The Miami Marlins appear to be somewhat open for business ahead of the MLB trade deadline, and the Houston Astros may be knocking on their door.
Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic has reported that the Astros are making a pursuit of Marlins outfielder Jesus Sanchez, who has long been regarded as one of the most likely Miami players to potentially be dealt before July 31.
Sanchez is slashing .257/.323/.412 with nine home runs and 34 RBI over 328 plate appearances this season while also playing decent defense, owning a plus-2 DRS and plus-1 OAA.
The 27-year-old is under club control through 2027, so the Marlins will probably ask for a decent haul in exchange for the former top prospect who has never quite lived up to expectations in South Beach.
Miami initially acquired Sanchez in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays back in 2019. He broke into the big leagues in 2020 and then played 64 games the following year, slashing .251/.319/.489 with 14 homers and 36 RBI across 251 trips to the dish.
Since then, Sanchez has only flashed pedestrian pop, topping out at 18 long balls last season. His plate discipline also has not been the best, and overall, he owns a lifetime .736 OPS.
Still, due to the rather thin trade market, the Marlins may be able to fetch a solid return for Sanchez, especially from a contending Astros team that could certainly stand to add another bat.
Miami may also want to clear room for outfield prospect Jakob Marsee, who is enjoying a breakout campaign at Triple-A Jacksonville this season.
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