The Miami Marlins’ offseason is finally heating up.
Within a week, the Marlins signed infielder Jean Segura to a two-year contract with an option for 2025, concluded a one-year contract with veteran right-handed pitcher Johnny Cueto (this agreement has not yet been officially announced) and traded veteran shortstop Miguel Rojas to the Los Angeles Dodgers for promising infielder prospect Jacob Amaya.
With around a month until the players show up for spring training, Marlins general manager Kim Ng says there’s still more to accomplish as she tries to put together a roster that can compete. with a very difficult National League East.
“I wouldn’t say we’re done,” Ng said on Wednesday, hours before the Rojas trade. “No. We haven’t finished.
The team’s biggest remaining need is to get another hitter, and Ng said the team is exploring the trade market to achieve that.
“We can do it in different ways,” Ng said. “It’s just about making sure that you want to be as thoughtful as possible about who you add to the mix, and what they provide, and how they’ll fit into everything that’s going on here.”
A few options have already been floated. The Marlins have been linked to both the Boston Red Sox and the Minnesota Twins in trade talks. With Boston, the target is first baseman Tristan Casas. With Minnesota, the target would be first baseman Luis Arraez or outfielder Max Kepler. There is also the long-term option of acquiring Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Bryan Reynolds, but the asking price remains extremely high.
These options with the needs of the team.
Miami has only one natural first baseman on its 40-man roster in Garrett Cooper. Their inside options beyond him for a backup are Nick Fortes (who is primarily a catcher) and Jerar Encarnacion (who is primarily a corner fielder but played first base in winter ball). Troy Johnston, the club’s No. 21 ranked prospect, is their best prospect at first base.
As for the outfield, Avisail Garcia, Jorge Soler, Jesus Sanchez and Bryan De La Cruz are likely the Marlins’ top outfielders for the season if the list stands as it stands. De La Cruz and Sanchez can play all three outfield spots.
The other three infield positions will be filled by a combination of Jazz Chisholm Jr., Joey Wendle and Jean Segura, with utility player Jon Berti and infield prospects Amaya, Jordan Groshans and Xavier Edwards also options for the time of Game.
“I think one of the really cool things about this club is that we’re quite flexible and versatile,” Ng said. “Sometimes it can also be difficult. But I think with versatility we have options. … I think it’s a pretty interesting club when you get down to it.
Building this depth of strike in the commercial market comes at a cost, however.
And that cost will almost certainly be the start of the pitching. This is where Cueto’s signature comes into effect. This gives the Marlins more flexibility to trade one of their younger starters — like Pablo Lopez, Edward Cabrera or Trevor Rogers — and not have as much of a drop in depth as they previously would.
“As GM, your job is to always try to improve. You’re always looking to improve,” Ng said. going to do will be good for the club, and you always have to consider today, and you have to consider the future.”
Arbitration Update
The Marlins Friday settled on the terms of the contract with six of their eight arbitration-eligible players yet to reach an agreement. This group: Wendle ($6 million), Lopez ($5.45 million), Cooper ($4.2 million), catcher Jacob Stallings ($3.35 million), left-handed relief pitcher Tanner Scott ($2.825 million) and right-handed relief pitcher JT Chargois (salary not disclosed).
That leaves two players who will have to go to arbitration hearings to determine their salaries: Berti and left-handed starting pitcher Jesus Luzardo.
According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, Berti filed for a salary of $2.3 million for the 2023 season, while the Marlins filed at $1.9 million. As for Luzardo, he deposited at $2.45 million and the Marlins at $2.1 million.
Arbitration hearings are scheduled to take place between January 30 and February 17. Each party submits a salary they believe the player should receive for the season, and an arbitrator decides which of the two submitted salaries the player will receive.
Right-handed pitcher Dylan Floro had already agreed to terms for the 2023 season.
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