Kevin Barral

On Wednesday, Rawlings Baseball announced the finalists for the National League and American League Gold Glove Awards. Miami Marlins Javier Sanoja was one of three NL finalists at third base along with Alex Bregman of the Chicago Cubs and Max Muncy of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Sanoja is the only Marlin to be a finalist this year. Last season, Sanoja won the NL utility Gold Glove. That snapped what had been an eight-year Gold Glove drought for the Marlins organization; prior to him, the most recent Marlins winner was Marcell Ozuna (LF in 2017). Sanoja received more playing time in his second full MLB season and a more defined role. He had opportunities at six different non-pitcher positions, but mainly found a home at third base. In 119 games there (778 ⅓ innings), he posted five defensive runs saved (ranked sixth in NL) and six outs above average (tied for fourth in NL). Bregman, a 2024 AL Gold Glover, is likely the main threat to Sanoja winning the award. The Cubs star has the stronger statistical case (15 DRS and 9 OAA) over a much bigger sample size (1,248 innings). Sanoja is hoping to join an exclusive club. The only Marlins to ever win multiple Gold Gloves are Charles Johnson and Luis Castillo. Even if this isn't his year, Sanoja just turned 24 last month and has a long career ahead of him. The Gold Glove winners will be announced on November 1. View full article

On Monday, the Miami Marlins hired Dillon Lawson as the team's new major league hitting coach. He will fill the role that Pedro Guerrero held in 2025 and 2026. Lawson will report to Marlins director of hitting Joe Migliaccio, who he previously spent time with as members of the New York Yankees organization. In recent years, the Marlins have had a pattern of elevating coaches into higher positions despite a lack of experience, but Lawson has actually been a lead hitting coach before. He held this role with the 2022-23 Yankees. In that first season, the Yankees led MLB with 620 walks, led the American League with 807 runs scored and Aaron Judge set an AL record with 62 home runs. However, their offense took a huge step back in 2023, dropping from third in wRC+ to 19th. Lawson lost his job that July. From there, Lawson became minor league hitting coordinator for the Boston Red Sox in 2024. They named him their big league assistant hitting coach in 2025, a job he held until April of this year when the Red Sox dismissed Alex Cora and most of his staff. The Marlins picked up Lawson as a roving hitting coach on July 1, so this is an internal hire. Overall, Lawson has more than a decade of professional coaching experience dating back to 2016 when he was the Low-A hitting coach for the Houston Astros. Next up for the Marlins will be finding a new head strength & conditioning coach. Daniel Vega's contract was not renewed for the 2027 season. View full article

The Miami Marlins will not renew the contract of Marlins.TV play-by-play announcer Kyle Sielaff, sources tell Fish On First. Sielaff served as the organization’s lead television voice for the past two seasons after spending the previous three seasons on radio. Radio voice Jack McMullen is expected to take over Sielaff’s role, working most of his games alongside analyst Gaby Sanchez. The Marlins believe McMullen has significant potential. The 29-year-old was hired in 2025, replacing Sielaff on the radio. Before joining Miami, he worked for the Indianapolis Indians, the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Illinois native is also calling college football games on The CW this season, adding to his television play-by-play experience. Outside of broadcasting, McMullen works for Just Baseball, podcasting as one of the hosts of the Just Baseball Show and The Call Up. The Marlins originally named Sielaff their lead television play-by-play announcer to replace Paul Severino. Sielaff held the job during a transitionary period for the club's broadcasting model, as 2025 was their final season on FanDuel Sports Network and 2026 was the debut of Marlins.TV, with games being produced and distributed in collaboration with Major League Baseball. Before transitioning to TV, Sielaff spent 12 years with the Marlins Radio Network, serving in various roles before becoming the lead play-by-play voice in 2023-24. Additionally, analysts Rod Allen and Jeff Nelson and pregame/postgame host Craig Minervini will not return to Miami’s broadcasts. Nelson had been with the organization since 2022, calling games alongside both Severino and Sielaff. He brought a more old-school approach to the broadcast, rarely citing analytics or newer baseball terminology, which the Marlins have increasingly embraced under baseball operations president Peter Bendix. Minervini completed his 25th season with the organization. He had worn many different hats along the way, most frequently being utilized for studio coverage. Similar to Allen, his role had been reduced, with fewer games and no longer any radio play-by-play assignments. As previously announced, Tommy Hutton has retired. Hutton had been Miami's TV analyst for the majority of home games. Expected to remain with the organization’s TV broadcast team alongside Sanchez and McMullen are Kelly Saco and Jeremy Taché (sideline reporters), as well as AJ Ramos and Craig Mish (pregame and postgame hosts). The organization has mended its relationship with play-by-play veteran Rich Waltz, as observed during Waltz's cameo in the booth during the 2026 season finale. However, reuniting with him on a full-time basis was not an option, sources tell FOF. View full article

Ronny Henriquez was sidelined for all of 2026 after undergoing right UCL reconstruction with an internal brace procedure, and the Miami Marlins sorely missed him. Their bullpen ranked 18th in Major League Baseball with a 4.10 ERA. With Anthony Bender missing the second half of the season due to injury and Tyler Phillips converting to a starting pitcher, the bridge to closer Pete Fairbanks was highly inconsistent. Assuming no setbacks, Henriquez is fortunately on track for a full 2027 season. Last month, he was seen continuing his throwing program at loanDepot park multiple times. The most recent update regarding the 26-year-old was that he will continue his rehab in the Dominican Republic. The Marlins acquired Henriquez via waivers, claiming him after the Minnesota Twins designated him for assignment. Prior to joining the Marlins organization, Henriquez had thrown only 31 innings with the Twins. In spring training, the righty pitched in seven innings, posting a 5.14 ERA and 7.88 FIP, yet the Marlins put him on their Opening Day roster (even if they wanted to send him down to the minors, Henriquez is out of options). In his first season with Miami, Henriquez posted a 2.22 ERA, 3.15 FIP, 12.08 K/9, 3.33 BB/9 and seven saves in 69 appearances (73.0 IP). His 98 strikeouts tied Edwin Díaz for second-most among National League relievers last year. He didn't spend any time on the injured list. Henriquez also recorded strikeouts in 60 separate appearances, which set an all-time Marlins single-season record. Henriquez possesses swing-and-miss stuff, which the Marlins lacked this season. He had a 16.7% swinging strike rate in 2025 and ranked in the 97th percentile of MLB pitchers whiff rate. His strikeout rate was even higher against left-handed batters than right-handed batters, an important consideration for a team that is thin when it comes to lefty relievers. Henriquez's sweeper was his best pitch (+7 Run Value), generating a 47.3% whiff rate and a .181 batting average against. His slider was even more unhittable (.145 BAA). Both of those play off a fastball that averaged 96.7 mph. This offseason, the Marlins are unlikely to sign another established veteran closer like Fairbanks. The door is open for Henriquez to be used in several different game situations, but he should be the first name that comes to mind in high leverage. Although bullpen help is on the Marlins' shopping list, don't forget about Henriquez's comeback. Recapturing his 2025 form would go a long way toward turning a shaky part of the roster into a strength. View full article

The Miami Marlins have their catcher of the future in Joe Mack. There is no question about that. Mack immediately produced as a rookie in 2026, especially defensively. He led Major League Baseball with 26 runners caught stealing, even though he was not called up until May 4. Per Baseball Savant, he ranked in the 84th percentile of framing and provided above-average blocking. Mack's .234/.282/.403/.685 slash line almost exactly matched the MLB average for catchers. Overall, he had 2.2 fWAR, the highest single-season mark for a Marlins catcher since the team traded J.T. Realmuto. However, every roster needs a backup catcher to protect against overuse. Who will catch for the Marlins when Mack rests? Liam Hicks made his last appearance as Marlins catcher on August 1. Over the final 50 games of the season, Mack started 32 times, Brian Navarreto started 12 times and Agustín Ramírez started six times. Expect a change to that group moving forward. Navarreto simply does not hit enough to hold onto an active roster spot (19 wRC+), while Ramírez struggles too much behind the plate to play the position unless it's an emergency situation. The only other candidate on Miami's 40-man roster is Logan Driscoll. Turning 29 next month, Driscoll has 15 games of MLB experience from the 2024 season. The Marlins acquired him from the Tampa Bay Rays in August for cash considerations, briefly calling him up late in the year, but not using him during that stint. For what it's worth, he was on a hot streak with Triple-A Jacksonville after joining the organization (1.000 OPS in 14 games). Even if Mack is healthy throughout his sophomore season, the Marlins must have a plan for somebody else to catch 1-2 times per week. A right-handed backup would be ideal considering Mack's poor performance versus lefties so far (.190/.238/.259/.497 in 67 PA). Chicago Cubs catcher Carson Kelly would be the best fit in free agency. In 2026, he slashed .258/.336/.376/.713 with 10 home runs, 58 RBI and a 103 wRC+. Kelly has a $7.5M mutual option for next season, which he is expected to decline in order to pursue a multi-year deal. Last season, Kelly posted an .871 OPS against left-handed pitching and he's been over an .800 OPS against them in four straight seasons. That's great news for the Marlins, who could use Kelly often in pinch-hitting situations when he isn't in the lineup. Behind the plate, his biggest strength is blocking (89th percentile of blocks above average). Kelly also played some first base last season, but that was only a 10-inning sample. If Kelly sees himself as being overqualified for a part-time job, the Marlins may have to focus on veterans who are more comfortable with limited playing time. In 2026, Elias Díaz was with the Kansas City Royals and Texas Rangers. He slashed .234/.266/.404/.670 with eight home runs, 35 RBI and an 83 wRC+ in 87 games played. The 35-year-old posted his lowest on-base percentage since his rookie season. Behind the plate, runners rarely attempted to steal against Díaz and he threw out 36.4% of those who did. He ranked in the 68th percentile of blocks above average, 66th percentile in caught stealing above average, 49th percentile in framing and 80th percentile in pop time. After settling for a minor league deal last offseason, Díaz will probably get a small guarantee this time around in the $1M-3M range. Jonah Heim contributed to a World Series-winning team not too long ago, but should come even cheaper than Díaz. After originally signing with the Atlanta Braves, he mainly played for the Athletics in 2026. Between those two organizations, Heim slashed .204/.262/.366/.627 with 13 home runs, 43 RBI and a 66 wRC+. The switch-hitter had almost all of his success against left-handed pitching (.855 OPS). An All-Star and Gold Glove Award winner in 2023, Heim's framing and throwing accuracy have trended in the wrong direction lately. The challenge for Peter Bendix in recruiting any of these free agents will be getting them to buy into his team's system of relaying pitch calls from the dugout. Bendix's stance is taking that responsibility off the catcher's mind allows them to focus more on other aspects of the game. We shall see if veterans who have spent years mastering how to call a game are willing to give that up. View full article

This podcast is 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. Make sure to use promo code FISHONFIRST to receive 10% off your next booking. A crucial offseason for the Miami Marlins is underway. Kevin Barral and Ely Sussman read between the lines of Peter Bendix's annual end-of-season press conference, take a big-picture look at the club's offense, ponder whether there is an opportunity to extend Sandy Alcantara through the rest of his prime years and begin analyzing a thin MLB free agent class. You can find Fish Unfiltered and Fish On First LIVE on the Fish On First YouTube channel, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever else you get your pods. The Marlins have until five days after the World Series to officially exercise Alcantara's $21 million club option for the 2027 season. Between that and a relatively large group of arbitration-eligible players, team payroll is almost certain to rise after Miami ranked dead last in the league this past year. View full article

Sandy Alcantara will go down as one of the best, if not the best pitcher in Miami Marlins franchise history. He became their first National League Cy Young winner in 2022 and has since set franchise records for career innings pitched, starts and strikeouts. Alcantara has also been receptive to change. The Marlins have operated much differently since Peter Bendix took over as president of baseball operations three years ago. Traditional bullpen sessions have been replaced by "pitch design" sessions and pitch calls are now being relayed from the dugout. Then, during the final month of the 2026 season, he was used as Miami's closer on three separate occasions, nearly nine years removed from the last time he came out of the bullpen as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals. Alcantara has put his trust in the organization and their process, regardless of the results. Overall, Alcantara had a successful season, leading Major League Baseball with 214 innings pitched. His 3.87 ERA and 4.08 FIP were close to his career averages, though he also had a career-low 6.43 K/9. "He is so meaningful to this organization and that's not lost on me," Bendix said about the right-hander during Tuesday's press conference. "Another incredible season. Really fun to watch him pitch, his leadership in the clubhouse, the way he handles himself and the way he sets an example for the rest of the team." Now, will Bendix put his words into action and commit to Alcantara long term? It's been nearly five years since the last time that the Marlins have handed out a contract extension to any of their players. There is some urgency in Alcantara's case because he has a $21 million club option for the 2027 season and will then be eligible for free agency. Bendix wouldn't even confirm that his option will be exercised, but that is considered a lock. "We will be here if that is what God wants," Alcantara said following Sunday's season finale. "That is also if the organization gives me an opportunity to continue playing here not just for the 2027 season, but for the remainder of the my career. I am always going to be grateful for this organization and I hope that in 2027 it will be a very different year for everyone in here and the organization." Bendix has already announced that Clayton McCullough will remain Miami's manager. There is little doubt that having Alcantara anchoring the starting rotation would make McCullough's job easier. "It's hard to fully state the value that Sandy has," Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said. "He's earned to be the face of this franchise. There were times when we were getting very creative with what we were doing with the pitching, especially in the summer months, and Sandy's ability to go deep into games and cover a lot of innings provided me a lot of flexibility and optionality in some of those other days...Going into 2027, we'll very much continue to count on Sandy to be able to provide us real high-quality length." Marlins chairman and principal owner Bruce Sherman has been with Alcantara throughout his entire tenure with the franchise. Sherman is not one to meddle in baseball operations moves, but he has voiced a strong preference for holding onto Alcantara even as other teams have inquired about trading for him through the years. "Sandy is special," Sherman told Fish On First earlier this season. "I made those comments with a lot of thought in them. We understand all the economics and Sandy is special. He believes in this organization a lot on the field and off the field. Just look at what Sandy has done. I flew with him to the Dominican Republic. He's a mentor to Eury (Pérez) and to young pitchers. He's a leader. We need that kind of presence in the clubhouse and we need that kind of person." It may be tempting for Alcantara to let his current contract play out and test free agency for the first time at age 32. On the other hand, when you have spent almost your entire career with the same organization and have mutual respect for each other, that lays the groundwork for a new deal. Since Alcantara's last extension kicked in, he has posted a 3.80 ERA in 802 innings pitched. During that span, his production is very comparable to Luis Castillo, Merrill Kelly and Seth Lugo, who each made between $20-25M in salary this past season. A deal of four to five years with an average annual value in that range feels appropriate. Regardless of what happens, Alcantara will most likely take the mound as the Marlins Opening Day starter in 2027, whenever that may be. Fans will be locked in for another season of "El Caballo," but extending the franchise icon beforehand would ramp up their excitement to a whole new level. View full article

MIAMI, FL — Tuesday marked president of baseball operations Peter Bendix's end-of-season press conference. The Miami Marlins concluded their season with an 80-82 record, a one-game improvement from the 2025 season, but nine games worse than the record they would've needed to qualify for the postseason. As Bendix was quick to note himself, that's far from ideal. "We're all disappointed to be having this this press conference here today," said Bendix in his opening remarks. "We want this to be much later in the month. That said, I'm also very proud of our team and organization. I think there was tremendous progress that was shown on the field and off the field. I think we continue to really build on this foundation, take a meaningful step forward in a lot of ways and at the same time, we're angry, disappointed and not satisfied with where we are. Both of those things are true at the same time." Here were the main takeaways from Bendix's press conference. Pedro Guerrero will not return The Marlins are parting ways with Pedro Guerrero, who served as their hitting coach the past two seasons. "He did a tremendous job for us," Bendix said. "He is a wonderful human being. We're going to miss having him around, and really appreciate everything that Pedro gave to us. Just time for a new voice in the hitting space." Last season, the Marlins ranked 16th among MLB teams in wRC+ (100), ninth in OPS (.727) and 23rd in home runs (168). The overall production was not bad, but the Marlins had trouble with left-handed pitching, posting a .684 OPS (compared to a .743 OPS vs. RHP). Assistant hitting coaches Corbin Day and Chris Hess will both return, per Bendix. "Evaluating a hitting coach is very difficult," Bendix said regarding what they are looking to fill the now vacant spot. "That role is very, very difficult. I think we have a unique structure here, not just in the hitting department, but in all of our departments with a a director of hitting in this case that oversees our our hitting space. So we are really looking for that sort of alignment from top to bottom with our director, with our our entire hitting coaches. That's what we'll be prioritizing." Jakob Marsee dealing with elbow injury Bendix revealed that outfielder Jakob Marsee was "banged up all season" and is currently dealing with left elbow discomfort. There is enough concern that Marsee will be visiting Dr. Keith Meister next week. Meister has frequently operated on Marlins players who require UCL reconstruction, but a source close to Marsee tells Fish On First that an MRI was conducted on Saturday morning and Tommy John surgery is not likely. Marsee finished the 2026 season slashing .231/.348/.359/.706 with 11 home runs, 41 RBI and a 100 wRC+. Any procedure that causes Marsee to miss time next season would be a major blow to the club right out of the gate. Fortunately, the Marlins' top position player prospect, Cam Cannarella, also plays center field and will soon be major league-ready. Sandy Alcantara's future Alcantara has a $21M club option for the 2027 season. He led Major League Baseball with 214 innings pitched this year while setting numerous Marlins career records and would certainly earn more than that on the free agent market. On the other hand, this franchise operates with the lowest payroll in MLB and has never paid a salary that high to an active player. Bendix did not comment on whether Alcantara's option will be exercised, but a source told Fish On First that in all likelihood, he'll be staying with the Marlins. Per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, they have no intentions of trading Alcantara this offseason. "He is so meaningful to this organization and that's not lost on me," Bendix said. "Another incredible season. Really fun to watch him pitch, his leadership in the clubhouse, the way he handles himself and the way he sets an example for the rest of the team. It's second to none. It's something that I know Clayton really appreciates and I really appreciate. We value it tremendously." This has consistently been Bendix's style. However, it continues to look awkward in regards to Sandy, a Marlins franchise icon who has expressed his desire to not only remain in Miami in 2027, but finish his career with the organization. Starting pitchers coming out of the bullpen The Marlins experimented with bringing starting pitchers out of the bullpen towards the end of the season. It began "out of necessity," per Bendix, when the team was down a lot of relief arms on August 26. Janson Junk filled the void on a day that he was already scheduled for a pitch design session, throwing in the game instead. Having Alcantara, Eury Pérez and Junk all buy into this has opened avenues for the team in 2027. "I think it kind of it's been a a conversation that we've been having with the coaches, with the players, for a while now. Ever since we started these live pitch designs that are meant to be more game-like in between starts, it's something that we've wondered...I do think that it shows the innovation of this organization that we're continually willing to try these things. It's a credit to both the pitchers themselves for being willing to do that, Clayton (McCullough) and our pitching coaches Daniel (Moskos) for being willing to encourage that, try it, even though it's not really something that's been done before." Impending lockout MLB will likely be going into a work stoppage on December 1 when the league’s existing collective bargaining agreement expires. Last time this happened, the offseason saw a flurry of moves right before the stoppage, including the Marlins signing Sandy Alcantara to an extension and free agent Avisail Garcia to a four-year deal. This time around, Bendix is at the helm instead of Kim Ng. How is he preparing for it? "Nobody has any idea what's going to happen in the lockout," Bendix said. "Those are discussions that are taking place elsewhere. My job is to focus on the Marlins and prepare for the 2027 season and play 162 games. Five years ago, we dealt with something similar where there was this pending date where things were going to be cut off, and we kind of know what to expect with that, and we're spending a lot of time preparing, so we'll hit the ground running." View full article