Winners and losers from MLB Trade Deadline

Winner: Miami Marlins

The Miami Marlins were both buyers and sellers at the MLB Trade Deadline. Seemingly at the same time, they traded for Starling Marte, star outfielder of the Arizona Diamondbacks, and sent second baseman Jonathan Villar to the Toronto Blue Jays.

First, let’s look at the Marte trade. The Marlins sent pitchers Caleb Smith and Humberto Mejia to the D-backs for Marte, who will become a free agent at the end of the season. It was a surprising turn of events for a surprisingly competitive Marlins team. They were sending assets away for a player that can help them now. Smith is 29 years old, so his contributions to the Marlins were short-lived, but Mejia is 23 years old and still has some upside.

Then, they traded Villar to the Blue Jays. Villar might have rumors swirling about his “fit” in the organization, but the real reason for this trade was need. Well, more like lack of a need. Villar is soon going to be an extra piece for the Marlins because of their extremely talented Isan Diaz. He originally opted out of the season but is reportedly waiting for reinstatement after changing his mind. This makes Villar an extra that was going to leave in free agency after the season.

Can you guess who the Marlins wanted from the Blue Jays? None of the than the son of “Mr. Marlin” himself. Griffin Conine is the son of Jeff Conine, who spent two stints with the Marlins, won the Rookie of the Year, and was an All-Star twice. Griffin Conine is one of the Blue Jays top-20 prospects, shows a ton of power from the left side, and could be a really good piece in a year or two.

So basically, the Marlins moved Jonathan Villar, got a better player in Starling Marte, moved middling pitchers, and got a really good hitting prospect. This is a major win for Derek Jeter’s squad.