New York and Boston are both in the market for help around the infield.
With two members of their roster set to participate in the Home Run Derby on Monday night, the New York Yankees are reportedly looking to acquire another participant from the evening’s festivities.
According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, the Yankees are interested in the services of first baseman Justin Bour. In his fourth year with the Marlins, Bour is having a career-year in Miami.
His left-handed bat would be a huge asset for the Bronx Bombers to have at Yankee Stadium. He heads to the Mid-Summer classic with 20 HR – 57 RBI – and a .286 average.
The Marlins have a history of selling off high-profile players, and they are not afraid to rebuild. However, Bour is under team-control until the 2020 season and at a reasonable price. He has two more seasons of arbitration-eligibility remaining.
Financial Concern
The Marlins ownership situation is up-in-the-air and the team projects to lose about $60M this season. With such financial concerns, it would not be surprising to see the Marlins try and shed some payroll.
Several Marlins players under multi-year contracts could have new homes before the trade deadline. The most likely of which would be David Phelps, Martin Prado, or AJ Ramos. It would probably take a king’s ransom for the team to trade fan-favorite Giancarlo Stanton. Plus, Stanton has a no-trade clause.
The Red Sox are in the market for a third baseman and according to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, Martin Prado is a name that has recently surfaced in trade rumors.
The #RedSox, still desperately searching for a third baseman, continue to show interest in #Marlins 3B Martin Prado,
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) July 6, 2017
The Marlins have already parted ways with one starter this season. On June 26th the club traded shortstop Adeiny Hecavarria to the Tampa Bay Rays for two prospects. Looking to stay ahead of the Rays in the AL East, the Red Sox and Yankees may be following their lead.
