Liam Hicks will be heading across the state of Florida to join the Rays. Rich Storry / Getty Images
The Athletic has live coverage of the 2026 MLB Trade Deadline.
The Miami Marlins agreed to trade catcher Liam Hicks to the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday, league sources who spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal is not yet official told The Athletic. Double-A infielder Brayden Taylor is one of the players headed back to Miami in the deal.
The Marlins are parting ways with one of their most reliable hitters despite being just 1 1/2 games out of a playoff spot. The first-place Rays look to bolster their 2 1/2-game lead in the American League East.
In return, the Marlins get three prospects, including Taylor, a 2023 first-round pick.
Hicks, 27, has 14 home runs this season and a .795 OPS, while walking more times than he’s struck out.
The Rays rank 25th in home runs with just 111, and 30 of those have come from Junior Caminero. Hicks will add some thump to their lineup and won’t be eligible for arbitration until 2028.
The Marlins have been a bubble team amid an extremely unpredictable season. They posted their best month ever in June, followed by a franchise-worst 12-game losing streak.
They have since stabilized, winning six of seven against the Phillies and Mets. And it’s left them still within reach of a postseason berth.
Trading Hicks meant separating with one of the club’s most valuable players.
This story will be updated.
Aug 3, 2026
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