The Miami Marlins and Toronto Blue Jays wasted no time making the first blockbuster trade of the MLB offseason according to the Sun Sentinel in Miami.
Beyond trading away former Jays’ skipper John Farrell to the Boston Red Sox, this is the most altering move by a team since the Dodgers and Red Sox trade during mid-season.
Surprisingly, Jose Reyes didn’t even last one season in Miami, after being one of the top free agents during the previous offseason.
Reyes headlines the group of Marlins players heading to Toronto, including: SP Josh Johnson, SP Mark Buerhle, Catcher John Buck, and Utility Emilio Bonifacio.
The Marlins receive a pair of shortstops in Yunel Escobar and Adeiny Hechavarria, along with pitchers Henderson Alvarez and Justin Nicolino.
From a fantasy prospective, it’s great news for Josh Johnson and Mark Buerhle going into next season’s drafts.
You can expect them to pitch in the number two and three spots, behind Jays’ ace Ricky Romero, which can only do wonders for their value.
John Buck will likely assume a backup role behind JP Arencibia, after a dismal season.
Jose Reyes takes over as shortstop for Escobar and will solidify the Jays’ need for a viable leadoff hitter.
Third baseman Brett Lawrie excelled in the leadoff spot towards the second half of the season, but is best suited for the number three spot going forward.
As far as the Marlins go, it’s nothing more than shedding contracts and hitting the reset button.
It’s the Marlins, what else is new?
They’re always looking to get younger, but this offseason is more about forgetting this past season.
They dismissed Ozzie Guillen, they made major trades during the season with the Tigers and Dodgers, and now they’re cleaning up their books.
The main beneficiaries for the Marlins have to be outfielder Justin Ruggiano and utility Donovan Solano, who played key roles for the team after the mid-season trade deadline.
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