The Miami Marlins just pulled off a deal that Jim Bowden of The Athletic called the “weirdest trade” of this MLB deadline, sending reliever Lake Bachar to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Seriously, this one is a head-scratcher. While Miami made other moves, like shipping Liam Hicks to the Tampa Bay Rays and Braxton Garrett to the Chicago Cubs, those weren’t huge shockers. This Bachar trade, though? Bowden himself doesn’t get it.
Why Bowden Is So Confused
Bowden straight up wrote that he doesn’t understand why the Marlins made this trade. He said, “Bachar was having a solid season for the Marlins, but they traded him for three players who all have less value than Bachar.” For a team that Bowden notes is “still contending,” that’s a puzzling decision. Bachar is 31 years old, and get this, he’s under club control through the 2030 season! That’s long-term value, folks. He’s posted a 3.84 ERA across 58.2 innings in 38 games this season, working as a long reliever and spot-starter. Plus, his ERA+ has never fallen below 106 in his big-league career until this season. Trading a solid, controlled reliever for what seems like pennies on the dollar? Yeah, that just doesn’t compute.
The Return Package That Raised Eyebrows
So, what did the Marlins get back for Bachar? They landed right-handed pitcher Brandon Bidois, infielder Hyun Seung Lee, and outfielder Brian Sanchez. And again, Bowden’s take is brutal: he believes all three of these players have less value than Bachar. It’s one thing for a team to sell at the deadline and shake things up, which Miami did with the Hicks deal. That makes sense. But to move a guy like Bachar, who has been consistent and locked up for years, for a return package that’s deemed so lackluster? It’s left everyone, including serious analysts, scratching their heads.
The trade deadline always brings some wild stuff, but this one for the Marlins is something else. It definitely earned its “weirdest trade” label. If you’re a Marlins fan, you’ve got to be wondering what the plan is with moves like this.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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