Mariners Trade Proposal: A deal for Marlins SP Pablo Lopez

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It’s getting close to the trade deadline, and we are all waiting for Jerry Dipoto to make a move. Sure, we can hope that he lands the biggest fish on the market in Juan Soto (well, unless you think the Angels would actually move Ohtani), but the higher likelihood move is that the Mariners end up trading for one of the top four available starting pitchers, like Miami Marlins RHP Pablo Lopez.

The Marlins are one of the hardest teams in baseball to figure out. They’ve got a lot of good prospects, good pitching, and always seem like they draft and develop well. Ownership doesn’t like paying guys though, and the last time it happened, they ended up trading a bunch of them that same season. So, whenever they have the opportunity to trade a good player to get younger again, they seem to jump at the chance.

It’s why the Mariners should call the Marlins about Pablo Lopez

Lopez has been great the last three years, with an ERA of 3.16, an ERA+ of 133, a WHIP of 1.101, and a K rate of 9.5. Opponents just don’t hit well off of him either, with a slash line of .221/.286/.369 over that same time frame.

Oddly enough, Lopez and Skubal probably have similar values. They are pretty close in age, with Lopez about half a year older. Lopez does have a lot more success though, with a proven track record of succeeding. However, Skubal has 4.5 years of control compared to 2.5 for Lopez, that’s the main factor that puts them into the same value range.

So, what would it take to get Lopez? I’m going to put two options out there. One that is solely pitching, and one that is solely hitting. It can be hard to tell what the Marlins want, but with the recent news of Max Meyer blowing out his UCL, it would make sense that they would be looking for even more pitching.

CINCINNATI, OHIO – JULY 26: Pablo Lopez #49 of the Miami Marlins pitches in the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on July 26, 2022 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /

Mariners Proposal #1 For Pablo Lopez: All the Pitching

If a deal happens for Lopez, I think the Mariners will have to give up a couple of their better pitching prospects to make it happen. Sometimes I struggle at adding some of these guys in. It’s a combination of fans always overhyping their own prospects, with the added part that I have actually been lucky enough to talk to some of them in interviews. Like Bryce Miller.

He’s lower on the Mariners prospect list, but he is making massive leaps. He has been dominant since joining the team, and has actually been called up to AA already despite just 92.1 innings in A and A+ ball. A strikeout machine, Miller has been limiting walks, and finished his 15 starts this year at High-A Everett with a 3.24 ERA.

Oh, and to make it a bit funnier, he was actually drafted by the Marlins out of high school back in 2018.

As for Dollard, if Miller has been climbing the ranks, Dollard has kicked the door in. Many will argue that he is the fastest rising pitching prospect in the Mariners system. He’s been at AA Arkansas all year, throwing 93.2 innings across 18 starts. With a 1.54 ERA and a 0.918 WHIP, it’s no surprise that teams would be calling and asking about him, and I wouldn’t be shocked to see him in Tacoma soon if he isn’t traded.

Lastly, it’s the Mariners actual top pitching prospect, Emerson Hancock. He’s dealt with some shoulder issues, which caused some folks to sour on him. However, I’ve been in his corner all year, and he has made me feel a lot better as of late. He dominated in the futures game, has been pitching well in AA Arkansas, and is actually a little younger than both Miller and Dollard, although all of them are 23 years old.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JULY 08: Pablo Lopez #49 of the Miami Marlins in action against the New York Mets at Citi Field on July 08, 2022 in New York City. The Marlins defeated the New York Mets 5-2. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /

Mariners Proposal #2 for Pablo Lopez: All the Hitting

This one is tough too because I actually got to interview Ford as well last year. He’s just 19, is an uber-athlete, and brings a rare mix of speed and power to the catcher position that honestly makes me think of JT Realmuto. If you can get that kind of hitter at catcher, you are in a great spot for years to come.

Unless, that is, you have a young catcher in the bigs already that has been heating up, and a young team that has the opportunity to have a plethora of young, dominant starting pitchers.

Joining Ford would be Gabriel Gonzalez and Jonatan Clase, two impressive young outfielders for the Mariners. Gabriel is only 18, and Clase turned 20 this season. Don’t be fooled by Clase’s size on baseball reference. He’s nowhere near 5’8″ and 150 lbs anymore, sitting closer to 6′ and 175. Clase has been working on switch-hitting and has blazing speed. Gonzalez lit up rookie ball, hitting just over .350.

Sending both of them over would give the Marlins a chance to acquire two solid outfielders that they could debut somewhere down the line, likely around 2026. For them, that’s probably worth more than it would be to nearly any other team in baseball.

Next. Mariners Trade Proposal: Packages to offer for Nationals Juan Soto. dark

Well, what do you think? Should the Mariners offload a bunch of pitchers, or try and get the Marlins to take a bunch of hitters in return for Pablo Lopez? There isn’t much time left for speculation as the trade deadline is almost upon us. Trader Jerry has some of the fastest hands in the west, and you know he is out there working the phones. Fingers crossed something fun happens, and as always… Go Mariners!

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It’s why the Mariners should call the Marlins about Pablo Lopez

Mariners Proposal #1 For Pablo Lopez: All the Pitching

Mariners Proposal #2 for Pablo Lopez: All the Hitting

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