Miami Marlins Trade Richards & Nick Anderson to Tampa Bay

Hot on the heels of a Zac Gallen to Arizona deal, the Miami Marlins make an in-state four-player swap with the Tampa Bay Rays.

Trevor Richards‘ well publicized rise through the Miami Marlins system from nowheresville is well documented, and Nick Anderson has impressed as a 29-year-old rookie. The Marlins bullpen is going to look a lot different now, that’s for sure.

First, the Miami Marlins sent off current closer Sergio Romo to the Minnesota Twins. Now, his two most likely replacements join the Tampa Bay Rays. What did the Marlins get in return?

Ryne Stanek is in his third major league season with the Rays, and has gone 2-5 with a 3.55 ERA in 121 contests. A right-handed pitcher, he works as both a starter and a reliever, has struck out 171 in 141 1/3 innings, and has given up 115 hits for a 1.225 career WHIP while holding them to a .220 batting average.

In addition to Stanek, the Miami Marlins also pick up outfielder Jesus Sanchez. Now the second such named prospect in the system, Sanchez has slashed .263/.323/.389 in 96 minor league games this season, between the double-A Montgomery Biscuits and the triple-A Durham Bulls, the two top Rays affiliates.

I thought the Romo deal was a little suspect, as the Miami Marlins also threw in Chris Vallimont and a PTBNL for first baseman Lewin Diaz. The Zac Gallen for Jazz Chisholm deal was also a transaction that I had mixed feelings for. Not so for this one.

When you break this down by player, Stanek can fill either starter or relief pitcher role, and so is a comparable arm to Richards. Comparing pitchers to outfielders is a little harder, but lets face it, all we have to do is watch. The returns on any trade are never immediately apparent, but I’m optimistic about this one.

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Richards was 3-12 with a 4.50 ERA and a 1.384 WHIP and an ERA+ of 92. Anderson, with a 107 ERA+, a 2-4 record, and 69 K’s in 43 2/3 innings, slotted in as an above average pitcher.

Stanek has started in a major-league-leading 27 games this season, filling the role that Romo had previously vacated in Tampa Bay. At an ERA+ of 133, he’s now got the third best mark on the Miami Marlins, behind Austin Brice‘s 223 and Jarlin Garcia‘s 167.

Sanchez is going to take a while to shake out. It’s possible he cracks the major league roster this year, but far more likely that he challenges for an Opening Day spot in 2020.

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Hot on the heels of a Zac Gallen to Arizona deal, the Miami Marlins make an in-state four-player swap with the Tampa Bay Rays.

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