Kuzul

It’s not hot-stove season for Major League Baseball just yet, but trade rumblings are starting to crop up with November right around the corner.

When it comes to early trade rumors, most of the teams involved are reportedly seeking the same thing: starting pitching.

Without wasting any time, here’s a rundown of the latest buzz circulating in MLB‘s fall rumor mill. 

Marlins Dangling Adeiny Hechavarria and Derek Dietrich

The Miami Marlins are looking to bolster their starting pitching staff, and they’re reportedly intent on parting with a couple of infielders to improve their depth on the mound.

“The Marlins are expected to consider trade offers for shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria and jack-of-all trades Derek Dietrich in an attempt to acquire pitching,” the Miami Herald‘s Barry Jackson reported Sunday. “They value Dietrich and believe he’s starter-caliber, so Miami would want quality in return.”

While it’s unclear whom the Marlins will target, one scout told Jackson that Dietrich could bring back a potential starter.

“Maybe Hechavarria gets you a No. 4 starter,” the scout added. “[Marcell] Ozuna gets you something pretty good if you want to part ways.”

Dietrich’s versatility makes him an intriguing trade chip, and the fact that he’s coming off the best season of his career at the plate only bolsters his value.

After batting .256 with a .346 on-base percentage during the 2015 season, Dietrich posted a .279/.374/.425 slash line while hitting seven home runs and driving in a career-high 42 runs.

Then there’s Hechavarria, who would be a fine defensive upgrade for a team in need of help at shortstop.

Following 2013 and 2014 seasons that saw Hechavarria post 0.6 cumulative defensive wins above replacement, the 27-year-old posted a 1.6 dWAR mark in 2015 and a career-best 1.7 this past season. 

At the very least, one of those players should help the Marlins land a starting pitcher who can provide relief at the back end of the rotation.

Royals Make Wade Davis Available for Trade

Wade Davis has been one of MLB’s most reliable closers over the past three seasons, but the Kansas City Royals could reportedly look to move the 31-year-old to improve a starting staff that finished ninth among all American League clubs with a 4.21 ERA.

“The Royals intend to pick up Davis’ $10 million option but are open to dealing him,” the Boston Globe‘s Nick Cafardo reported. “A Royals source indicated the team would like to get controllable starting pitching in return. Davis makes sense for a lot of teams, including Boston and Toronto.”

Although Davis has been stellar, it makes sense that Kansas City would want to explore his value on the trade market.

First and foremost, Davis is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent after the 2017 season. As a result, the Royals may want to maximize the return on their investment and net a team-controlled starting pitcher in return, as Cafardo‘s source noted.

Additionally, Davis battled right forearm discomfort that sidelined him for half of July and all of August.

Finding a viable No. 3 starter under team control for a one-year rental like Davis could be difficult, but perhaps the Royals can sell a contending team that has starting depth and needs a bullpen upgrade on swinging a deal.

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

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Last week, we took a look as to what players might not be with the Miami Marlins in 2014. 

Today, based on who we think will still be here, we’re going to take a look as to what the Marlins starting lineup will be next season.

The rules are simple. The Marlins chosen to start next season must be under team control in some fashion for the 2014 season. This means guys such as Juan Pierre and Placido Polanco, who signed one-year deals  with the Marlins in the offseason, were not selected because they had little to no shot of starting next year, especially considering their current roles as bench players. Also, this means free agents such as Brian McCann, Robinson Cano, Jacoby Ellsbury and Matt Garza will not be coming to South Beach anytime soon.

While you might be very familiar with the names on this list, keep in mind these players have earned the starting nod either through outstanding production or merely by default. 

Without further ado, let’s present the starting nine for the 2014 Miami Marlins in lineup card fashion.

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It would appear the Toronto Blue Jays and New York Mets have agreed on players for an R.A. Dickey trade, but according to Jon Heyman of CBS, stranger things have happened than a trade like this falling through. 

But should this deal go through, Dickey will be the final addition to a Blue Jays squad that catapulted itself into a playoff contender. 

The key Toronto player involved in this trade is top prospect Travis d’Arnaud. 

If you’re not familiar with who he is, d’Arnaud was the cog when the Blue Jays traded Roy Halladay in December 2009. 

Last season he hit .333/.380/.595 in an injury-shortened season. But regardless, he is in fact scheduled to make his MLB debut in 2013, and he seems to have all the tools necessary to make for a solid big league catcher. 

R.A. Dickey is the reigning NL Cy Young winner, and at 38, it’s difficult to tell whether his knuckle ball will continue to break over the plane of the plate for seasons to come.

But alas, there’s no reason to believe it won’t because 2012 wasn’t Dickey’s only quality season. 

Since 2010, Dickey’s had a record of 39-28 and an ERA of 2.95 in 616.2 innings pitched. Not to mention he’s the proud owner of a 1.15 WHIP and two consecutive 200-plus-inning seasons. 

In hindsight, the Blue Jays made it seem as though they were looking for a fifth starter. The misconception, though, was that the pitcher was to be a fifth-in-the-order calibre pitcher. In Dickey, Toronto is on the verge of snagging an ace. 

Although the Blue Jays have lost blue chippers Adeiny Hechavarria, Jake Marisnick, Justin Nicolino and now possibly Anthony Gose and Travis d’Arnaud, this is a case where they have to take risks to win games. 

With the Boston Red Sox trying to sort things out and the New York Yankees getting old and creaky, the time for Toronto to spend money is now. 

Not only do they have a mixed dynamic of power and speed in the batting order, but in Josh Johnson, Mark Buehrle, Brandon Morrow, Ricky Romero and possibly Dickey, Toronto has a chance to win every time one of those pitchers take the mound. 

Assuming the team stays healthy and plays consistently, they will be tough to beat. And although the odds are already in their favor, the only thing left to do is go out and play. 

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