Marlins linked to another high-profile hitter ahead of trade deadline. Where things stand

Add Tim Anderson to the list of position players the Miami Marlins are linked to ahead of MLB’s trade deadline as they try to add an impact bat to their lineup for a hopeful playoff push.

As first reported by ESPN’s Jesse Rogers, the Marlins are among the teams interested in acquiring the Chicago White Sox shortstop.

Anderson, 30, has struggled mightily at the plate this year. Entering Thursday, he ranks last among 144 qualified hitters with a .285 slugging percentage and .570 on-base-plus slugging mark. He has yet to hit a home run in 319 at-bats.

However, he has begun to pick up his production since the All-Star Break. Over the past 11 games, Anderson is hitting .378 with a .440 on-base percentage and .442 slugging mark, five RBI and seven runs scored over 45 at-bats.

And he has a track record for being a quality hitter. Anderson is a career .284 hitter with 331 RBI, 97 home runs and 512 runs scored in 850 games across eight MLB seasons, all with the White Sox. He was an All-Star in both 2021 and 2022, won a Silver Slugger Award in 2020 and was the American League batting champion in 2019 when he hit .335, the first of four consecutive seasons in which he hit at least .300.

“Anderson is a more proven commodity than anyone the Marlins employ,” reads the ESPN report. “A change of scenery and a smaller market could do him some good, as well.”

Anderson is one of a few names that has been linked to the Marlins ahead of the trade deadline, which is at 6 p.m. Tuesday. Other notable names include Chicago Cubs first baseman/center fielder Cody Bellinger and Washington Nationals third baseman Jeimer Candelario.

The Marlins, who enter Thursday in a five-team race for three wild card spots and a half-game out of the postseason picture, have already made a pair of trades this week to bolster their bullpen. Miami made a one-for-one swap with the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday, acquiring right-handed reliever Jorge Lopez for Dylan Floro one day after sending cash considerations to the Padres for left-handed pitcher Jose Castillo, whom San Diego had designated for assignment.

The trade market has begun to heat up over the past few days.

On the position-player side, the Brewers on Thursday acquired first baseman Carlos Santana from the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Dodgers made a pair trades as well, getting utility player Kike Hernandez from the Red Sox and shortstop Amed Rosario from the Cleveland Guardians for Noah Syndergaard.

Meanwhile, the Angels late Wednesday night traded two of their top prospects for White Sox pitchers Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez.