The roster moves and transactions the Marlins made after Jose Fernandez’s death
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Void on the mound, Void in their hearts
Jose Fernandez’s 2016 death devastated families, jolted fans and dealt the Miami Marlins a gut punch that they’ve spent five years trying to overcome.
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A running list of the main transactions — signings, trades, extensions and cuts — the Marlins made in the aftermath of Jose Fernandez’s death on Sept. 25, 2016, pertaining to players who were on the 2016 and 2017 roster.
▪ Sept. 27, 2016: Two days after Jose Fernandez’s death, the Marlins announced a three-year, $40 million contract extension that would keep third baseman Martin Prado in Miami through 2019. While one of the leaders in the Marlins’ clubhouse, Prado played just 195 games over those three seasons due to an assortment of injuries.
▪ December 2016 and January 2017: The Marlins acquired a pair of starting pitchers in Edison Volquez and Dan Straily as well as relievers Dustin McGowan Junichi Tazawa and Brad Ziegler in an attempt to make a playoff push.
Volquez, signed for two years and $22 million, was the Marlins’ Opening Day starter for the 2017 season but made just 17 starts — including the sixth no-hitter in Marlins history — before being shut down for the season with left knee tendinitis. The Marlins released him that offseason.
Straily was on the roster for two seasons, and had a 4.20 ERA over 56 starts with 269 strikeouts against 112 walks in 304 innings.
Overall, Miami’s starting pitchers in 2017 had a 5.12 ERA, which was the fifth-worst mark in baseball that season. Straily, Jose Urena and Adam Conley were the only pitchers to make 20 starts apiece and throw more than 100 innings. Urena was the Marlins’ Opening Day starter in 2018 and 2019 before being designated for assignment after the 2020 season. Conley elected free agency after the 2020 season.
Wei-Yin Chen, in the second year of a five-year, $80 million deal, was sidelined for most of 2017 with left arm fatigue. Chen remained in the Marlins’ rotation in 2018, moved to the bullpen in 2019 and was designated for assignment on Nov. 20, 2019, with the Marlins paying his salary for the 2020 season.
Following the 2017 season and the change in ownership from Jeffrey Loria to the Bruce Sherman and Derek Jeter-led group, the Marlins’ rebuild began in earnest, with the main position players on the roster being traded for prospects with a focus on long-term stability.
▪ Dec. 7, 2017: Infielder Dee Strange-Gordon traded to the Seattle Mariners for three prospects — pitchers Nick Neidert and Robert Dugger as well as infielder Chris Torres.
▪ Dec. 11, 2017: Outfielder Giancarlo Stanton traded to the New York Yankees for second baseman Starlin Castro, pitcher prospect Jorge Guzman and infielder prospect Jose Devers.
▪ Dec. 14, 2017: Outfielder Marcell Ozuna traded to the St. Louis Cardinals for four prospects — pitchers Sandy Alcantara, Zac Gallen and Daniel Castano as well as outfielder Magneuris Sierra. Gallen would eventually be traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks for middle infielder prospect Jazz Chisholm Jr.
▪ Jan. 25, 2018: Outfielder Christian Yelich traded to the Milwaukee Brewers for four prospects — outfielders Lewis Brinson and Monte Harrison, second baseman Isan Diaz and pitcher Jordan Yamamoto.
▪ Aug. 10, 2018: First baseman Justin Bour traded to the Philadelphia Phillies for pitcher McKenzie Mills.
▪ Nov. 20, 2018: Infielder Derek Dietrich designated for assignment.
▪ Feb. 7, 2019: Catcher J.T. Realmuto traded to the Philadelphia Phillies for catcher Jorge Alfaro and pitcher prospects Sixto Sanchez and Will Stewart.
This story was originally published September 22, 2021 at 6:00 AM.
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