Miami Marlins Could Explore Waiver Wire Deals

The MLB Trade Deadline may have ended on Tuesday at 4 PM, but that does not mean the Miami Marlins aren’t exploring all other options through the waiver period.

If the Miami Marlins hope to continue to get better, they must look at all possible scenarios. According to MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro, president of baseball operations Michael Hill will still be a popular person in the coming weeks. Teams looking to make a playoff push could make an offer or two, hoping Miami will bite for future considerations.

"“Miami players most likely to be dealt in August are second baseman Starlin Castro, left fielder Derek Dietrich, first baseman Justin Bour and right-hander Dan Straily,” Frisaro writes."

Castro and Dietrich were part of rumors leading up to the Tuesday deadline, but no deals were done even though plenty of teams inquired about their availability. Bour is an interesting possibility. Should he be traded, the Marlins would lose one of their few sources of power in the middle of the lineup.

Miami made two deals before during the day on July 31, sending reliever Brad Ziegler back to Arizona and center fielder Cameron Maybin to Seattle. Both players brought minor league prospects in return.

The Marlins received plenty of calls during the past couple of weeks, with teams making offers on veterans. J.T. Realmuto, the biggest name out there for the organization, remains with the team after the Washington Nationals made a hard push to acquire the All-Star. Now, the team will either look to sign him to a long-term deal or trade him prior to Spring Training – for future prospects, of course.

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Straily was considered a real option for the Oakland A’s, who are charging toward the playoffs. Other teams were interested in him, but nothing materialized.

Hill knows the team can still build for the future before the end of the season and is seeking the best deal out there, should it happen.

Contenders may call the team looking for “rentals” because of injuries or a lack of depth.

"“August is still an opportunity to make moves,” Hill said. “We don’t have the ability to do so without having waivers secured, but it’s always an opportunity to potentially find a way to improve your organization.”"

The Marlins will continue to find the best fit for the remainder of the season. With the playoffs, not even a consideration, Miami has a chance to tweak its roster, and plan ahead for 2019.

The lineup manager Don Mattingly uses now could look different on Opening Day.

"“Teams can place players on revocable trade waivers, which means the player can be claimed by any club,” adds Frisaro. “Waiver priority is determined by reverse standings in the player’s league, followed by reverse standings in the other league.”"