What we’re hearing on trades, shortstop, catcher and other Marlins issues
A six-pack of Marlins notes on a Wednesday:
▪ There have been multiple reports this offseason suggesting the Marlins could trade one of their starting pitchers.
Here’s where that stands: The Marlins haven’t called teams offering any of their starting pitchers. But they have received calls, and they’ve listened.
To this point, they’ve declined all proposals for starting pitchers Jesus Luzardo, Edward Cabrera and Braxton Garrett. And there has been nothing presented to them that is receiving active consideration.
But the Marlins have not completely ruled out trading one of those three if they can get an exceptional package in return. There’s a chance - well below 50 percent but not miniscule - that the Marlins could move one of them if another team makes a particularly enticing offer.
Luzardo (10-10, 3.58 ERA in 32 starts) is under team control for three more seasons.
Cabrera (7-7, 4.24 in 24 games) is under team control for five more seasons.
Garrett ( 9-7, 3.66 in 31 games) is under team control for five more seasons.
Eury Perez is the one Marlins pitcher considered untouchable.
Why would the Marlins consider dealing a starting pitcher before a season when Sandy Alcantara will be sidelined after elbow surgery?
Because they want to be open minded to anything that could ultimately help the team long-term. Pitching is always in demand and if a good starter can be flipped for a player who will help now and a top prospect and another asset, it’s worth considering.
▪ The Marlins’ lack of activity in free agency isn’t the result of any payroll ceiling set by owner Bruce Sherman, according to a source.
New president of baseball operations Peter Bendix has the authorization to improve the team in free agency. But two factors are in play:
1). Free agent spending traditionally has the worst return on investment, so Bendix wants to be cautious.
2). The free agency class hasn’t been very good in need areas, and Bendix didn’t want to overpay, especially on deals longer than one year.
The Marlins made an offer to former Yankees shortstop/outfielder Isaiah Kiner-Falefa but weren’t comfortable committing significant money for a second season. So he signed with Toronto for two years and $15 million.
For the Marlins, every decision will be made through the prism of what leaves the organization in the best position over the next two or three years. In some cases - but not all - that could align with what’s best for them this season.
Sherman has discussed the need to improve the farm system, drafting and player development, and that’s a high priority. But the Marlins are not viewing this as a developmental or throw-away year.
They have about $97 million in 2024 payroll commitments.
▪ The Marlins would like to add a major league-level free agent in the weeks ahead, with shortstop the most likely position. Ideally, the player also could play some at third base, which would give Jake Burger some days at designated hitter over a long season.
Though the Marlins wouldn’t mind adding a shortstop, they feel they would be OK if they end up starting the season with Jon Berti in the lead role and Vidal Brujan, Xavier Edwards and Jacob Amaya also competing.
The Marlins, incidentally, have high hopes for Edwards and believe he could be a big league starter at some point.
Edwards hit .351 (.429 on base) at Triple A Jacksonville last season, then hit .295 (.329 on-base) in 84 plate appearances for the Marlins.
▪ The Marlins have had a conversation with free agent Jorge Soler, who opted out of his 2024 Marlins player option for $13 million in order to become a free agent.
They haven’t ruled out bringing him back if he settles for a low-money deal. But that’s considered unlikely; Soler is hoping interest in him will pick up in the weeks ahead.
Soler hit a team-leading 36 home runs last season with 75 RBI. The Marlins hope that having Burger and Josh Bell for a full season - and Jazz Chisholm healthy after being limited to 97 games last season - will replace some of Soler’s power.
▪ The Marlins feel comfortable at catcher with Nick Fortes and offseason addition Christian Bethancourt.
Though Bethancourt is just a .231 career hitter, he had 11 homers and 33 RBI in 104 games for Tampa last season, and the Marlins have high regard for his defense, pitch framing and handling of a staff.
This regime would prefer a defensively-skilled catcher over a weak-defensive catcher with more offensive skills.
The Marlins like Fortes a lot and believe he’s better offensively than he showed last season, when he had a .263 on-base percentage, six homers and 26 RBI in 323 plate appearances. That was a drop from his 2022 production (.304 on base, 9 homers, 24 RBI in 240 plate appearances).
The Marlins are intrigued by the potential of former 2018 second-round draft pick Will Banfield, a skilled defender who boosted his offensive numbers dramatically last season at Double A Pensacola (to .258, .302, 23 homers, 76 RBI in 115 games).
▪ Though some project former Marlins first-round pick Max Meyer as a late-inning bullpen option, the Marlins - under this new regime - continue to view him as a starter.
Meyer is healthy after tearing the UCL in his right elbow on July 23, 2022. He spent last season recovering from Tommy John surgery but has been throwing multiple times a week this offseason.
Meyer, 24, has a 2.77 ERA in 35 minor league appearances, all starts. He allowed five runs in six innings of two big league appearances in 2022 before injuring his elbow.
“I’m fired up that people still remember me,” Meyer told MLB.com during the offseason. “I’m going to turn some heads when I get back.”
