Has the Fire Sale in Miami Begun?

The Tampa Bay Rays may have announced to the rest of the league that the team will be buyers at this season’s July 31^st trading deadline which should come as no surprise to most. The Rays will “buy” but they will always steer clear of the deep end of the free agent and trade market pool as they always have. With the Rays acquiring Miami Marlins shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria for two prospects the team has announced that they plan on sticking around for the duration of the season in the American League East. Does this also mean that the Miami Marlins have announced that they are going to be sellers and has the fire sale officially begun?

Well the first clue has to do with the prospects that the Marlins received back in trade, Ethan Clark and Braxton Lee. If the deal was simply too good to be true then maybe a fire sale is not on the horizon but if the prospects are simply “good” then I truly believe that suggests more moves to come for Miami, which could ultimately affect the New York Yankees.

Lee, a Double-A outfielder, is a South League All-Star this season hitting .318 with 16 RBI and 12 stolen bases at the time of the trade while Clark, a 22-yeard old Class-A Ball pitcher, had posted a 3-2 record with a 3.11 ERA in 12 games at the time of the trade. In a nut shell this was not a deal that was simple too good to pass up, the Marlins are selling. Buy now.

The Yankees could eat some salary and acquire Martin Prado, although the fact that he is under team control beyond the 2017 season complicates things for New York, to play third base or the team could look at some of the Marlins other talent like Marcell Ozuna. I’m admittedly not well-versed in the Miami Marlins team this season but I do know what the Yankees need in 2017 and that is third base help, first base help and starting pitching. It is up to Brian Cashman to know what the Marlins have and to pillage the team now before the rest of the league does this July.

At the time of the trade Hechavarria was on the disabled list after straining an oblique muscle although the shortstop has gone through the minor league rehab game process and is expected to be activated soon. Hechavarria, 28-years old, was hitting .277 with one home run and six RBI in 20 games for the Marlins and hasn’t made an error in the field all season. Hechavarria is a career .255 hitters in his six Major League seasons and will help the Marlins who are within striking distance of the Yankees and the Red Sox at the top of the AL East Division.