Marlins Look To Make Playoff Push By Trading Jarred Cosart, Prospects To Padres For Andrew Cashner

The San Diego Padres have reached an agreement to trade right-handed pitcher Andrew Cashner and Colin Rea to the Miami Marlins, according to ESPN insider Buster Olney.

In exchange, the Padres will get back right-handed starting pitcher Jarred Cosart , along with prospects Josh Naylor and Luis Castillo, according to ESPN’s Jason Stark.

Marlins Look To Make Playoff Push By Trading Cosart, Prospects To Padres For Cashner

Cashner had been rumored to be on the block all season and despite his 4.76 earned run average, he serves as one of the best starters available in a trade market that is light on starting pitching.

Now 29, the Marlins coveted Cashner in hopes that he could rediscover the form he pitched to in 2014 when the No. 19 overall pick in the 2008 MLB Draft posted a 2.55 ERA in 19 starts, to go with a 1.16 WHIP.

Miami is looking to make a postseason push, sitting five games out of first place in the N.L. East behind the Washington Nationals and tied for the second Wild Card spot with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Marlins manager Don Mattingly intimated last month that his team needs to remain focused on the schedule ahead and not the standings.

“We’ve got to keep playing. There is still so much baseball to be played,” Mattingly told reporters June 28. “It feels good to be where we’re at right now, but there’s lots and lots of big series coming up.”

Cosart, 26, also posted his best season in 2014, his first full season in the big leagues, pitching to a 3.69 ERA over 30 starts, split between the Houston Astros and Miami.

Last season he saw his ERA swell to 4.34.

Rea has a 4.98 ERA in 18 starts in 2016, with 77 strikeouts in 99 1/3 innings pitched. In his best start of the year, May 6, the 26 year-old carried a no-hitter through six and two thirds against the visiting New York Mets before Yoenis Cespedes broke it up with a single through a shifted infield.

Naylor was the Marlins first pick in the 2015 MLB Draft and was listed as the No. 2 prospect in their entire organization. In 89 minor league games this year, he is batting .269, with nine home runs and 54 RBI with Class A Greensboro.

Cashner, who had been the longest-tenured player in San Diego prior to the deal, admitted Wednesday that the constant turnover of the Padres roster is “sad.”

“You’d definitely like to see more guys stay here longer in their careers.That’s just kind of how it’s been since I’ve been here,” Cashner said. “I’ve made some great relationships with a lot of guys, and there’ll be lasting friendships for a lifetime.”

Article by Kevin Xavier