Can the Miami Marlins acquire these 2 stars?

I talked before about potential trade targets for the Miami Marlins, and making big trades fits our blueprint for annual contention. The players in question are Boston Red Sox 3B Rafael Devers and Chicago White Sox SS Tim Anderson, who are constantly rumored as trade targets. Can The Fish acquire them?

The Miami Marlins are unlikely to acquire Rafael Devers and Tim Anderson in the off-season.

Tim Anderson is an ideal lead-off hitter, who is not only more than capable of hitting above .300, but can add some 20 home run power to the mix as well. Adding him to the team would make the Miami Marlins quite a bit better. Rafael Devers is a top five third baseman who has 30 home run power and some speed. Devers does have an issue with his defense however, and there’s been talk of him not lasting at the position long-term.

Why would the Boston Red Sox trade Rafael Devers and why would the Chicago White Dox trade Tim Anderson? The argument is that both teams missed the playoffs this season and Devers is a free agent after next season, who hasn’t yet signed an extension with Boston.

There’s a major problem with all of this…. A team missing the playoffs doesn’t mean that they will now rebuild. The Chicago White Sox invested a franchise-high payroll on the team. They won the division last season and were still in playoff contention just last week. They also battled a lot of injuries this season. Why would they not want to try to contend next season? Why would they trade a key player who isn’t even a free agent for a few years and is paid below market value. They’re keeping him.

The Boston Red Sox aren’t trading Rafael Devers either. They don’t rebuild and aren’t going to trade their best hitter after missing the playoffs partly due to a mediocre offense. They might consider it if he refuses an extension again and they won’t offer him more money, but then why would we weaken our farm system for a rental? We may as well just try to sign him at the end of the season.

Rafael Devers and Tim Anderson aren’t going to the Miami Marlins next season. It’s a nice fantasy, but that’s all that it is.