Marlins drop TV voice Severino, offer contracts to six arbitration-eligible players
The Marlins and FanDuel Sports Network Florida informed Paul Severino on Friday that he would not be offered a new contract, meaning the team will have a new television play-by-play announcer for the first time in seven years.
Severino, who was hired to replace Rich Waltz in 2018, was told by FanDuel in recent weeks that he would be retained next season.
But the Marlins and FanDuel recently discussed the matter and decided to hire someone new.
“The Miami Marlins and FanDuel Sports Network have decided to go in a new direction with our television play-by-play announcer,” the Marlins and FanDuel said in a joint statement. “Together, he will begin a search for our new TV voice ahead of the 2025 season. We thank Paul for all the hard work over his tenure and wish him and his family the best.”
Severino, reached by phone Friday evening, declined to comment beyond a social media statement which noted that he was informed of the decision on Friday and that he “gave the broadcast, and the audience, everything I had, every night, for seven years.”
According to someone involved in the process, the Marlins’ current thinking is to continue with rotating analysts, including Tommy Hutton, but nothing is certain on that front, either. In fact, the Marlins and FanDuel declined to say if the rotating analysts -- including Hutton, Rod Allen, Gaby Sanchez and Jeff Nelson -- would return in 2025.
“I am shocked, disappointed and upset; my partner Paul Severino, who was as well prepared as any broadcaster I’ve ever worked with will not be coming back,” Hutton said on the social media platform X. “He helped this ‘Old School’ guy learn a little about analytics, brought insight, positivity and humor night in and night out.”
Meanwhile, before MLB’s 6 p.m. Friday deadline, the Marlins on Friday offered contracts to all six of their arbitration-eligible players: pitchers Braxton Garrett, Jesus Luzardo, Edward Cabrera and Anthony Bender, outfielder Jesus Luzardo and catcher Nick Fortes.
Last season, Fortes hit .227 with four homers and 129 RBI in 110 games and 308 at bats and threw out 21.8 percent of attempted base-stealers (26 of 129).
The Marlins have two other catchers on the 40-man roster: Jhonny Perada and prospect Agustin Ramirez.
Ramirez, acquired in the Jazz Chisholm trade with the Yankees, is considered the Marlins’ catcher of the future. How quickly that future will come is the question. After the trade last July, Ramirez hit .262 (.358 on base) with five homers and 24 RBI in 39 games with Triple A Jacksonville.
Perada, 28, hit .297, with four homers and 14 RBI in 49 games for Jacksonville last season, and then hit .231 (.250 on base) with four RBI in 40 plate appearances for the Marlins, his only big league experience to date after 11 season in the minors.
Sanchez hit .252 (.313 on base) with 18 homers and 64 RBI in 149 games.
Garrett was limited to only seven starts (2-2, 5.35 ERA) because of a left forearm flexor strain. He was diagnosed with an impingement in his (left) throwing elbow and the Marlins are hopeful that rest will help.
Luzardo was 3–6 with a 5.00 ERA in 12 starts but didn’t pitch after June 16 because of a lumbar stress reaction in his back. He said late in the season that the injury has healed.
Cabrera, who has battled injuries throughout his career, was 4-8 with a 4.95 ERA in 20 starts last season.
Bender returned after August 2022 Tommy John surgery and went 5-2 with a 4.08 ERA and one save in 59 games, all out of the bullpen.
MLBtraderumors.com projects Luzardo to make $6 million if he goes to arbitration and the others make make somewhere between $1.4 million (Bender) and $3.2 million (Sanchez).
This story was originally published November 22, 2024 at 6:57 PM.
