his career during the second inning. Bell blasts to carry Marlins offense Safe to say, the Marlins are getting exactly what they wanted out of that trade. Josh Bell achieved his first multi-homer game of the season and brought in four Marlins runs today. No offense to Garrett Cooper, but Bell is raising the bar for offensive production at first base. Maybe all Bell needed was a change of scenery? Regardless of the change of scenery, Bell has quickly learned to trust his new manager in Schumaker. Speaking on Schumaker's ejection, Bell said, "It's nice knowing Skip has our back. I was telling him yesterday that I think that's the first time in my career where one of my managers got thrown out over balls and strikes." Bell continued, "So, it means a lot knowing that he's got our back, that he's paying attention and he doesn't mind letting them know if he thinks they're wrong." The Marlins will finally get a day off on Thursday after a stretch where they played 13 games in a row. They'll return to action at loanDepot park Friday night to face the New York Yankees. Crowds of 30,000+ are expected, so if you're planning on heading down to the ballpark for Flashback Friday, plan to get there early. If you don't plan on attending the game, first pitch is at 6:40 p.m. and can be seen on Bally Sports Florida and the Bally Sports app. Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images

CINCINNATI, Ohio—The Reds and Marlins have had seventy players play for both teams during their major league careers. Among them, Miami's veteran pitcher Johnny Cueto, who returned to Cincinnati this week and made what could be his final-ever start in his first-ever MLB home. There's also the case of rookie manager Skip Schumaker, whose playing career ended as a Red in 2015. Fish On First caught up with them at Great American Ball Park along with their former teammate Joey Votto to reflect on how those experiences in Cincy shaped who they are today. Schumaker had returned to Great American Ball Park previously in various management roles with both the San Diego Padres and St. Louis Cardinals, but this was the first time he was back as an MLB manager. What he appreciates most about his time in Cincinnati is the relationships. "Freddie Benavides was my infield and bench coach. I have a good relationship with trainer Tomas Vera and I have a lot of good people here I still keep in contact with," Schumaker said. "We had a fun team with Johnny Cueto, who I now manage. We had Brandon Philips and Joey Votto and just a really good team." One of Schumaker's favorite teammates in his career is Votto, and Skip had nothing for praise for him. "Votto is a Hall of Famer," Schumaker stated. "I knew it when I played with him, I knew it when I played against him and I still think he's putting up Hall of Fame numbers now. His preparation when I played with him was ahead of his time. That's what always stood out to me is he was always trying to grow his game." Similarly in the opposing dugout, Votto was complimentary of Schumaker. "Skip is one of the most professional people I've ever been around as far as game preparation, getting the most out of himself, and how hard he paid attention to detail," Votto told me. "It doesn't surprise me at all that he's proving to be a successful manager. It's early in his managerial career so I don't want to say too much, but the team is playing well under him, so it doesn't surprise me." Whenever Cueto returns, he's always a popular man at the ballpark. His media scrum in the Marlins dugout on Tuesday was at least 10 people deep. "A lot of milestones here, winning 19-20 games a season here. So those are great memories," Cueto said via interpreter. “I feel very excited just to be here and pitch in this park again...With all of the fans and staff around here, I’m very excited to have the opportunity.” /game-coverage/at-the-ballpark/johnny-cueto-cincinnati-interview/Cueto caught up with Votto earlier in the week, and it was all love between the two. They were rookies together in 2008 and continued to share a clubhouse until 2015 when Cueto was traded to Kansas City. "He told me I look strong. I told him he looked the same. I wish him luck for the rest of the season, I love that guy like a brother," Cueto exclaimed. Speaking on just how much Votto has changed personality-wise throughout his career, Cueto commented that "he's enjoying the game more now. He was really shy in the beginning, so I think he's opened up and shown his true self now." Votto holds Cueto in high regard as well: "Johnny was one of the most talented players—pitcher specifically—that I've ever played with. His command is maybe the best I've ever seen and his ability to make up pitches on the spot seems like the sort of thing that the rare can do. He's a problem-solver, he's a-swing reader, and he's a guy that can make the decisions it takes to get the win. It's always an honor to face such a great player. He's a great teammate, truly." Votto got the better of Cueto when they faced off on Wednesday, going 2-for-2 with a pair of singles. Cueto's final line: 5.0 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 5 K. https://sporty-clips.mlb.com/7d04b24e-8c58-4809-9561-60d9fe25d71f.mp4https://sporty-clips.mlb.com/d70dc8e7-9190-4962-9e1f-da01926583d1.mp4With Votto and Cueto nearing the end of their playing careers, those moments may prove to be their final shared memories as active players before riding off into the sunset in the near future. Photo courtesy of Miami Marlins

CINCINNATI, Ohio—Signed out of the Dominican Republic by the Cincinnati Reds for a modest $35,000 signing bonus in 2004, Johnny Cueto worked his way into becoming debatably the best pitcher the franchise has had in the 21st century. Cueto was a NL Cy Young Award finalist in 2012 and the NL strikeout leader in 2014. He spent parts of eight seasons in Cincinnati's major league rotation, a tenure that ended at the 2015 trade deadline when he was sent to the eventual World Series champion Kansas City Royals. "It's a long time," Cueto told Fish on First in English reflecting on that chapter of his life. While the 37-year-old plans to continue pitching beyond the 2023 season, Wednesday's start could prove to be the final one he makes in the city that launched his career. "I feel very excited just to be here and pitch in this park again," Cueto said via interpreter. "With all of the fans and staff around here, I'm very excited to have the opportunity." The later Reds teams Cueto played on—some coincidentally with future Marlins manager Skip Schumaker on the roster—share some similarities with the current Marlins team on the field today. They were younger, newly built-up rosters that were looking for something to prove, particularly behind a great pitching staff. I spoke with former Reds pitcher Bronson Arroyo earlier in the summer about that same pitching staff Cueto was a part of from 2008-2013. Arroyo preached being a leader to those younger guys and sees a bit of himself in Cueto. Cueto said, "I learned a lot from him, but even more from my Latino teammates like Miguel Cairo. But I learned it's all about watching the game—you have to pay attention. Some of these kids nowadays, they don't pay attention to it. Inside the dugout, they're not following up. I try to tell them to just keep yourself in the game and pay attention to all of the details." Cueto was a prototypical power pitcher during his prime years in Cincinnati. As is the case with any pitcher who has survived 16 seasons at the highest level, he's been forced to evolve. "He's in a different spot in his career," Skip Schumaker said. "He was a power pitcher and now he's got a quicker pitchability. He still can punch you out, but he has more pitchability now and tries to trick you a little bit." https://mlb-cuts-diamond.mlb.com/FORGE/2023/2023-08/03/f530caf6-d92a4696-58febee2-csvm-diamondx64-asset_1280x720_59_16000K.mp4Cueto will be on the bump today at 12:35 p.m. for what will be his 102nd career regular season start at Great American Ball Park. Watch on MLB Network nationally, and locally on Bally Sports Florida and Bally Sports Ohio.

CINCINNATI, Ohio—The main storyline heading into this series was simple: both of these teams in Cincinnati are struggling coming out of the trade deadline. The Reds got one back on Monday behind a stellar outing from Brandon Williamson, but the Marlins showed their toughness on Tuesday, coming from behind late for a 3-2 victory and snapping their five-game losing streak. The Game The Marlins got out to an early 1-0 lead again, but it wasn't on a solo shot in this small ballpark. Jake Burger ripped a double to right field with two outs, who was then driven in by slumping Joey Wendle on another double. https://bdata-producedclips.mlb.com/27a972d5-cd37-4c3c-8675-e1a6837e83cf.mp4The Marlins would load the bases after a Nick Fortes single and Jorge Soler walk, but Luis Arraez grounded out to end the rally. Still, good to see production from the bottom of the order early on. The Reds would respond right away, as Kevin Newman reached on a fielder's choice and was driven in by TJ Friedl on an RBI double to left field. Cincinnati tied it up at 1-1. https://bdata-producedclips.mlb.com/9671a323-b697-43a7-85cf-90c1339e0fba.mp4Despite allowing just one run, Reds starting pitcher Luke Weaver was pulled after 4 1/3 innings. His final line: 4.1 IP, 5 H, ER, BB, 6 K. He worked his pitch count up to 89 pitches, but this was a vast improvement for him given his season numbers (he entered the start with a 6.98 ERA). I can't even describe what happened in the bottom of the 5th. I don't know what Jesús Sánchez was doing. I especially don't know what Nick Fortes was doing. Just watch to see how the Reds went up 2-1: https://bdata-producedclips.mlb.com/436f2c1a-a320-423c-a751-0c4a15bc133f.mp4Braxton Garrett's night was done after six innings, as he turned in a very stellar outing. His final line: 6 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 3 K. Didn't walk a single batter. More on him later. Things were looking bleak for the Marlins offense once again until Nick Fortes got hit by a pitch with two outs to keep the seventh inning alive, which prompted Reds manager David Bell to bring Lucas Sims on in relief. Coming into tonight's game, Lucas Sims had given up five home runs to the Marlins in just eleven career appearances. Jorge Soler came up to the plate, and blasted the sixth. The Marlins took the lead back, 3-2, thanks again to their clutch slugger (who was placed in the leadoff spot to shake things up). https://bdata-producedclips.mlb.com/5f0cb824-cdac-42ce-a75d-cafeb88eab64.mp4The bullpen held it down the rest of the way for the Marlins, as Tanner Scott was nails in the 8th inning and David Robertson got the save to give Miami the win to even the series. Braxton gets back on track The Reds have hit lefties well this year. Garrett desperately needed to get back into the swing of things and he dialed in tonight to work out of a couple jams and ultimately did enough to win the game. If not for the chaotic Sánchez/Fortes play, his final line would've been even better. Talking about his approach coming into tonight, Garrett said, "I approach the game the same just about every time. I watch video to see how they've been swinging against lefties lately. I just try to take my stuff to try and figure out where those holes are." Soler works well at leadoff Soler had a flawless night at the plate: a walk, two singles, and the go-ahead homer in the 7th inning. Yeah, Skip knew what he was doing switching it up. Many were critical of the change, but Skip in his pregame presser justified it by mentioning how Soler hit well in the leadoff spot for Atlanta in 2021 and figured it has a shot of working again. It did tonight, at least. Moving forward, Skip believes there's a good chance he plays there more moving forward. "He feels comfortable there. I think if he plays right field at home, I wouldn't have him run in and hit leadoff. That's a long run for a big guy. I do feel as though there's a good chance it could happen (as DH)," Skip stated. Moving ahead One win was all the Marlins needed to get going, according to Braxton Garrett. "Wins are a little hard to come by for us right now, but I think we're going to see an attitude switch moving forward. We have a lot more energy and are having a lot more fun previously. I think if we all focus on just having a good time and having fun playing the game, it'll trend up," Garrett claimed. The Marlins will finish out this three-game set Wednesday afternoon with Johnny Cueto. He'll be making his first road start of 2023 and what could be the final start of his career at Great American Ball Park where it all began for him. First pitch is at 12:35 p.m. on MLB Network nationally and Bally Sports Florida locally. Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images

CINCINNATI, Ohio—Two teams that have surprisingly found themselves in the NL Wild Card race this season haven't been playing like playoff teams lately. The Miami Marlins and Cincinnati Reds had one combined win between them this past week entering Monday's game. Something has to give, right? Well it gave for the Reds, as they used the long ball to win this one by a final score of 5-2. The Game Without Luis Arraez in front of him in the order, Jorge Soler wasted no time getting the Marlins on the board with s solo shot out to right center. The Marlins jumped out to a rare 1-0 lead in the first. https://bdata-producedclips.mlb.com/59bab2ac-f15f-4cb4-82a9-a87371bbedd2.mp4Newly recalled Eury Pérez worked his magic for awhile, retiring the first seven batters before he found trouble. Pérez walked Will Benson, who then stole a base to get into scoring position. Elly De La Cruz would also walk, which set up TJ Friedl to clear the bases with a 2 RBI triple. Reds took the lead, 2-1. https://sporty-clips.mlb.com/fe6797fd-4550-4642-bf17-eb48ee10f532.mp4It would only get worse from there for Pérez. Needing to bounce back in the 4th inning, he'd give up a homer on the very first pitch to fellow rookie Christian Encarnacion-Strand. 3-1, Reds. https://sporty-clips.mlb.com/d40655e4-7982-42a4-8521-fd8a0271e1b7.mp4Immediately after, Joey Votto turned back the clock against an opponent barely half his age. Back-to-back jacks made it 4-1, Reds. https://sporty-clips.mlb.com/9e0ea4c9-5eee-43c7-9331-95df22b66db4.mp4With Pérez not yet fully stretched out for starting duty, he worked himself out of the game after 4 2/3 innings pitched. His final line: 4.2 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 7 K, 2 HR. Some good, some bad. More on his outing later. The bleeding would stop temporarily, until TJ Friedl advanced from first to third on a stolen base and an E-2 from Nick Fortes, who had an abysmal night behind the dish. Friedl would score on a sacrifice fly from Spencer Steer, making it 5-1. https://bdata-producedclips.mlb.com/c74dd29a-1629-4984-af6e-ba0e9fc37585.mp4With lefty Brandon Williamson out of the game, Jazz Chisholm Jr. returned from a right hamstring cramp to pinch-hit for Fortes in the eighth. He came back with a bang, as he sent one out to left field to try and claw back a bit, making the score 5-2. https://bdata-producedclips.mlb.com/ed269bc7-839f-471a-bdc9-6787930c4ff0.mp4This would prove to be pretty insignificant, though, as despite a mini 9th-inning rally, the Marlins would drop the series opener. Eury's return spoiled Eury Pérez came out of the gate like a man with something to prove. He retired the first seven batters he faced and struck out four of the first six he faced. Sandy Alcantara before the game said, "Tonight, you're going to see who (Pérez) was in the first half." He looked like that same guy early on. However, his confidence seemingly diminished after the first baserunner he allowed. He began nibbling instead of trusting his stuff in the strike zone. The Reds adjusted accordingly. Still, most of the numbers on his pitches were great. He favored his fastball and slider a lot. Against a team with bats that can wake up at any second, it's not truly disappointing to see Eury get beat up by the Reds. Nick Fortes didn't exactly set him up for success with his pitch-calling and poor throwing. Regardless, they'll get another go at it next Sunday against the Yankees in Miami. Offensive struggles return Coming into this series, the Marlins have averaged 3.52 runs per game since the All-Star break. That's the worst number in baseball in that timeframe. They had a stretch tonight where 17 of 18 batters were retired and only had three total hits against Brandon Williamson (two of those in the seventh inning). A frustrated Avisaíl García got ejected for arguing balls and strikes. Skip Schumaker got tossed too later in the contest. The offense has been embarrassing, plain and simple. No adjustments have been made, especially against left-handed pitchers. "I think they're all different types of starters, none of them are the same pitcher," Skip said. "We'll keep preaching swinging at strikes. The gameplan is good, we just haven't gotten that big hit to put runs on the board." The team acquired two good hitters at the deadline, but watching them on most nights, you wouldn't be able to tell. No serious playoff contender should be trotting out García, Yuli Gurriel, Nick Fortes, and Joey Wendle from sixth to ninth in the batting order. It's that simple. The Marlins will continue this three-game set Tuesday night at 6:40 p.m. on Bally Sports Florida and the Bally Sports app. I will be back at the ballpark to recap as well. Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images

The Miami Marlins have exceeded expectations so far in 2023. However, to sustain this (and to better position themselves for perennial postseason contention), they’ll likely need to acquire help from outside the organization. Leading up to the August 1 MLB trade deadline, Fish On First will profile potentially attainable players who would fit with what the Fish are building. For the second year in a row, perennial All-Star Juan Soto could be dealt at the deadline. Soto fetched maybe the largest package of prospects and young players we've ever seen on last year's deadline day, which helped kickstart the Nationals' rebuild. The San Diego Padres entered 2023 thinking they had assembled a superteam around him, but shockingly, they'll enter the deadline with a losing record and playoff odds far below 50%. With less than a year-and-a-half left of control remaining over Soto, they're in a tough spot. Any team that's in win-now mode would want somebody like Soto, already well-established as an elite offensive player at just 24 years old. He would turn the vast majority of postseason contenders into World Series contenders, the Marlins included. Their outfield has specifically struggled with drawing walks, as their 4.7 BB% since the All-Star Break ranks dead last in the league. Enter Juan Soto, one of the greatest players at drawing walks in our generation. He's put up an incredible 21.1 BB% for San Diego in 2023 and would instantly help get the Marlins get on base at a higher rate. The possibility of Miami actually being able to acquire Soto, though? That needs to be explored. It's no secret how far the Marlins farm system has fallen off. MLB Pipeline had the system ranked third in the league as recently as midseason 2021. But with the graduation of Eury Pérez, numerous pitching injuries, poor hitting development and this week's David Robertson trade, it's now firmly below average in terms of upside and depth. The system has no consensus Top 100 prospects at the moment. Just as a starting point, it's going to take multiple top-five Marlins prospects to acquire Soto's services from San Diego. San Diego has a slight pitching problem in their farm, which benefits Miami. Enter Max Meyer and Jake Eder, both of whom could realistically be on Opening Day rosters in 2024, with Meyer having already made his Major League debut. Eder is viewed by some around baseball as Miami's most valuable trade piece this deadline. This package, however, wouldn't even be headlined by those two. San Diego would want a young, controllable position player to fill the void getting rid of Soto will cause. While Miami has been said to be reluctant to subtract from its 26-man roster this deadline, we did just see them trade Dylan Floro this week. It's not impossible, especially for the right deal. Juan Soto is that deal. There are three players San Diego would be looking at to headline this deal: Jazz Chisholm Jr., Bryan De La Cruz, and Jesús Sánchez. Each comes with their risks, as Jazz seemingly can't stay healthy, De La Cruz has been a terrible defender this year, and Sánchez is streaky at the plate and unreliable against left-handed pitching. Talking to some industry sources, it seems that Sánchez would be the most viable option for Miami to trade in this particular deal. Sánchez still has tons of team control, as he isn't even arbitration eligible until 2025. We've seen Sánchez's immense raw power on display—his average home run distance this season is 418 feet, which is exactly the same as Soto's. As for the other two names mentioned, I'm under the belief that Miami wouldn't trade either of those two. Capitalizing on De La Cruz's peak value wouldn't be a bad idea this offseason, but he has to stay in the lineup this season if Miami wants to make the postseason. Jazz is a little more interesting. He's arbitration-eligible in 2024 and his name alone in a trade would send shockwaves through baseball. But he can't stay healthy and hasn't done much to earn an extension from the Marlins thus far. From a business perspective, it makes sense to try and see what his value is in a massive deal like this. However, that leaves Miami with a void in center field. A fully healthy outfield of De La Cruz, Chisholm Jr., and Soto could be amongst the best in baseball. I firmly believe Soto makes Miami at least a pennant contender with him on the team. It's if and how Miami can acquire him. Craig Mish of SportsGrid has publicly stated that Miami would do everything they can to get Soto if he's made available. My fear is the Marlins may get outbid by a team with a better farm system that has more to offer. I could see the Orioles, Reds, or Rays making a realistic run at him. For those upset that I have suggested the Marlins sacrifice their few assets in this scenario, you must remember Juan Soto is one of the best players in the entire league at 24 years old. Twenty. Four. Jesus Sánchez, Bryan De La Cruz, and Jazz Chisholm Jr. are all older than him. So is Jake Eder! It's a no-brainer. There's no one quite like Soto right now when it comes to position players. The only reason his hypothetical price tag isn't as exorbitant as it was last deadline is due to his looming free agency—the total value of his next contract is expected to land north of half a billion dollars. Despite this, and to answer the question in the headline, I'd say it's not totally unrealistic to think Soto could come to Miami in the coming days. If he's made available, the Marlins are going to make an aggressive run at him. General Manager Kim Ng has had the Marlins in on almost every name so far. The team would be all over Soto. /news/2023-trade-deadline-marlins-interest/However, it's unclear if they'd be able to meet the high price that's attached to Soto. My fear of getting outbid by another team looking to bolster its offense also could become a reality. Regardless, the possibility exists that Miami makes the biggest splash of them all this deadline to prepare for a run at the franchise's third World Series title. Photo courtesy of padres/Instagram

With the All-Star Break in the rear-view mirror and the trade deadline looming on Aug. 1, the rumor mill is heating up by the hour. Here at Fish On First, we’ve begun a trade target series where we’ve analyzed individual targets for the Marlins, if they make sense, and what the trade package would look like for them. In my opinion, the Marlins should invest in a middle-of-the-order bat, another starting pitcher, a right-handed reliever, and a catcher. If the Marlins can acquire all four of these positions, the sky's the limit. With the consultation of others here at FOF and reporters with sources, I’ve created a trade deadline overview with four tiers of targets for the Marlins: realistic, maybe/possible, a pipe dream, and straight-up not happening. We’ll go with the exciting part first. These guys we’ve deemed as legitimate possibilities for the Marlins this deadline, as the majority of them are on teams that have already deemed themselves as sellers. OF/1B Cody Bellinger (Chicago Cubs) Eliminate Shohei Ohtani from the equation and Bellinger might be the overall best bat on the market this deadline. With Bellinger slated to hit the open market and command a $100+ million contract—along with the Cubs gradually falling out of the NL Central race—this would surely be a rental. He fits the bill for what Miami needs as a middle-of-the-order bat with some pop who can play multiple positions well. Miami has been tied to this player when he was previously available in free agency. Bellinger finally making his way to Miami this deadline is a real possibility. 3B Jeimer Candelario (Washington Nationals) /analysis/marlins-trade-targets-jeimer-candelario/We’ve already discussed this possibility, and it’s an extremely attractive one. While this would be a risky intra-division trade, Candelario would prove to be an excellent rental. He’s owed only $1.7 million from the deadline onward and is expected to hit the open market this offseason. He plays 3rd base and would give the Marlins another option other than Jean Segura on the left side. With the Nationals in the midst of a complete rebuild, he’s surely a goner this deadline...as long as his right thumb injury doesn't linger. LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (Detroit Tigers) This one is a little trickier because Miami already has a ton of lefties, but Rodriguez is having a career year on a struggling Tigers team that doesn’t have much else to sell. Rodriguez looked solid in his second start back from the IL and will be in Miami next weekend when the Tigers come to town. Why not just keep him in Miami? Regardless, Miami needs starting pitching. With a player opt-out included in his contract this offseason, it would be wise for him to take a gamble on himself. The risk for Miami is if Rodriguez gets seriously injured and doesn't elect free agency, they'd be stuck with $49 million on their books for the next three years. RHP Paul Blackburn (Oakland Athletics) This is the first option we’re coming across that isn’t a rental. While Blackburn is 29 years old, he still has two years of control after this season. Oakland doesn’t have to trade him at all this deadline. However, this could be his peak value. It would be wise for Oakland to take some calls on him and with their trade history with Miami, this seems like a legitimate option for the Marlins. Blackburn would be a really nice pitcher to have at the back end of the rotation not just for 2023, but for years to come. C Elias Díaz (Colorado Rockies) Catcher has been a polarizing topic when discussing the Marlins’ roster construction. However, Jacob Stallings will not be on this roster in 2024 (unless he accepts a major cut to his salary and playing time). The only reason for him being on the roster at this point is his relationship with Sandy Alcantara, and even that’s not going well statistically. The deadline would be a good opportunity to either upgrade over Stallings or get struggling Nick Fortes a breather at Triple-A, and Díaz is my favorite option. The All-Star Game MVP would remain under Marlins for next season as well at a reasonable $6 million salary. With the Rockies struggling and in a rebuild, this seems like a wise move for them. The risk for the Fish is Díaz has slumped to a .311 OPS in July. C Yan Gomes (Chicago Cubs) Yet another catching option, we’ve already discussed the Cubs’ situation and desire to trade some veterans. Gomes has been around the block a few times (five career playoff trips) and would provide some veteran leadership down the stretch, which could help Miami’s young pitchers while creating some new batteries. With a club option for 2024, the Marlins could cut bait with him if he doesn’t produce. LHP Jordan Montgomery (St. Louis Cardinals) /analysis/marlins-trade-targets-jordan-montgomery/The news that the Cardinals would be looking to sell at the deadline sent shockwaves throughout baseball. There’s a plethora of hitting talent in that organization, but not so much pitching. However, Jordan Montgomery would prove to be a solid option for Miami’s rotation. With Montgomery slated to hit the open market this offseason, this would be another true rental for Miami. St. Louis desperately needs pitching added to its minor league system, and Miami has plenty of it. The Cardinals and Marlins are ideal trade partners. I’d expect the two teams to get involved in extensive talks this deadline. RHP Ryan Helsley (St. Louis Cardinals) The first right-handed reliever option we’re taking a peak at, Helsley could help Miami in high-leverage situations. Again, the Cardinals will sell anything they can get a good enough offer on in hopes of making a run at the NL Central in 2024. Helsley provides some control with 2 ½ years of control left and at 28 years old, he could give Miami some of his best seasons. This would cost a decent amount for a reliever and Helsley is still working his way back from a forearm injury—his best-case scenario is returning to the majors a few days after the trade deadline. RHP Jordan Hicks (St. Louis Cardinals) How about another Cardinals pitcher? I said their pitching wasn’t that attractive, but there are many good fits in Miami. With Hicks slated to hit the open market this fall, he would be yet another rental option for the Marlins. It doesn’t seem Hicks is in the Cardinals’ plans for 2024, and the Marlins could use another righty to fill out the bullpen. RHP Scott Barlow (Kansas City Royals) Barlow will be one of the most highly coveted arms on the market this deadline. At 30 years old and with another year of control following this season, Barlow will command a nice package from the Royals. The Royals already dealt Aroldis Chapman, so they’ll be ready to deal Barlow, one of their only remaining trade chips, to any team willing to assist with their ongoing rebuild. C Yasmani Grandal (Chicago White Sox) This option would require more money, but this is maybe the one deal I could see the Marlins and White Sox making. Grandal is owed a decent amount of money for the rest of the season (more than $6 million) before hitting the open market this fall. Grandal provides veteran leadership behind the dish and at the plate, which will be crucial for Miami down the stretch. With the White Sox dwindling at the bottom of the AL, they’re going to try and deal away anyone that is on an expiring deal. RHP Carlos Estévez (Los Angeles Angels) /analysis/marlins-trade-targets-right-handed-relievers/An MLB All-Star here, Estévez has had a nice 2023 campaign. With Estévez under contract through 2024, he could help Miami’s bullpen next year as well. After devoting so much effort to contend, the Angels have taken a sharp turn in the wrong direction recently, falling below .500. A fire sale featuring Ohtani, Estévez and others could be coming at this deadline. RHP Justin Lawrence (Colorado Rockies) Maybe my favorite relief pitching option this deadline—nobody adores him more than FOF Super Subscriber Romeo Rodriguez—Lawrence could get the largest haul of any reliever this deadline. Still pre-arbitration eligible, it's likely that the Rockies simply hold onto the right-hander for the time being. They should be demanding a haul in return. Lawrence has allowed only one earned run over his last 12 appearances. Lawrence could become a mainstay in Miami’s bullpen for years to come with the team control he has attached to him. RHP Kyle Hendricks (Chicago Cubs) We will now round out Miami’s realistic options with a big name and former World Series champion. Hendricks would be cheaper than most of his Cubs counterparts, as he’s almost 34 and far removed from his prime. His $16 million club option for next year isn't too crazy if he maintains a mid-3's ERA through season's end, but the low-payroll Marlins would view him as a rental. I do want to clarify that just because we didn’t say a player is "realistic," it doesn’t mean the Marlins won’t trade for him. Things are fluid with every deadline. How many people last year thought Juan Soto would’ve been on the move in the middle of a season for a historic prospect package?! The point is, things can change at any second and we’re doing what we can to put ourselves in the shoes of the Marlins’ front office.