How recent Orioles trade could impact Miami Marlins plans and Edward Cabrera market

The MLB Hot Stove just got hotter for the Miami Marlins, thanks to a frequent trade partner in recent years, the Baltimore Orioles.

No, the Marlins haven't actually made a trade themselves yet. Yet as all true baseball sickos know, no trade happens in a vacuum in the MLB offseason. Every transaction adds or eliminates names from the talent pool, adds or eliminates teams competing for said talent, and plays a part in determining the value of each and every commodity out there on the market.

Which is exactly just what happened Tuesday night when the Orioles dealt Grayson Rodriguez to the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for Taylor Ward.

On the surface, it seems like a crazy undersell on a high upside starting pitcher by a team that already needed starting pitching. Fansided's own Eric Cole of Bird Watcher captures what looks to be the prevailing opinion on what the Orioles just did rather clearly here. Taylor Ward had a great season last year to be sure, but the book on him remains largely unchanged- much closer to "just a guy" than being "the GUY" that will help take a team to the next level. The Angels rolling the dice on a player that was very recently viewed as one of baseball's best pitching prospects, and by some lists as the best pitching prospect? That makes more sense. But the Orioles further weakening themselves at a need position? Puzzling stuff.

Ultimately, it could just come down to health. Ward has averaged 157 games the past two seasons, and has been available for at least 135 games in three of the past four. Rodriguez? Hardly a picture of health, with multiple IL stints and games lost. Although, none of those have been any of those particularly scary pitching injuries either. Still, if Baltimore decided that just is who Rodriguez is...then getting anything for him that helps in 2026 could have been seen as a win.

At any rate, as has been the case with many an Orioles decision, the why and the wisdom for it will become clearer in time. However, two things can be said with certainty. For one, the Orioles now really, really need starting pitching. Secondly, it sure looks like a crowded big league roster on the hitter front. Too crowded.

All of which makes them, once again, a perfect fit for the Miami Marlins.

From the Marlins perspective, there are also two clear points of discussion to consider. The first of those is what exactly Miami could hope to get from Baltimore in such a trade. As for the other, if Grayson Rodriguez was the cost to fetch Taylor Ward, what does that say about the market value of the pitchers Miami would be looking to move, especially Edward Cabrera?

Let's start with who Baltimore could make available...