Miami Marlins remain intent on adding another big bat. Some hot stove chatter
A six-pack of Miami Marlins notes on a Wednesday, with no end in sight for MLB’s latest work stoppage:
▪ Once the lockout lifts, the Marlins remain intent on adding another impact bat/starting outfielder, but it remains a toss-up whether it’s done via trade or free agency. My sense is a trade might be a bit more likely.
The Marlins have held trade talks with more than a half dozen teams; no deal was on the verge of being consummated before the lockout began on Dec. 2.
According to a Pirates source, the Marlins and Pirates spoke about center fielder Bryan Reynolds, who hit .302 with 24 homers and 90 RBI last season. The Pirates would want a ton in return. So odds are against this, but it’s not out of the question.
As Fox’s Ken Rosenthal noted, the Marlins spoke with Arizona about Ketel Marte, who hit .318 with 14 homers and 50 RBI in 90 games. They have also spoken to multiple American League teams.
▪ If the Marlins don’t find a starting outfielder via trade, they have by no means ruled out the three top free agents: Kyle Schwarber, who hit .266 with 32 homers and 71 RBI for Washington and Boston last season; Nick Castellanos (.309, 34 homers, 100 RBI for the Reds); and Seiya Suzuki, a five-time All Star in Japan.
None are center fielders — Suzuki played right field in Japan. Castellanos and Schwarber have never played center field in the big leagues, per baseball-reference.com.
The Marlins say they would be fine with playing right fielder Avisail Garcia primarily in center. The sense here is they would ideally like someone who can play at least some center so Garcia doesn’t need to play every single day in center. But if Schwarber or Castellanos emerges as the best option as opposed to a trade, I don’t believe that would stop the Marlins from signing either.
Bryan De La Cruz always could pick up some at-bats in center. And projected starter Jesus Sanchez, while a right fielder by trade, played 91 games in center in the minors (though none in his 72 big-league games for the Marlins).
Castellanos — who was born in Davie and attended Plantation American Heritage and Southwest Ranches Archbishop McCarthy — would welcome a return to South Florida if the terms were right, according to a source close to him. But he has said to want a long-term deal at a high dollar figure.
The Marlins — like many teams — appreciate the skills of Suzuki, 27, though it would be somewhat surprising if the Marlins land him. The Texas Rangers are among the teams that have been linked to the Japanese star.
Suzuki, 27, hit .319 with 38 home runs and 88 RBI in 2021, and has a career .943 OPS over nine seasons with the Hiroshima Toyo Carp of the Nippon Professional Baseball league. He’s a .314 career hitter.
ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel projects Suzuki will command a four-year, $48 million contract, in addition to a projected $9 million posting fee. Once the lockout ends, Suzuki will have 20 days to sign with a team. But because Japanese spring training begins Feb. 1, he might opt to return to Japan if the MLB lockout stretches into February.
The Marlins have the financial resources to sign Castellanos, Schwarber or Suzuki unless the bidding gets out of control.
But one question the Marlins must reconcile is how many years they’re willing to give any of the free agent outfielders, or whether trading pitching depth for a natural center fielder under team control for a few years (instead of a corner outfielder) makes more sense.
The Marlins gave four years (and $55 million) to Garcia. But the belief is that they’re also sensitive to blocking the path of their top outfield prospects, JJ Bleday and Peyton Burdick.
Though free agent Eddie Rosario has been mentioned as a possibility, I would be surprised if the Marlins go that route. They’re shooting high in their search for another impact bat.
▪ Speaking of Bleday, the Marlins were very encouraged by his work in the Arizona Fall League. He closed at .316 with five homers and 24 RBI and a .435 on-base average.
“What he did was pretty convincing,” one big-league scout said. “He was arguably the best player in the fall league.”
The Marlins believe that performance and his production in the final 27 games in Pensacola last year (.263, three homers) is more reflective of his ability than the .195 average in his first 83 games at Pensacola, which the Marlins believe was partly a byproduct of the 2020 minor-league baseball season being canceled.
Even when he struggled the first three months last season, Bleday showed strong plate discipline. So the Marlins remain hopeful that the former fourth overall draft pick can become a big-league starter.
▪ The Marlins expect backup catcher will be a three-way battle among Alex Jackson, Nick Fortes and Payton Henry.
Jackson struggled offensively after his acquisition from the Braves (.157 with 60 strikeouts in 108 at-bats), but the Marlins can option him to Triple A without subjecting him to waivers.
Fortes is a good defender and impressed with his bat in his September Marlins cameo (.290, four homers, seven RBI in 14 games).
Henry, acquired from the Brewers, is considered above average calling games and handling a pitching staff. He went 4 for 15 with the Marlins after hitting .266 last season with two Triple A teams and one Double A team.
New Marlins starter Jacob Stallings appeared in 112 games for the Pirates last season in his first season as a big-league starter.
▪ The Marlins likely will add a reliever with some back-end bullpen experience, but it might not be a veteran proven closer.
If a very good closer becomes available at a reasonable rate, they will consider it.
Otherwise, the sense here is they would be fine with sharing closing duties among Anthony Bender, Dylan Floro (15 saves), Richard Bleier and another veteran.
Tampa Bay last season used at least a dozen players to close games. And the Marlins acquired one of those players in Louis Head, who finished 12 games and went 2-0 (no saves) and a 2.31 ERA, with 30 base-runners allowed and 35 strikeouts in 32 innings.
▪ Bally Sports Florida has begun searching for a new Marlins TV analyst; Todd Hollandsworth’s contract wasn’t renewed.
Bally hasn’t decided whether to hire one analyst or potentially split the package among several already on staff, a group including Gaby Sanchez, J.P. Arencibia, Kelly Saco and Jeff Nelson. The Marlins would be supportive of a rotation, but this is primarily Bally Sports Florida’s decision, and Bally seems more inclined to pick one person.
On the radio side, Glenn Geffner is expected to call most of the games. Dave Van Horne retired after declining the team’s offer to call about 20 games.
This story was originally published January 26, 2022 at 3:26 PM.
