Cincinnati Reds vs Miami Marlins – which team is closer to the playoffs?

With the Cincinnati done with the Miami Marlins for the season and both teams selling at the deadline, which team is closer to the playoffs?

The Cincinnati Reds held Miami Marlins’ right field Giancarlo Stanton homerless in Miami, but still lost three of four.  In the season series the Reds went 2-5 against the Marlins.  That, though, doesn’t tell the story of who is closer to the playoffs.

The Marlins just got done trading their best two bullpen arms in David Phelps and A.J. Ramos for a boatload of minor leaguers.  What is curious about this is that the pitchers were both under the team’s control for multiple seasons.  Meanwhile, excess veterans, particularly catcher A.J.Ellis, and outfielder Ichiro Suzuki, are both still with the team.  The Marlins do have two of their top five prospects from the start of the 2015 season on their roster already in catcher Tomas Telis and reliever Brian Ellington.

With the exception of the shortstop position the Marlins are loaded across the board with an outfield of high offensive players and an infield that excels on getting on base.  Martin Prado, the third baseman, is on the DL right now, but he has a contract already for next season.  The catcher, J.T. Realmuto, is an up and coming, all-league talent.

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Self-imposed question marks fill the Marlins’ pitching staff.  Former Red Edinson Volquez and the highest paid player on the roster, Wei-Yin Chen, are both currently on the DL.  With those two injured and a bullpen in flux, the future of the staff looks questionable even into next season.

The Cincinnati Reds have their own series of questions and answers looking into the future.

Similar to the Marlins, the Reds are in good shape with their position players.

They are not quite as good up the middle, though.  At the end of the season shortstop Zack Cozart will be a free agent and center fielder Billy Hamilton will be the target of trade rumors again.  The catching duo of Tucker Barnhart and Devin Mesoraco, also, are a step down from Realmuto.

Unlike the Marlins, the Reds’ bullpen looks to be in great shape.  Closer Raisel Iglesias and number two man Michael Lorenzen are both under team control for next season.  Drew Storen will be a free agent, but he is the only player that the Reds could lose without wanting to.

Next: Looking back at the Mike Leake deal

Unfortunately, the starting rotation is in slightly worse shape than that of the Marlins.  Still, with the development of Luis Castillo and Sal Romano, the Reds have a clear path to contention.  The Marlins, on the other hand, look completely tied to scoring with their elite outfield and praying for good enough pitching, which is something that Cincinnati can relate to.