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    Trade and free agent rumors posted here.

    46 rumors in this category

      Ely Sussman

      The Miami Marlins are "progressing in their efforts" to trade right-hander Edward Cabrera, Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic reported Tuesday night. They identify the Baltimore Orioles as one of Cabrera's suitors, with Jon Heyman of the New York Post adding that "numerous teams" are involved in the bidding.

      Cabrera enjoyed the best season of his career in 2025. The 27-year-old posted a 3.53 ERA, 3.99 xERA with 150 strikeouts and 2.8 bWAR in 137 ⅔ innings pitched. As always, though, his workload was limited by injury—he suffered a right middle finger blister in spring training and a right elbow sprain in late August. He's under club control for three more seasons via arbitration. MLB Trade Rumors projects him for a $3.7 million salary in 2026.

      The Orioles' reported interest is unsurprising considering that these teams collaborated on a win-win trade at the 2024 trade deadline when the Fish exchanged Trevor Rogers for Kyle Stowers and Connor Norby. Rogers was Baltimore's best starter last season, but he will be eligible for free agency next winter, and regardless, the O's need more rotation depth behind him to realistically contend during this upcoming campaign. 

      With the Marlins in need of upgrades at the corner infield spots, Jordan Westburg and Coby Mayo are among the names they could be seeking in return. Catcher Samuel Basallo is Baltimore's top-ranked prospect, but he has already been signed to an eight-year contract extension, making it highly unlikely that he'd be available.

      "Some teams believe (Cabrera) will not be traded" due to an exorbitantly high asking price, Rosenthal and Sammon noted.

      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

      In his latest USA Today column, MLB insider Bob Nightengale insists that the Miami Marlins have modified their stance regarding veteran right-hander Sandy Alcantara.

      "The Marlins never got the offer they wanted to move their former Cy Young winner," Nightengale writes referring to trade talks that took place during the 2025 season, "but this winter, are set to accept the best offer they receive, believing now is the time."

      Nightengale continued by noting that Alcantara's salary will be a team-high $17.3 million in 2026 and that his contract includes a $21 million club option for the 2027 season, as if this would be a financially motivated trade. But that's preposterous—the Marlins carried the league's lowest payroll this past year and they're currently projected to do so again.

      Miami's front office is actually weighing whether Alcantara's overall mediocrity coming off Tommy John surgery (5.36 ERA in 174.2 IP) is indicative of how he'll perform moving forward, or if his substantial improvement during the second half of the season is more relevant. Also, the Fish must factor in the potential that top pitching prospects Thomas White and Robby Snelling have to fill the 30-year-old's shoes. Snelling, in particular, should be making his major league debut by next June, if not sooner.

      The Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Houston Astros and New York Yankees were among the teams that contacted the Marlins about Alcantara in the days leading up to the 2025 deadline.

      Edward Cabrera "has never had more trade value than now," Nightengale adds in the same column. Cabrera overcame a late-season elbow injury scare to end his age-27 campaign on a high note. He is two and a half years younger than Alcantara and considerably cheaper (projected for $3.7 million in 2026).

       

      Brock Beauchamp

      All quiet on the pitcher front.

      Mark Feinsand of MLB.com wrote this excellent write-up about both the reliever and starting pitcher winter markets. While the reliever free agent market seems to have stalled on Josh Hader (who finally signed with the Astros on Friday afternoon), Feinsand goes on to point out that the starting pitching market hasn't fared much better with several high-profile free agents still on the market, headlined by Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery.

      In a cascading effect, this has caused the starting pitcher trade market to be equally slow, so much so that one NL executive is quoted saying "I don’t think the trade market will be very hot in the next month". The Marlins have a need for offense and some expendable starting pitching. Does a frozen market on the likes of Dylan Cease, Shane Bieber, and Corbin Burnes hurt or help the Marlins' chances to improve their 2024 lineup by maximizing value in one of their starting pitchers this offseason?

      Ely Sussman

      We have reached that stage of the MLB offseason where you can believe whichever version of reality you want. There have been a handful of major moves, but the dam hasn't fully burst yet. In the meantime, league sources are attempting to manipulate insiders to steer negotiations toward whichever outcome will ultimately benefit their team/client.

      At the end of the 2025 season, Miami Marlins president of baseball operations Peter Bendix was non-committal about whether the organization would be retaining veteran rotation leader Sandy Alcantara. That has opened the door for rampant speculation.

      According to reporting from Jeff Passan of ESPN, "teams aren't clamoring to give Miami the return it would need to give him up." He added in a separate article later in the week that "Miami is almost certain to move a starting pitcher this winter, and Edward Cabrera has generated the most interest."

      Meanwhile, Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic did not distinguish between the availability of the Dominican right-handers: "There’s a strong possibility that the Marlins end up moving one of their starters, league sources said. Sandy Alcantara and Edward Cabrera have continued to attract serious attention from other teams."

      Most recently, we have this from Bob Nightengale of USA Today as of early Sunday morning: "The Marlins have told teams that ace Sandy Alcantara is staying, but starter Edward Cabrera is available."

      The general consensus is that Cabrera—who's two and a half years younger than Alcantara, coming off a much more consistent season and considerably cheaper—would bring back more talent in return if traded this winter.

      Ely Sussman

      The Chicago Cubs are the first team so far this MLB offseason to be credibly linked to Miami Marlins left-hander Jesús Luzardo. Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported Friday that they're "showing interest" in trading for Luzardo while separately shopping for a third baseman.

      The Cubs have four of their starting rotation spots already accounted for with Shota Imanaga, Justin Steele, Jameson Taillon and Matthew Boyd (three of whom are also lefties). They just dealt 2024 first-round draft pick Cam Smith to the Houston Astros in the Kyle Tucker blockbuster, but still have sufficient farm system depth to make a competitive offer for Luzardo.

      Luzardo pitched one of the best games of his major league career when visiting Wrigley Field on August 7, 2022 (7.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 K).

      The Marlins and Cubs linked up on a couple tiny transactions earlier this year, with the Fish acquiring Ali Sánchez for cash considerations and claiming Jesús Tinoco off waivers. However, it's been nearly a full decade since they were partners on a substantial trade (Dan Haren for Ivan Piñeyro and Elliot Soto in 2015).

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      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.

      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.

      Ely Sussman

      I don't find The Athletic's Jim Bowden to be particularly reliable on these sort of things, but for what it's worth:

      I surveyed more than 35 executives — including presidents of baseball operations, general managers and assistant GMs — and asked them to name the best starting pitcher, reliever and position player they think will be traded. The execs were granted anonymity so they could answer candidly. Their responses were illuminating — and in some cases surprising.

      1. Jazz Chisholm Jr., INF/OF, Marlins

      I thought Luis Robert Jr. of the White Sox would be leading this part of the poll, but he wasn’t even close. Based on the responses, the industry believes Chisholm is the position player most likely to be traded between now and July 30. Chisholm, 26, is starting his prime years and has a special combination of speed and power that many evaluators think will result in him someday joining the 30-home run/30-stolen base club. This year, he’s reached base at a .330 clip with 10 homers and 14 steals. He has a 113 OPS+. Some teams are interested in him as a center fielder and others view him as a middle infielder, where he played before a position switch last year. Either way, it sounds like he’ll be traded if Miami gets the right offer over the next five weeks. He would fit nicely with the Phillies or Giants.

      Brock Beauchamp

      The Milwaukee Brewers stunned their fans on Thursday evening by trading away ace pitcher Corbin Burnes for an MLB-ready shortstop and pitcher.

      This puts the organization at a crossroads: they traded away their best pitcher whose contract expires at the end of the season and brought back a young shortstop who needs time at the major league level. Willy Adames's contract also expires after this season and with the Brewers seemingly pushing toward a youth movement, may now be willing to listen to offers on the 28-year-old shortstop.

      In the mix is Tyler Black, another MLB-ready prospect in the Brewers system who will likely take reps at third base in 2024.

      Is this the perfect opportunity for the Marlins to shore up their needs in the middle infield?

      Ely Sussman

      Last week, our own Kevin Barral listed outfielder Jesús Sánchez among the Miami Marlins players most likely to get moved leading up to the July 31 trade deadline. Per Jim Bowden of The Athletic, at least one contending team already does have Sánchez on their radar.

      Bowden proposes a deal sending Sánchez to the Twins in exchange for left-handed pitching prospect Dasan Hill:

      The Twins have made it clear to opposing general managers that they are looking for a left-handed-hitting outfielder. Sánchez is one of their trade targets. He has slashed .251/.324/.412 with seven doubles, seven homers and seven steals in 53 games. Last year he hit .252 with 18 home runs and 64 RBIs. He ranks in the 92nd percentile in bat speed and the 76th percentile in average exit velocity. Sánchez, 27, is under team control through 2027.

      In return, the Marlins would get Hill, a 19-year-old [lefty] whom the Twins selected in the second round of last year’s draft. He’s been dominant in the Low-A Florida State League this season, posting a 1.65 ERA with 43 strikeouts in 27 1/3 innings. This is the type of trade that’s been prioritized by Marlins president of baseball operations Peter Bendix, who has shown a preference for accumulating talent over big-league readiness.

      I would pull the trigger on this with no hesitation. As tantalizing as Sánchez's raw power is, his fundamental lapses and non-competitive plate appearances against lefty pitching limit his impact. Between Griffin Conine (currently rehabbing from shoulder surgery) and outfielders in the upper minors, the Marlins have capable internal replacements for 2026 and beyond.

      Our pals at Twins Daily rank Hill sixth among Minnesota's top prospects. He's on track to get a bump up to High-A before season's end.

      Bowden's article also includes mock trades sending Sandy Alcantara to the Baltimore Orioles, Edward Cabrera to the Los Angeles Angels and Kyle Stowers to the Kansas City Royals.

      Ely Sussman

      The last thing I expected to see this offseason was the Miami Marlins spending money on an old, left-handed-hitting outfielder. Although we are still many steps away from that coming to fruition, Mike Yastrzemski is "one possibility for them," Jon Morosi of MLB Network reports.

      Yastrzemski has been a consistently average-to-very-good player ever since he debuted in the majors in 2019. This past season was on track to be arguably the worst of his career, but a deadline deal sending Yaz to the Kansas City Royals rejuvenated his bat. In 146 total games in 2025, he slashed .233/.333/.403 with 17 home runs and seven stolen bases, accumulating 2.4 fWAR. He turned 35 in August.

      As Morosi noted in his report, Marlins general manager Gabe Kapler was the San Francisco Giants manager from 2020-2023. Yastrzemski was on the team throughout Kapler's tenure.

      It would still be a peculiar roster fit and use of resources. All-Star Kyle Stowers and standout rookie Jakob Marsee—both of whom also hit from the left side—are projected to be everyday starters for the Marlins. Griffin Conine and Heriberto Hernández could theoretically platoon to adequately fill the remaining corner outfield spot. Yastrzemski has generally rated well defensively, but his glove wouldn't be a clear upgrade over any of those names, particularly at this stage of his career. This rumor gets more confusing if the Marlins are contemplating a multi-year commitment because one of the best bats in their farm system, outfielder Kemp Alderman, is poised to debut at some point in 2026.

      Starting Yastrzemski primarily as Miami's designated hitter would add some value. However, that implies Agustín Ramírez will continue catching on a regular basis, and his struggles there would negate a lot of the offensive boost.

      Maybe the Marlins intend to convert somebody to first base? That is their most glaring hole entering 2026. Yaz has no professional experience at the position, for what it's worth.

      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

      From the "around the basepaths" section in Bob Nightengale's weekly USA Today column: "The Miami Marlins have been hoping they could trade center fielder Jazz Chisholm all season, with the Seattle Mariners emerging as the favorites to land him."

      It's a timely report considering that Chisholm played second base for the Marlins on Saturday, snapping a two-year drought since he last occupied the position. Julio Rodríguez has center field covered in Seattle, so 2B is the logical fit for Chisholm there. Mariners second basemen are collectively slashing .199/.294/.307 (80 wRC+) this season with a hideous 29.8 K%.

      The Mariners are seeking their first AL West title since 2001. Less than a month ago, they held a 10-game lead in the division, but that has rapidly shrunk to one game as the Houston Astros continue to surge.

      With a farm system that's led by young, toolsy hitters—Colt Emerson, Lazaro Montes, Cole Young, Jonny Farmelo and Harry Ford—the Mariners match up well with what the Marlins are reportedly seeking to jumpstart their rebuild.

      Ely Sussman

      Last year's unconventional Luis Arraez trade has distorted everybody's understanding of the MLB trade market. The five-player deal that sent the reigning National League batting champ to the San Diego Padres on May 4 was the exception, not the new norm for the Miami Marlins under Peter Bendix.

      On Monday, Will Sammon of The Athletic reported what I figured was already obvious: the Marlins won't be handling Sandy Alcantara the same way. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald also hears that "they are in no rush to decide" on whether to shop him.

      Unlike in 2024 when they instantly faded from postseason contention, Miami currently owns an 8-7 record, one game out of an NL wild card spot. "Marlins officials share more optimism regarding their roster than they did a year ago," per Sammon, specifically in regards to the pitching staff.

      It is premature to say that the 2025 Marlins are going to keep this up. Lacking talent and experience outside of their ace, they will likely wind up being sellers again come July 31. However, unless they are approached with an extremely generous offer and have internal concerns about Alcantara recapturing his pre-Tommy John surgery form, trade talks can wait until much closer to the deadline. Undermanned as they may be on paper, they'll continue to try winning games in the meantime.

      Through three regular season starts, Alcantara has a 4.70 ERA, 3.85 FIP and .182 BAA in 15 ⅓ innings pitched. He's lined up to face the Philadelphia Phillies in his next outing on Friday.

      Ely Sussman

      There are no good starting shortstop solutions left in the 2023-24 MLB free agent class (frankly, there weren't any to begin with), but Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports that the Miami Marlins are considering signing a veteran at the position. The group of free agents that they're "mulling over" includes Tim Anderson, Amed Rosario, Adalberto Mondesi and Nick Ahmed.

      Miami's Mondesi interest was previously mentioned by the New York Post's Jon Heyman last week. Unlike Mondesi, these three other names were at least on a major league field in 2023.

      Last season, Ahmed (Diamondbacks) slashed .212/.257/.303 with a 51 wRC+ and 0.0 fWAR. He was released in early September. A rumored trade target for the Fish last summer, Anderson (White Sox) slashed .245/.286/.296 with a 60 wRC+ and -0.5 fWAR. The White Sox declined Anderson's 2024 club option to make him a free agent. The "best" of the bunch, Rosario (Guardians/Dodgers) slashed .263/.305/.378 with a 88 wRC+ and 0.2 fWAR. You can compare their individual stats in greater detail on FanGraphs.

      Rosenthal didn't mention the possibility of trading for Milwaukee's Willy Adames.

      Ely Sussman

      For the second consecutive year, the Miami Marlins have completed a trade on Opening Day eve. In 2024, it was flipping Jon Berti for prospects. This time around, they're adding to the big league roster by acquiring out-of-options right-hander Tyler Phillips from the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for cash considerations. The Marlins designated righty reliever Seth Martinez for assignment as the corresponding 40-man roster move.

      Phillips made his MLB debut midway through last season. He tossed an improbable shutout on July 27, but allowed 28 runs (all earned) in his other 27 ⅔ innings pitched. There was a poor outing against the Marlins mixed in there (4.1 IP, 9 H, 5 ER, 1 BB, 4 K on Aug. 14). 

      Phillips' pitch mix includes a sinker, sweeper, four-seam fastball, curveball and changeup. He has induced ground balls at a high rate throughout much of his professional career, including this past spring (63.0 GB%). However, the Phillies still designated him for assignment on Sunday.

      Screenshot 2025-03-26 at 1.00.17 PM.png

      It might be a brief stint for Phillips in Miami as the team seems poised to churn through multi-inning, low-leverage arms until their injured guys make their way back from the IL.

      Seth Martinez had two separate stints with the Fish during spring training, most recently returning via waivers on March 15. He threw a scoreless inning in each of his three Grapefruit League appearances last week. Perhaps the "tiebreaker" between Phillips and Martinez was that the former was capable of providing more bulk at this stage of the season.

      With Martinez in DFA limbo, Anthony Bender, who turned 30 in February, is expected to be the oldest player on the Marlins Opening Day roster.

      Screenshot 2025-03-26 at 2.54.07 PM.png

      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.

      Brock Beauchamp

      Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald mentioned in a piece today that the Marlins are looking into the free agent shortstop market.

      Admittedly, this is the thinnest market in years with almost all the remaining players looking for one- or two-year contracts. Included in this group is Tim Anderson, Brandon Crawford, and Amed Rosario.

      Tim Anderson is perhaps the most intriguing name on the market, as the former White Sox shortstop had a terrible 2023 (60 OPS+) after posting a 122 OPS+ over the previous four seasons. Anderson is entering his age-31 season in 2024.

      Amed Rosario is in a similar situation to Anderson. After posting a 103 OPS+ over the 2021-2022 seasons with Cleveland, Rosario slid backward with the bat in 2023, posting an 89 OPS+ in split duties between the Guardians and Dodgers. Rosario could very well be looking for a one-year pillow contract, as 2024 is only his age-28 season.

      Brock Beauchamp

      Jon Heyman tweeted today that the Marlins are still in pursuit of a starting shortstop in 2024 and are kicking the tires on Adalberto Mondesi.

      Mondesi, now 28 years old, last played with the Kansas City Royals in 2022. Once a highly-regarded top 50 prospect, Mondesi's bat never materialized against MLB pitchers, leading to a career OPS+ of 82. Mondesi joined the Red Sox in 2023 but suffered an ACL injury and did not play during the regular season.

      The free agent shortstop market is very thin this offseason but with names like Tim Anderson and Elvis Andrus still available, one hoped to see the Marlins reaching a few rungs higher on the ladder than Mondesi.

       

      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

      On Thursday afternoon, just as Jazz Chisholm Jr. was playing what might have been his final Miami Marlins home game, Jim Bowden of The Athletic made a guest appearance on Pittsburgh radio station 93.7 The Fan to discuss the Pirates' approach to the trade deadline. Staying in the thick of the NL Wild Card race despite awful center field production, Pittsburgh is unsurprisingly in on Chisholm, according to Bowden:

      "Pittsburgh, Seattle, Philadelphia and the Yankees—those four in particular, I have confirmed have had discussions. I've also heard that the Phillies aren't sure that he's a good fit in their clubhouse with what they're trying to do. I'm not sure the Yankees are sold as well. I know Seattle is definitely in."

      Bowden went on to share his opinion that the Pirates are "the best spot" for Chisholm, with Andrew McCutchen's positive influence being the "most important" factor.

      This season, Pirates center fielders—mainly Michael A. Taylor and Jack Suwinski—are collectively slashing .208/.272/.298 with a 61 wRC+. Chisholm has been candid about preferring to play the infield moving forward, but he reminded everybody of his defensive potential on Thursday with two outstanding diving catches.

      Bowden says in a recent conversation between he and Marlins president of baseball operations Peter Bendix, Bendix expressed that "he just wants the best possible players he can get in return" for Chisholm, regardless of position. On Thursday morning, Bowden published a mock trade proposal that would bring RHP Braxton Ashcraft and C Henry Davis to Miami. Personally, I'm very skeptical Pittsburgh would part with Davis at this deadline, selling low on the No. 1 overall pick from the 2021 MLB Draft. Also, there isn't much age difference between these 24-year-olds and the 26-year-old Chisholm, which makes them odd choices to rebuild the Marlins organization with.

      Nate Karzmer will present his own Jazz-to-the-Pirates proposal on Friday morning. Here is my Mariners proposal from earlier this week.

      Ely Sussman

      Back on October 1, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reported that the Miami Marlins payroll was "expected to rise" from its 2025 level, "but the extent of the increase remains to be determined." Jackson provided an update on Friday in the aftermath of the club agreeing to terms on a one-year deal with free agent Christopher Morel: "a source said last week that while the payroll will increase some, a significant payroll increase would not happen."

      While it's unclear what "significant" means, the 2025 Marlins had a year-end 40-man roster payroll of $67.7 million, according to Cot's Baseball Contracts. Their luxury-tax payroll estimate was $84.9 million. Since Bruce Sherman took over as the franchise's principal owner during the 2017-18 offseason, the Marlins have perennially ranked in the bottom third of MLB team spending, but they had never been dead last in either category until now.

      For context, from 2022-24, the Marlins averaged a 40-man payroll of $97.1 million and a luxury-tax payroll of $123.6 million.

      Ken Rosenthal and Evan Drellich of The Athletic previously theorized that "the Marlins might be operating with an additional motivation" because they did not come close to spending 150% of their league revenue-sharing intake on player payroll—approximately $105 million for luxury-tax purposes. "When a club fails to hit the specified number, the burden of proof shifts from the (Major League Baseball Players Association) to the club," encouraging the union to file a greivance against them. The Athletics found themselves in a similar predicament last winter and their payroll spiked accordingly.

      Jackson disputes the notion that the Marlins are concerned about this. If challenged by the MLBPA, they will argue that an ample amount of money is being spent to bolster the organization's infrastructure ("things you don't see," to quote Sherman himself).

      President of baseball operations Peter Bendix has been clear that the Marlins' overarching goal is to qualify for the postseason as frequently as possible. Coming off a 79-win season, they are only a few effective moves away from genuinely contending for an October berth. Yet the budget is apparently so tight that Bendix had to address the team's biggest weakness—first base—by rolling the dice on Morel, who's coming off a sub-replacement-level season and has zero experience at the position?

      As currently constituted, the 40-man roster payroll for the 2026 Marlins would already be in the $70 million range (though that is based on my rough estimates of Morel's compensation and not-yet-determined salaries for arbitration-eligible players).

      Ely Sussman

      Right-hander Zach Brzykcy lasted about a month on the Miami Marlins 40-man roster. The 26-year-old reliever was outrighted to Triple-A Jacksonville early Friday evening.

      Brzykcy was claimed off waivers from the Washington Nationals on November 6. He's coming off a miserable season against both Triple-A competition (9.39 ERA and 6.24 FIP in 23.0 IP) and MLB competition (9.00 ERA and 6.27 FIP in 23.0 IP). That being said, he showed a propensity for striking out righty batters at lower minor league levels. His arsenal includes a four-seam fastball, curveball and changeup.

      Because Brzykcy entered professional baseball in 2020 and has never previously been outrighted, he must accept the outright assignment and remain with the Marlins organization. If they went through the trouble of claiming him in the first place, it stands to reason that he'll be a non-roster invitee at big league spring training.

      Here is the updated Marlins roster, which is down to 39 players:

      Screenshot 2025-12-05 at 5.33.06 PM.png

      The Marlins have expressed interest in a variety of MLB free agents, particularly relievers, corner infielders and corner outfielders. Now, they can make a signing without the need for a corresponding move.

      If no signing is imminent and their 40-man count remains at 39 entering Wednesday, they can participate in the major league phase of the Rule 5 draft. Here are some notable unprotected prospects from other organizations who may appeal to the Fish.

      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.

      Screenshot 2025-09-08 at 5.28.46 PM.png

      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.

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