Potential trade chip Hechavarria a valuable defender

MIAMI — As much as the Marlins are committed to retaining their core, the reality is that they may have to trade some mainstays to improve their rotation.

Adeiny Hechavarria, who has locked down the shortstop position since 2013, is a potential option to be dealt once the Hot Stove season gets underway after the World Series.

Hechavarria is one of the top defensive shortstops in the game. He was an NL Gold Glove Award finalist in 2014 and ’15. But the 27-year-old is coming off a down season, and he is entering his second year of arbitration. Estimates have his salary rising from $2.6 million in ’16 to about $4.5 million in ’17.

When it comes to trades, Marlins president of baseball operations Michael Hill said in the season wrapup news conference that the team would explore all options.

“I think we’re going to have to look at everything,” Hill said, speaking generally about players. “We know what our goal is. We know it’s not going to be easy. We know what the market place is.”

Realistically, not everything is on the table.

Outfielder Christian Yelich, catcher J.T. Realmuto and left-hander Adam Conley, for instance, are basically untouchable, and third baseman Martin Prado just signed a three-year, …

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