The Marlins announced Wednesday that right-hander Seth Martinez has been designated for assignment. His spot on the 40-man roster goes to righty Tyler Phillips, whom Miami acquired from the Phillies in exchange for cash today.
It’s another DFA in a whirlwind season for Martinez, who spent the 2021-24 seasons with the Astros organization but has now changed hands four times this offseason alone — and potentially now a fifth. The D-backs claimed Martinez off waivers back in November, and he’s since bounced to Miami, Seattle and back to Miami via waiver claims. The Marlins will have five days to trade Martinez or place him on outright waivers. If placed on waivers, that’d be another 48-hour process. His DFA will be resolved within a week’s time.
Martinez is a soft-tossing righty with a decent, if unspectacular track record as a multi-inning reliever. Over the past three seasons, he’s worked to a combined 3.68 ERA in 134 1/3 innings. The path to that cumulative earned run average was a bit uneven, as Martinez logged a 2.08 mark in 2022 but a 5.23 and a 3.29 in the two subsequent seasons. Collectively, Martinez has posted a 20.8% strikeout rate, 8.9% walk rate and 39.8% grounder rate while averaging 90-91 mph on his sinker and four-seamer during that time.
On top of the solid big league work, Martinez carries a 2.66 ERA in 105 frames across parts of four Triple-A seasons. He’s fanned more than 31% of his opponents in Triple-A over the years. That strong minor league track record, coupled with his recent major league work, could earn him a look from another team. However, Martinez is also out of minor league options, so any team claiming him or acquiring him via trade would need to plug him directly into its big league bullpen.
Mariners have an open 40 man spot…
Jeez, again? Jeez…
This Phillips guy has an ERA of almost 7, compared to Martinez who’s in the 3’s. Doesn’t even make sense.
Outwardly it doesn’t make sense. I am guessing that the Marlins are gambling that Martinez clears waivers and they can outright him to AAA. Any team that claims him would have to put him on their active roster and as teams are scrambling to set their rosters the Marlins are counting on other teams passing on him. This is why he keeps getting ping ponged around. Teams keep claiming him hoping to sneak him through waivers. But as long as he keeps getting claimed this strategy doesn’t work
MLB teams constantly cycle through fringe relievers like Martinez, hoping for a marginal bullpen upgrade. But Martinez’s value hasn’t changed in four years—he’s a low-velocity, mid-tier reliever with minor league success and limited upside.