Marlins Trade David Phelps to Mariners

The Miami Marlins have traded David Phelps to the Seattle Mariners for a group of minor leaguers.

There are four players coming back from Seattle and they could all end up spending time in Miami in the future. One name is 19-year old Brayan Hernandez. The outfielder is one of Seattle's top prospects and comes with some potential. Hernandez could be considered the best part of the package.

In addition to Hernandez, Miami acquired Brandon Miller, Pablo Lopez, and Lukas Schiraldi from Seattle's system. It remains to be seen where Miami will assign the new players in the organization.

Phelps came to Miami prior to the 2015 season, in a deal that also included Martin Prado. In his two-plus seasons with the Marlins, Phelps amassed a 3.52 E.R.A in 131 games. The veteran worked out of the bullpen and the rotation, while also serving as a set-up man at times.

The Marlins have fallen out of contention and are now setting themselves up for the future. With losses in five of the last six games, Miami has apparently moved into selling mode and this should be the first of multiple trades. Phelps is a dependable reliever, who also can start in a pinch.

With Phelps gone, the Marlins can now turn their attention to another member of the bullpen. Closer A.J. Ramos is reported to be in high demand, with at least three teams bidding for his services. With a thin market for closers, Miami should be able to land a relatively good return for Ramos.

Besides Phelps and Ramos, the Marlins could entertain trades for other players such as Prado and Dee Gordon. It is unlikely that Miami will move Christian Yelich, Giancarlo Stanton, J.T. Realmuto or Justin Bour at this point. Those players could end up in talks next off-season, though Miami's ownership status will be a major contributing factor.