Miami Marlins: 3 Bold Predictions from Now to the 2021 MLB Trade Deadline

A lot can change between now and the July 30th MLB Trade Deadline for the Miami Marlins. 

Will the Miami Marlins be buyers or sellers? Which positions of need are they looking to acquire? Which players might they possibly look to trade?

These are only a few questions that will be asked between now and then, with the answers only becoming clearer over time.

The Marlins currently stand at 18-22 overall, and 4th in the NL East through the first 40 games of the season. While Miami has gotten phenomenal performances so far this season from a few notable players both at the plate, and on the mound, there are a few “bold predictions” as you’d say that if they came true would be massive for the Fish.

The Miami Marlins have an important two months ahead of them.

As a team that made the MLB Postseason during the shortened 2020 season, there will be increased pressure to make the playoffs once again in 2021. While they wouldn’t be in the postseason if the season ended today, there is plenty of more baseball to be played.

We are currently about 25% done with 2021 season. One thing that will start to loom closer and closer is the trade deadline. As the deadline draws nearer, noise surrounding trades league-wide will only continue to get louder.

The Marlins are no different from any other team. Noise will continue to get louder and louder surrounding all players on the team, both hitters and pitchers.

Before we ramp-up the trade season with constant trade talk, it’s best to offer some thoughts, or predictions as you’d say, for the time from now until the trade deadline. While normal predictions would be enough, bold predictions could be more impactful, because if they do come true, it could affect the Marlins plans for the deadline.

Got it? Now let’s get bold.

Here are three bold predictions for the Miami Marlins between now and the 2021 MLB Trade Deadline.

1. Garrett Cooper leads the Miami Marlins in HRs

The Miami Marlins currently rank 27th in baseball in total team HRs with 37 on the season. With Jesus Aguilar and Adam Duvall by far the team leaders in hitting the long-ball, there is one player in particular that has the potential to join that group, Garrett Cooper.

Now there is no question that Cooper has gotten off to a rough start to the 2021 season. Currently sporting a .209 batting average through 37 games played, Cooper just hasn’t looked like his previous seasons’ self.

Cooper is now in year four of his time in Miami, while being a starter in the Marlins outfield for the previous two seasons. Sporting an average above .280 in each of those two seasons, it’s clear that Cooper has yet to fully “get-it-going” this year.

That’s the batting average comparison, but what about the HR though? Cooper has only hit 23 so far in his career, with his most in any singular season being 15 during the 2019 season. Currently standing at only 2 long balls so far this season, is it possible for Cooper?

If the most he has ever hit in a season is 15, and the current team leader Aguilar is sitting at 9, it seems impossible for Cooper to lead the team by the deadline right?

It’s clear that Cooper is having a rough start to the season, but you know that he is due for a big break-out at some point in the near future simply based off his previous seasons’ success. With Cooper also beginning to heat-up at the plate during the most recent series in Los Angeles, that break-out could come at any moment.

Cooper as mentioned previously only has 2 HRs currently. Even though it’ll be a tough task to accomplish, could the soon to be break-out for Cooper feature a lot of 400+ ft. round-trippers?

2. The Miami Marlins #5 starter emerges with a Sub-2.00 ERA

The Miami Marlins currently display arguably one of the top trios in their starting rotation in all of baseball. Sandy Alcantara, Pablo Lopez, and Trevor Rogers have all been nothing short of outstanding so far this season, and I wouldn’t bet against them stopping anytime soon.

The holes left in 4-5 spots in the rotation that have been opened due to injuries mainly have been filled by either bullpen games or call-ups so far this season. When looking at options to fill them once they get healthy, it’s clear which pitcher will slot in where.

The #4 spot in the rotation will be filled by currently injured top prospect Sixto Sanchez, who posted a 3-2 record with a 3.46 ERA in seven starts last season. With the fourth spot in the rotation filled, how will the Marlins fill #5?

While Miami could be considered as a team that could trade for the starting pitcher at the deadline, they could have their fifth starter for the remainder of the season already in place by then. There are multiple candidates, but who will emerge?

Currently injured Elieser Hernandez is the prime candidate to fill the last spot in the rotation, while top prospects such as Edward Cabrera and Braxton Garrett should also be considered candidates. Regardless of who it is, one of these three will emerge between now and the deadline as the #5 starter.

If none emerge, the Marlins will certainly be a team to monitor to make a big splash at the trade deadline for a starting pitcher. If one does emerge however, Miami will have arguably the best young starting rotation in all of baseball.

The Marlins #5 starter will emerge, but if whoever it is has a sub-2.00 ERA at the deadline, Miami might opt-to not alter the rotation.