The trade was first reported by Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald and later verified by the Marlins. The Marlins are getting Double-A pitcher Kyle Barraclough in return for Cishek, who won't be a free agent until 2018.
The Cardinals are betting on the fact that they can turn around Cishek and it's not a crazy idea. He's struggled in 2015, losing his closer's job and posting a career-high (by a lot) 4.50 ERA. But he saved 39 games with a 3.17 ERA in 2014 and was even better the previous year, finishing a league-high 62 games with 34 saves and a 2.33 ERA.
The Marlins moved Cishek out of the closer role this season after his early struggles and into a late-inning role, where he has improved, as our pal Jeff Passan points out:
It's hard to look at Cishek, with his side-arm delivery and that last name and not think of Pat Neshek, who was an All-Star reliever last year for the Cardinals with a 1.87 ERA in 71 appearances. He signed with the Houston Astros as a free agent before this season, which is among the reasons the Cardinals would be happy to bolster their bullpen for the postseason.
If Cishek's side-arm is anywhere close to as good as Neshek's, this will be a great trade for the Cardinals.
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