MIAMI -- No one knows whether Dan Straily will be moved before Monday's 4 p.m. ET non-waiver Trade Deadline, but his stock may have increased following his start in Sunday's 6-4 loss to the Reds at Marlins Park.
In what may have been a last-minute audition for contending teams, Straily limited Cincinnati to two runs on seven hits over six innings while striking out four and walking two. It was a nice bounce-back outing after the right-hander yielded 10 combined runs over his previous two starts -- both losses.
"I'd be lying to you if I said it's not in your thoughts ever," Straily said of the rumors. "But it was really nice to go out there for two hours or whatever it was and really not have one thought about any of that and just go out there and compete."

Straily, who in January was traded to the Reds for three prospects -- including the starter Miami faced Sunday in Luis Castillo -- would undoubtedly serve as a nice pickup for a contending team. Plus, he's under team control through the 2020 season.
Having already been traded four times in his career, Straily is no amateur when it comes to handling rumors. That history has helped him stay focused over the last week or so.
"It's no secret I've been traded a few times," Straily said. "Wherever you are, you go compete and give everything you have to that team, that organization, that group of guys you're around. If the day comes that you're picked up by another team or traded, you go compete for those guys."
Straily nearly injured his right hamstring on what could've been a disastrous play in the second. Castillo dropped down a bunt on a safety squeeze play with Jose Peraza on third. Straily slid but unsuccessfully glove-flipped to A.J. Ellis at home. He said his hamstring "grabbed" slightly, but he was able to stay in the game after a couple warmup pitches.

Straily's battery mate, Ellis, has also had his name floating around the trade block. The veteran catcher could provide a nice addition to a club like the Cubs or Rockies, two teams that have been linked to him.
Considering the Marlins won't play again until after the Deadline, it could've been the pair's last game in Miami.
"As one of the guys whose name gets tossed around, A.J. and I were talking about it, you can't feel like you're the first one," Straily said. "You're not the first one for your name to pop up in a rumor. You just have to go up there and enjoy your time with your team."
Straily isn't the first Miami arm that has had to deal with trade rumors this year. Relievers AJ Ramos and David Phelps both handled the noise before being dealt. It's part of what Straily said makes the game exciting.
"How much buzz has been around baseball the last few weeks, the last few days especially?" Straily said. "All that stuff is great for baseball."