With trade deadline looming, Pablo Lopez ties career-high in strikeouts. Marlins beat Reds

There’s no guarantee that the Miami Marlins are going to trade Pablo Lopez between now and MLB’s trade deadline at 6 p.m. Aug. 2.

But with Miami at the very least listening to offers from possible suitors, any positive performance from the 26-year-old right-hander and No. 2 pitcher in the Marlins’ rotation bodes well for the organization.

And Lopez threw a gem on Tuesday in the Marlins’ 2-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. He tied a career-high with 11 strikeouts and held the Reds to just one run on two hits without issuing a walk.

“It’s one of those starts that you really need,” Lopez said, “because it just reminds you that the work we put in between starts really pays off if you stay convicted, if you stay hopeful, if you’re doing your preparation in between starts and you’re doing everything in your power to get better. It’s just reassuring that things do fall into place. ... It was not only a fun start, but a good start to build up from.”

Miami improves to 46-51 on the season. The Reds fall to 37-59.

Tuesday marked the fifth time this season that Lopez has pitched at least seven innings and held an opponent to no more than one run. It was also just the fourth time he did not issue a walk this season in 20 starts.

Lopez made it through his seven frames on 94 pitches. Reds hitters whiffed on 18 of their 43 swings against him. Of his 11 strikeouts, five came on his changeup, three on his four-seam fastball and three on his curveball.

“His mechanics were really good today,” catcher Jacob Stallings said. “I could tell before the game that he was in a really good spot.”

After allowing a leadoff single to Jonathan India, Lopez retired 12 consecutive Reds hitters — including a stretch with five consecutive strikeouts — before Mike Moustakas hit a solo home run to lead off the fifth inning. Lopez ended his night by retiring the final nine batters after the home run, including striking out the side in the sixth — and striking out Moustakas for his final out of the game.

“He was clean tonight,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. “He was not getting in his own way at all. He was aggressive all night. ... It’s good to see him, I shouldn’t say back on track because he’s been throwing the ball OK, but just clean Pablo.”

On the season, Lopez has a 3.03 ERA and 118 strikeouts over 116 innings. The strikeout and innings pitched totals are both career highs, and his .205 batting average against is the lowest in his career. And that’s with him struggling for the majority of June before having solid outings in four of his five starts in July.

Couple this with the fact that Lopez is under team control for two more years, and he fits the profile of a pitcher who could be dealt at the trade deadline should the Marlins fall out of the playoff race and get the right asking price — or if they want to bet big and use him as the centerpiece of a package to acquire a premium bat.

Lopez said he doesn’t pay attention to the rumors.

“I really don’t know how any of that works,” Lopez said. “In my mind, I’m already preparing to come tomorrow for my Day. 1routine and just get ready for the next [start]. I just have to be in the moment.”

Mattingly, for the time being, is moving forward with that mentality as well.

“We’re gonna need this guy the whole second half,” Mattingly said. “We’re going to take care of him. We’ve seen what’s happened to Pablo in the past. We just want to take care of him, make sure he stays on a good track.”

This and that

▪ Miami is now four and a half games behind the St. Louis Cardinals (51-47) for the National League’s third and final wild card spot.

▪ The Marlins scored their two runs on a Joey Wendle two-out single in the fifth after Jesus Sanchez hit a double and Luke Williams followed with a single and stolen base to put two runners in scoring position.

Miami had a slew of other opportunities to tack on runs but went 0 for 10 with runners in scoring position outside of the hits by Williams and Wendle in the fifth.

Wendle finished the game with three hits and is hitting .319 (23 for 72) with five doubles in 20 games since returning from the injured list on July 1.

▪ Anthony Bass pitched a scoreless eighth inning and Tanner Scott recorded his 13th save of the season with a scoreless ninth.

▪ Prior to the game, the Marlins placed first baseman/designated hitter Garrett Cooper on the 10-day injured list with a right wrist contusion and recalled first baseman Lewin Diaz. Diaz started at first base on Tuesday.