Jump to content
Fish On First
  • Create Account

  • Miami Marlins Free Agent & Trade Rumors, Notes, & Tidbits

    The latest Miami Marlins free agent and trade rumors, along with notes and tidbits about the team.
    Show all categories
    Ely Sussman
    Published on Wednesday following Peter Bendix's end-of-season press conference, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports that the Miami Marlins will not be as complacent during the offseason as they were during Bendix's first two years on the job. "At the very least, Miami will try to add an established bat and bullpen help; they’re willing to make competitive offers for players they decide to target," according to Jackson.
    The only major league free agent deals that Bendix has done as Marlins president of baseball operations were one-year contracts for potential bounce-back candidates Tim Anderson ($5 million guaranteed) and Cal Quantrill ($3.5 million). He also picked up Eric Wagaman ($770k) on a split contract and Wagaman ended up sticking in the majors for the entire season. None of those acquisitions meaningfully made the team better.
    The Marlins bullpen had an effective 2025 season overall, ranking fifth in win probability added. However, that unit was only 24th in MLB in strikeout rate. Going after relievers with premium swing-and-miss stuff and a track record of effectiveness against left-handed batters would make a lot of sense.
    Wagaman's primary position, first base, is the most obvious spot for the Marlins to shop for offensive help, as Kevin Barral explained for Fish On First. Perhaps Agustín Ramírez eventually moves to that position, but Bendix insisted during the presser that Ramírez will continue to focus on improving behind the plate for the time being.
    The Marlins had MLB's lowest payroll in 2025. Only Sandy Alcantara ($17.3M) and former Fish Giancarlo Stanton ($10M) and Avisaíl García ($5M) are currently on their books for 2026. Arbitration-eligible players include Edward Cabrera, Braxton Garrett, Anthony Bender, Max Meyer, Ryan Weathers, Calvin Faucher and Andrew Nardi. Of that group, Cabrera is projected to receive the most substantial raise (salary in the $5M-6M range).
    Ely Sussman
    For the past several years, I have been doing some version of this exercise identifying all of the former Fish who are participating in the MLB postseason. It feels like the Miami Marlins are less represented than usual in the 2025 field, with three of the qualifiers having no direct links to the franchise.
    The names below previously played major league games for the Marlins. I have excluded players who were traded away when they were still minor leaguers—Luis Castillo (now with the Seattle Mariners), Josh Naylor (Cleveland Guardians), etc.— as well as those currently assigned to MiLB affiliates such as Bryan De La Cruz (New York Yankees) and Bryan Hoeing (San Diego Padres).
     
    Boston Red Sox: none
    Chicago Cubs: Colin Rea and Craig Counsell (manager)
    Cincinnati Reds: none
    Cleveland Guardians: none
    Detroit Tigers: Sean Guenther (injured)
    Los Angeles Dodgers: Kiké Hernández, Miguel Rojas, Tanner Scott and Alex Vesia
    Milwaukee Brewers: Christian Yelich
    New York Yankees: Jazz Chisholm Jr., Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Boone (manager)
    Philadelphia Phillies: Jesús Luzardo, J.T. Realmuto and David Robertson
    San Diego Padres: Luis Arraez
    Seattle Mariners: Donovan Solano
    Toronto Blue Jays: Tyler Heineman and Yimi García (injured)
    Ely Sussman
    As announced on Roberto Clemente Day, Griffin Conine is among Major League Baseball's 30 nominees for the 2025 edition of the award that bears Clemente's name. The Hall of Fame outfielder was revered for his humanitarian work, so the Roberto Clemente Award goes to a player who "best represents the game of baseball through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, both on and off the field."
    Conine started his age-27 season with a promising 20-game stretch during which he slashed .281/.352/.438 with great defense in the corner outfield spots. But he has been sidelined for nearly five months since dislocating his left shoulder and undergoing surgery. He's expected to complete a rehab assignment this week and rejoin the Fish in the midst of their final road trip of 2025.
    Even more so than the typical Clemente Award nominee, Conine's nomination is all about his off-the-field impact. Throughout this year, he has focused his efforts on youth development and increasing access to baseball. "When Griffin attends events, he leads with intention, making every child feel seen, valued and inspired," the Marlins say.
    Conine worked with the Marlins Foundation to help launch the 2025 season with the Marlins Tee Ball Initiative’s Opening Day at Miami Beach, where he joined young athletes on the field, led drills and offered encouragement.
    The Marlins hosted the Beep Ball Classic at loanDepot park, an adaptive baseball experience for blind and visually impaired young adults. Conine played blindfolded to gain firsthand perspective and make a statement about the importance of inclusivity in sports.
    Conine also joined Billy’s Summer Reading Challenge at a Miami library, led warmups for a PLAY BALL clinic and visited Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center's Alex’s Place.
     
    Fittingly, Conine has been regularly involved in the "Community Gamechanger" moment during Marlins home games as individuals making their own positive impact in the South Florida community were honored by the Marlins Foundation.
    You can vote for Conine here through September 28.
    Ely Sussman
    The Dominican Winter League (LIDOM) held its annual rookie draft on Wednesday night. Over the course of 16 rounds, the league's six teams took turns selecting players with Dominican roots who have reached the full-season level of Minor League Baseball, acquiring their rights for future seasons should they choose to participate in winter ball later in their careers.
    Five current Miami Marlins farmhands were picked:
    OF Esmil Valencia (Round 2, Águilas Cibaeñas) LHP Dameivi Tineo (Round 5, Tigres del Licey) RHP Liomar Martínez (Round 7, Gigantes del Cibao) RHP Michael Pérez (Round 8, Tigres del Licey) RHP Juan Reynoso (Round 15, Gigantes del Cibao) Tineo, Martínez, Pérez and Reynoso were signed by the Marlins as international amateur free agents and have been with the organization ever since. Valencia arrived from the Houston Astros earlier this year in the Jesús Sánchez trade. He ranks 25th on the Fish On First Top 30.
    It's unlikely that any of these 2025 draftees will appear in LIDOM games during the upcoming season. None of them are older than 22 years old, while the average age for active LIDOM players is about 29. Only Reynoso has experience above the Low-A level. The vast majority of players who appear in regular season games have at least tasted Double-A.
    The one Marlin who will definitely play during the 2025-26 season is Troy Johnston. He's returning to Toros del Este for a third consecutive year.
    LIDOM's opening day is October 15.
    Ely Sussman
    The Miami Marlins are saying goodbye to one of their longest-tenured employees. According to Fish On First's Isaac Azout, they will not be retaining Kevin Randel for the 2026 season.
    "Smoke" Randel was the franchise's 13th-round pick in the 2002 MLB Draft out of Cal State Long Beach. Playing primarily second base across eight minor league seasons, he slashed .267/.374/.439 with 83 home runs and 82 stolen bases. Randel made it as high as the Triple-A level, then transitioned to coaching after the 2009 campaign.
    Randel's first opportunity as a manager came with Low-A Greensboro in 2015. Most recently, he led Double-A Pensacola for four seasons. The Blue Wahoos won the 2022 Southern League championship with a roster that included future big leaguers like Eury Pérez, Griffin Conine and Troy Johnston. Randel's 275 total wins from 2021-2024 is an all-time Pensacola team record.

    Nelson Prada took over as the Blue Wahoos skipper entering 2025, with Randel serving as a roving instructor for the Marlins. That position is being eliminated by the player development department moving forward, per FOF sources.
    Still only 44 years old, Randel ought to have ample opportunities to continue working elsewhere in coaching/player development if he's interested in doing so.
    Ely Sussman
    Wednesday's announcement was a formality. Miami Marlins outfielder Jakob Marsee officially won the August 2025 National League Rookie of the Month award for 30 games' worth of superhuman all-around production.
    Called up by the Marlins when the calendar flipped, Marsee slashed .352/.430/.629 with four home runs and nine stolen bases during his first month at the major league level. He was especially dangerous with runners in scoring position (.464/.500/.893), allowing him to compile 25 RBI. He got defensive reps at all three outfield positions, but primarily in center. FanGraphs estimates that the 24-year-old left-handed-hitter was the most valuable player in MLB, accruing 2.1 fWAR. The next-best NL rookie was Atlanta Braves right-hander Hurston Waldrep (1.0 fWAR).
    Throughout the season, the Marlins have utilized a rookie-laden roster that is the youngest in Major League Baseball. However, Marsee is the only one of those rookies to earn this award in 2025. The most recent Marlins NL Rookie of the Month recipient was Trevor Rogers in May 2021. Rogers finished runner-up to Jonathan India of the Cincinnati Reds in that year's NL ROY voting.
    Marsee's post-trade deadline debut makes him an extreme NL ROY longshot—even elite quality of production cannot compensate for his lack of quantity. The 2025 finalists for that award are expected to be Cade Horton (Chicago Cubs), Drake Baldwin (Braves) and Isaac Collins (Milwaukee Brewers).
    Through two September games, Marsee is 0-for-7 with four strikeouts, so it'll be an uphill climb to defend his Rookie of the Month title.
    Ely Sussman
    Accompanied by his family and many of his former Marlins teammates, Luis Castillo returned to loanDepot park on Sunday to take his rightful place in the Marlins Legends Hall of Fame.
    Castillo's plaque reads:
    "Luis Antonio Castillo played for the Marlins from 1996 to 2005 and was an integral part of the 2003 World Series-winning team. Castillo is one of two players, along with Jeff Conine, to have played with the Marlins in both of their World Series-winning campaigns, although he did not appear in the 1997 postseason. A three-time National League All-Star and three-time Gold Glove recipient (2003-05), the switch-hitting infielder also led the NL in stolen bases twice (2000 and 2002). The San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic, native played 10 seasons with the Marlins, and upon his induction, he ranked as the franchise leader in hits (1,273), at-bats (4,347), plate appearances (4,966), games played (1,128), singles (1,081), triples (42), walks (533), and stolen bases (281)."

     
    Castillo is part of the Hall of Fame's inaugural class of 2025. Jeff Conine, Jim Leyland and Jack McKeon were inducted earlier this season.
    Ely Sussman
    The Miami Marlins brought Jack McKeon to loanDepot park on Sunday to celebrate his long and colorful baseball career. Fittingly, his Marlins Legends Hall of Fame induction coincides with a series against the New York Yankees, who McKeon's team stunningly defeated in the 2003 World Series.
    McKeon's plaque reads:
    "John Aloysius McKeon managed the Marlins from 2003 to 2005 and again in 2011, guiding the franchise to its second World Series Championship--a 4-2 series win over the New York Yankees in the 2003 Fall Classic. Over his four seasons with the Marlins, the South Amboy, N.J., native produced a 281-257 (.522) record. Across his MLB managerial career, McKeon compiled a 1,051-990 (.515) record while managing the Kansas City Royals (1973-75), Oakland Athletics (1977-78), San Diego Padres (1988-90), Cincinnati Reds (1997-2000), and the Marlins. He finished with one World Series championship and two National League Manager of the Year awards (1999 and 2003)."

    McKeon is part of the Hall of Fame's inaugural class of 2025. Jeff Conine and Jim Leyland were inducted earlier this season. The fourth and final member, Luis Castillo, will be inducted on August 24.
    Ely Sussman
    With mere hours to go until the MLB trade deadline, the Miami Marlins and New York Yankees continue to discuss Sandy Alcantara and Edward Cabrera trade scenarios, according to MLB Network's Jon Morosi. The Marlins have asked for outfield prospect Spencer Jones in return.
    Jones might be the most polarizing prospect in baseball. He's a lifetime .279/.359/.505 hitter in the minor leagues who has been especially hot this summer, but with a 31.5% strikeout rate. As J.J. Cooper of Baseball America recently detailed, players with such severe swing-and-miss issues in the minors rarely amount to everyday big leaguers.
    Previous reporting from Jon Heyman of the New York Post characterized the 6'7" Triple-A masher as borderline untouchable. Shortly after Morosi's tweet, Heyman reiterated that.
    Earlier this month, Fish On First's own Alex Carver devised an Alcantara mock trade to the Yankees with Jones as the centerpiece.
    Ely Sussman
    Considering the talented prospect packages that have moved around Major League Baseball in recent days for relievers with limited club control beyond the 2025 season, the Marlins understandably want a piece of the action.
    From Will Sammon of The Athletic regarding controllable right-handers Ronny Henriquez and Calvin Faucher: "Miami is fielding interest in both players, people briefed on the situation said. In particular, multiple teams are looking to acquire Faucher, league sources said. Of the two pitchers, he is more likely to get traded."
    Henriquez and Faucher each threw scoreless innings in Wednesday's Marlins win over the St. Louis Cardinals.
    Henriquez—a former waiver claim— has emerged as the team's best bullpen weapon. In 49 appearances (all in relief), he's posted a 2.96 ERA and 3.81 FIP while picking up six saves. He will be under club control all the way through 2030.
    Faucher is only a year closer to free agency and in the midst of his final pre-arbitration-eligible campaign. This season, he has a 3.73 ERA and 3.97 FIP with 10 saves in 41 innings pitched.
    The Marlins just wrapped up a terrific month of July and bullpen depth was a major reason why. Their 'pen arms collectively ranked second in MLB with a ERA (2.22) and FIP (3.21), so they have quality candidates who could be elevated into higher-leverage roles in the event that some combination of Henriquez, Faucher and Anthony Bender depart.
    Ely Sussman
    Dealing with more injuries than any other MLB contender and in the midst of a season-long five-game losing streak, the Houston Astros are "in the market for a hitter" as Thursday's trade deadline approaches, according to Ken Rosenthal and Chandler Rome of The Athletic. Miami Marlins outfielder Jesús Sánchez is among the "names under consideration." Sánchez is mentioned in the same breath as Minnesota Twins infielder Willi Castro and Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Jake McCarthy.
    Teams know what they're getting in Sánchez. He posted a 108 wRC+ in 2023, a 101 wRC+ in 2024 and a 104 wRC+ in 2025 entering Tuesday's game (he's in the Marlins lineup, starting in right field). Virtually all of his production comes against right-handed pitching, including 59 of his 68 career home runs.
    Worth noting, Sánchez's plate discipline has improved in his age-27 season. He is chasing pitches outside the strike zone at a career-low rate, resulting in a personal-best 20.7% strikeout rate.
    If sent to Houston, Sánchez would presumably be utilized in left field and at designated hitter, with his playing time dependent on the availability of Yordan Alvarez and Jose Altuve. The Astros have rookie Cam Smith starting regularly in right and performing solidly.
    Sánchez is currently making a $4.5 million salary. That figures to climb into the $6-7 million range via arbitration next season. He'll be arb-eligible one final time in 2027 if not extended or non-tendered beforehand.
    Ely Sussman
    What a haul this would be. The Chicago Cubs love Edward Cabrera, according to North Side Baseball managing editor Matthew Trueblood, and the Miami Marlins are trying to exploit that by demanding both outfielder Owen Caissie and right-hander Jaxon Wiggins in return to facilitate a deal.
    "The Cubs are unwilling to meet that asking price," Trueblood writes. "Giving up both would leave a huge hole in the team's farm system, and the two teams are in a staring contest, each hoping the other blinks first."
    Caissie's name came up in rumors when these teams previously discussed Jesús Luzardo last offseason. His performance since then has only raised his stock. Repeating the Triple-A level, he has a 137 wRC+ in 81 games with 20 home runs, already exceeding his 2024 season total. An elevated strikeout rate, which has hovered around 30% throughout his MiLB career, is the main cause for concern.
    Caissie ranks 58th on Baseball America's Top 100 prospects list. He turned 23 earlier this month.
    Wiggins has dominated in 14 appearances between High-A and Double-A, posting a 2.02 ERA and 2.58 FIP. His .151 batting average against is sixth-lowest in Minor League Baseball among players with at least 50 innings pitched. Following the graduation of Cade Horton, he has emerged as the consensus top pitching prospect in the Cubs' system. He's also 23, but unlike Caissie, Wiggins doesn't occupy a 40-man roster spot yet (Rule 5 Draft-eligible in 2026).
    The Cubs enter Monday tied for the National League's best record, though the team they're tied with, the Milwaukee Brewers, is in the same division. Although extremely likely to reach October even without Cabrera, his consistency could be crucial to them winning the National League Central and potentially earning a bye to the NLDS. He's also controllable for three additional seasons via arbitration, hence the steep asking price.
    "Since there's no guarantee that Cabrera's price tag will come down, the Chicago front office has also remained engaged with several other teams about controllable pitchers who would deliver huge impact down the stretch but can also be retained for another two or more seasons," Trueblood adds. However, "the goal is to draw down the asking price on Cabrera."
    Ely Sussman
    Sandy Alcantara made a strong impression on trade deadline buyers while beating the San Diego Padres on Wednesday, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports. Trade interest in him has "soared since his last start with teams now convinced he will be moved by the July 31 deadline."
    Alcantara went a season-high seven innings in that outing, allowing one unearned run. It was only the second time in 2025 that he's held an opponent without any walks or hit-by-pitches. He also induced a pair of his signature ground ball double plays.
    Through 20 starts this year, Alcantara has a 6.66 ERA, 4.47 FIP and .270 BAA in 104 innings pitched. In seven major league seasons prior to undergoing Tommy John surgery, he posted a 3.32 ERA, 3.77 FIP and .231 BAA in 900 ⅔ frames, peaking as the 2022 National League Cy Young Award winner. He turns 30 in September.
    Alcantara's spot in the Marlins rotation is due up next on Tuesday against the St. Louis Cardinals. If suitors are as satisfied with his progress as Nightengale suggests and Miami is actually motivated to move him, taking the mound again before the deadline would be an unnecessary risk.
    The Marlins' deadline approach has become a bit muddled by a lengthy hot streak during which they have resembled a contender themselves. They enter Sunday as winners of four straight series. At 50-53, this is the closest they've been to the .500 mark since April. They are five games back of the final NL wild-card spot.
    Ely Sussman
    The Miami Marlins aren't going to part with him easily, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports, but starting center fielder Dane Myers is a potential trade candidate leading up to next Thursday's deadline. Contending teams have shown interest in the toolsy 29-year-old.
    From Opening Day through mid-June, Myers was the best all-around player on the Marlins. Even in the midst of a deep slump at the plate, his .264/.309/.355 slash line this season is comparable to what he posted as a part-time player from 2023-24. In line with his career norms, he continues to have large platoon splits (146 wRC+ vs. LHP, 55 wRC+ vs. RHP).
    Myers has been excellent defensively, accruing seven defensive runs saved, four outs above average and seven outfield assists (tied for fifth among MLB outfielders). He's been Miami's starting center fielder in 53 of their first 100 games. Gifted with plus speed, he was also responsible for arguably the consequential baserunning play of this Marlins season.
    Rosenthal describes Triple-A Jacksonville standout Jakob Marsee as a "potential replacement" for Myers. I wrote recently about Marsee sliding into Jesús Sánchez's role in the event of a trade, and still think that is the more likely outcome with Sánchez being two years closer to free agency than Myers is.
    Ely Sussman
    The Chicago Cubs had a scouting presence at loanDepot park on Tuesday night to get a first-hand look at Miami Marlins right-hander Edward Cabrera, according to Matt Cozzi of Locked On Cubs. Fish On First can confirm the report.
    The Cubs are certain to be buyers leading up to the July 31 MLB trade deadline. They entered the day with 95.2% playoff odds, per FanGraphs, occupying the National League's top wild-card spot and only one game behind the Milwaukee Brewers for the NL Central lead. Their rotation is anchored by Matthew Boyd and Shota Imanaga, but outside of them, they're lacking clear playoff-caliber starters.
    Facing a deep San Diego Padres lineup, Cabrera continued to impress, just as he has for the majority of 2025 (5.2 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 6 K, 86 pitches/56 strikes). Coming off an elbow injury scare before the All-Star break, the 27-year-old's velocity was slightly up on all of his pitches relative to his full-season averages.
    1130dc9a-0fbabcf3-b6292a2d-csvm-diamondgcp-asset_1280x720_59_4000K.mp4
    Through 88 innings pitched this season, Cabrera has a 3.48 ERA and 3.56 FIP. He is in his first year of arbitration and under club control through 2028. Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel of ESPN estimate that there's only a 30% chance of him being moved this summer.
    Cabrera is projected to pitch one more time before the deadline during Miami's upcoming road series in St. Louis.
    Ely Sussman
    No other pitcher who is realistically going to be available at the upcoming MLB trade deadline can match Edward Cabrera's combination of recent production, pure stuff and multiple years of cost-efficient club control. According to Francys Romero of Beisbol FR, the Chicago Cubs and New York Mets are two of the contenders already expressing interest in him.
    It's been suspected that the Cubs would aggressively shop for starting pitching help ever since Justin Steele underwent season-ending elbow surgery. Additionally, they just lost veteran right-hander Jameson Taillon to a right calf strain last week, though he's likely to return later in the year. Chicago enters Wednesday night with a two-game lead atop the National League Central division.
    The Cubs and Marlins hooked up on a tiny trade last offseason, swapping Vidal Bruján for Matt Mervis. More notably, they had talks regarding a Jesús Luzardo deal prior to Luzardo going to the Philadelphia Phillies, sources confirmed to Fish On First.
    Similar story for the Mets. They are just a half-game back of the Phillies for the NL East lead and strongly motivated to chase a championship in 2025. They've done business with Peter Bendix's front office before, but nothing that involved an asset of Cabrera's magnitude.
    Beyond those teams, the New York Yankees presumably would be a logical landing spot, as Alex Carver detailed here recently.
    In 15 starts this season, the 27-year-old Cabrera has a 3.33 ERA and career-best 3.88 FIP in 78 ⅓ innings pitched. After allowing three earned runs against the Cubs at loanDepot park on May 19, he has held eight straight opponents to two earned runs or fewer.
    Cabrera is projected to make three more starts between now and the deadline.
×
×
  • Create New...