Miami Marlins Trade Anibal Sanchez and Omar Infante To Detroit Tigers

The Detroit Tigers have reportedly acquired right-handed starting pitcher Anibal Sanchez and second baseman Omar Infante from the Miami Marlins for the stretch run. The Tigers gave up minor league pitchers Jacob Turner and Brian Flynn and Triple-A catcher Rob Brantly in the trade. Future draft picks are also part of the transaction according to CBS Sports.

Sanchez is not exactly setting the world on fire in 2012. His record thus far this season is 5-7 this season with an ERA of .394. He will become a free agent at the end of this season. Infante, a fan favorite (but not nearly as popular as outfielder Emilio Bonifacio judging by the crowd reaction each time Bonifacio came up to bat in a recent visit to Marlins Park), is currently hitting .287 with a .442 slugging percentage, and is expected to give the second base position some pop for the Tigers. He began his MLB career with the Tigers in 2002.

The Marlins, who have underperformed this season and are stuck in fourth place with little chance to qualify for the Wild Card, also apparently are considering trading pitcher Josh Johnson, and the Red Sox, with pitching woes of their own, may be interested. Boston had interest in Sanchez too; he began his career in the Red Sox organization. Marlins infielder Hanley Ramirez and closer Heath Bell may also be on the trading block as the team considers cleaning house. Ramirez, a career .300 hitter, is batting only .246 this season.

The Tigers are in first place in the American League Central, but the Chicago White Sox are only 1-1/2 games back going into tonight’s action. The Tigers swept Chicago in a three-game series this past weekend.

The MLB trading deadline is July 31.

[photo credit: The Suss-Man (Mike) via photo pin cc]