After playoff run, what’s next for Marlins? Four questions entering the offseason
The Miami Marlins are coming off a successful 2023 season. The team had a winning record for the first time since 2009 and reached the playoffs for the first time in a full season since 2003.
And while the club is set to return the majority of its key contributors next season, the Marlins still have their share of questions to answer before next season begins.
Here are four of those questions.
1). Will Kim Ng be back?
General manager Kim Ng’s three-year contract is set to expire in the coming weeks.
There has been no public word yet about a renewal although principal owner Bruce Sherman, president of business operations Caroline O’Connor, manager Skip Schumaker and Marlins players have all raved about the job she has done to turn the team into a playoff contender.
“Kim’s been fabulous,” Sherman said inside the Marlins’ clubhouse on Sept. 30 at Pittsburgh’s PNC Park as the team celebrated clinching a playoff spot. “Not easy being in her role at all. Can you imagine that? First female GM in all of baseball history. Unbelievable. And all the moves, all the trade moves, have been excellent.”
2). Will Jorge Soler and Josh Bell pick up their player options?
Two of the Marlins’ top position players have to decide if they want to stay with the Marlins next season.
Outfielder/designated hitter Jorge Soler has a $13 million player option for the 2024 season while first baseman Josh Bell, acquired at the trade deadline, has a $16.5 million player option for next season.
Neither has made a decision yet, and a decision doesn’t have to be made until five days after the World Series ends.
However, both spoke glowingly about their time in Miami.
“I’ve had a blast here, played really well here,” said Bell, who hit .270 with a .818 on-base-plus slugging percentage, 11 home runs, 26 RBI and 26 runs scored in 53 games with the Marlins after the Aug. 1 trade. “Hoping to continue to push forward with these guys. I felt like I was kind of stagnant for the first couple of months of the season and got a new life here. ... I feel like I took a step forward in my career, and I’m definitely thankful for that.”
Added Soler, who hit a team-high 36 home runs and was a first-time All-Star in 2023: this is a young team, hungry to win and with great energy, great environment. There’s a few things we still need to ... fix and improve for next season, but yeah, those are the things I’ll consider. We’ve been thinking about playoffs, and we achieved that. But at this point, we have to start thinking a little bigger, right? We’ve got to think about the World Series, and that has to be part of the goals.”
3). Who will be the Marlins’ shortstop in 2024?
With Joey Wendle set to be a free agent this offseason, the Marlins’ starting shortstop job is up for grabs.
Internally, utility players Jon Berti and Garrett Hampson are the main players with big-league experience at the position. Prospect Jacob Amaya, acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Miguel Rojas trade last offseason, could be a factor as well.
The free agent shortstop market isn’t great this year, so it will be interesting to see how the Marlins proceed.
4). How confident are Marlins in starting pitching depth?
The Marlins’ rotation will take a significant hit in 2024 with ace Sandy Alcantara, the 2022 National League Cy Young Award winner, out after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
But Miami conceivably still has as many as seven pitchers already on the 40-man roster competing for rotation spots in 2024.
Lefties Jesus Luzardo and Braxton Garrett stepped up down the stretch, while the trio of lefty Trevor Rogers along with righties Eury Perez and Max Meyer will be returning from injuries. Rogers missed almost all of the 2023 season due to two injuries, first a left biceps strain and then a partial tear of his right lat which he sustained during his rehab. Perez missed the final month of the season with inflammation in his left SI joint. Meyer sat out all of 2023 while rehabbing from Tommy John surgery.
Righty Edward Cabrera and lefty Ryan Weathers round out the main contenders.
And while we’re here, it’s worth noting the team will have key decisions to make on both Cabrera and Sixto Sanchez. Both are out of minor-league options, so they will have to make an MLB roster or be on the injured list to stay on the 40-man roster.
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