With a potential fire sale looming for the Miami Marlins as team owner Jeffrey Loria readies to sell his debt-ridden franchise, the club is reportedly getting numerous calls about its speedy second baseman.
Sources told Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports that the Los Angeles Angels, Toronto Blue Jays, and Kansas City Royals have all expressed interest in Dee Gordon, one of several veteran players the Marlins are expected to shop as the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline approaches.
Now in the second season of a five-year, $50-million extension he signed last January, Gordon, a two-time All-Star, has hit .295/.342/.358 (90 OPS+) with 32 stolen bases in 85 games in 2017, tying Ian Kinsler for the seventh-most WAR (1.7) among second basemen.
Though he hasn't been able to replicate over the last two seasons the gaudy offensive numbers he put up in 2015, when he led the National League in batting average (.333) and put up a career-best .776 OPS, Gordon, 29, would offer a clear upgrade at second base for the Angels, Blue Jays, and Royals - each of whom are within five games of a wild-card spot at the All-Star break.
No team in the majors has received less value from its second basemen this year than the Angels (45-47), who have watched Danny Espinosa hit just .167/.240/.284 in his 67 games at second while receiving virtually nothing else from Cliff Pennington, Nolan Fontana, and Nick Franklin.
Since Devon Travis went down with a knee injury in early June, meanwhile, the Blue Jays (41-47) have relied on Darwin Barney and Ryan Goins to no avail, as the two have combined for a .581 OPS over 387 plate appearances this season.
Finally, the Royals (44-43) - just 1.5 games back of the second wild-card spot -have fared well, relatively speaking, as Whit Merrifield has hit .281/.319/.449 with seven homers and 14 stolen bases as their primary second baseman in 2017, though the 28-year-old owns a meager .675 OPS over his last 31 games.
