Report: Marlins asked Padres about Drew Pomeranz
The Miami Marlins are in the thick of the NL wild-card race, and it appears they're doing everything possible to stay there.
The team has reportedly reached out to the San Diego Padres about acquiring left-hander Drew Pomeranz to boost their starting rotation, a source told Jon Morosi of MLB.com.
This revelation comes one day after it was suggested Miami had inquired about the availability of Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Jake Odorizzi.
Pomeranz is having a career-best season in 2016, his first year with the Padres and his first as a full-time starter since 2012. The 27-year-old owns 96 strikeouts, already more than his previous career high of 83, to go along with a 3.00 ERA and 2.53 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He would provide an instant boost to a Marlins staff that owns a collective 4.15 ERA this season despite the brilliance of Jose Fernandez. He's also a controllable option, as he isn't due to hit free agency until after 2018.
It's unclear what a potential return for Pomeranz would consist of, though Miami reportedly doesn't want to trade pieces off its major-league team.
Related: Marlins drawing trade inquiries on Ozuna, Yelich
Miami sits just one game out of a playoff spot and 5 1/2 games back of the NL East-leading Nationals entering Wednesday's play, and appear anxious to improve their pitching staff behind Fernandez in order to remain in a pennant race this summer and make the postseason for just the third time in franchise history.
The Marlins haven't lost a playoff series in their 23-year existence.