The Miami Marlins are shifting their trade focus, and that could ripple well beyond South Florida.
According to Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic, Miami is now discussing catcher Liam Hicks and first baseman/outfielder Kyle Stowers more actively than shortstop Otto Lopez and second baseman Xavier Edwards. That matters because Stowers has suddenly become one of the more prominent names to watch ahead of the August 3 trade deadline.
“As the Miami Marlins ponder trade scenarios, they are discussing catcher Liam Hicks and first baseman/outfielder Kyle Stowers more actively than shortstop Otto Lopez and second baseman Xavier Edwards, according to league sources briefed on their conversations,” Rosenthal and Sammon report.
For teams looking for help in the outfield or at first base, Stowers is the kind of player who can alter a deadline market. The Arizona Diamondbacks and Cleveland Guardians are among the clubs that could fit that profile, and both should have interest if Miami truly makes him available.
Stowers has 16 home runs this season and is under control through 2029, which means any deal would come with a steep price tag. The left-handed slugger has still been productive enough to draw attention even after a dip from a .912 OPS to a .787 OPS this year.
At 28, the former Baltimore Orioles draft pick is the sort of controllable bat contenders and retooling clubs alike tend to chase. If Miami does move him, the return should be substantial.
That possibility also lines up with the broader direction of the Marlins, who are expected to sell at the deadline. If Stowers is indeed on the block, he could become one of the bigger names moved before the deadline closes.
In Other News...
Diamondbacks Trade Deadline Focus At First Base Is Getting Interesting
The trade market is starting to tilt toward a familiar summer bargain hunt, and first base has become one of the spots Arizona could try to shore up before the deadline. With St. Louis slipping in the NL Wild Card race, the Cardinals look more likely to listen than to add, and Alec Burleson has emerged as one of the more appealing names on their roster thanks to a strong season and a contract that runs for two more years at a reasonable price.
For a Diamondbacks club still trying to keep pace in a crowded race, the appeal is obvious. Burleson brings offense, team control and the kind of cost certainty that can matter when clubs are weighing how aggressive to be in late July, but a move like this usually comes down to how much competition builds and how far Arizona is willing to go to solve a position that has been anything but settled. [Read more 🡒]
Diamondbacks Deadline Push May Come Down To One Costly Rotation Call
The Diamondbacks are still working the phones as the trade deadline nears, and one of the more intriguing possibilities has them looking at the left side of the pitching market. Arizona wants to add another arm to the rotation mix, and the Angels, already deep into sell mode after a busy season of dealing players away, look like a logical partner for a club trying to sharpen its October path.
What makes this one especially interesting is the price. Arizona has been weighing a package built around two left-handed pitching prospects, Kyle Drake and Cooper Hjerpe, which speaks to how seriously it is considering the move and how much it values another controllable starter. The question now is whether the Diamondbacks are willing to pay that kind of prospect cost for a rotation upgrade before the deadline clock runs out. [Read more 🡒]
Padres Just Made A Rotation Move Arizona Fans Cant Ignore
The Padres have added another familiar name to a National League West rivalry by landing veteran left-hander Robbie Ray in a trade with the Giants. For Arizona, it is the kind of move that gets attention quickly, because any rotation change in San Diego can ripple through a division where the margins are already thin and every series tends to carry extra weight.
San Francisco will get minor-league prospects Miguel Mendez and Joniel Hernandez back in the deal, and the clubs will split the rest of Rays salary this season. Even without the full details of how San Diego plans to deploy him, the trade matters for the Diamondbacks simply because it strengthens a division opponent while reminding everyone how quickly the landscape can shift this time of year. [Read more 🡒]