What the Miami Marlins are planning with their outfield and 2 relievers on their radar
The Miami Marlins — already with two veteran starting outfielders — have continued to explore acquiring a third.
But they have a plan if that pursuit for another veteran bat doesn’t materialize.
If the union and MLB agree to continue with a universal designated hitter (which appears dubious) — and if the Marlins do not add an outfielder — Miami’s plan heading into spring training would be to play Corey Dickerson in left field, Starling Marte in center field, and a platoon of Lewis Brinson and Magneuris Sierra in right field, provided both players hit decently this spring.
Brinson would play against left-handers, Sierra against right-handers.
Harold Ramirez — who missed most of last season with a hamstring injury — will have an opportunity to compete, but he might be the odd man out.
Monte Harrison — who hit .170 with 26 strikeouts in 51 plate appearances for the Marlins in 2020 — could give the organization something to think about if he has an extraordinary spring, but at this point, the likelihood is he begins the season at Triple A to get regular at-bats. Same with outfield prospect Jesus Sanchez, who was just 1 for 25 with 11 strikeouts during a brief Marlins stint last season.
Marte, of course, is assured of a starting spot; he’s considered the team’s best position player. The Marlins hope that Dickerson, due to earn $9.5 million in the second year of a two-year deal, rebounds after hitting .258 in 210 plate-appearances, down from his career .284 average.
The right-handed-hitting Brinson, 26, hit .226 last season - raising his career average to .189 - but he batted .260 with two homers and seven RBI in 54 plate appearances against lefties, giving the Marlins hope that he could at least become a competent platoon player.
The left-handed hitting Sierra, 24, hit .250 with seven RBI with four steals in five attempts. He hit .250 both against both right-handers (in 45 plate appearances) and lefties (eight plate appearances). The Marlins were pleasantly surprised by Sierra’s play last summer and no longer view him exclusively as a backup and pinch runner.
If there’s no designated hitter, it’s possible Garrett Cooper could get some at-bats in right field, though sources say the Marlins at this point are disinclined to play Cooper in the outfield. He played 31 games in right field in 2019 but is limited there defensively.
A universal DH — which has been rejected by the players union, to this point, as part of larger-scale negotiations — would allow the Marlins to play Cooper at first base and Jesus Aguilar at DH — or vice versa.
As for outfield trade options, Boston’s Andrew Benintendi and Baltimore’s Anthony Santander remain possibilities.
The Marlins and Red Sox discussed names in a possible trade for Benintendi, but talks did not advance, though the sides could re-engage. The left-handed-hitting Benintendi was limited to 14 games last season but hit .266, with 13 homers and 68 RBI in 2019.
The switch-hitting Santader hit .261 with 11 homers and 32 RBI in 37 games and 165 plate appearances in 2020 after hitting .261, with 20 homers and 59 RBI in 93 games for Baltimore in 2019. He’s under team control through 2024.
Keep in mind that the Marlins and Orioles have made two deals over the past year. When Miami acquired reliever Richard Bleier from Baltimore last summer, the Marlins also were interested in pitcher Miguel Castro, who ended up being traded to the Mets a month later.
The Marlins also could add an outfielder as a non-roster invitee before spring training. Among the options: Kevin Pillar, who hit .288 with six homers and 26 RBI in 206 at-bats for Boston and Colorado.
ANDERSON FALLOUT
When Marlins general manager Kim Ng said earlier this offseason that she wanted to see Brian Anderson for a year before the team makes a determination on a possible contract extension, it was not well received by associates of Anderson.
Anderson has arguably been Miami’s best offensive player for the past three seasons; he hit .255 with 11 homers and 38 RBI in 229 plate appearances in 2020.
Anderson, who can become a free agent after the 2023 season, said last year that he would like to remain a Marlin long-term, but there’s no indication that an extension is on the horizon, at least for now.
Asked about a potential Anderson extension, Ng said earlier this offseason: “I would say I personally would like to see how this year goes before we ventured down that road just so I have a better understanding of who he is as a player and I just get a better sense of the situation.”
When asked on Friday if there was anything specific she wanted to see from Anderson, Ng said: “I’m not sure that we’re looking for him to do anything in particular. Brian is who he is and he can do what he can do. I’m not setting goals for him in any way. I wouldn’t want to give that impression. Look, I look forward to meeting Brian face to face finally in a couple weeks here, getting to know him and then watching him play on a consistent basis and then weighing that with our future needs.”
Anderson was one of the first players to report to individual workouts in Jupiter this offseason.
BULLPEN UPDATE
The Marlins continue to pursue cheap bullpen help.
They’ve inquired about Mets free agent left hander Chasen Shreve, who went 1-0 with a 3.96 ERA in 17 games last season, with 17 hits and 12 walks allowed in 25 innings. He struck out 34 and limited batters to a .191 average but allowed four home runs.
He dominated the Marlins in 2020, allowing no hits and striking out 11 in 17 plate appearances by Marlins hitters.
The Marlins have told their 2020 closer, Brandon Kintzler, that they would like him back but haven’t made an offer.
Kintzler is open to returning if Miami makes an offer and if it’s his best option when camp begins. With COVID affecting baseball economics, the market has been slow developing for Kintzler and dozens of other quality players.
The Marlins have stayed in contact with Kintzler’s rep the past two months since opting to pay a $250,000 buyout instead of exercising his $4 million team option for 2021.
Newcomer Anthony Bass is the front-runner for the closer’s job.
THIS AND THAT
The Marlins’ decision to move on from right-hander Jordan Yamamoto wasn’t a surprise. Not only did struggle last season (27 hits and 23 runs in 11 1/3 innings), but when he reported for camp last July, team officials were disappointed with how he threw and didn’t believe he prepared enough during the layoff.
The Marlins traded him on Monday for Mets minor league infielder Federico Polanco, a. 299 hitter with 14 doubles and five triples in 56 games between DSL and GCL.
▪ Catcher J.T. Realmuto, who recently signed a five-year, $115 million deal with the Philadelphia Phillies, ultimately made the right move not accepting the extension discussed by the Marlins before Miami traded him to Philadelphia in February 2019.
But the total amount of an extension broached by the Marlins at that time — $76 million over six years — ended up being superior to the majority of offers that Realmuto received in free agency this winter. That Marlins offer would have bought out two years of arbitration eligibility and four years of free agency.
Realmuto ultimately declined to sign that extension and the Marlins then traded him.
The trade turned out fine for the Marlins, who have a likely longterm rotation piece with Sixto Sanchez and a serviceable catcher in Jorge Alfaro, who the team hopes will rebound after a disappointing 2020 season.
This story was originally published February 2, 2021 at 1:28 PM.
