The Miami Marlins are not done with trading away players, but they appear to have a preference on who they deal. Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports that the Marlins are pushing Marcell Ozuna while interested teams want in on Christian Yelich.
Yelich is thought to have higher upside in addition to more team control. The teams also don’t want to give up pieces for Ozuna right now because they believe that Yelich is going to be traded this offseason regardless of what Miami says at the moment.
Update – Dec. 12 – 12:28 p.m.
The Miami Marlins have expressed interest in trading Marcell Ozuna in their effort to shed payroll. The Washington Nationals, St. Louis Cardinals, and San Francisco Giants all showed their interest in trading for the All-Star outfielder yesterday.
The Colorado Rockies, Texas Rangers, and Toronto Blue Jays join that list of teams according to Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald.
Original Report – Dec. 11
Despite actively selling to cut payroll, Joe Frisaro of MLB.com reports the Miami Marlins are not likely to trade either Christian Yelich or J.T. Realmuto this offseason.
In addition to Yelich and Realmuto, Frisaro notes the team will also be hard pressed to trade Dan Straily, Justin Bour or Jose Urena.
However, despite being cost controlled, the Marlins are actively shopping Marcell Ozuna.
In fact, Jon Heyman of Fan Rag Sports reports the Cardinals and Nationals are two teams to inquire on Ozuna. Frisaro adds the Giants, who like the Cardinals had initially agreed to a framework for a Giancarlo Stanton trade with the Marlins, are also interested.
Heyman speculates the Marlins will move Ozuna because he will become a free agent before the Marlins are ready to be contenders again.
Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports indicates the Marlins have been pushing Ozuna in trade discussions, advising teams who have called on Yelich that Ozuna would come cheaper in a trade.
The 27-year-old Ozuna is second arbitration year eligible, and he is slated for free agency in 2020, which is two years prior to Yelich.
Ozuna is coming off his first All Star, Gold Glove and Silver Slugger season. In 159 games, he hit .312/.376/.548 with 30 doubles, two triples, 37 homers and 124 RBI. In left field, he posted an 11 DRS. Ozuna also has past experience in center and right field.
Ozuna becomes not only one of the most coveted players on the trade market, but he also becomes just the latest Marlins player to be available this offseason. After trading Stanton, the Marlins have let it be known Starlin Castro, the prize of the Stanton deal, is also available for trade.
