Mariners quietly address big need with Cameron Maybin trade
The Mariners had a pretty big hole in center field, but their acquisition of Cameron Maybin from the Marlins should give their lineup a moderate lift.
If the Mariners are going to knock the Astros off their perch atop the AL West, they’ll need significantly more production from center field. The Seattle front office hopes the acquisition of Cameron Maybin will help solidify their problematic position.
The Marlins will receive a low-level prospect and international prospect money as a part of the deal. Maybin was a quality starter for them, but Miami is nowhere near contending. They’re happy to get prospects for anyone who isn’t nailed down at this point in the season.
Seattle Mariners
Maybin isn’t a long-term solution, but he’ll provide an immediate upgrade over Guillermo Heredia in the lineup. That doesn’t mean the former Marlin is anyone’s idea of a perfect player, but he will be an improvement for Seattle.
Heredia enters the day slashing .229/.314/.335 in 264 plate appearances. It’s not as if Maybin is going to provide the Mariners any additional power, but he will get on base more often. That should give guys like Juan Segura, Nelson Cruz and Mitch Haniger more opportunities to drive in runs.
Interestingly, Maybin’s real value for Seattle will likely come on the defensive end. Even at 31, he still shows tremendous range in the outfield. He’s a plus outfielder by almost every advanced defensive metric out there. It’s a big reason he was able to post a WAR of 1.2 in 99 games this year.
Maybin isn’t going to be a star for Seattle, but he’s a quality starter that didn’t cost the team much at all. Mariners fans may not be in love with this acquisition, but it’s a solidly above average move for the team.
Grade: B+
Source confirms: #Mariners getting Maybin. First: @RyanDivish.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 31, 2018
Miami Marlins
The Marlins front office is doing the right thing by moving Maybin. He’s been a positive influence for the team this season, but his age doesn’t fit the team’s timeline for contention. The only real question here is whether or not Miami got enough in this deal.
The most important piece of the deal for the Marlins is the added international bonus money. That might be the team’s best way to get meaningful prospects into their system. The Miami market, in particular, is attractive for Spanish-speaking players who are looking to come to the US. It’s possible the Marlins can turn the extra cash into several reasonable prospects.
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No firm reports have named the prospect in the deal, so it’s safe to say it isn’t going to be anyone of real value. This deal is all about the international cash for the Marlins. They should have been able to get a reasonable prospect in the deal as well, but this still provides Miami decent value.