MLB Trade Review: Blue Jays and Marlins Make Four Player Deal

The Toronto Blue Jays have acquired RHP Adam Cimber and OF Corey Dickerson from the Miami Marlins in exchange for IF Joe Panik and RHP Andrew McInvale. Miami will also send a small amount of cash to Toronto.

This is an interesting trade at first glance, as the veteran Dickerson would appear to be the headliner. He is a three-time 20+ home run hitter, with a career OPS of .816. However, Dickerson has been on the injured list for the past two weeks with a foot injury, and is currently in a walking boot. There is doubt that he could return this year, although the chances are high. With a crowded outfield that contains Randal Grichuk, George Springer, Teoscar Hernandez, and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. confined to three spots, a healthy Dickerson would not be much more than a lefty bench bat. His purpose in this trade is really for the Blue Jays to eat money. Dickerson still has $4.5 million remaining on his contract before becoming a free agent at the end of the year. If Dickerson returns before the trade deadline, then the Blue Jays, even as buyers, could look to flip him for a low-level prospect in McInvale’s range.

The acquisition of Cimber is the key here. The Blue Jays could be a much better team, but their bullpen has killed them. Jordan Romano has been the lone trustworthy arm as of late, forcing a change. Cimber is a submariner with MLB success. Despite a very low strikeout percentage, he has a 3.88 xERA and a 2.9 barrel percentage on the season. Toronto also has him for two additional seasons after 2021. The return is low, as Panik is a replaceable infielder and the headliner here.

Cimber, 30, has a 2.88 ERA with 21 strikeouts, 11 walks, and a 1.194 WHIP in 34.1 innings pitched for the Marlins this season. In his MLB career for the Marlins, Cleveland Indians, and San Diego Padres, Cimber has a 3.69 ERA with 125 strikeouts, 49 walks, and a 1.266 WHIP in 170.2 innings.

Dickerson, 32, has hit two home runs with a .260 average, two stolen bases, and a .699 OPS in 224 Plate Appearances for the Marlins this season. In his MLB career for the Marlins, Tampa Bay Rays, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Colorado Rockies, Dickerson has hit 124 home runs with a .282 average, 26 stolen bases, and an .816 OPS in 3348 Plate Appearances.

The Marlins had their year of fun in 2020, but they are back to being bad this year, sitting in the NL East basement with a 33-44 record. That sounds like a seller to me. This trade is not an obvious “blow it up” move like when they traded Giancarlo Stanton, Christian Yelich, and Marcell Ozuna, but it is a nice rebuilding piece. They bought low on Cimber in the offseason and now sell him high. Panik is not much more than a bench player, but they do get a young AA pitcher in McInvale, a 2019 37th round pick out of Liberty having a solid season in the New Hampshire bullpen. They save money moving from Dickerson to Panik, who is also a free agent after this season.

Panik, 30, has hit two home runs with a .246 average and a .644 OPS in 123 Plate Appearances for the Blue Jays this season. In his MLB career for the Blue Jays, San Francisco Giants, and New York Mets, Panik has hit 41 home runs with 20 stolen bases, a .268 average, and a .711 OPS in 2965 Plate Appearances.

McInvale, 24, has a 2.18 ERA with 28 strikeouts in 20.2 innings for the New Hampshire Fisher Cats this year. For the Fisher Cats and High-A Vancouver, he has a 2.55 ERA with 34 strikeouts and 14 walks in 24.2 innings pitched.