5 realistic relievers for Marlins to target in free agency

The 2025 Miami Marlins had one of MLB's least-experienced bullpens. That might not be the case next season as the Marlins "plan to add a high-leverage reliever," per a recent report from Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. 

Ideally, the Marlins could use more left-handed options and relievers who reliably get strikeouts—those were weaknesses for the team this year. However, expect president of baseball operations Peter Bendix to explore all possibilities if the value is fair.

As usual, there will be many relievers to choose from when free agency begins next month. You can compare their 2025 stats here. At the very top end of the market, it's fair to assume that the Marlins won't spend enough to acquire All-Star closers like Edwin Díaz and Robert Suárez, but they can still make significant upgrades on more efficient contracts.

RHP Devin Williams

2025 team: New York Yankees

A source tells Fish On First that Williams is a name the team will target. He is coming off a season where he posted a career-worst 4.79 ERA, but he also had a 2.68 FIP—almost identical to his previous full-length season in 2023. Williams set career-highs in innings pitched and appearances while having a 13.1 K/9 and 3.6 BB/9. In four appearances in the playoffs, Williams tossed four innings of shutout baseball.

Williams had a rocky month of March/April for the Yankees, where he posted a 9.00 ERA and lost his closer's job. After that stretch, he went on to post a 3.98 ERA and 2.46 FIP. By the end of the season, his whiff% ranked in the 99th percentile among MLB pitchers, which is what we are accustomed to seeing from him.

Per multiple reports, the opportunity to return to a closer's role will play a factor in which team Williams decides to go to. The Marlins went with a closer by committee in 2025. Even if Williams does not pitch the ninth inning every time, we can assume he would be deployed in the highest leverage situations possible.

RHP Raisel Iglesias

2025 team: Atlanta Braves

Iglesias had a "down year" in 2025, posting a 3.21 ERA, 3.17 FIP, 9.76 K/9, 2.14 BB/9 and 29 saves through 67 ⅓ innings pitched. The year before, the Braves reliever posted a 1.95 ERA and notched 34 saves, which was sixth in all of baseball.

A lot of the damage against Iglesias (six of his eight home runs allowed) came off of his slider, despite him only throwing it 9.9% of the time. His changeup also didn't perform up to expectations, with a run value that plummeted from plus-nine in 2024 to minus-three this past season. Opposing hitters posted a .277 batting average and .410 slugging percentage off the changeup, but on the bright side, it generated a 41.0% whiff rate.

Iglesias used his fastball more than ever, even with a small decrease in velocity (averaged 94.8 mph). It led to a .129 batting average against.

Before the All-Star break, Iglesias had a 4.42 ERA and 1.20 WHIP, allowing seven home runs and blowing four saves. Following the break, Iglesias looked like his 2024 self, posting a 1.76 ERA, 0.75 WHIP and allowed just one home run (six earned runs overall). Iglesias relied even more on the fastball during that period.

Turning 36 in January, Iglesias would likely be open to signing a one-year deal. From the Marlins' perspective, this would be an opportunity to energize the local Cuban baseball community like they did when signing Jorge Soler in 2022 and Yuli Gurriel in 2023.

RHP Kyle Finnegan

2025 teams: Washington Nationals and Detroit Tigers

The longtime Nationals closer was not particularly impressive during the first half of the season. He flipped the script after arriving in Detroit, posting a 1.50 ERA, 1.97 FIP, 11.50 K/9 and 2.00 BB/9 in 16 appearances. He also made six appearances during the postseason.

Thanks to his nasty splitter, Finnegan has had reverse splits for much of his career, performing better against lefties than righties. That was the case again in 2025—his 37.3 whiff% with the splitter was his best since the shortened 2020 season.

Finnegan's history in the National League East means he is familiar with loanDepot park. In 12 career games in Miami, he has never allowed a run.

RHP Kenley Jansen

2025 team: Los Angeles Angels

The active MLB saves leader, Kenley Jansen has won a World Series, been named an All-Star four times and won the Trevor Hoffman National League Reliever of the Year Award twice.

After spending his prime years with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Jansen has bounced around the league on short-term deals recently. With the Angels in 2025, Jansen posted a 2.59 ERA, 3.98 FIP, 8.69 K/9, 2.90 BB/9 and 29 saves through 59 innings pitched (62 appearances).

Jansen's cutter makes him predictable because he throws it 82% of the time, yet it continues to be an elite pitch, generating a plus-13 run value. Hitters posted a .163 batting average against it. 

The huge difference between his ERA and FIP suggests that Jansen was somewhat lucky in 2025. His strikeout rate was barely above the MLB average and he stranded 85.2% of runners on base, which would be difficult to repeat. That being said, Jansen was at his best over the final three months of the season (1.19 ERA) and didn't allow a single hit over his last 10 outings.

For what it's worth, there is a familiarity between Jansen and current manager Clayton McCullough, who was previously with the Dodgers. The veteran presence of somebody who has pitched in the postseason in 10 separate years and performed well on the biggest stage could be especially valuable in Miami.

LHP Danny Coulombe

2025 teams: Minnesota Twins and Texas Rangers

Coulombe had a dominant start of the season with the Minnesota Twins, posting a 1.16 ERA. After being traded to the Rangers, he blew up, posting a 5.25 ERA in 15 appearances. Combining his numbers with both teams, the lefty finished the season with a 2.30 ERA, 3.30 FIP, 9.00 K/9 and 3.77 BB/9 through 43 innings pitched. He missed some time with forearm and shoulder injuries.

Coulombe's velo is much lower than the other pitchers in this article as his four-seamer averaged 90.3 mph. His best pitch in 2025 was the cutter, with a plus-six run value. It had a whiff rate of 36.2% and generated soft contact for him (84.8 mph average exit velo). He threw that pitch 40.3% of the time.

It's as clear as day that the Marlins are in major need of a left-handed reliever. Andrew Nardi is coming off of a serious back injury, and although Cade Gibson was a nice surprise in 2025, he has less than a full year of MLB experience.

Signing Coulombe in addition to one of the right-handers covered above could dramatically improve the Marlins bullpen.