The Boston Red Sox are rumored to be interested in Miami Marlins outfielder Starling Marte. Here is how they can get a deal done.
The MLB trade deadline is officially less than a week away, which means we can see a mad scramble for teams looking to offload talent to organizations looking to contend for the World Series later this year. One team who is expected to be buyers is the Boston Red Sox, owners of the best record in the American League as of this writing. And it appears they have their eyes set on a specific outfielder.
According to Sean McAdam of the Boston Sports Journal, Red Sox general manager Chaim Bloom has expressed interest in acquiring Miami Marlins outfielder Starling Marte, but talks have not progressed.
So, what would it take for the Red Sox to land Marte, possibly the best outfielder on the trading block?
Starling Marte contract details
Marte is entering the final year of his six-year, $31 million contract initially signed when he was a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates. He has since gone to the Arizona Diamondbacks and then the Marlins last year.
According to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, the Marlins offered Marte a three-year, $30-plus million contract extension, which the outfielder declined. With that, the Marlins are expected to trade Marte at the deadline, as the team is falling further down the NL East standings. While the Red Sox are interested in Marte’s services, they are not alone, as McAdam lists the New York Yankees, San Francisco Giants and Philadelphia Phillies as potential fits.
This trade could send Starling Marte to Red Sox
Red Sox Get
OF Starling Marte
Marlins Get
OF Gilberto Jimenez (No. 5 prospect)
RHP Brayan Bello (No. 18 prospect)
Considering that Marte is scheduled to become a free agent at the end of the 2021 campaign, you can officially rule out the Red Sox sending over the likes of Triston Casas, Jeter Downs, Jarred Duran or Bryan Mata to Miami. But, it only makes sense that Bloom sends over No. 5 prospect Gilberto Jimenez to the Marlins as a potential replacement for Marte down the line.
Through 59 games with Single-A Salem, Jimenez is slashing .296/.336/.379 while recording two home runs, 33 RBI, 40 runs scored, 71 hits and 11 stolen bases.
To further sweeten the deal, the Red Sox send over right-handed pitcher Brayan Bello. In 13 total games with Single-A+ and Double-A, Bello owns a 5-0 win-loss record, 3.27 ERA and 1.15 WHIP, while recording 77 strikeouts and 16 walks over 55 innings of work.
The Red Sox can use Marte to help them make a push to a return to the World Series for the first time since they hoisted the Commissioner’s Trophy back in 2018. That, and if they so choose, could negotiate a deal with him to keep him in Boston for the foreseeable future.