According to a report by New York News Daily’s Andy Martino, the Miami Marlins have been aggressive in shopping their starting pitcher and highest paid player, Ricky Nolasco, before the July trade deadline.
Nolasco is in the last year of a contract that has the Marlins paying him $11.5 million this season, wherein he will be a free-agent at the end of the the year.
Nolasco has spent his entire seven year career with the Marlins and has posted a 3.68 ERA and 77/25 strikeout to walk in 100.1 innings of work this season, wherein Miami will most likely be looking to barter Nolasco to an interested team before a potential regression of skills.
The Giants need a solid addition to a rotation that has been consistently inconsistent this season, in that they admire Nolasco’s pitching ability (highlighted by a plus slider that has been his “lights out” pitch this season and his ability to mix pitches well) and his past success at AT&T Park in San Francisco.
In four career starts in San Francisco, Nolasco has garnered a victory in each of those starts and boasts a phenomenal 0.83 ERA.
Whichever way the cookie crumbles come the trade deadline, the Marlins need to free up some salary space and bolster a roster that has underachieved this season, whereas Nolasco will be able to add depth and experience to a rotation that is in need of help for the summer stretch ahead.
