Miami Marlins Trade Rumors: Brad Ziegler Los Angeles Bound?

The Miami Marlins are sellers this season, and that’s no surprise as the trading deadline inches ever closer. Unsurprisingly, the Los Angeles Dodgers are contenders again as the calendar turns towards August and the leaves start to think about turning, well, if not brown exactly, then at least a little less green.

Always seemingly hungry for more future-building prospects at the cost of today’s box score, the Miami Marlins have been linked to the Los Angeles Dodgers as a possible trade partner.

The Dodgers, who currently lead the top-heavy National League West by a half game over the Arizona Diamondbacks, are shopping for help in the bullpen. The Marlins have a few of those. They could be sweet-talked into parting with one of them, if the price is right.

Who’s Likeliest to Go?

Most frequently mentioned across the Miami Marlins online intellegentsia are their “power quartet” of relievers. Namely, Brad Ziegler, Drew Steckenrider, Adam Conley, and Kyle Barraclough.

Conley and Barraclough will not be eligible for free agency until 2022, and Steckenrider until 2024. The return would have to be enormous for the Miami Marlins to consider parting with one of these still young, controllable, healthy, and effective relievers.

Ziegler is the very definition of an August/September-push rental-type player. Currently nearing 39 years of age, he appeared to be headed for an unceremonious end to his playing career as late as June 1st. Through the beginning of the season through the first day of June, Ziegler had pitched to a 7.88 ERA, a 1.708 WHIP, and an opposing slashline of .337/.375/.558.

Something changed for Ziegler after losing his closer status on that day. Since then, he’s allowed a .167/.263/.250 slashline, with a 0.68 ERA, and a 0.911 WHIP. He’s the perfect candidate for late-season rental-hood. He’s currently signed to a two-year, $16 million deal with the Marlins, but that ends after this season. The Dodgers would be a good fit for him.

More from Marlins Rumors

• What can the Miami Marlins still do?
• Miami Marlins rumors: Ideal CF target
• Miami Marlins rumors: Trade for CF?
• Miami Marlins rumors: A signing we need
• Miami Marlins rumors: Is Bobby Dalbec a target?

The Return

As reported by @michaeljduarte, above, the Miami Marlins have interest in Dodgers double-A pitcher Yadier Alvarez. A little about him. He’s a 6’3″, 175 lb. righty out of Cuba, with a 70-grade slider and a 60-grade changeup, according to MLB.COM’s Pipeline. He holds opponents to a promising .192 average, but his walk rate is sky high, contributing to a WHIP of 1.95. So there’s still some work to do. The ceiling is very high for Alvarez, but his floor is right where he’s sitting. It’s a volatile possibility, a low-risk, high-reward type acquisition for the Miami Marlins. If the Dodgers will “play ball” with Michael Hill, Alvarez could be a Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp by this time next week.

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