Marlins outfielder Jorge Soler will not trigger his opt out, per Craig Mish of the Miami Herald, keeping him with the Fish for 2023.
On the heels of his World Series MVP with Atlanta, Soler signed a three-year, $36MM deal to take his talents to South Beach, with Soler also having the opportunity to opt out after each of the first two years of the deal. Unfortunately, he slumped to a .207/.295/.400 line in 2022, production that was just below league average, finishing with a wRC+ of 98. He also missed most of the second half of the season due to back spasms, which meant he only got into 72 games on the year.
Based on that disappointing campaign, it never seemed like there was any chance of him leaving money on the table and choosing to return to the open market. He’ll earn $15MM in 2023 and will then have the choice between opting out or sticking with the Marlins on a $9MM salary for 2024.
For the Marlins, they were hoping that Soler would be a key piece of a more potent offense in 2022 to complement their strong pitching staff. They signed both Soler and Avisaíl García, in addition to trading for Joey Wendle and Jacob Stallings. Neither of those moves really worked out and the club was fairly tepid with the bats yet again, producing a team-wide wRC+ of 88, placing them 25th in the league in that department.
For a second year in a row, the club will be going into the winter trying to find more offensive production. They will reportedly continue to consider using their pitching surplus in trades, though they will also have to hope for more from their four acquisitions from a year ago.
Soler has proven to be quite mercurial in recent years, oscillating between looking like one of the most dominant hitters on the planet and looking fairly lost at the plate. He had a tremendous breakout with the Royals in 2019, which included hitting 48 home runs. That was the infamous “juiced ball” season but wRC+, which controls for the surrounding offensive environment, still considered Soler to be 36% above the league-average hitter that year.
After a slight dip in production for the shortened 2020 season, Soler looked really rough in the first half of 2021. He slashed .192/.288/.370 before getting flipped to Atlanta at the deadline and turning things completely around. He hit .269/.358/.524 after the deal and then was even better in the postseason, leading to the aforementioned World Series MVP honors. Of course, as mentioned, Soler couldn’t sustain that into 2022.
The Marlins will now be hoping that the Soler seesaw has another bounce in it for 2023, though that would be something of a double-edged sword. If he gets things back on track in the coming season, he will have another opt-out chance with only one year and $9MM left on his deal. One year from now, Soler will be 31, about to turn 32. Even with his inconsistent track record, he would likely be able to top a $9MM guarantee if he goes into free agency on a high note again. But another poor season would leave the Marlins in the same position they’re in right now, crossing their fingers and hoping for him to turn things around.
Risky move, Jorge
Strange comment he’s coming off a dreadful year
“Dat’s da joke”
It really befuddles me how hard a time some people have realizing sarcasm on the internet.
That makes one of us; have you taken a look around our country recently?
Braves will trade Ozuna for him and a little boot
No details on how much it was?
This is as surprising as Jonathan Schoop not opting out!
Thank goodness. My worst nightmare was him opting out and leaving the 305!
Signing Avisail Garcia and Soler last off-season instead of paying up for Starling Marte or Kyle Schwarber was not a good decision. Marlins need to spend some money this off-season on their offense and bullpen if they want to truly compete. They probably won’t though, which is too bad because their rotation is young and exciting, and only getting better with prospects like Eury Perez close to contributing.
Their staff and lineup are on different timelines now. They better hope for Jazz to be healthy and for some minor league hitters to really blossom. Plus they should try to trade an arm for some guy(s) who can hit. Can’t really see them getting past NY, Philly, and Atlanta any time soon.
Personally, I think there’s some merit to them trying to acquire a couple of bounce back candidates on offense because there are likely very few blue chip guys that would sign up. Maybe Laureano, Bellinger, or Mancini, depending on their respective availability. Maybe Andrus would be willing to play 3B.
Abreu is a fit if you don’t mind poor defense at 1B.
Jeter wanted Castellanos and thought he was going to be given the cash to make it happen, then came the lockout and Sherman clutching the purse strings. Jeter resigned and Ng signed Soler the same day Castellanos signed with the Phillies. Schwarber was never mentioned on the Marlins radar and they had previously traded Marte after he rejected their extension offer. Joc Pederson was mentioned and that would have been a much better signing for fish
LOL of course not. Another crappy signing by the Marlins last year…one of many
A team like MIA has no business giving opt-outs regardless how much they’re trying to get FA to play there. Soler was riding high off an awful 2021 that ended with a miraculous postseason ride, and he cashed in. Good for him, but c’mon MIA.
ATL was going to reward the cheaper of Rosario/Soler – and I’m glad which way they went – but wish they gave them an Edible Arrangement gift card.
*an awful start to 2021
Braves will trade both Eddie and Ozuna straight up for him
How could Jorge Soler, Eddie Rosario and Adam Duvall be so incredible August-November 2021 and so lackluster in 2022. Amazing the lightning in a bottle the Braves caught at the trade deadline in 2021.
Has to be considered one of the best trade deadlines ever based upon the volume of trades versus the “big bat” or “ace”. Took the opposite route of the Dodgers and got it done.
Duvall was the 2021 NL RBI leader last year and had a good start to the season with MIA. When re-acquired, he was very comfortable with the franchise and I’m sure that played into it, plus being used as a platoon, which is why he left (MIA gave him reg starts). All of Rosario, Pederson, Soler were used as platoons, though they each signed on to get reg ABs. When AA acquired them, he was able to use them (while their stock was low and they needed to rebuild it heading into FA) how the rest of the league knew they should be played.
Rosario was finally healthy towards the end of the season, with AA acquiring him injured and anticipating a boost. Soler’s stock was low but always a power-hitter. He’s always been streaky, but my goodness, no one saw that coming.
Juice in a bottle!
Miami has to hope they see Soler heating at the plate next year.
So far a flat panel
Indeed. More cooling than heating.
Kidding aside, his Statcast numbers this year still show plenty of power, but he has a huge K rate on breaking pitches. A competent hitting coach should be able to improve that somewhat, either by teaching him to hunt hard stuff more efficiently and lay off the breaking pitches, or by helping him hit the latter.
dude is about to have a monster year, sleeper pickup for fantasy?
“he slumped to a .207/.295/.400 line in 2022, production that was just below league average”
That’s just below league average? I would have thought that line would be WAY below league average.
KC taught Soler to hit the ball out of the stadium into the interstate. He did that well one year, now he strikes out most of the time cause the pitchers got smarter. Until he can layoff the curve and slider, he’s worthless.
Soler to me is such a travesty to this team. Blocking Jesus Sanchez from being one of the most up and coming ball players hitting clean up in this lineup. Instead you’ve got $15 million going to a slug that can’t hit his way out of a paper bag. Can’t field worth a lick and is the equivariant of a slug on a major league roster at this point. Make this man a CF, turn him into a pinch hitter or cut your losses. He is literally killing this team.
If you feel he can’t field -and I am not saying he’s a Gold Glover- why would you turn him into a centerfielder?
To get something out of him instead of paying him $15 million to block argurably your best offensive player out of the lineup everyday. Miami’s offense is anemic it’s not even funny.
They should be re-orienting their lineup for him to strictly DH. See if they can get Bellinger or Laureano in CF and let De La Cruz and Sanchez man the corner outfield spots.
C: Stallings
1B: Cooper/Anderson
2B: Chisholm
SS: Rojas
3B: Groshans
LF: De La Cruz
CF: Bellinger/Laureano
RF: Sanchez
DH: Soler
They won’t win the division or anything, but that’s a respectable lineup that gives young guys a chance.
Totally forgot about Garcia. Maybe trade one of De La Cruz or Sanchez and have Garcia in LF or RF?
Another year of hoping he can play his way out of FLA. Hip hip Jorge!!!
I am completely shocked by Soler’s decision. Completely shocked.