MLB Hot Stove 12/11/2014 - Marlins Reel In Present for Future

Marlins Gear Up for 2015, Acquiring Gordon, Haren and Latos 

It’s been a really busy past couple of days for the Marlins, who have completed two relatively big trades that will have immediate ramifications on their 2015 season.

First, Miami parted ways with their top pitching prospect, Andrew Heaney, along with three other youngsters, outfielder Kike Hernandez, catcher Austin Barnes, and reliever Chris Hatcher, sending them to the Dodgers for two quality Major League players: infielder Dee Gordon and starting pitcher Dan Haren.

While Heaney may project to be an ace at some point in the future, there’s no doubt the Marlins are serious about winning in 2015, nabbing a legitimate starting second baseman who they can plug in at the top of the batting order if they choose, and a very solid right-hander who has still contributed respectable pitching despite getting up there in age.

In fact, these two veterans are both former All-Stars. Gordon claimed his first All-Star berth this past season, and should provide Miami with a necessary upgrade at second base, a position the Marlins have struggled with over the recent past while trying to make it work with the likes of Ed Lucas, Derek Dietrich, Rafael Furcal, and Donovan Solano. Thus, Gordon’s presence could do wonders for a Marlins offense that also boasts arguably the best slugger in all of baseball, Giancarlo Stanton.

The addition of Haren could also be a valuable one, as he gives the Marlins important experienced pitching depth in the starting rotation. While Haren hasn’t made an All-Star team since 2009, he is coming off a bounce-back campaign in which he lowered his ERA from 4.67 in ’13 to 4.02 this past season. Furthermore, he also registered a winning record for the first time since 2011, finishing up at 13-11, which would have led the 2014 Marlins in wins. Haren gets bitten by the longball, having served up 27 or more homers in each of the past three years, so a move to pitcher-friendly Miami could improve his outlook in that regard as well.

The Marlins didn’t stop there, however, making an even bigger splash this morning by acquiring frontline starting pitcher Mat Latos from the Reds for two mid-level prospects, starting pitcher Anthony DeSclafani and catcher Chad Wallach.

The arrival of Latos is a critical one, as he is an ace-caliber starter capable of leading the pitching staff until phenom Jose Fernandez returns from Tommy John surgery at some point in the middle of the 2015 campaign. When he does return, the combo of Fernandez and Latos figures to pile up a ton of strikeouts and potentially dominate as much as any other 1-2 pairing in all of baseball.

Latos is coming off another fine showing in ’14. Despite missing the first two-and-a-half months of the season and making half his starts in hitter's haven Great American Ballpark, he managed to put together a 3.25 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, and .240 BAA, while pitching into the sixth inning or more in all 16 of his starts. He’s always been a model of consistency, and the Marlins will gladly welcome that into their young starting rotation. The 26-year old unquestionably has major potential pitching in Miami, as do the Marlins as a team after this flurry of moves.