MLB Trade Rumors: Marlins and Dodgers discussing trade for Jose Fernandez
Jose Fernandez is one of the top young arms in baseball, but his rising price tag may prompt the Miami Marlins to find a trade partner sooner than later.
The Miami Marlins realize that, despite having just 47 starts under his belt, Jose Fernandez is one of the best pitchers in baseball. At just 23-years-old and under team control at a reasonable price, that makes Fernandez a rare commodity in a market currently dominated by rising costs.
That makes the Miami Marlins at the very least curious as to what the market rate is currently set at for a Jose Fernandez trade.
According to multiple reports, Jayson Stark of ESPN being the latest, the Marlins are at least listening to what opposing teams put on the table in a potential trade offer for Fernandez. Both the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks, two teams heavily involved in the pitching market this winter, have reportedly checked in on the right hander, although nothing is imminent.
However others, including Joe Frisaro of MLB.com, are reporting that while the Marlins are listening to offers, they won’t likely move Fernandez in a deal unless they are absolutely overwhelmed.
It would be hard to fault the Marlins for taking a hard stance here. Fernandez is 22-9 with a 2.40 ERA, a 2.52 FIP, and a 10.5 K/9 ratio over the course of his first 47 starts in the Major Leagues. He’s also entering his first season of arbitration eligibility and MLB Trade Rumors projects a modest salary of just $2.2 million in 2016. That’s a reasonable rate for a staff ace when many others are exceeding $20 million.
However, there is the caveat that Fernandez is just one season removed from Tommy John surgery as well. At his age he should bounce back fine and showed no rust during his brief return at the end of 2015. However, the Marlins will be wary of not looking a gift horse in the mouth either.
As for the Dodgers, after losing out on Zack Greinke and Jeff Samardzija, the team is turning its attention to Johnny Cueto to pair with Clayton Kershaw at the top of its rotation next season. However, the Dodgers may pause a bit and look deeper at the trade market rather than overpay for Cueto at a time when they are looking to pare down their payroll a bit.
A pitcher of Fernandez’s age and caliber may entice Los Angeles enough to come off its stance of trading away any of its top. Corey Seager will remain off the table, but the chance to add Fernandez may put the Dodgers in a position to deal Julio Urias and/or Jose de Leon, and pepper in more as will be required by Miami.
Still, that may be too rich for even the Dodgers. However, if the offseason continues to happen around them and Los Angeles is denied the pitchers it craves, desperation could set in and Miami would have all the cards.