There are just a few weeks until the MLB Trade Deadline, so it’s time for buyers and sellers to start making their pitches. The Miami Marlins are in the middle of the pack in a surprisingly weaker NL East Division this season, as they have an overall record of 41-47 as of Tuesday. They are not in bad shape for competing for a Wild Card spot, but they need the right moves to make.
The Marlins are stacked with reliable starting and relief pitchers this season. While they’ve encountered some injuries to the bullpen like other teams, they have the depth to back it up. One of their reliable non-high-caliber pitchers came onto the scene later in the season. Janson Junk started the season in the Marlins’ Triple-A league and has since become a dependable starting or relief pitcher.
What Makes Janson Junk a Solid Trade Piece for the Miami Marlins
In nine games and 43.1 innings played, Junk has accounted for an ERA of 3.12 and delivered 36 strikeouts. Junk has allowed 41 hits and 16 runs, with only one being a home run and four walks. He is having his best season since making his Major League debut with the Los Angeles Angels in 2021.
Junk is signed to a one-year; $760,000 deal with a pre-arbitration in the next two off-seasons. He is a pitcher playing at the top of his game and is cheap to pay. The Miami Marlins could make Junk one of the more interesting trade targets this trade deadline season.
The Miami Marlins could find a team desperate to fill their void with the lack of depth in the bullpen and who are serious contenders for a deep postseason run. Some teams could make the trade for Junk, but four teams come to mind for both attributes.
The Chicago Cubs, the Detroit Tigers, the Tampa Bay Rays, and the Philadelphia Phillies are teams that fit these depictions. If any of these four teams gets a reliable and cheap pitcher, they can extend this upcoming off-season. For the Marlins, they could get something of great value for taking in a minor league pitcher and seeing them develop quickly.
Four Teams the Marlins Could Trade Janson Junk to
The Cubs could use reliable depth to let their elite and other reliable pitchers catch a break. They’ve already lost Justin Steele for the rest of the year. Chicago also doesn’t want to overuse its key pitchers, who have seen some injuries this season.
The league’s current best team, the Tigers, is feeling great about their chances to contend for a World Series title. While the team is feeling the pressure of a title chase, they are also feeling the pressure of their rotation and bullpen. It may be too early to tell if Junk is a full-time back-half starting pitcher for the rest of the season, but it has to be better than running their top starting pitchers to the ground.
It will be harder for the Phillies to convince the Miami Marlins to give up Junk. Of all of the four teams mentioned, they are the team that could give the most hesitation. It also means the Marlins could demand more in return for Junk. Philadelphia doesn’t have too many concerns with injuries. They are, however, feeling the effects of some off-season losses and the suspension of Jose Alvarado.
Finally, perhaps Junk could still be in the state of Florida with the Rays serious about making some pitching moves. Along with the Tigers, the Rays are among the more surprising teams this season thanks to a great balance of efficiency at the plate and on the mound. Tampa Bay’s biggest issues involving their pitching crew are their lack of efficient relievers. In comes Junk, who could be most sustainable with the Rays than any other team previously mentioned.
Miami Marlins Could Trade Rising Pitcher to These Four Teams