Miami lands righty Straily from Reds for 3 prospects

Starter, 14-8 last season, targeted to add rotation depth.

The Marlins have made another big move to try to bolster their starting rotation.

M i a m i o n T h u r s d a y a c q u i r e d s t a r t i n g r i g h t - handed pitcher Dan Straily in a trade with the Cincinnati Reds for three minorleaguers, including two of their top prospects in power pitchers Luis Castillo and Austin Brice. The Marlins also gave up minor- league outfifielder Isaiah White.

Straily, went 14-8 with a 3.76 ERA in 191⅓ innings (31 starts, 34 appearances overall) with 162 strikeouts for the Reds last season.

Straily would join Edinson Volquez, Wei-Yin Chen, Tom Koehler and Adam Conley in the team’s projected starting rotation this coming season. But Marlins president of baseball operations Michael Hill said Jeffff Locke, Jose Urena a nd J u s t i n Ni c o l i no a l s o would compete for spots, and that one — or even two — could end up in the bullpen as long relievers.

“We have said throughout the offffseason with our acquisitions, we were looking at ways to shorten the game,” Hill said. “I think whomever the players are who aren’t a part of that fifive- man rotation will still pitch valuable innings for us because they represent bridges to get us to the back end of our pen.”

I t was a b uy- l ow, s e l l - high move for the rebuilding Reds, who claimed Straily offff waivers last spring and took advantage of his best big-league season by dealing him to the Marlins for prospects. One national baseb a l l a n a l ys t , E S P N’s J i m Bowden, termed it a “lopsided” trade in favor of the Reds. But the Marlins are in win-now mode.

“We got what we wanted,” Hill said. “We wanted Dan Straily. We felt like we wanted to add another starter to our depth.”

Straily, a flfly- ball pitcher, gave up 31 homers last season, tied for most among National League hurlers. But Hill said Marlins Park should help bring that total down.

“I don’t think he’ll be giving 31 home runs in spacious Marlins Park,” Hill said.

Castillo, 24, is the Marlins’ fififth- ranked prospect according to MLBPipeline. com, and went 8-6 with a 2.26 ERA with 103 strikeouts in 26 games (131⅔ innings) last season, splitting time at the Double-A and Single-A Advanced levels. Castillo originally was traded last year to the Padres in the deal that brought starters Andrew Cashner and Colin Rea to Miami, but later was traded back to San Diego when Rea hurt his elbow in his fifirst start for the Marlins.

Bec ause St rai ly i s four years from free agency, he becomes the “controllable” pitcher the Marlins were hoping to acquire when they traded for Rea.

Straily was always a target,” Hill said.

Brice, 24, made his majorleague debut for the Marlins last season and went 0-1 with a 7.07 ERA with 14 strikeouts in 14 innings.

White, 20, a left fielder drafted in the third round by the Marlins in 2015, hit .214 with a home run and 17 RBIs in 173 at-bats last season at the Single-A Short Season level last year.

The trade leaves the Marlins’ already thin farm system that much weaker.

“Yes, we have traded a lot,” Hill said of giving up prospects. But we feel like in doing so we’ve gotten quality in return.”