Who should the Miami Marlins target at the MLB Trade Deadline this year?
There is a buzz surrounding the Miami Marlins, who seem to try and reinvent themselves every ten years or so. This season, they hired former New York Yankees star Don Mattingly as their manager, and brought in home run king Barry Bonds as their hitting coach. The team has positioned itself to make a run at a playoff spot in 2016, but will have to add to their roster to do it.
This season, the Marlins have built a solid lineup around slugger Giancarlo Stanton, who is beginning to mash like the Stanton of old. Ichiro Suzuki seems to have found a time machine, and is inching ever closer to 3,000 hits in his Major League career. As a team, the Marlins have six players batting over .300 as they head into the All-Star break.
Miami also boasts one of the best young arms in the game, as Jose Fernandez has come back from injury to be just as dominant as he was before. In 107.1 innings this season, Fernandez has struck out 154 batters, and has won 11 of his 17 starts.
With a solid blend of sluggers and arms, there is no reason to believe this Marlins team cannot compete all season long. The New York Mets have been besieged with injury this season, and the Washington Nationals have spurts where they play very inconsistent baseball. If the Marlins can stay healthy, they could be the surprise team of this baseball season.
Here are five players the Marlins should try to pick up before the trade deadline.
Next: 5. Kurt Suzuki, C, Minnesota Twins