The Miami Marlins and San Diego Padres have pulled off a trade that should prove beneficial to both clubs. The Marlins acquire starting pitchers Andrew Cashner and Colin Rea as well reliever Tayron Guerrero. In exchange, the Padres get first base prospect Josh Naylor, starter Jared Cosart, injured reliever Carter Capps and pitching prospect Luis Castillo.
The deal provides both clubs with exactly what they were looking for in a potential trade, making this a win for both organizations. The Marlins get so much needed rotation depth, adding not one, but two starters. The Padres get a big time hitting prospect they can build around in the future as their big piece. But they also get a stud reliever for the future, as well as an inning eater for right now. So let’s delve a little deeper and see why this deal will help both clubs accomplish what they are striving for.
Andrew Cashner is the major piece of the deal. Rumors had been swirling for a while, and the Marlins won the sweepstakes. Cashner provides an immediate upgrade to the Marlins rotation. Jose Fernandez and Adam Conley were the only true stable forces in the rotation. Cashner now gives them a respectable three they can roll with.
Cashner has not had his best season, but that is likely because he battled neck and back issues early this season. He has shown signs of improvement as of late, and could turn out to be a very nice addition to the fish. He is in the prime of his career and also has excellent upside. He is also in the final year of his contract, so if he turns out to be a bust, at least the Marlins are not on the hook after this season. You can read more about why Cashner is a good acquisition here.
Rea could be the steal of the deal for Miami. He is not rental, as the team has him until 2021. The 26-year-old arm is in his second season and has yet to reach his full potential. He has struggled thus far this season, but he has the potential and skill to be a solid big league starter in seasons to come. He will likely be placed in the rotation this season, and it is possible the change of scenery helps him reach that potential. While I would not expect anything more than four or five starter type numbers this season, he is still an upgrade compared to what the Marlins had. Add in his upside going forward, and he is a nice get for Miami.
Guerrero provides potential bullpen depth for the fish. He has a very solid fastball and a decent slider and is major league ready. He does have some issues with control, however. He is not going to be a real difference maker, but it never hurts to have bullpen depth for a playoff team. Given his fastball, he could go on a decent run at an opportune time later in the season for the Marlins. The bottom line is he is an extra reliever with some potential but is far from a lock down stud.
The Marlins currently five games back of the Washington Nationals in the NL East, but they are currently in the playoff picture as a wild card team. They currently hold the second wild-card slot along with the St. Louis Cardinals as both teams have the same record, and only two games behind the beat up Los Angeles Dodgers for the first slot. So there are plenty of ways the team can get into the playoffs.
By upgrading the rotation with two arms, plus adding a bullpen piece, the team may have given itself the jolt in the arm to climb the standings further. The Marlins are in it this season, and this move proves they are willing to go for it.
Now we get to the Padres, who sit 15 games back in the NL West and 11 games back of a wild-card slot. They are looking to next season and beyond, as they are not going anywhere this season. Therefore, their big acquisition needed to be a prospect they could build around moving forward, and they did just that.
Naylor is that big piece, as the first base prospect has the potential to be a big-time power hitter. He is a former first-round pick, as the Marlins selected him 12th overall in 2015. He is still extremely young, as he is still only 19. He will join the lower level of the Padres system, and is still a few years away from hitting Petco Park.
But it is all about potential and the future for San Diego. Naylor is a potential 30 home run bat, and he does not strike out a ton. That is a rare combination, and he has the talent to be a future building block for the Padres organization.
Also in the deal, the Padres get Jared Cosart, who still has three years of control left. He is a 26-year-old pitcher who was once a former top prospect for the Houston Astros. He has had flashes of success in his big league career, but also a lot of inconstancies. But he is a young guy who the Padres can throw out there every five days for the next few seasons. And if his skills come to fruition, he can easily be flipped down the road for more building blocks. That is an if, but one that can surely pay off for San Diego down the road.
Capps may be the true steal for the Padres, however. Carter Capps has been out this entire season due to Tommy John surgery, and may also miss the beginning of next season depending on how his recovery goes. But the 25-year-old has three years of control left, and he has some serious skills. Capps is a future closer for sure. Upon his return to the mound, he should find himself in some high leverage situations for the Padres. He is young, he is talented, and he is going to be closing games for San Diego at some point next season. Huge get for the Padres.
Castillo is a bit of a project, but one that can touch 100 mph on the radar gun. He has been tried as a reliever and starter, but the bullpen is likely where he ends up in the big leagues. He can throw some serious gas, and that can be useful in one-inning increments. This is the second time he has been dealt, as he was traded from the San Francisco Giants to Miami in the winter of 2014 for Casey McGehee. He is the type of low-risk prospect the Padres would be wise to add on to deals they make.
So while the Marlins will see the fruits of this deal sooner, the Padres have the potential to win in the long run. Both teams made a move that makes sense for where they currently stand, and that is a win for all parties involved. The players involved have some serious potential. Now they just need to go out and prove it.