New York was interested in López right up until the deadline on Tuesday, almost acquiring the starting pitcher.
According to the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson and Craig Mish, the Marlins had serious discussions about Pablo López with the Yankees and Dodgers before the trade deadline on Tuesday.
According to Herald reporters, the Yankees were the closest to a deal. Nothing came of it, but the Marlins were interested in Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres. Teams were calling about Torres, who stayed put, according to YES Network’s Jack Curry.
According to the Herald, Yankees’ top prospect Anthony Volpe did not appear to be involved in any negotiations between the two clubs.
While López eventually stayed in Miami, reports of the Yankees and Marlins talking could foreshadow future negotiations. If the Marlins are unable to extend López, which they have not done, the team may look to trade him this offseason, according to The Herald.
López, who will be a free agent in 2025, would be a huge addition to any rotation. López has a 3.33 ERA in 278.2 innings since 2020, despite being overshadowed by rotationmate Sandy Alcantara. The Venezuelan native, who made his debut in 2018, has a 3.41 ERA in 21 career starts this season.
While López would have been a valuable addition to New York’s rotation, Torres would have come at a high cost. He is also under the team control until 2024 and is having a good season after two tough seasons.
Torres only hit 12 home runs during that time, but he has regained some of the power that saw him hit 62 home runs from 2018 to 2019. Torres had 16 home runs, 46 RBI, and a.257/.312/.466 slash line entering Wednesday’s game.
However, with fellow second baseman DJ LeMahieu signed and Volpe and fellow shortstop prospect Oswald Peraza on the way, the Yankees may consider Torres expendable in the future. If that happens, they should think about re-engaging the Marlins in the López situation.
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