Ely Sussman

On Monday, the Miami Marlins signed Jesús Tinoco to a minor league deal. The 30-year-old right-hander spent 2025 with the Marlins, but he was squeezed off their 40-man roster after the season and elected free agency when the club outrighted him to the minors. Overall, Tinoco has spent parts of three seasons with Miami (2020, 2024-25). Across 51 total innings pitched (44 G/0 GS), he has posted a 2.98 FIP (3.00 ERA) with a 22.3 K% and 8.3 BB%. He set a career-high with four saves last year. A trade deadline day waiver claim in 2024, Tinoco was arguably the best arm in the Marlins bullpen down the stretch of that 100-loss season. He never looked quite right in 2025, though. On June 6, the Marlins placed him on the injured list with a right forearm strain. In early September, he underwent a hybrid UCL reconstruction and flexor tendon surgery. If Tinoco's rehab progresses normally, he should be cleared to begin a throwing program at some point during spring training. However, it's unlikely that he'll make any MLB appearances in 2026. Former teammate Declan Cronin, who had his own elbow surgery in September, signed a two-year minor league deal with the Texas Rangers in anticipation of being full-go for 2027. Tinoco's contract is probably structured similarly. View full rumor

The Miami Marlins have signed outfielder Daniel Johnson to a minor league deal for the 2026 season, Johnson announced Friday on social media. It includes an invite to spring training. Drafted by the Washington Nationals in 2016, Johnson has spent time with six different MLB organizations, most recently the Baltimore Orioles, who outrighted him to the minors at the start of this offseason. The 30-year-old California native is a lifetime .196/.243/.322 hitter (53 wRC+) in 67 career games at the big league level. He's a plus runner who can contribute at all three outfield positions. Johnson just finished playing winter ball with Mexico's Naranjeros de Hermosillo. It is hard enough for NRIs to crack an Opening Day roster under normal conditions and Johnson faces a particularly steep uphill battle. Following this week's acquisition of Owen Caissie, the Marlins are loaded with left-handed-hitting outfielders. Expect him to begin the season with Triple-A Jacksonville. In addition to Johnson, the Marlins have also signed Jesús Bastidas, Evan McKendry, Brian Navarreto, Jack Ralston, Samuel Vásquez and Tyler Zuber to minor league deals this offseason. View full rumor

All Fish On First podcasts are brought to you by Jet Ski Rentals of South Florida—offering Miami’s best jet ski and boat adventures. With six jet ski locations and over 120 boats, there’s something for every style and every budget. They’re reservation-based only. To inquire, call 305-990-2192, or check them out online at SFJetskiRentals.com. Less than 24 hours after the Edward Cabrera trade was announced, Ely Sussman, Alex Carver, Isaac Azout, Kevin Barral and Sean McCormack discuss the timing of the deal and the three-player package that the Miami Marlins received in return. They also cover the club's negotiations with arbitration-eligible players in advance of Thursday's salary figure exchange deadline (all of them reached settlements except for Calvin Faucher) and the end of Miami's partnership with FanDuel Sports Network Florida. You can find Fish On First LIVE on the Fish On First YouTube channel, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever else you get your pods. Our audio programming also includes The Offishial Show, Fish Unfiltered, Swimming Upstream and more. President of baseball operations Peter Bendix elaborated on each of the players involved in the Cabrera deal during a virtual media availability. Anthony Bender ($2.81M salary), Braxton Garrett ($1.53M), Ryan Weathers ($1.35M), Max Meyer and Andrew Nardi each reached settlements with the Marlins on one-year deals, avoiding arbitration. After filing at $2.05M and $1.8M, respectively, Faucher is expected to take the club to a hearing, where an independent panel will determine his salary for the 2026 season. The nine MLB teams who still had affiliations with Main Street Sports Group have terminated those contracts. The most likely outcome for the Marlins is utilizing the league's in-house production and distribution system moving forward, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports. Follow Ely (@RealEly), Alex (@marlinsminors), Isaac (@IsaacAzout), Kevin (@kevin_barral), Sean (@heeysean8) and Fish On First (@FishOnFirst) on Twitter. Join the Marlins Discord server! Complete Miami Marlins coverage here at FishOnFirst.com. View full article

Miami Marlins fans have been watching games on the same regional sports network for decades. It has gone by many different names, most recently FanDuel Sports Network Florida. Beginning with the 2026 season, the way that Marlins television broadcasts are distributed may finally change. From Tom Friend of Sports Business Journal regarding Main Street Sports Group, which owns the network: MLB sources said the St. Louis Cardinals—who did not receive their December rights fee payment—have already informed Main Street they are opting out barring a lucrative 11th hour “final, final offer.” Those same sources also expect six of the other eight MLB teams tied to Main Street will similarly leave—the Brewers, Reds, Royals, Tigers, Angels and Marlins—and that the Braves are considering an exit, as well. Main Street had been trying to sell itself to sports streaming platform DAZN In recent years, the Arizona Diamondbacks, Cleveland Guardians, Minnesota Twins, San Diego Padres and Texas Rangers have broken up with FanDuel Sports Network affiliates. Their games are now available to be streamed in-market through MLB.TV. That is seemingly the most likely solution for the Marlins, particularly given the timing of this news with Opening Day less than three months away. The club has not commented on their plans as of Thursday morning. View full rumor

Thursday was the deadline for Major League Baseball teams to exchange salary figures with their arbitration-eligible players. The Miami Marlins avoided arbitration hearings with five of the six players in their 2026 class, with reliever Calvin Faucher as the lone exception. It is customary for arb-eligible players to receive salary increases from the previous year, even if they struggled. However, because left-hander Braxton Garrett missed the entire 2025 campaign due to Tommy John surgery, he has settled for an identical salary this season. Edward Cabrera would've been the highest earner in Miami's 2026 arbitration class, but he was recently dealt to the Chicago Cubs. Cabrera settled at $4.45 million with his new employer. RHP Anthony Bender Third year of arbitration eligibility Settled at $2.81 million RHP Calvin Faucher First year of arbitration eligibility Did not reach a settlement; Marlins filed at $1.8 million, Faucher filed at $2.05 million LHP Braxton Garrett Second year of arbitration eligibility Settled at $1.53 million LHP Ryan Weathers First year of arbitration eligibility Settled at $1.35 million RHP Max Meyer First year of arbitration eligibility Settled at $980,000 LHP Andrew Nardi First year of arbitration eligibility Settled at $800,000 Faucher's hearing will take place in Arizona at some point between January 26 and February 13. View full article

The Miami Marlins are expected to trade Edward Cabrera before the Major League Baseball season begins. The rationale behind this stance is simple: Cabrera's market value has soared following his successful 2025 campaign and the club doesn't fully trust him to replicate that production. But what if they're wrong? Would the benefits of retaining Cabrera for a bit longer outweigh those provided by a package of presumably younger, more controllable players? His stuff looks better than ever. He just set a new career-high for average four-seam fastball velocity (97.0 mph) and his curveball has become a nasty complement to his signature changeup. Last season, the 27-year-old demonstrated a newfound willingness to fill up the strike zone, particularly early in counts, culminating in by far his lowest walk rate as a big leaguer. Working from a lower, more comfortable arm slot and once again collaborating with pitching coach Daniel Moskos, what's stopping him from continuing that? By any measure, Marlins starting pitchers were mediocre in 2025 even with Cabrera—the unit ranked tied for 18th in MLB in FIP, 24th in innings pitched and 26th in ERA. Why is it seemingly so widely assumed that the rotation will be fine without him? The eventual call-ups of top pitching prospects Thomas White and Robby Snelling could help, but look no further than Cabrera himself for a reminder that we shouldn't set expectations on players during their debut year (5.81 ERA and 6.63 FIP in 2021). Cabrera is still three full years away from free agency. What combination of assets could the Marlins realistically receive in exchange that would translate to more wins than Cabrera is projected to provide over that span? The most lopsided trades in recent memory that favored the team parting with its controllable starter—Rays trading Chris Archer, White Sox trading José Quintana—were consummated midseason when wannabe contenders had to throw caution to the wind. You can't manufacture that sense of urgency in January. All things considered, I actually do believe now is the appropriate time to trade Cabby! As the previous few paragraphs expressed, though, let's not lose sight of the fact that this is a risky and multi-layered decision. Marlins Opening Day is only 80 days away. 🔹 Right-hander Jack Ralston is the sixth confirmed Marlins minor league free agent signing of the offseason. He will have to be improve his control to earn a call-up from Triple-A Jacksonville. 🔹 Kevin Barral helmed our latest Fish On First Opening Day roster projection with the additions of Pete Fairbanks and Esteury Ruiz. 🔹 According to Ben Badler of Baseball America, international free agent infielders Ronny Muñoz and Santiago Solarte are expected to receive the 34th-largest and 45th-largest bonuses of the 2026 signing period, respectively. Both bonuses should land in the $1-2 million range. Badler is particularly bullish on Solarte, a "remarkably coordinated" shortstop with the potential for plus-plus raw power once he fills out his 6'6" frame. 🔹 Also from BA, Walter Villa spoke to Kevin Defrank about his background and pursuit of greatness. The 17-year-old could ultimately reach 6'7", doctors have told him. Defrank will experience his first stateside spring training beginning next month, and he's bringing his mother with him from the Dominican Republic. 🔹 dym explained why Kyle Stowers, Joe Mack, Josh White, Sandy Alcantara and Graham Pauley are particularly critical to the fate of the 2026 Marlins. 🔹 For those who couldn't attend the NHL Winter Classic at loanDepot park, South Florida Sports Historian captured the venue's transformation from all angles. 🔹 Agustín Ramírez returned to his hometown in the Dominican Republic. He and his mother reflected on how far they've come. 🔹 Congratulations to Deyvison De Los Santos and Edili Jiménez, who got engaged last weekend. 🔹Elsewhere around baseball, the Kansas City Royals signed manager Matt Quatraro to a three-year contract extension. The Philadelphia Phillies hired Don Mattingly as their new bench coach. Mattingly held the same position with the Toronto Blue Jays from 2023-2025. In other former Fish news, Joey Wiemer was claimed off waivers by the Washington Nationals and George Soriano was designated for assignment by the Baltimore Orioles. View full article

Matt Shaw seems gettable. Cubs are reportedly still in the mix for FAs who can take over 3B from him. It would essentially be Cabrera for Shaw straight up. Wouldn't blame the Marlins for shying away from that and seeking multiple quality pieces (but a weaker headliner) instead.

The Miami Marlins have signed right-hander Jack Ralston to a minor league deal. It only appeared on Miami's transaction log this weekend, but Ralston joined the organization officially back on December 16. Ralston was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals out of UCLA in 2019 and has spent his entire professional career with them until now. Although successful as a starter during his draft year, the seventh-rounder was quickly converted to a reliever. Last season, all 38 of his appearances came out of the bullpen. Splitting time between Double-A and Triple-A, he posted a 3.61 ERA, 28.0 K% and .248 BAA in 57 ⅓ innings pitched. His sky-high 16.7% walk rate held him back from earning a call-up. The Cardinals also declined to select him to their 40-man roster after the season, so he departed as a minor league free agent. Based on 14 innings of Triple-A data, Ralston's fastball averages 93.4 mph. His go-to secondary pitch is a low-80s splitter. The 6'6" righty also has a cutter and a slider in his arsenal. At the age of 28 with such recent experience at the AAA level, Ralston is almost assured of attending big league spring training as a non-roster invitee, but Fish On First is unable to confirm that at the moment. In addition to Ralston, the Marlins have also signed Jesús Bastidas, Evan McKendry, Brian Navarreto, Samuel Vásquez and Tyler Zuber to minor league deals this offseason. View full rumor

No deal is close as of Sunday morning, but according to Ken Rosenthal and Chris Kirschner of The Athletic, the Miami Marlins and New York Yankees are currently in talks regarding a possible Edward Cabrera trade. You know Cabrera's situation by now. In 2025, his fifth MLB season, he demonstrated a career-best combination of control and durability. The Dominican right-hander owns a lifetime 4.07 ERA and 25.9 K% in 431 ⅔ innings pitched as a big leaguer. Entering his age-28 season, Cabrera is still three years away from free agent eligibility. On paper, the Yankees already have great starting rotation depth. However, Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón and Clarke Schmidt are each expected to begin the 2026 campaign on the injured list. Re-signing Paul Blackburn and Ryan Yarbrough are the only offseason moves they've made thus far to address that issue. Talks have progressed to the point that Craig Mish of FanDuel Sports Network says several high-ceiling prospects are headed to Miami if a deal gets done. The Marlins reportedly asked for power-hitting outfield prospect Spencer Jones when they previously talked with the Yankees in late July. Although Jones has a very high ceiling, his vulnerability to strikeouts gives him a dangerously low floor as well. Infielder George Lombard Jr. is generally regarded as the No. 1 prospect in the Yankees system. In my opinion, he should be unavailable in any Cabrera deal. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald corroborates the Yankees negotiations and adds that the New York Mets and Chicago Cubs have shown interest in Cabrera. The San Francisco Giants are another possible suitor, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post. The timing of these rumors is unsurprising. Japanese star Tatsuya Imai reached an agreement with the Houston Astros earlier this weekend, which ought to open floodgates on what has generally been a slow-moving starting pitching market. View full rumor

To recap, Wagaman was non-tendered by the Angels last offseason. This transaction indicates that his value somehow went up since then despite the thoroughly unproductive year. I don't get what they see in him. He'll fit in nicely in the KBO in 2027, though.

As the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions, the Florida Panthers are accustomed to packing Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise. However, the crowd will be nearly doubled its usual size tonight at loanDepot park when they face the New York Rangers in the NHL Winter Classic. "We can host a wide variety of events. And we’ve shown that,” Miami Marlins president of business Caroline O'Connor boasted to Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald. The Winter Classic comes just a few weeks after the inaugural Miami Tennis Invitational was played at this venue. Among non-baseball events, Monster Jam is next on docket (February 21-22). Although it has been an uneven 2025-26 season for the Panthers, they've been playing much better recently, winning nine of their previous 13 games. For the past two-plus weeks, the LDP roof has remained closed with the air conditioning on full blast to allow workers to painstakingly build a sheet of ice and maintain it. But when the puck drops at 8 p.m. ET, they'll be playing under the night's sky. Watch the game on TNT. Marlins Opening Day is only 84 days away. 🔷 Designated for assignment by the Marlins on Monday, Eric Wagaman remains in limbo. 🔷 Kevin Barral attended Pete Fairbanks' introductory press conference (via Zoom). Fairbanks discussed the free agent process, his comfort level with pitch calls coming from the dugout and the origin of his cutter. He also disclosed that he and his wife are expecting their third child in late March. 🔷 Both Kevin and Sean McCormack analyzed Miami's acquisition of Esteury Ruiz. 🔷 Congratulations to Liam Hicks and Kirsten Grimes on their engagement! 🔷 Elsewhere around baseball, Japanese right-hander Tatsuya Imai signed a three-year, $54 million deal with the Houston Astros that includes opt-outs after each season. Tyler Mahle signed a one-year deal with the San Francisco Giants. Despite being floated as potential Marlins trade partners earlier this offseason, it's now difficult to see either team making aggressive bids for Edward Cabrera or another major league starter. View full article

On Monday morning, I went out on a limb and assumed that the Miami Marlins wouldn't be making any more trades over the final three days of this calendar year. Whoops! This article has been updated accordingly. Although none of their individual moves in 2025 met the criteria of a blockbuster deal, the cumulative impact of these trades on the organization was substantial. Technically, the Marlins made more than a dozen "trades" if you include Jonah Bride, Jhonny Pereda, Michael Petersen, Tyler Phillips, Austin Roberts, John Rooney and Joey Wiemer each being swapped for cash considerations. Well, I'm not—those amount to glorified waiver claims. That leaves us with the following six transactions: Acquired RHP William Kempner from San Francisco Giants for $250,000 in international bonus pool money (Jan. 15). Annual spending on the international market is restricted by a cap, so parting with this quarter-million dollars essentially transferred amateur talent to the Giants, qualifying as a trade in my book. A full year later, the Marlins ought to be feeling pretty good about their side of it. Kempner posted a 3.06 FIP in 67 ⅔ minor league innings pitched to earn a spot on their 40-man roster. With slight improvements to his control, the hefty right-hander can be an impactful piece of their 2026 bullpen. Acquired RHP Colby Martin from Toronto Blue Jays for RHP Robinson Piña (Jun. 24). At the time of the deal, Martin barely had any experience above Low-A; by the end of the season, he was throwing gas at Triple-A. The 5'11" righty has an overpowering fastball and deceptive delivery. Turning 25 shortly after Opening Day, we should be seeing Martin at Marlins big league camp as a non-roster invitee. Piña is now a free agent after making just one low-leverage relief appearance in a Blue Jays uniform. sau3ry.mp4 Acquired OF Matthew Etzel from Tampa Bay Rays for C Nick Fortes (Jul. 29). The Marlins bought low on Etzel coming off an injury. The early returns have been encouraging. In 36 minor league games following the trade, he slashed .280/.370/.390 with two home runs and 10 stolen bases. He's best suited to playing left field at the major league level. Fortes did well enough defensively to be tendered a contract by Tampa Bay for 2026. The imminent arrival of Joe Mack in Miami made him expendable. Acquired RHP Ryan Gusto, INF Chase Jaworsky and OF Esmil Valencia from Houston Astros for OF Jesús Sánchez (Jul. 31). Gusto and Jaworsky were limited by injuries down the stretch, while Valencia thrived upon joining his new org (.327/.367/.510, 3 HR and 14 SB in 24 G). The toolsy 20-year-old should be batting near the top of High-A Beloit's lineup next season. The Astros have one more year of club control over Sánchez, who is being strictly platooned. Acquired OF Ethan O'Donnell from Cincinnati Reds for OF Dane Myers (Dec. 27). Myers performed brilliantly through the first two-plus months of 2025, but his offensive production cratered from there. He still has impressive raw athleticism and the versatility to handle all three outfield spots. Beginning in 2027, the Marlins hope that O'Donnell become a left-handed-hitting version of Myers. Acquired OF Esteury Ruiz from Los Angeles Dodgers for RHP Adriano Marrero (Dec. 29). On Sunday in Puerto Rican winter ball, Brian Navarreto went 2-for-4 and Orlando Ortiz-Mayr struggled with control in his final regular season start (1.1 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 1 K). Marlins Opening Day is only 88 days away. 🔷 I produced this Dane Myers highlight reel to commemorate his Marlins tenure. 🔷 Agustín Ramírez confirmed to Juanfrank Kranwinkel that he is on the Dominican Republic's preliminary 35-man roster for the World Baseball Classic. Ramírez's playing time would be very limited, so I wouldn't be surprised if he ultimately passes on the opportunity and remains in Marlins camp. 🔷 Declan Cronin spoke extensively about his injury-riddled 2025 season. After tearing his UCL, Cronin was under the impression that the Marlins would retain him throughout the rehab process, but it turns out they released him before his Tommy John surgery even took place. He has since signed a two-year minor league deal with the Texas Rangers. 🔷 With the NHL's Winter Classic approaching on Friday, George Richards of Florida Hockey Now shows us how the rink is set up in the middle of loanDepot park. Tickets are still available in most sections, though the get-in price is $235. 🔷 Elsewhere around baseball, Tyler Soderstrom and the Athletics agreed on a seven-year, $86 million contract extension. The Baltimore Orioles re-signed Zach Eflin to a one-year, $10 million deal and the Chicago Cubs signed Hunter Harvey to a one-year, $6 million deal. Former Marlins first-round draft pick Andrew Heaney announced his retirement from baseball. Used primarily as a starter, Heaney posted a 4.57 ERA in 1,136 ⅔ innings pitched across parts of 12 MLB seasons. He won a World Series title with the Texas Rangers in 2023. View full article