Ely Sussman

For the second time this week, the Miami Marlins have bolstered their pitching depth via free agency. They reached a one-year deal with right-handed starter Chris Paddack on Monday, followed by another one-year deal with left-handed reliever John King on Wednesday afternoon. King is guaranteed $1.5 million. Jeff Passan of ESPN was first to report the contract details, though the Marlins have not announced it yet. King, 31, has split his major league career between the Texas Rangers (2020-2023) and St. Louis Cardinals (2023-2025), with practically identical workloads for each franchise in terms of innings pitched. Across 214 total appearances (all of them in relief), he owns a career 3.80 ERA and 4.04 FIP, never issuing more than 14 walks in a single season. He doesn't have any postseason experience. King's command is particularly sharp against left-handed batters, issuing walks to them at only a 4.4% rate in his career (1.9 BB% in 2025). He's a welcome addition to a Marlins team that ranked 30th in Major League Baseball last season with only 98 relief appearances from lefties. Why was King still on the market this deep into February? He performed poorly in 2025, allowing a lot of hard contact, particularly against his sinker. A career-high eight home runs by his opponents contributed to a 4.66 ERA and 5.00 FIP. The Cardinals non-tendered King rather than pay him a projected $2.1 million via arbitration. Entering this season with four years and 148 days of MLB service time, he'll be arbitration-eligible again in 2027, so the Marlins can turn this one-year deal into two years of club control if they're satisfied with how he performs. Accommodating Paddack on the Marlins 40-man roster seemed simple enough now that Ronny Henriquez (right UCL surgery) is eligible to be placed on the 60-day injured list. With no other major league players known to be suffering from significant injuries, making room for King will require designating somebody for assignment. The Paddack signing is expected to be made official on Thursday.

Relative to other Major League Baseball franchises, the Miami Marlins have a brief and frustrating history. Even so, fans would rather celebrate it than hide from it, and the Marlins have taken steps recently to give the people what they want. That includes the opening of the Marlins Legends Hall of Fame at loanDepot park in 2025. The Marlins use a vague criteria to select their Hall of Famers. As described on the HOF landing page of the team's website, "legends who played a major role in béisbol history" are elected. "Each year, we’ll celebrate former players, coaches, managers, and staff members for their contributions to not just the Marlins organization, but also our South Florida communities," the page continues. The inaugural class of inductees—Luis Castillo, Jeff Conine, Jim Leyland and Jack McKeon—are described as "players and coaches who shaped Marlins history over the years with their memorable plays, legendary leadership, and lasting impact on the game." Fish On First SuperSub @Casey Marika developed his own criteria for discerning which players did enough to distinguish themselves. Focused only on the Marlins portion of each player's career, his "Team Hall of Fame Index" incorporates the following factors: Wins above replacement Longevity & franchise legends All-Star Game appearances Major awards & honors Postseason impact Franchise leaderboards Single-game achievements Peak dominance The index ranks Castillo fourth, with an overall score that places him in the highest tier ("inner-circle Marlins HOF"). Conine is ranked 10th in the "borderline/ballot debate" tier, though that is without accounting for his extensive philanthropic work and contributions to the franchise since retiring as a player. Giancarlo Stanton presumably won't be considered until he hangs up his cleats and Sandy Alcantara is still adding to his Marlins legacy. That leaves Hanley Ramírez, Miguel Cabrera, Dontrelle Willis, Josh Johnson and Mike Lowell as the index's most deserving individuals. Amusingly, Casey also shared an expanded list of the index's top 150 players. If the Marlins induct two new players every single year through the end of the 21st century, that's the total they would reach. If this franchise is still around in 2099, we can reasonably assume that plenty of new impact players emerged in the interim, supplanting the likes of Wei-Yin Chen, Caleb Smith and José Ureña. Seven active Fish crack the top 150. Any last-minute predictions for who will comprise the class of 2026?

Entering year 15 at loanDepot park, the Miami Marlins are still dealing with a familiar problem regarding home attendance. The mediocre quality of the product on the field and location of the venue are among the factors that perennially have the Fish finishing with the fewest spectators in the National League. It isn't for a lack of effort. Miami's marketing department turns a large share of regular season home games into special events, plus Marlins ticket prices always rank among the cheapest in Major League Baseball. The following table will expand as more special events and theme games are confirmed. Date Theme/Special Event Giveaway Extras March 27 Opening Day Kyle Stowers bobblehead (25k) Postgame fireworks March 29 — Reversible bucket hat (10k) — April 18 Hockey Day — Special ticket package includes jersey April 19 — Basketball jersey (10k) — May 2 Mexican Heritage Celebration — Special ticket package includes jersey May 3 Star Wars Day Captain's Hat (10k) Special ticket package includes shirt May 10 Mother's Day Mother's Day clutch (5k, moms only) — May 22 Naruto Night — Special ticket package includes jersey May 23 Cuban Heritage Celebration — Special ticket package includes jersey June 7 Spongebob Squarepants Day — Special ticket package includes shirt June 19 South Florida Black Legacy Celebration — — June 20 Flanigan's Fest Flanigan’s x Marlins cup (10k) Flanigan's food at concession stands June 21 Father's Day Throwback dad hat (10k) — July 11 USA 250th Heritage Celebration — Special ticket package includes jersey July 12 Top Gun Day Billy the Marlins shoulder plush (10k, kids only) Special ticket package includes cap July 25 Venezuelan Heritage Celebration — Special ticket package includes jersey July 27 — Javier Sanoja Gold Glove bobblehead (10k) — August 7 Pokémon Go Night — Special ticket package includes "exclusive item" August 8 Colombian Heritage Celebration — Special ticket package includes jersey August 9 — Kid's lunchbox (5k, kids only) — August 22 Dominican Heritage Celebration — Special ticket package includes jersey August 23 Harry Potter Day Agustín Ramírez "Gus Bus" bobblehead (10k) Special ticket package includes jersey September 5 Puerto Rican Heritage Celebration — Special ticket package includes jersey September 6 Marlins Legends Hall of Fame induction #1 Marlins Legends HOF bobblehead #1 (10k) — September 12 Japanese Heritage Celebration — Special ticket package includes jersey September 13 Marlins Legends Hall of Fame induction #2 Marlins Legends HOF bobblehead #2 (10k) — September 26 Nicaraguan Heritage Celebration — Special ticket package includes jersey September 27 — 2027 magnet schedule (10k) —

Former Miami Marlins outfielder Avisaíl García has hung up his cleats. Here is García's full retirement announcement, which was posted to his Instagram account on Monday: Today I formally announce the end of my career in Major League Baseball after 12 seasons of dedication and hard work. Thank you to God for the blessing of fulfilling my childhood dream—of playing baseball at its highest level. To my family: my eternal gratitude for your unconditional love, constant support, and sacrifices that made every step of this journey possible. To my agent, Gene Mato, and the Mato Sports Management team: thank you for your professional guidance, loyalty, and unwavering support throughout my career. To my teammates, coaches, and staff: thank you for the brotherhood, respect, and shared lessons day in and day out. These good memories will stay in my heart forever… To the teams that trusted me and gave me the opportunity to compete at the highest level… Thank you… Baseball gave me far more than I could have dreamed: achievements, experiences, and values I will carry with me always. I close this chapter with pride and gratitude, ready for new chapters in life. With respect and appreciation, Avisail Garcia The 34-year-old native of Anaco, Venezuela, played for the Detroit Tigers, Chicago White Sox, Tampa Bay Rays and Milwaukee Brewers prior to joining the Fish. With the 2021 Brewers, he set new career-highs in home runs (29) and walks (38). Starved for offense, Miami signed García to a four-year, $53 million free agent contract during the ensuing offseason, which would account for the majority of his career earnings as it turned out. Almost immediately, the signing looked regrettable. Limited to 153 Marlins games due to injuries, García slashed .217/.260/.322 with 13 home runs, six stolen bases and a 59 wRC+. His -1.4 fWAR is tied with Tim Anderson for the worst mark among all Marlins hitters since 2022. The Marlins released García on June 9, 2024. He underwent lower back surgery in October of that year in an attempt to extend his career, but never played another professional game. May the next chapter of García's life bring him fulfillment and success.

Several weeks after the longtime married couple separated, they are moving forward with a divorce. The Miami Marlins are ditching the regional sports network setup to produce their own television broadcasts in partnership with Major League Baseball. The Marlins and five other teams informed MLB of their plans last weekend, according to John Ourand of Puck. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald confirmed the report on Monday. The Marlins' TV rights previously belonged to Main Street Sports Group, which distributed their games via FanDuel Sports Network Florida throughout the 2025 season. But Main Street's business model has been steadily deteriorating and it was highly unlikely that they'd be able to continue paying tens of millions of dollars in annual rights fees to the Fish. In an interview with Fish Unfiltered, Marlins president of business Caroline O'Connor said that the Marlins expect to retain much of their TV talent during this transition, specifically mentioning play-by-play announcer Kyle Sielaff and host/reporter Kelly Saco. The Marlins' presence on traditional TV isn't disappearing entirely. "There'll probably be some aspect of simulcasting this year" with CBS 4 and WBFS 33, O'Connor said. The Seattle Mariners and Washington Nationals are among the teams making the same transition to MLB for broadcast production/distribution. For context, their products cost $19.99 per month or $99.99 per year. It's unclear whether the Marlins will use those exact price points. We'll find out on February 10 when Marlins.TV subscriptions become available. Fish On First will have an in-depth "how to watch the Marlins" guide for you once all the specifics of this new arrangement are available.

Miami Marlins prospect and Sydney Blue Sox superstar Eric Rataczak has been announced as the Australian Baseball League's Helms Award Winner, bestowed upon the league's most valuable player. In 38 regular season games, Rataczak slashed .336/.411/.571 with seven home runs and three stolen bases. He tied for the league lead with 19 extra-base hits. The Helms Award was voted on by ABL team representatives, officials and media members. The other award finalists were Nick Ward and Robbie Perkins, two ABL veterans in their early 30s. Rataczak's Blue Sox team posted the league's best regular season record, but fell in the ABL Championship Series. Drafted by the Marlins in 2024 out of Niagara University, Rataczak received a modest $75k signing bonus. He has appeared in 101 minor league games across three levels, slashing .238/.350/.345 with six homers, 17 steals and a 107 wRC+. The vast majority of his MiLB defensive reps have come at the corner outfield spots, but the Blue Sox used him exclusively at first base. Rataczak was one of 22 players in the Marlins organization who participated in fall/winter leagues during the 2025-26 offseason. Rataczak, who turned 25 earlier this month, will attend minor league camp this spring. He's likely to return to Double-A Pensacola, where he spent the final month of the 2025 MiLB campaign.

I get things wrong all the time, so humility is one of my key assets. When my Miami Marlins coverage is missing critical information or context, I'll put in the effort to rectify the initial mistake. Over the course of the 2025 season, I watched all 20 of Eury Pérez's starts. While Fish On First followers Vik Torres and Mike Morhardt noticed that Pérez generally lifted his hands above his head when pitching from the windup (with the bases empty), that didn't stick in my memory. Pulling up footage from the end of the year, the 22-year-old kept his hands close to his chest throughout his delivery, and I assumed that had always been the case. As I pored over more footage from previous starts, I discovered my error. On the bright side, that research has equipped me with interesting analysis to share with all of you. Pérez was dismantled by the New York Mets during a start at Citi Field on August 29, failing to get through the first inning. The road trip continued with a visit to the Washington Nationals, and that outing was just as discouraging when adjusting for the quality of competition (4.0 IP, 8 H, 7 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 76 pitches/47 strikes). As the wheels fell off against the Nats, that's when the talented right-hander began experimenting with lowering his hands. He adopted it as his full-time windup routine on September 10. Here is a side-by-side of Pérez pitching from the windup in his games before and after the aforementioned road trip: There's a twist—Pérez's mini-slump in NY and DC notwithstanding, he generally thrived from the windup in 2025. In 251 plate appearances with the bases empty, opponents slashed .160/.247/.293. He struck out 29.5% of batters compared to 23.1% with runners on base. If he had maintained most of that effectiveness when working from the stretch, he would've easily been Miami's best starter. That being said, this late-season change was a boon to Pérez's overall production. During his final four starts, there were increases to his whiff rate, first-pitch strike rate and fastball velocity. He posted a 2.70 ERA in 20 innings pitched. A superhuman 42.3 K% contributed to his 1.09 FIP over that stretch, the seventh-best mark in MLB (min. 10 IP). As you can see from Pérez's most recent bullpen session, he is sticking with his September adjustment entering 2026. Our own Kevin Barral spoke with Pérez last week about how offseason weight gain and refinement of his secondary pitches will also help him realize his full potential.

In addition to all of the members of the 40-man roster, Miami Marlins major league spring training camp always includes non-roster invitees. This group is comprised of both conventional prospects and newcomers to the organization. More often than not, through a combination of spring performance and teammate injuries, at least one NRI winds up cracking the club's Opening Day roster. Who do you think is most likely to do so in 2026? The Marlins announced 31 NRIs on Thursday. Organizational players: OF Kemp Alderman*, RHP Nigel Belgrave, INF/OF Jacob Berry, RHP Zach Brzykcy, RHP Josh Ekness*, OF Matthew Etzel, C/INF Bennett Hostetler, C Ryan Ignoffo, INF Dylan Jasso, OF Brendan Jones*, LHP Justin King, OF Dillon Lewis*, 1B Nathan Martorella, RHP Karson Milbrandt*, LHP Patrick Monteverde, INF Johnny Olmstead, OF Andrew Pintar, C Sam Praytor, LHP Robby Snelling*, LHP Dale Stanavich, OF Fenwick Trimble* and LHP Thomas White* *FOF Top 30 prospect Minor league free agents: INF Jesús Bastidas, OF Daniel Johnson, RHP Stephen Jones, RHP Evan McKendry, C Brian Navarreto, RHP Jack Ralston, RHP Jesús Tinoco, RHP Samuel Vásquez and RHP Tyler Zuber Marlins pitchers and catchers report on February 11, followed by the first full-squad workout on February 16.

Liam Hicks drew some Dan Uggla comparisons in 2025. The rookie catcher accumulated 1.0 fWAR and stuck on the Miami Marlins active roster all season long despite joining the organization via the Rule 5 draft. In the nearly two decades since Uggla burst onto the scene in 2006, Hicks had the strongest debut of any Marlins Rule 5 pick. That's where the similarities between the two of them end. While Uggla distinguished himself with his physical strength and mountainous biceps, Hicks earned his keep at the major league level despite trailing most of his peers in power-based metrics. The team's coaches did not shy away from directing him to make changes, as he shared on the Marlins Hot Stove Show in an interview this week. Back in May, when discussing his role on the roster, the Marlins coaching staff told the 185-pound Hicks, "you need to get stronger if you're gonna stick around here." Although Hicks took the feedback in stride and wanted to work toward achieving that during the summer, his heavy usage—119 games played, including 62 behind the plate—left him with limited time to hit the gym. When their end-of-season meeting reiterated the need to "swing faster, throw harder," he switched up his training accordingly. I generally feel that Baseball Savant's signature graphics atop player profile pages are overrated in their usefulness, but Hicks' really does illustrate what makes his skill set so unconventional. The 26-year-old has a special talent for discerning the edges of the strike zone and making contact. On the other hand, he ranked in the fifth percentile among big leaguers in hard-hit rate. The only qualified players with a lower average exit velocity overall than his 84.6 mph mark were José Iglesias, Chandler Simpson and Mauricio Dubón. Hicks mashed just six home runs. The goal for Hicks this offseason was to boost his bat speed. New Marlins assistant hitting coach Corbin Day put together a weighted bat program with that in mind. They were in "constant communication" as Hicks added approximately 10 pounds through the end of the program in early January. Dietary adjustments played a role as well, with the lefty-swinging Canadian saying that ground beef and rice has become a go-to meal for him. For the past three weeks, Hicks has been hitting alongside new teammate Owen Caissie. "He could use some swing-decision stuff from me and I could use some tips on hitting homers from him, so it's honestly a really good match." During a recent session, Hicks says that Caissie was advising him on how to get underneath the ball more consistently to maximize his potential as a slugger. Hicks is practically a lock to open up 2026 in the majors. He will split the catching reps with Agustín Ramírez while also pinch-hitting against right-handers and playing first base occasionally. But consensus MLB Top 100 prospect Joe Mack is breathing down his neck and expected to debut early in the season. To co-exist with Mack on the Marlins roster, Hicks must show that he has become a more complete player.

The Miami Marlins on Tuesday announced a slew of uniform number updates entering the 2026 season. Returning 40-man roster players: Javier Sanoja will wear No. 8 (previously was No. 46) Heriberto Hernández will wear No. 13 (previously was No. 64) Braxton Garrett will wear No. 20 (previously was No. 29) Deyvison De Los Santos will wear No. 63 (previously was No. 65) Newly selected to 40-man roster: Josh White will wear No. 59 William Kempner will wear No. 71 (No word on Joe Mack, who wore No. 80 in big league camp last year) Offseason acquisitions: Esteury Ruiz will wear No. 3 (previously was No. 27 with Dodgers) Christopher Morel will wear No. 5 (previously was No. 24 with Rays) Owen Caissie will wear No. 17 (previously was No. 19 with Cubs) Pete Fairbanks will wear No. 29 (previously was No. 29 with Rays) Bradley Blalock will wear No. 31 (previously was No. 64 with Rockies)

Over the course of the 2025-26 offseason, 22 players from the Miami Marlins organization traveled the world and continued to get game reps, furthering their development and/or compensating for time they missed over the summer. In addition to the Arizona Fall League, they found work in the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Mexico and Australia. This page includes any Marlins offseason acquisitions who were fall/winter ball participants. Likewise, players who departed the organization in recent months via free agency, trade or waivers were removed. Player names are linked to their Baseball-Reference pages. Hitters are listed at the positions they played in fall/winter ball, even if they've been used differently by the Marlins organization. Click to see their full fall/winter ball history. Final hitter stats (regular season and postseason combined) Final pitcher stats (regular season and postseason combined) INF Maximo Acosta (Venezuelan Winter League, Tiburones de La Guaira) Finished 2025 minor league season at Triple-A Played in LVBP from October 16 to November 16 Reached base safely in 23 of 26 games Split defensive reps between second base, third base and shortstop OF/1B Chris Arroyo (Puerto Rican Winter League, Leones de Ponce) Finished 2025 minor league season at Low-A Played in LBPRC from November 7 to January 4 3B/SS Jesús Bastidas (Venezuelan Winter League, Cardenales de Lara) Finished 2025 minor league season at Triple-A Played in LVBP from November 27 to January 25 OF Jacob Berry (Puerto Rican Winter League, Leones de Ponce) Finished 2025 minor league season at Triple-A Played in LBPRC from November 29 to December 23 Reached base safely in 19 of 20 games started INF Starlyn Caba (Arizona Fall League, Mesa Solar Sox) Finished 2025 minor league season at Low-A Played in AFL from October 7 to November 10 Reached base safely in all 18 games played Fall Stars Game selection OF Griffin Conine (Dominican Winter League, Tigres del Licey) Played in LIDOM from October 15 to November 13 1B Deyvison De Los Santos (Dominican Winter League, Gigantes del Cibao) Finished 2025 minor league season at Triple-A Played in LIDOM from October 31 to January 17 Ranked third in the league in slugging percentage (.475) and RBI (28) INF Cristian Hernández (Dominican Winter League, Tigres del Licey) Finished 2025 minor league season at High-A Played in LIDOM from October 15-18 OF Daniel Johnson (Mexican Winter League, Naranjeros de Hermosillo) Finished 2025 minor league season at Triple-A Played in LMP from December 26 to January 8 RHP Holt Jones (Arizona Fall League, Mesa Solar Sox) Finished 2025 minor league season at High-A Played in AFL from October 7 to November 13 Pitched exclusively in relief akeadp_1.mp4 RHP Aiden May (Arizona Fall League, Mesa Solar Sox) Finished 2025 minor league season at High-A Played in AFL from October 10 to November 10 n1wk1j_1.mp4 RHP Karson Milbrandt (Arizona Fall League, Mesa Solar Sox) Finished 2025 minor league season at Double-A Played in AFL from October 8 to November 9 Ranked second among all AFL pitchers with 23 strikeouts Fall Stars Game selection OF PJ Morlando (Arizona Fall League, Mesa Solar Sox) Finished 2025 minor league season at Low-A Played in AFL from October 7 to November 11 C Brian Navarreto (Puerto Rican Winter League, Cangrejeros de Santurce) Played in LBPRC from November 7 to December 11 RHP Orlando Ortiz-Mayr (Puerto Rican Winter League, Leones de Ponce) Finished 2025 minor league season at Double-A Played in LBPRC from November 11 to January 13 1B Eric Rataczak (Australian Baseball League, Sydney Blue Sox) Finished 2025 minor league season at Double-A Played in ABL from November 13 to January 25 Tied for league lead with 19 extra-base hits during regular season; ranked third in OPS (.982) and hits (47) Used exclusively at first base after only being used at corner outfield spots during minor league season RHP Darwin Rodríguez (Arizona Fall League, Mesa Solar Sox) Finished 2025 minor league season at Low-A Played in AFL from October 9 to November 11 Pitched exclusively in relief OF Esteury Ruiz (Dominican Winter League, Tigres del Licey) Played in LIDOM from November 18 to December 22 Used exclusively in center field LHP Jack Sellinger (Arizona Fall League, Mesa Solar Sox) Finished 2025 minor league season at Double-A Played in Arizona Fall League from October 7 to November 13 Pitched exclusively in relief UTIL Jared Serna (Mexican Pacific Winter League, Charros de Jalisco) Finished 2025 minor league season at Triple-A Played in LMP from October 16 to December 7 Started games at five different positions (2B, SS, LF, CF and RF) Led all winter league players in extra-base hits prior to ending season Charros went on to win league championship RHP Riskiel Tineo (Venezuelan Winter League, Caribes de Anzoátegui) Finished 2025 minor league season at Triple-A Played in LVBP from October 25 to December 29 Pitched exclusively in relief OF Fenwick Trimble (Arizona Fall League, Mesa Solar Sox) Finished 2025 minor league season at Double-A Played in AFL from October 7 to November 13

It has turned out to be an active offseason for the Miami Marlins, which was difficult to imagine two months ago. Back on November 24, with rumors swirling that the Marlins were eager to spend money but no transactions done to validate that, The Athletic's Brittany Ghiroli reported on their ceased contract extension negotiations with Kyle Stowers. It was a fishy news item to begin with considering Stowers' late-blooming profile—most of his projected prime years were already under the club's control. Unable to entice him with the framework of a below-market deal, there haven't been any substantial updates to that story...and I don't think there ever will be. As a result of subsequent moves, the Marlins are now absolutely loaded with power-hitting outfielders. Although Stowers is the only one in the organization who has translated that to All-Star production at the major league level so far, they seem willing to gamble on younger guys filling his shoes over the next several years. "The similarities" between Stowers and fellow left-handed masher Owen Caissie "are pretty easy to see," Marlins president of baseball operations Peter Bendix acknowledged earlier this month. Caissie is four and a half years younger and two years farther away from free agency. Dillon Lewis doesn't even occupy a 40-man roster spot yet and likewise possesses plus offensive tools. Both cracked the top five of Fish On First's updated Marlins prospects list. The Marlins acquired Caissie and Lewis by trading away Edward Cabrera and Ryan Weathers, respectively. The combination of those moves unquestionably hindered their chances of postseason contention in 2026, but as Bendix repeats ad nauseam, he's always receptive to offers that bring back good value overall. Cabrera and Weathers were both very inexpensive relative to their on-field value and still had three team-controlled years remaining. Stowers could potentially find himself in an identical situation next winter. If Caissie is coming off an encouraging rookie campaign by then, or if Lewis rakes against upper-minors pitching, or if any of the organization's other outfielders emerge as viable everyday options, do you think Bendix will give Stowers preferential treatment just because he helped sell Opening Day tickets? No way. The overall state of the Marlins will impact the length of Stowers' tenure. It's easy for a front office to justify bold moves that sacrifice experience for upside when they are projected for 70-something wins; when they're projected for 90-something, not so much. This season, if Stowers comes close to replicating his 2025 breakout and his supporting cast takes a meaningful step forward, chasing a championship will take priority over the soulless asset accumulation process. Even allowing for that fantasy scenario, we all know where this relationship is headed. Practically every significant historical figure in Marlins history eventually departed via trade or free agency and that will continue to be the case for the foreseeable future. For all of his obvious talent, Stowers is doubtful to be an exception to that rule. At some point in the 2020s, he will be wearing a different uniform.