Marlins spend more but not a ton more. What the team is thinking; what to know
Break out the champagne bottles and balloons: The Marlins have spent more than $20 million in free agency in a single offseason, the first time they have done that since their regrettable decision to give Avisail Garcia a four-year, $53 million contract in 2021.
The Marlins added $20.5 million in fresh payroll for 2026 with the one-year contracts given to pitchers Peter Fairbanks ($13 million), Chris Paddack ($4 million) and John King ($1.5 million) and first baseman Chris Morel ($2 million).
That’s the good news.
Here’s the more sobering news: The Marlins’ estimated payroll of $72 million (as determined by Fangraphs/RosterResource) is last in the majors, though in fairness they’re going to end up spending more than Cleveland because of deferrals on Jose Ramirez’s extension.
The Marlins payroll actually jumped only $7 million from last year’s opening day payroll. Miami shed money on its books by moving on from Cal Quantrill ($3.1 million), Jesus Sanchez (who was earning $3 million and was traded for Ryan Gusto in July) and Woo-Suk Go ($2 million).
Their obligation to Garcia, who was cut early in the 2024 season, shrinks from $12 million last season to $5 million this season. But the Marlins continue to pay $10 million a year to the Yankees to cover part of Giancarlo Stanton’s salary; that commitment will be $10 million in 2026, 2027 and 2028.
So the Marlins really should be spending more than they do in a division with three big spenders.
Credit owner Bruce Sherman for the $20.5 million allocation; that’s a start. But ideally, more should have been allocated for another proven bat, which this lineup badly needs. Counting on Morel — and his .222 career average and .299 career on-base average — seems highly risky.
Let’s say, hypothetically, that the Marlins in a fantasy world had given five-time All-Star first baseman Pete Alonso the same five-year, $155 million contract that the Orioles did this winter. That deal includes a salary of $21 million this season and $33.5 million the next four.
If the Marlins had given Alonso that deal — which could have made them a serious wild-card contender — their 2026 payroll would have been only $93 million (26th in MLB).
Remember, Jeffrey Loria (through team president David Samson) convinced local government that a new publicly financed stadium would allow a payroll in the mid-range of teams. The middle-of-the-pack payroll team for 2026 is Arizona, which is 15th at $173 million.
Though Sherman should not be held responsible for promises made by Loria and Samson, it’s disappointing that the Marlins payroll is essentially $100 million less than what was promised to the county and city of Miami.
Overall, the Marlins’ guaranteed money allocations in free agency this offseason were the 24th most (per spotrac.com) — ahead of St. Louis, the Athletics, Cleveland, Kansas City, Washington and Milwaukee.
Conversely, Toronto committed $337 million in free agency this offseason. Among other NL East teams, the Mets committed $250 million (third most), the Phillies $228 million (fifth most), the Braves $115 million (10th most) and the Nationals $5.5 million (29th most).
The Marlins make several valid points on the payroll issue:
1). Sherman has spent tens of millions to upgrade the team’s player development infrastructure, facilities (the Marlins and Cardinals contributed heavily to the $140 million renovation project for Roger Dean Stadium and Jupiter Academy) and Latin American operations, among other behind-the-scenes financial commitments.
2). This wasn’t a very good class of free agent first basemen, third basemen and designated hitters. Beyond Alonso and a few others, there weren’t many good bats available.
3). The Marlins make a reasonable point in explaining that signing a veteran bat would have taken opportunities away from their young players, who need to be evaluated.
My counter to that third argument: Even if outfielder Owen Caissie, infielder Connor Norby, infielder/outfielder Griffin Conine and third baseman Graham Pauley all become really good hitters (iffy) — and even if top catcher Joe Mack is promoted in May and shifts Agustin Ramirez to DH — there would have been room for everyone and an established middle-of-the-order free agent bat.
Here’s how: Alonso or another established player would have played first; Caissie would have played alongside Jakob Marsee and Kyle Stowers in the outfield; Norby and Pauley would share third; Conine would serve as a fourth outfielder and split DH duties with Ramirez; and Mack and Liam Hicks could have played catcher.
Voila! Room for a proven bat and everyone else!
There were a few cheaper free agent options than Alonso, but a source said the Marlins didn’t believe it made sense to give any of them a multiyear deal, in part because they don’t want to block prospects such as Deyvison De Los Santos, who could be ready in 2027. (My counter is you could always trade the veteran in a year.)
Pittsburgh gave Ryan O’Hearn a two-year, $29 million deal; he hit .281 (.366 on base) with 17 homers and 63 RBI for Baltimore and San Diego last season and is clearly a better hitter than Morel.
The Pirates also gave a one-year, $12 million deal to Marcell Ozuna, who hit .232 with 21 homers, 68 RBIs and a .756 OPS last season. The White Sox gave two years and $34 million to standout Japanese corner infield prospect Munetaka Murakami.
Moving forward, one concern is that the Marlins’ TV revenue — already in the bottom third in baseball — is likely to shrink with the Marlins moving their games from financially strapped FanDuel Sports Florida to MLB’s in-house media arm. The Wall Street Journal reported that all teams that have left the FanDuel networks have seen their TV revenue decline. That didn’t deter Sherman from spending on pitching during the past three months, but it bears monitoring in the future.
Ideally for fans of the Marlins and other revenue-challenged teams, MLB will succeed in implementing a salary cap and salary floor after this upcoming season season — there’s considerable support for that among many teams — but that could require a months-long lockout for the players and their historically powerful union to relent. A lockout reportedly could begin Dec. 1, 2026.
Whether enough owners will have the stomach to endure a lengthy lockout is arguably the most important question facing the sport in a year. It’s also the most important issue that will determine the Marlins’ ability/willingness to field a team with a competitive payroll.
The Marlins have not taken on much payroll for 2027 — or signed players to multiyear deals beyond Sandy Alcantara — so that they will be well positioned if there’s a cap and a floor in 2028 — or 2027 if the 2027 season isn’t completely wiped out by a strike or lockout. The Marlins, in a cap/floor world, would be very active in free agency after a new labor agreement is reached.
For now, Marlins president baseball operations Peter Bendix deserves the benefit of the doubt on personnel decisions because he has hit on a bunch of players and constructed a team that exceeded all reasonable expectations last season at 79-83.
Sherman gets some credit for spending this winter, but long-term, the payroll simply must be higher to compete in their division. If there’s a cap and a floor in the next labor agreement, the Marlins’ payroll assuredly will be higher.
This story was originally published February 13, 2026 at 10:48 AM.
