On Tuesday, the Marlins named former infielder and Cardinals bench coach Skip Schumaker the sixteenth manager in team history. Schumaker (a first-time professional manager) will take over a club that scored the fewest runs in the NL in 2022, but also features some of the best young pitching talent in the league. Now that they have their manager, GM Kim Ng is expected to concentrate her efforts on reviving the Marlins’ anemic offense.
Currently, the Marlins’ biggest question mark is in center field. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes that Miami is likely to attempt to use some of their starting pitching depth to trade for an established center fielder. Jackson offers Michael A. Taylor and Adolis Garcia as two options that Miami could potentially pursue.
Garcia, in particular, would present a substantial offensive upgrade from the Marlins’ current group of center fielders. Garcia will not be a free agent until 2027 and has already proven himself to be a legitimate big league bat, belting 27 home runs, stealing 25 bases, and posting a wRC+ of 112 in 2022. Though Garcia spent more time in right field last season, he has played almost as many MLB games in center (137) as he has in right (151).
If Miami is not able to land a new center fielder, it is likely that they will open spring training with a competition between Jesus Sanchez or Bryan De La Cruz for the starting job. After a strong showing in 2021 (.808 OPS, 14 homes in 64 games), Sanchez was demoted to Triple-A Jacksonville, finishing the season with a MLB slash of .214/.280/.403. De La Cruz may have a bit of momentum heading into 2023, having hit .310 in the second half of 2022 and .388 in September/October. Sanchez has rated more highly in a small-sample defensive look between the two players.
It seems unlikely that Miami would splurge on the free agent market to land a center fielder. As of now, the Marlins have $41.8MM in guaranteed money for 2023. Arbitration figures project to push Miami’s payroll just south of $80MM. This will be nearly equivalent to their 2022 opening day payroll of about $79MM, and while some trades or non-tenders could free up a bit of spending space, the Fish could have a hard time making a splash on the open market. Jackson has previously reported owner Bruce Sherman would likely be comfortable with a modest increase in payroll, though it’s hard to image such an increase that would accommodate the market value of someone like soon-to-be free agent Brandon Nimmo. With a rather thin class of free agent options available, looking to trade possibilities to address center field could be the preferred outcome for Ng and her staff.
Kim to call the master of all trades A’s Billy Beane to work a trade involving Ramon Laureano. Sure Ramon erred on PEDs – suspended too – and was injured at the end of last season but he should be fine coming Spring training…
Ramon is a good Center fielder when he can hit.
Defense=Offense????
Defensively he’s a good DH?
Yeah, Laureano is literally the perfect player the Marlins need here and Beane as always will be looking to trade any player making arb money.
Troy Johnston would be a good comp for Ramon. A’s need a 1st baseman that hits from the left side. He is not a top 10 prospect for marlins but hit steady through out his career and is one of those players that need to prove he is MLB ready since he is 25..
“weird hitting-side bias that literally means nothing IRL”
“not 10 top team prospect”
“old for his level”
Man, you just nailed all of Beane requests in players who proceed to never pan out for the A’s lol
L-R-L-R- etc means absolutely zero, 9 simply “good” hitters will beat splits over 162. I cannot stand how the A’s brass disagrees with this. It doesn’t matter. We are literally saying “this guy who hits LHP/RHP with .800/.500 splits is better than a hitter who has a .825/.900 split” which is A’s brain moron type stuff. Type of stuff that made every A’s fan who watched that Padres series vs Phily go “See….Melvin IS very bad at actually managing a game of baseball!”
Its more of how Ramon doesn’t have much trade value. Nobody is going to give the A’s a top prospect for Ramon. Do you keep him and hope he bounces back to have trade value? If ramon is on the team who sits of your young OF?
I do believe that the Orioles could be in the mix for a trade. Hays may be available in return for pitching. Baltimore could even sweeten a deal with a prospect.
Those two teams make a ton of sense as trade partners.
If the Marlins are trading with the Orioles, should be for Mullins. How far is Colton Cowser from the big leagues?
If the trade includes Cedric Mullins it should one where the Orioles receive one of Marlins top pitchers in return.
I would do Pablo Lopez or Edward Cabrera as a centerpiece in a trade for Mullins for sure if Os are open to it. I think Miami would do Lopez and maybe a lesser player for Mullins.
I think Cabrera, Bleday, Salas and a lesser piece like Burdick for Mullins makes the most sense for both sides
Cowser isn’t far off. You could reasonably expect him to start next season in the big leagues or at least the first couple months if he was dealt. He won’t in Baltimore if we keep our 3 starting OF’ers. But he hit AA pitching very well.
I find it hard to believe Mullins would be available for anything less than a gigantic overpay.
Hays is a CF who plays LF on the O’s. I’ve long said he has more value to another team where he plays CF. He’s an above average hitter who could give you slightly above average D in CF.
I highly doubt that the Rangers are willing to part with Adolis Garcia.
Exactly. The Rangers are loading up.
The Rangers do need Starting pitching badly tho.
The Rangers have played equivalent of 100 loss baseball over the last three years. As it stands now, the pitching is in a worse spot than last year (when they were bottom 5-10). Garcia is 30 years old. and has one decent full year in his resume. The Rangers should be listening and talking about any veteran in the context of improving the pitching.
Also, for Rangers fans, loudly stating the rebuild is over is meaningless and comical when the on-the-field results scream that the rebuild is still very much ongoing. Just ask the Tigers.
I mean, they actually were a pretty good team this year, they just lost every single 1-run game they played. Rangers are on the way up and are better posited than the Angels are.
Teams lose 1 run games because of bad pitching and bad defense, I run games aren’t a coinflip. The abysmal 1 run record was well earned.
Sorry, the Angels have three young starting pitchers that are controllable, have ability and have had success. The Rangers only answer to a bottom 5 ERA in MLB is to spend more money. The Angels will be sold in the next year and the Ohtani situation will resolve itself The Angels operate in a fantastic baseball market with huge revenues. The AL West will be Houston, Seattle, the Angels and a perpetual cycling Oakland team. The Rangers are posited to be the AL Colorado Rockies.
“Teams lose 1 run games because of bad pitching and bad defense, I run games aren’t a coinflip”
Absolutely, 100% incorrect. Wrong and a lie. The Rangers WERE a good defensive and pitching team last year. You lose 1 run games due to LUCK, nothing more nothing less.
Now, why did you choose to lie to make a point here? Use facts only please.
You might be an idiot, right? Here’s the Rangers’ starting pitching stats:
ERA 4.63 (25th)
K’s (20th)
BB’s (29th)
FIP (24th)
fWar (27th)
Now, why did you lie about me lying? Use facts only please – preferably without soiling your dainty knickers?
Yea but they have Bochy and still have that 2021 Giant’s hitting coach as their bench coach.
In SF, Bam Bam was probably one of the worst hitting coaches but the G’s won in spite of below average hitting. I’d imagine Bochy paired with a legitimate modern-era hitting coach could be the recipe for a 120-win ball club lmao
Is Bochy throwing 200 competent innings or will he, like the rest of North Texas be watching a collection of washouts and AAA cannon fodder toss batting practice?
@TheRealMilo you chose to lie just because youre coping. I’m not even a Rangers fan, I hate them actually, but you seem to be majorly coping and lying to make lie points – L for you, you dont know ball, get off these boards bro lol
Man A’sfaninUK
horrible poster.
2 full years of good ball not 1. And he’s only been in the majors 2 years total
Not even for Pablo Lopez? They need pitching badly.
Depends on the pitchers they get heading back.
If the return is one of the Marlins young starters than it’s possible the Rangers would be willing to part with Garcia
This Ranger fan would part with Garcia in a heartbeat for good starting pitching.
We can always find another good outfielder.
With Hassell coming, the Nats probably would part with Victor Robles, a good defender who could be a change-of-scenery candidate for the Fish.
He was productive in 2019 but hasn’t hit since – and the TOOTBLANs are maddening.
Seems like Robles by now, has lost whatever positive trade value he had ever built up. Too many successive poor seasons with the bat.
Being that Robles is a non-tender candidate the Marlins could just wait it out and see if the Nats cut him rather than give up any kind of return for him
I am always wary of any player(s) who had their highs in 2019–the peak for juiced balls. Kevin Newman had 12 HRs and an .800 OPS that year across 500ish ABs. In 1,000 other ABs at the MLB level (parts of 4 other seasons) he has 8 HRs and a .600 OPS. There are MANY players who’s best seasons were 2019.
I’m amazed Barry Jackson didn’t propose Bryan Reynolds for the 7000th time
Lol same
That’s because Reynolds isn’t going anywhere
How about Arizona? They have a lot of outfielders and seem like a great match.
That is the best answer — Carroll, Varsho, and McCarthy are all good options for AZ, and they have Alek Thomas down on the farm who is solid defensively and has shown signs of being a decent hitter in the past (he might need a re-adjust). And it would not be the first such go-round for these two team — they swapped Gallen for Chisholm a couple years back.
Doesn’t mean it will happen, but its a pretty decent shot.
An Arizona-Miami won’t necessarily happen, but Arizona will almost surely trade one of their lefty outfielders. My money’s on Alek Thomas. Carroll is the prized possession, while Varsho and McCarthy have proven to be gritty, productive MLB players. Meanwhile, Thomas still has some prospect shine on him (though he’s not technically a prospect anymore).
Alex Thomas makes perfect sense for a Dbacks to Fish trade. Not enough for Pablo but maybe Rogers or Braxton?
Diamondback’s Stone Garrett would be a good option for Marlins, not necessarily CF, the powerful bat plays well. Good defense and strong arm.. He was the Marlins minor league player of the year in 2015 then had that terrible hand injury. Was released during COVID season. Had an outstanding AAA in 2022 with 28 homers ,95 RBIs and 15 stolen bases before being called to up MLB where he added 4 more homers.
Dbacks match up well with the Marlins. Dbacks have so many OF, they could trade 2 to the Marlins—maybe Alek Thomas and Stone Garrett for Pablo Lopez?
Good thought, but I think that they should keep Garret as a 4th OF, because Varsho, McCarthy, Thomas, and Carroll are all Lefty bats and if nothing else, Garret could rotate in for one of them when the Diamondbacks start a lefty.
(And I always thought that he should rename himself “Garret Stone” — but yeah…)
“Take my Hicks…. PLEASE!”
(with apologies to the Dangerfield estate)
The Marlins trade Alcantara to the Yanks for Hicks…. if Jeter was still running things in Miami
Only way the Marlins are taking Hicks is if Volpe and Dominguez are coming with him
Y’all can have Tyrone Taylor if you want.
Arizona is the team to trade for a CF. They have at least 3 ready to go in that position. After them, Mullins, but I’m not sure how easy would be for that trade to happen.
I also see possibilities with STL, LAD and even BOS. Adolis García is a long shot. “Moncho” Laureano is just OK. I’d rather keep a De La Cruz-Sánchez-Bleday-Brudick mix instead of going for players like Taylor or Robles.
I figured they’d suggest Reynolds from Pittsburgh. I was quite surprised when I didn’t see his name on this list. Pirates are asking for the system when it comes to Reynolds. Like 3 top 50 prospects and draft picks for Reynolds. His production was down last year, but I believe he is in the running for silver slugger award. So he has plenty of talent and his trade value will remain high. They have plenty of young players to cover his spot if he is traded. Last year was a “chess game” to see who is ready and who’s not quite ready. Who’s a potential starter, who’s utility guy. Who’s going to start and figure it out and who’s going to the pen. It was a chess game and nearly every spot in that lineup had at least 2 rookies playing there at one point.
I can help to say that Reynolds is by far the worst defensive CF in the league. He is a corner OF trying to be sold as a CF, but he is not. The Pirates won’t trade him anyways.
LF…..
Doesn’t have the arm for RF.
@habeto to be honest, not one player can play CF defensively on that roster at this point. CF is everyone’s greatest weakness. Reynolds in CF is a better option than what is one some other teams. That’s a fact. He still will require a huge haul regardless of his defensive shorting. His defensive shorting can’t be that bad considering he was part of the 9 guys nearly every night that helped a 33 year old pitcher resurrect his career. Just saying.
The most shocking part of this is that the Marlins have already had 16 managers. Does it count interim managers or Jack McKeon twice?
A bold move for the White Sox, offer Luis Robert in a trade for Sixto Sanchez and Max Meyer
Would be a big risk with Meyer coming back from TJ and Sixto’s injury history, but when Sixto was healthy he had good movement on his fastball, I thought he looked like he had the potential to be an Ace, and the book on Meyer says he has the best slider of all pitchers coming up through the Minors.
That would give the Sox a rotation of
Cease
Kopech
Sanchez
Giolito / Crochet / Meyer
That would be solid. Marlins can’t do much better than Luis Robert in the trade market, I think it’s a good deal. Sox would have to turn to Haseley in Center and possibly give Rutherford a look in right, but those guys can play, give them a shot and bolster the pitching staff.
MIA can’t afford Robert. He’s got 37M on his deal, and if they’re giving up Meyer/Sanchez – I wouldn’t think both would happen, especially when considering that CHW fans will need to accept no instant benefit from getting Meyer (TJ) and Sixto (almost every injury known to man). CHW would need to include dollars, while also taking it on the chin that they’ve not gotten a full season from Robert since he was a big signing out of Cuba. Frankly, too many moving parts, dollars needing to be exchanged, and pride of giving up on high-upside/high-injury players for it to work.
Meyer won’t pitch much next year. Sixto is always a ?? Robert doesn’t have a ton of surplus value on that contract so that’s probably all you could reasonably expect but the White Sox would have that worst OF in baseball with what you propose.
As a Marlins fan, I have to say that would be a terrible trade for the Sox.
14 homes? Sanchez would make a terrific real estate agent!
“. . . the Fish could have a hard time making a splash on the open market.”
I see what you did there.
You reeled that in, hook line and sinker.
Tavares or Garcia will cost you Lopez
Honestly, I would do Lopez for Garcia in a heartbeat.
lol. Lopez will cost as much as Castillo. So Garcia plus much more.
Marlins say they will seek a player in trade but most likely will end up with JBJ or Lorenzo Cain.
Jose Abreu and Tommy Pham or David Peralta is my guess.
Say what you will about JBJ but the defense automatically improves with him in CF
or billy hamilton
More likely they sign Bellinger after Dodgers release him.
@MannyBeingMVP
I’d gladly take Bellinger. I feel like he needs a change of scenery and it would be mutually beneficial if he came to the Marlins.
Pitching will be handled in FA. 2 of Rodon, Verlander, Degrom, and Kershaw will likely be a Ranger. I doubt they trade a bat from the middle of their line-up.
Every fan base thinks that Verlander, DeGrom, kershaw or Rodon will sign with their team…
I would be willing to bet dollars to donuts that three of those pitchers re-sign with their current team.
I’d take that bet. Rodon is gone. DeGrom could re-sign with NYM, but his case and Kershaw’s feel like something a little closer to home. I’d be surprised if Verlander goes anywhere else after the season he’s had (and being in the WS again), but if contract doesn’t align, someone else could come calling – especially if DeGrom signs elsewhere (and Cohen wants to make a splash).
Verlander is almost certainly staying. Kershaw would probably rather be a Dodger for life than go home, so I guess it’s possible he leaves for the Rangers, but I’d be shocked.
DeGrom is possible, but I’d be surprised if a) anyone outbids the Mets if they truly want him back or b) he’d much rather be somewhere else. Rodon is probably signing somewhere else but he’s the only one I’d genuinely bet to sign with a new team.
Rodon may hurt his shoulder during the process of signing his contract.
Kershaw and Verlander will stay with current teams, the other two I am not as sure.
Lol “likely” yeah bro keep sniffing it, it might actually happen!!!
They can pick up Mr Untouchable Dylan Carlson for a low level prospect or two now that he’s been exposed and his ceiling has been adjusted to that of a bombed out house in Ukraine
I wonder if there would be a possible match with the Rockies. A Yonathan Daza/Peter Lambert/Ryan Vilade package for Pablo Lopez and a reliever.like Steven Okert.
Daza is not well known nationally, but had a pretty good season. As long as he is not asked to play corner OF, because he looks lost in LF, but he can handle center. He knows how to put the ball in play, which will a much bigger asset next year with the shift elimination. Lambert and Vilade are both ready to be in the bigs, but the Rockies just have too many other options at their spots.
Lopez could take the #3 spot in the Rockies rotation and Okert could provide a second lefty reliever which the Rockies have basically played without for as long as I can remember. Seems like a win-win to me, but I might be biased.
Ramon Laureano could be had because the A’s are a T-Ball organization
The A’s are a MLB team led by a scamming owner who has no backbone, heart and most importantly, does not care at all about putting a contender on the field year in and out. Manfred and MLB are the reason why Fisher does what he does.
Just remember, its the billionaires who are always bad for business.
The cardinals have some OF depth and could use some pitching… just throwing it out there… but what about a trade revolving around Edward Cabrera for either Tyler O’Neill or Dylan Carlson?
The obvious move is trade for 1 of the Cardinals outfielders Carlson O’Neil Nootbar or Burlson all are well known by skip and aside from Carlson all would be cheap and reasonably priced for payroll plus could be had without give up the top talent
Aside from Carlson none of those are Center Fielders thus not really solving the Marlins problem
Concur Burlson is a great prospect bat but not a CF
why would the marlins pursue anyone? team should be sold and moved out of miami
But they won’t so…..they’ll continue to pursue anyone.
Chaim Bloom should dangle Jarren Duran out there for one of their young starters.
Mets should too.
Leody Taveras, Eli White, Bubba Thompson… Josh Smith, Ezeikel Duran. Take your pick, just give us some starting pitching.
Carlson Liberatore and Flaherty for….Lopez plus…..?
Derek Hill is available for nothing. He’s a great defensive CF. Don’t trade anyone.
Maybe Trent Grisham? SD needs to find a way to get both Tatis and Kim on the field and moving Tatis to CF seems like a logical way to do that.
Kind of a sell low move for SD though since Grisham’s 2022 offensive numbers are way below what he did in ‘20 and ‘21, so they might not want to move him but he had enough defensive value that he still put up 2.1fWAR this year.
Padres for Grisham. Gold Glove defense and his playoff performance puts a shine on his meh 2.4 WAR regular season. His offense was awful in the regular season, but he is still just 26 and a change of scenery could see him bounce back to his 2020-2021 offensive performance and WAR in the 3.5-4.0 range.
Grisham saved his future with Pads in postseason, he will still have to fight for at bats
Jose Siri, Jake Meyers, Taylor Trammell, Billy McKinstry, Billy Hamilton, Jackie Bradley Jr …it’s really a plethora of riches for the Marlins to pick from for CF !!!!!
Team : Detroit tigers Riley Green would be a great young controllable centerfielder. Has shown to be very talented with high light reel catches. However not sure they would trade him off.
I say acquire Bryan Reynolds pirates can’t afford to keep him and there just starting another rebuild and need specs.
It will be interesting to see what the Marlins do. Ng has shown some aggressiveness with hiring the manager and Asst. GM very quickly this offseason.