Miami Marlins: Could this mock trade bring Alek Manoah and Danny Jansen to South Beach?

According to multiple reports, former All-Star starter Alek Manoah has officially been added to the Blue Jays trade block. The Miami Marlins, who have a clear need for pitching depth, should be asking a question many around the league are also considering: Is the juice worth the squeeze?

Miami Marlins: Could this mock trade bring Alek Manoah and Danny Jansen to South Beach?

Manoah has expereinced extreme peaks and valleys in his young career. In 2022, he looked like a franchise building block and future Cy Young winner. By 2023, his ERA inflated, he lost his spot in the rotation, and he was DFA'd multiple times as the Blue Jays tried to correct his downward slide.

As intriguing as the young pitcher might be in a vacuum, Toronto happens to have a noticeable surplus at another position Miami also actively pursuing: starting catcher. With a trio of Alejandro Kirk, Danny Dansen, and Daulton Varsho all vying for a role with the Jays, one can't help but wonder if there is a mutually beneficial deal lurking just beneath the surface.

Allow me the honors of throwing out a deal that might serve both ball clubs:

Miami Receives: Manoah and Toronto's choice of the three aforementioned catchers. For the sake of argument, let's assume that Jansen is the player they would most likely prefer to part with.

Toronto Receives: Jesus Sanchez, top-10 prospect Brock Vradenburg, and top-30 prospect Ike Buxton.

Why this Deal Benefits Miami:

Don't let the number of familiar names floating around the franchise fool you. The Marlins have a dire need for starting pitching depth.

Jesus Luzardo is a staple of the rotation. Assuming the bulk of the innings restrictions are behind him, Eury Perez should also be a co-ace. Braxton Garrett preformed well in 2023 and should be a solid source of quality innings in 2024. But what does the rotation look like after this trio?

Edward Cabrera has high upside. But he is also young and volatile. Trevor Rogers, much like Manoah, has fallen off drastically since an early career All-Star berth. He also has his fair share of injury concerns. Max Meyer is coming off a significant injury. And Sixto Sanchez is... Well. No one really knows.

Remember, this starting rotation gave meaningful innings to Johnny Cueto last season. And now they are without baseball's premier innings-eater in Sandy Alcantara. It is critical that they add depth in case the back half of the rotation fails to return to full form.

That being said, adding a player like Manoah ultimately feels like injecting more of the same tension into the unit. It is hard to articulate just how steep the former ace's drop-off was in 2023. His ERA ballooned to 5.87. He also recorded 87.1 innings of work. Hence Toronto's willingness to move him this offseason.

While a return to form should not be assumed, Manoah's ceiling does make him an interesting buy-low option. And, with a 2024 salary of under $750,000, he would fit perfectly in Miami's budget.

For all of the areas that the Marlins could improve as a franchise, they are undenyably skilled in one area: identifying and developing pitching. Sandy is a Cy Young winner. Pablo Lopez has become an ace in Minnesota. Zac Gallen is a Cy Young candidate for the NL Champion Diamondbacks. Eury looks like a future star. What team in the league has produced more top-end starters?

This should give fans hope that Miami might be the perfect situation for a young player like Manoah, still just 25-years-old, to recapture his former success.

Additionally, adding a player like Jansen would instantly solve Miami's catching woes. The veteran would immediately add power potential (17 homers in 2023 and 65 in his six-year MLB career) and consistency to Miami's weakest position. He is an above average pitch framer (26th of 63 in 2024). And, while he in in the lower tier of throwing power (48th of 63 in 2023), he is comparable to both Stallings' and Fortes' marks in 2023.

Both of these would be amazing additions for Miami. Which brings us to...