Miam Marlins potential losses:
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Free agents: None
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Potential non-tender candidates: Bryan Holaday, Javy Guerra, Christopher Bostick
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Potential DFA candidates: J.B. Shuck, Yadiel Rivera, Tyler Cloyd
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Potential trade candidates: J.T. Realmuto, Starlin Castro, Martin Prado, Derek Dietrich, Kyle Barraclough, Dan Straily, Jose Urena, Drew Steckenrider, Nick Wittgren, Adam Conley and Drew Rucinski
Miami Marlins potential additions:
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Potential Free Agent/Trade Targets: Mark Reynolds, Luis Valbuena, Jose Iglesias and Francisco Liriano
Welcome to the Miami Marlins offseason, which should be… well, in line with the team’s rebuilding strategy since Derek Jeter and company took over.
Miami has shipped out Giancarlo Stanton, Dee Gordon, Christian Yelich, Marcell Ozuna, Justin Bour, Cameron Maybin, Brad Ziegler and Odrisamer Despaigne in the last dozen months and figure to do more veteran shedding in the offseason.
Those trades have netted Miami some intriguing prospects like Sandy Alcantara, Jose Devers, Monte Harrison, Lewis Brinson, Magneuris Sierra, Nick Neidert, Jorge Guzman and Isan Diaz.
Combined with players like Brian Anderson, Caleb Smith, Trevor Richards, Tayron Guerrero and Pablo Lopez and the Fish have the makings of a decent core.
However, with the exception of perhaps the Royals and Orioles, the Marlins are arguably the farthest rebuilding club away from contending given the state of their farm system and Major League roster.
Non-tender/DFA candidates: Bryan Holaday, Javy Guerra, Christopher Bostick, J.B. Shuck, Yadiel Rivera and Tyler Cloyd
Whether Miami wants to add veteran free agents on one-year deal with an eye towards flipping them, or simply wants space to add waiver claims from other teams or prospects from their own system to the 40-man roster, they’ll need some room to maneuver.
Miami’s path to additional offseason flexibility starts with the non-tender and DFA candidates on the roster.
Guerra (32), Cloyd (31), Shuck (31) and Holaday (30) are four of the older players left on the Marlins.
None of them were particularly effective last year either, making them expendable.
Rivera (26) and Shuck (25) aren’t on the wrong side of 30, but they could be on the wrong side of the numbers should Miami have to make space for a new addition.
Rivera is blocked in the infield by Anderson, JT Riddle, Miguel Rojas, Dietrich and Castro with Isan Diaz waiting in the wings at Triple-A.
Meanwhile, Shuck is part of a crowded outfield mix that also includes Brinson, Sierra, Austin Dean, Isaac Galloway, Braxton Lee, O’Brien and Rafael Ortega.
Anderson and Dietrich also saw extensive time in the outfield in 2018.
Trade candidates: J.T. Realmuto, Starlin Castro, Martin Prado, Derek Dietrich, Kyle Barraclough, Dan Straily, Jose Urena, Drew Steckenrider, Nick Wittgren, Adam Conley and Drew Rucinski
And here’s where things get interesting.
Basically, any player on the Marlins’ Major League roster outside of Brinson, Sierra, Richards, Smith and possibly Guerrero should be expendable.
That means 2018 fWAR leaders J.T. Realmuto and Jose Urena (at least for pitchers anyway). That means veterans with some value left like Castro and Dietrich.
And that means quality relief pitchers like Kyle Barraclough, Drew Steckenrider, Nick Wittgren, Adam Conley and Drew Rucinski. The biggest luxury on a losing team is a quality bullpen, and the Marlins have some potentially useful—to other teams—relief hurlers.
And oh yeah, let’s throw in Martin Prado and his high-priced salary as well.
Wei-Yin Chen’s contract might be a bit tough to move, considering its length and annual values, but Prado only has one year left on his deal.
(On a side note, trading Chen to Toronto for Troy Tulowitzki could make sense for all parties.)
Per Spotrac, Prado is making $15 million in 2019. Then he’s a free agent. That’s it commitment-wise from a money perspective.
Miami could certainly help their chances of finding a taker and getting something in return for Prado by eating most or all of his salary.
After all, jettisoning him would allow Brian Anderson to see more time at third base, thereby opening up playing time in the outfield for Sierra, Braxton Lee and others. It would also create more opportunity at first base, where the Fish could give slugger Peter O’Brien an extended audition in 2019.
If they don’t eat any of his salary, the club could always include him in a larger deal with an organization looking to shed salary.
Some trade scenarios that make sense include the following:
(All salary information via Spotrac.)
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Prado for Russell Martin ($20 million salary) and a mid-tier prospect
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Prado and $3 million for Kendrys Morales ($12 million salary)
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Prado and $5 million for Mark Trumbo ($11 million salary)
Potential Free Agent/Trade Targets for the Miami Marlins: Mark Reynolds, Luis Valbuena, Jose Iglesias and Francisco Liriano
As with the vast majority of rebuilding organizations, the Marlins should simply be in the market for stop-gap veteran options that can be flipped for some kind of return.
The Fish didn’t do much of it last offseason, really only signing Maybin and then flipping him to Seattle in July for prospect Bryson Brigman and international bonus slot money.
With so many holes on the roster, Miami should look into adding more veterans.
Reynolds is an ideal replacement for Bour at first base and given his past production with Colorado and Washington could easily be flipped for something come the non-waiver trade deadline.
Meanwhile, Valbuena is an interesting bounce-back candidate to keep an eye on.
He struggled in his time with the Angels in 2018, compiling a .253 wOBA, a 59 wRC+, a 34.7 K% and a .135 ISO in 288 plate appearances.
The versatile infielder, however, is only a year removed from logging 22 home runs and a 12% walk rate that was the third-best of his career.
Yes, Valbuena’s on-base percentage never eclipsed the .300 mark in Anaheim. But he had OBPs of .357 .310 and .341 in his three prior seasons.
Still, even if his on-base percentage only ever reaches as high as the .310 mark again, he could be an all-too-useful bench cog with his penchant for power (.193 ISO since 2013), ability to draw a decent number of walks (11.3 BB% over the same span) and the ability to play first and third base.
If he plays well, that’s the kind of player contenders will be looking to bolster their bench with for the stretch run.
Rounding out the list are a pair of players who spent 2018 in Detroit in Jose Iglesias and Francisco Liriano.
Iglesias can be a stop-gap option up the middle if Starlin Castro is traded. This would allow J.T. Riddle to shift to second base. The duo would keep both positions warm for Diaz depending on where he sticks in the Majors.
Liriano, meanwhile, can soak up innings and potentially be a trade candidate down the road. Despite a down season in the Motor City, the veteran southpaw’s name cropped up in the rumor mill over the summer.
A return to the National League could help him rediscover his form.
More from Know Hitter’s Offseason Preview Series:
What's next for the #MNTwins with Paul Molitor no longer in place as manager#Twins https://t.co/sPyDC0zUIW
— Know Hitter (@knowhitter272) October 2, 2018
It's #October1st & that means #MLB offseason has begun 4 teams not in the playoffs
What will #Tigers do?
Which players should they trade?
Which FAs should they sign?@BenRosener has you covered
If you like articles w/ nearly 2,000 words, this is for youhttps://t.co/TbsA5T3S5j— Know Hitter (@knowhitter272) October 1, 2018
