David Schoenfield of ESPN.com is at it again. With the MLB trade deadline approaching, the senior writer for the four-letter network has been talking trade possibilities for all 30 teams, including the Miami Marlins.
While Schoenfield does not specify a trade with the Miami Marlins name on it, he does believe the tea, should consider trading Kyle Barraclough and oddly enough, he thinks the transaction should be done within the National League East. He does, however, make a case for the Atlanta Braves possibly making an offer for the closer.
Would the Marlins make the deal if they received starter Kolby Allard in return?
The Marlins spent the offseason shoring up their farm system with a plethora of prospects on the mound. Adding Allard would give the team another young arm, but there are caveats to such a move. This is one of those deals that would help the Braves and their march toward the playoffs more than the future of the Marlins organization.
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"“The Braves need bullpen help, but should also be in the mix for Machado. The team’s first-round pick in 2015, Allard is pitching well in Triple-A at age 20 with a 2.96 ERA,” Schoenfield wrote.“With a mediocre strikeout rate (79 in 97⅓ innings) and less-than-blazing fastball, his upside isn’t viewed as high as some other Atlanta pitching prospects. I’d consider dealing him as the centerpiece of a Machado trade or for a controllable reliever such as Brad Hand or Kyle Barraclough.”"
Miami has a few arms they could look to deal, with Barraclough bringing the biggest ransom in return. I would be interested in seeing what kind of offer a contender in the same division would make to Michael Hill, the president of baseball operations for Miami.
Miami, in any deal made, would seek more prospects to build for the future. As Schoenfield wrote when assessing why Barraclough would be an attractive trade piece, the lack of frontline pitchers on the market this season means the best available relievers will get the most attention.
"“Because he’s under team control for three more seasons, the Marlins should be able to extract a nice price for him,” Schoenfield added."
Next: Are the Marlins Willing to Trade Starlin Castro?
On June, Barraclough replaced Brad Ziegler as the team’s ninth-inning specialist. He has been lights out since, earning the National League Reliever of the Month for June.