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With the trade deadline just a week away, the Angels are listening to offers for Hector Santiago. In what seems like a lost season, selling off the left-handed pitcher could make a lot of sense for the injury-plagued team and change the landscape of the trade deadline.
The original report, which comes from Jerry Crasnick, suggests that multiple teams have already contacted the team regarding Santiago. With the upcoming free agent market being largely barren of big name pitchers, making Santiago available now could generate a lot of interest and, consequently, a large return.
Add Hector Santiago to the list of available starters. Several clubs have inquired about him, and the #Angels are listening.
— Jerry Crasnick (@jcrasnick) July 25, 2016
One team that’s reportedly interested are the Marlins according to Jon Morosi of Fox Sports:
#Marlins speaking with #Angels about starting pitchers, including LHP Hector Santiago, sources say. @MLBNetwork
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) July 25, 2016
The Marlins currently sit second in the NL East with a 53-45 record but are just half a game up on the Mets. The Nationals appear to be the favorite in the division, but the Wild Card race is well within reach and the Marlins currently occupy the second spot.
Santiago will go into his last year of arbitration eligibility this upcoming offseason. The 28-year old lefty has struggled this season though, especially with the long ball. That being said, he has been one of the Angels’ most reliable starters along with surprise star Matt Shoemaker.
The Marlins sit seventh among NL teams by FIP but aren’t working that late into games. Despite investing money to their starting rotation this past offseason in Wei-Yin Chen, the Marlins have had nine pitchers make at least one start this season. While Jose Fernandez has been otherworldly and Adam Conley impressive, the Marlins could definitely look for more stability down the stretch to help ensure their postseason hopes.
While it’s unclear what Billy Eppler and the rest of the Angels front office is looking for in return, this most assuredly seems like a seller’s market nearing the deadline, and no team needs prospect depth more than the Angels.