MLB Trade Rumors: Josh Bell Traded to Diamondbacks from Marlins After Walker Injury
July 30, 2024
The Miami Marlins have traded first baseman/designated hitter Josh Bell to the Arizona Diamondbacks, according to Craig Mish of the Miami Herald. According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Marlins will receive cash considerations.
The deal comes after Diamondbacks first baseman Christian Walker suffered an oblique injury, as noted by Bob Nightengale of USA Today. Bell had also recently been placed on waivers, per Robert Murray of Fansided.
Bell experienced a career rejuvenation in Miami after the Cleveland Guardians traded him to the Marlins on Aug. 1, 2023. The left-handed slugger hit 11 home runs alongside 26 RBI and an .818 OPS in 53 games.
However, the 2024 season has been a struggle for Bell, who has just a .239 batting average with 14 home runs in 104 games.
Still, Bell was expected to be on the move, per a June 16 report via USA Today's Bob Nightengale.
"The Marlins plan to trade first baseman Josh Bell but realize they will have to eat most of his remaining $16 million contract," Nightengale wrote.
The 31-year-old's best season occurred in 2019, when he smacked 37 homers with 116 RBI and a .936 OPS in an All-Star campaign for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Bell appeared to be a mainstay in Pirates lineups following his excellent 2019 season, but he was dealt to the Washington Nationals after a tough pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign (.669 OPS).
Bell hasn't reached that 2019 peak since, but his power has led to him becoming a hot prospect at trade deadline in 2022 and 2023.
The Nats dealt him to the San Diego Padres during the 2022 midseason, and then the Guardians moved him to the Marlins this year. Miami proved to be a great home for him as he significantly helped the team make the playoffs.
But this year has been a disaster for the 39-67 Marlins, who sit last in the NL East. Miami already dealt its best player and hitter in infielder Luis Arráez in May, signaling a waving of the white flag early on.
And now Bell is out of town as Miami undergoes another rebuild.
Granted, Bell could have been on the move anyway this offseason. He picked up a $16.5 million player option for the 2024 season but is a free agent after the year. So the Marlins are also wise to gather assets in return for Bell and avoid the risk of losing him for nothing.