Breaking Down Potential Extensions For Logan Gilbert And Bryan Woo
The Mariners have become a playoff contender in recent years thanks in large part to their pitching. Between Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, and Bryan Woo, the club has a plethora of effective homegrown starters. With Luis Castillo also in the mix, Seattle’s rotation is both a top-10 unit in the league and well-suited to take advantage of the pitching-friendly dimensions of T-Mobile Park.
Understandably, the club is exploring ways to keep that group intact, with Daniel Kramer of MLB.com reporting that the team explored extensions with Gilbert and Woo over the offseason. Kramer adds that the talks with Gilbert did not progress to the point where the two parties were close to an agreement. Talks with Woo’s representatives were also preliminary.
Gilbert has been a staple of the rotation since debuting in 2021. In 840 2/3 innings, he owns a 3.59 ERA, a 26.2% strikeout rate, and a 5.3% walk rate. He has always done well at limiting walks, and the strikeouts have improved year over year since 2022. He is also quite durable, with 2025 being the first time he went on the injured list. After missing seven weeks with a right elbow flexor strain, Gilbert returned in mid-June and was his usual self for the rest of the season. He ultimately made 25 starts with a 3.44 ERA and a career-high 32.3% strikeout rate.
Woo, 26, made his debut in 2023 and has a 3.21 ERA through 70 career starts. Like Gilbert, Woo gets strikeouts at an above average rate and excels at limiting free passes. He has made a few trips to the IL, including two separate stints in 2024 which limited him to 22 starts. He made 30 starts for the first time in 2025. His 21 quality starts in 2025 tied Hunter Brown and Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal for fourth place in the majors. Although he missed the last two weeks of the regular season with pectoral inflammation, he returned as a reliever in the ALCS and is fully healthy heading into his first start of 2026.
Both Gilbert and Woo are immensely valuable to the Mariners, so it makes sense for the team to explore extensions while they have multiple seasons of club control remaining. Gilbert has the longer track record, with over four years of effective pitching on his resume. Being closer to free agency, an extension for Gilbert would also be more costly. Looking around the league, Garrett Crochet was the most recent starter with four to five years of service to be extended. He got six years and $170MM from the Red Sox in March 2025. Crochet’s case was unique, as he had been a reliever until 2024 and only had one (very effective) season as a starter before signing the extension.
Gilbert does not strike out as many hitters as Crochet and profiles as a No. 2 starter rather than a true ace. The recent Pablo Lopez and Mitch Keller contracts may be closer comparisons based on talent level and age at the time of signing. Lopez was worth 8.5 fWAR over 84 starts from 2019-22. He got a four-year, $73.5MM deal from the Twins in April 2023, which covered his age-28 through 31 seasons and bought out three free agent years. Meanwhile, Keller was worth a combined 6.2 fWAR in 91 appearances (89 starts) for the Pirates from 2020-23. His February 2024 extension gave him $71.6MM in new money over four years (age-29 through 32), including three free agent years.
Gilbert’s talent level puts him closer to Lopez and Keller than Crochet. Given his comparable age and superior talent, Gilbert might be worth $85-90MM over a four-year term. It wouldn’t be out of character for the Mariners to pay that amount. Castillo’s extension in 2022 gave him a similar average annual value over his age-30 to 34 seasons, and he had a comparable track record at the time to Gilbert’s now.
If the Mariners would prefer to spread money around to different parts of the roster, then Woo might be the more logical long-term fit. He is currently 26 years old and under club control through 2029. For players with two to three years of service time, Cristian Javier and Tanner Bibee are the best points of comparison. Prior to his February 2023 extension, Javier was worth a combined 4.0 fWAR over 66 appearances, roughly half of which were starts. He earned a $64MM guarantee over five years (two would-be free agent years) for an AAV of $12.8MM.
More recently, Bibee got around $47.2MM on a four-year extension in March 2025, which covered at least one free agent year. That came following a 2023-24 stretch in which Bibee accumulated 6.3 fWAR over 56 starts. Being a full-time starter, Woo is a closer match with Bibee’s contract than Javier’s. Bibee had exactly two years of service when he signed his deal, whereas Woo has closer to three years of service. The two are comparable in terms of overall performance, with Woo having an edge on a rate basis and Bibee covering slightly more innings. Based on those circumstances, Woo might garner $55MM over a four-year term ($13.75MM AAV).
Kramer framed both sets of extension talks as preliminary, so Mariners fans should take the news with a grain of salt. Nonetheless, these comparisons offer insight into how much it would cost for the club to retain their starters throughout their window of contention. Per RosterResource, the club has four guaranteed salaries on their books in 2027. Castillo ($24.15MM), Julio Rodriguez ($20.19MM), Josh Naylor ($17.3MM), and Cal Raleigh ($13.67MM). That’s a total of $75.31MM in guaranteed money. After factoring in the arbitration class, that should leave enough room for the club to extend at least one of its homegrown starters, and perhaps more.
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White Sox Outright Korey Lee
Catcher Korey Lee has cleared waivers and been outrighted to Triple-A, according to Scott Merkin of MLB.com. Lee was designated for assignment by the White Sox three days ago after being informed that he wouldn’t make the Opening Day roster.
The outright assignment keeps Lee in the organization, which may prove ideal for the Sox. A few weeks ago, Lee was poised for the backup catcher spot, with Kyle Teel and Edgar Quero splitting time between catcher and DH to keep both in the lineup. Then, Teel strained his hamstring in the World Baseball Classic, leading him to start the year on the injured list. The injury prompted Chicago to sign Reese McGuire to a cheap one-year deal as a backup while Quero started behind the plate. Despite his excellent performance in Spring Training, Lee was ultimately the odd man out. He’ll now start the year as Triple-A depth, but he’s likely the next man up should Quero or McGuire suffer an injury themselves.
Lee has made 530 career plate appearances between the Astros and White Sox from 2022-25. His first significant look came in 2024 with the Sox, making 394 PA over 125 games. He batted just .210/.244/.347 with a 65 wRC+, although he showed some power with 12 home runs. He spent most of 2025 at Triple-A and fared slightly better with an 81 wRC+. Still, his overall offensive output is underwhelming given his status as a former first-round draft pick.
Instead, Lee’s value comes from his defense and ability to work with a pitching staff. In 2024, Statcast graded him in the 97th percentile for pop time and the 82nd percentile for caught stealing above average. In contrast, he earned negative marks for his blocking and framing. Despite those flaws, Lee’s arm strength, youth, and affordability give him some appeal as minor-league depth. He has just over two years of service time and is out of option years. If his contract is eventually selected, he would need to hit enough to stick on the roster or else be designated for assignment. In that scenario, he would have the right to refuse another outright assignment.
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Injury Notes: Crawford, Kerkering, Murphy, Hernández
Mariners shortstop J.P. Crawford is currently on the 10-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation, though he is not expected to have a lengthy absence. Indeed, Adam Jude of The Seattle Times reports that Crawford is with the team today and participated in batting practice. He is also slated for a full infield workout, per Daniel Kramer of MLB.com. He will remain with the team through the weekend before starting a Triple-A rehab assignment.
The update bodes well for Mariners fans, who will be glad to have their longtime shortstop back in action after just a few weeks. Crawford has generally been healthy since the 2021 season, apart from two missed months in 2024 due to a right oblique strain and a hand fracture. Assuming his rehab goes well, he’ll be on track for another season of 140 or more games. Last year, Crawford posted a 113 wRC+ in 157 games, showing his usual plate discipline with an 11.3% walk rate and an 88th-percentile chase rate. His defense regressed somewhat, but he was viewed positively by Defensive Runs Saved as recently as 2024. Leo Rivas will continue to play short for the Mariners while Crawford recovers.
A few more injury updates from around the league:
- Phillies right-hander Orion Kerkering threw a scoreless inning in his first rehab appearance at Triple-A. The next step is for him to throw in back-to-back games on Tuesday and Wednesday, according to manager Rob Thomson (link via Todd Zolecki of MLB.com). Kerkering was placed on the 15-day IL three days ago with a right hamstring strain, though he did pitch in minor league games near the end of camp. Judging by that, he should be back at some point in mid-April. Kerkering is coming off a solid 3.30 ERA in 60 relief innings in 2025, albeit with less encouraging peripherals. The late innings are covered by Jhoan Duran, Jose Alvarado, and Brad Keller, so Kerkering will take a middle relief role upon his return.
- Elsewhere in the NL East, Braves catcher Sean Murphy is participating in baseball activities and could start a rehab assignment soon, according to Mark Bowman of MLB.com. The 31-year-old Murphy underwent hip surgery in September, and Bowman previously suggested that Murphy hoped to return some time in May. With last year’s NL Rookie of the Year Drake Baldwin holding down the fort, the team can afford to proceed cautiously with Murphy’s rehab. That could make a late May return the goal for Atlanta. Murphy posted slightly below average offense in 2025, although his defense was excellent as usual. Baldwin, in contrast, was 25% better than average offensively last year, with -2 DRS behind the plate.
- Dodgers utilityman Enrique Hernández took batting practice on the field today. He is also progressing on defense, fielding grounders and making throws according to manager Dave Roberts (link via Maddie Lee of the Los Angeles Times). Roberts added that he would be “shocked” if Hernández did not return from the 60-day IL as soon as he is eligible on May 24. Hernández didn’t offer much with the bat last year, with a wRC+ of 70. His 5 Outs Above Average showed that his defense was still an asset, and he remains a fan favorite in Los Angeles thanks to his postseason heroics. He is playing on a $4.5MM salary in his 13th big-league season.
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Nick Anderson Has Upward Mobility Clause In Athletics Deal
March 28: Anderson went unclaimed on waivers and will start the year with the Athletics’ Triple-A affiliate, per an update from Ari Alexander.
March 25: Right-hander Nick Anderson has an upward mobility clause in his minor league deal with the Athletics and plans to trigger it tomorrow, reports Ari Alexander. The reliever signed with the club in early November.
The Athletics have not released their Opening Day roster, but based on this development, it would seem Anderson has failed to make the team. By triggering the clause, the veteran will be offered to every other team in the league. If any club is willing to give him a roster spot, the A’s will have to do the same, or work out a trade. If all 29 teams pass on Anderson, he can be sent to the minors.
The 35-year-old Anderson posted an unremarkable 4.35 ERA across 10 spring outings, but did punch out more than a batter per inning. He was competing for a bullpen spot with fellow non-roster invitees Wander Suero, Brooks Kriske, and Joel Kuhnel, among others. The Athletics added veterans Mark Leiter Jr. and Scott Barlow to a young bullpen this offseason.
Anderson scuffled to a 6.14 ERA in a dozen games with the Rockies last season. He also spent time in the minors with the Mariners and Cardinals. Anderson has pitched for five MLB squads since he debuted with the Marlins in 2019.
Just four months into his big-league career, the Rays acquired Anderson at the trade deadline for outfielder Jesus Sanchez and right-hander Ryne Stanek. Trevor Richards also came to Tampa Bay in the deal. Anderson emerged as a weapon on a Rays club that won 96 games. He posted a ridiculous 52.6% strikeout rate in 21 1/3 innings down the stretch. Anderson was just as good in the shortened 2020 season, delivering a microscopic 0.55 ERA with a 44.8% strikeout rate.
Injuries took a toll on Anderson beginning in the 2020 campaign. He missed time with forearm inflammation, a lower back strain, a torn UCL, and plantar fasciitis over the next three years. Anderson bounced between seven different organizations after leaving Tampa Bay in free agency following the 2022 season.
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Phillies Outright Garrett Stubbs
Catcher Garrett Stubbs has cleared waivers and been outrighted to Triple-A, reports Lochlahn March of the Philadelphia Inquirer. The 32-year-old was designated for assignment earlier this week to clear a spot on the 40-man roster for infielder Christian Cairo.
A wide-ranging spring that included a potential positional change and trade discussions now ends with Stubbs remaining in the organization at the minor league level. He’s on a split contract that will pay him $575,000 in the minors, per Todd Zolecki of MLB.com.
With Rafael Marchán slated for backup catcher duties behind J.T. Realmuto, Stubbs didn’t have a clear route to a roster spot. That changed in early March, when the veteran backstop emerged as an option to replace Johan Rojas. Stubbs began taking reps in the infield and the outfield following the news that Rojas was facing a PED suspension. “There’s nothing that says [Stubbs] couldn’t be the 26th man and we carry three catchers,” manager Rob Thomson said at the time. The skipper reiterated that Stubbs would work out in the infield and outfield if he remained in the organization after the DFA, relays Zolecki.
Utilityman Dylan Moore ultimately earned the final spot on the roster. As a veteran with ample experience all over the diamond, he was a more logical choice to fill in for the suspended Rojas. Reports popped up last week that Philadelphia was looking to trade Stubbs. With the catcher out of minor league options, the Phillies tried to find a taker before DFAing him. No one bit, and the Phillies were able to successfully slip him through waivers and stash the veteran at Lehigh Valley.
Philadelphia acquired Stubbs in a November 2021 trade with the Astros. He’s earned part-time work over the past four seasons with the club. The lefty swinger has slashed .215/.293/.310 in 521 big-league plate appearances. Stubbs made a considerable impact with the Phillies in his first campaign, posting a 129 wRC+ across 50 games. He struggled to replicate that success in subsequent seasons. Stubbs made just five appearances in the big leagues last year.
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White Sox Trade Curtis Mead To Nationals For Boston Smith
The White Sox have acquired catcher Boston Smith from the Nationals for infielder Curtis Mead, both teams have announced. Mead was designated for assignment earlier this week after falling short of an Opening Day roster spot. Smith was a sixth-round pick in the 2025 draft. To open up a 40-man roster spot for Mead, Washington designated lefty Jake Eder for assignment.
A former top prospect with the Rays, Mead spent the final two months of 2025 with the White Sox after coming over in the Adrian Houser trade. He scuffled to a 64 wRC+ in 41 games with the club. Mead hit .233 with a couple of home runs in 10 spring games as he battled for a big-league job. He lost out on the final bench spot to outfielder Tristan Peters.
Mead signed with the Phillies as a minor league free agent in 2018. He was dealt to the Rays straight up for future All-Star Cristopher Sanchez the following year. Mead mashed in the minors in his first full season in the Tampa Bay organization, delivering a 142 wRC+ across three levels in 2021. He continued to pound minor league pitching over the next two seasons.
MLB Pipeline ranked Mead as the Rays’ No. 2 prospect in 2023, behind only right-hander Taj Bradley. He debuted with the club that year, holding his own as a 22-year-old with a .253/.326/.349 slash line in 92 plate appearances. Despite the respectable debut, Mead was limited to part-time work with the Rays in 2024 and 2025. His production was underwhelming at the plate, though he did provide some defensive versatility. Mead spent time at first base, second base, and third base, while also making an appearance at shortstop.
Washington has been active in the infield market over the past week. The club acquired Jorbit Vivas and Zack Short from the Yankees in separate deals. Mead will now join the list. It’s unclear whether he’ll be with the big-league club or head to the minors. Chicago was more in need of an outfielder to fill out the roster following the Brooks Baldwin injury, but the Nats are thinner on the dirt.
Smith was selected with the No. 171 overall pick out of Wright State. The backstop popped 26 home runs in his final season with the Raiders. The 23-year-old has yet to suit up in the minors. Chicago has a pair of talented young catchers on the big-league squad in Kyle Teel and Edgar Quero. Veteran Reese McGuire is currently backing up Quero as Teel deals with a hamstring strain suffered in the World Baseball Classic.
Eder was signed by the Marlins as an undrafted free agent in 2020. He was traded to the White Sox for Jake Burger at the 2023 trade deadline. After a handful of uninspiring seasons in the minors with Chicago, he was sent to the Angels for cash in March 2025. Eder made eight appearances for the big-league club, pitching to a 4.91 ERA across 18 1/3 innings. The lefty found his way to the Nationals in a trade that sent relievers Andrew Chafin and Luis García back to the Angels. Eder was tagged for seven earned runs over seven minor league innings with Washington.
Photo courtesy of Mark J. Rebilas and Peter Aiken, Imagn Images
Twins To Sign Drew Smith To Minor League Deal
Reliever Drew Smith has landed with the Twins on a minor league deal, reports Dan Hayes of The Athletic. The Roc Nation client was in camp with the Nationals. Smith didn’t allow a run in the spring, but Washington released him last week. As an Article XX(B) free agent, Smith was on the verge of an opt-out opportunity when the Nats cut ties with him.
The 32-year-old Smith has spent his entire big-league career with the Mets. He pitched in parts of six seasons with New York. Smith posted career highs in innings (56 1/3) and appearances (62) in 2023. He picked up his first three MLB saves that season and was primed to be a key cog in the Mets’ bullpen the following year. Smith got off to a strong start, recording a pair of saves with a career-best 29.1% strikeout rate, but went down with an elbow sprain in July 2024. He missed all of the 2025 campaign after undergoing his second Tommy John surgery. The Mets held a $2MM club option on Smith for 2026, which they declined.
Smith performed well in Spring Training with Washington, tossing 5 1/3 scoreless frames with a 35.0% strikeout rate. The right-hander was vying for a spot in a Nats bullpen lacking proven arms. He’ll encounter a similar situation in Minnesota.
The Twins sent out every notable member of their bullpen at the 2025 trade deadline. Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, Louis Varland, Brock Stewart, and Danny Coulombe all found new homes. The club was active this offseason in the relief market, albeit on the cheaper side. Minnesota brought back lefty Taylor Rogers on a one-year deal. Anthony Banda and Eric Orze came aboard through trades with the Dodgers and Rays, respectively. Zak Kent‘s whirlwind offseason ended with a roster spot in Minnesota. It’s not an impenetrable depth chart, particularly given that the group skews left-handed and Smith is a righty.
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Rangers Re-Sign Ryan Brasier To Minor League Deal
The Rangers have re-signed right-hander Ryan Brasier, according to the transactions tracker on Brasier’s MLB.com profile page. Brasier had previously signed with Rangers back in February but was released just prior to Opening Day.
He returns to the organization after having failed to make the club’s roster out of camp. A veteran of nine MLB seasons, Brasier made his debut with the Angels back in 2013 but spent most of his career as a member of the Red Sox. After struggling badly to open the year in Boston back in 2023, Brasier found himself released and caught on with L.A. on a minor league deal. He wound up turning things around in a big way with the Dodgers and turned in a sensational 0.70 ERA across 39 games with the club the rest of the way. That was enough to convince the Dodgers to bring Brasier back on a two-year deal in free agency.
Brasier’s second season with the Dodgers went fairly well, though he spent a good portion of it on the injured list due to calf strain that cost him around half the year. When he was able to pitch, he was effective with a 3.54 ERA despite a 22.7% strikeout rate that was down nearly four points from his previous work with Los Angeles. That dip in strikeout rate was enough to squeeze Brasier off the club’s 40-man roster the following offseason, and as a result they traded him to the Cubs prior to the start of Spring Training. In Chicago, Brasier was once again sidelined by injuries, as he made two trips to the injured list due to a left groin strain that wound up costing him three months in total. When healthy, Brasier’s strikeout rate dipped further to just 19.0% as his ERA ticked upwards to 4.50.
Once Brasier reached free agency this offseason, he found a quiet market. While his peripherals with the Cubs (including a 3.17 FIP) were fairly solid, his strikeout rate continuing to drop and his struggles to stay healthy were enough to convince teams not to look the other way on his below-average run prevention in 2025. That left Brasier to try and fight his way onto the big league roster with the Rangers after joining the organization on a minor league deal. Unfortunately, he surrendered seven runs (six earned) during eight Spring Training appearances this year and was unable to secure a spot on Texas’s Opening Day roster. Now that he’s back with the organization, he’ll report to Triple-A Round Rock to open the year and get work in there as he attempts to ready himself for a big league opportunity down the line.
Brewers To Recall Jeferson Quero For MLB Debut, Place Andrew Vaughn On IL
2:06pm: Vaughn has been diagnosed with a fractured hand and will miss four to six weeks due to the injury, as relayed by McCalvy. He figures to undergo hamate surgery in the coming days.
11:16am: The Brewers are set to recall catching prospect Jeferson Quero for his MLB debut, per Daniel Alvarez-Montes of El Extrabase. A corresponding active roster move has not been announced, though MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy reports that first baseman Andrew Vaughn is headed for the injured list due to a hand injury.
Quero, 23, was signed out of Venezuela by the Brewers as an international amateur and made his pro debut in the Arizona Complex League back in 2021. Since then, he’s climbed the minor league ladder fairly steadily but enjoyed a breakout season in 2023 that put him on the map as a prospect to watch. That year, he hit a very impressive .262/.339/.440 across 90 games at the Double-A level as a 20 year old while showing the ability to handle the catcher position. That was enough to make him a consensus top-40 prospect in the sport.
Since then, Quero’s star has lost some of its shine thanks to injuries. He played in just one game during the 2024 season due to a significant shoulder injury that wound up requiring surgery. He returned to the field of play last year, but a hamstring injury helped limit him to just 68 games, only 59 of which were at the Triple-A level. In the 250 plate appearances he did receive at Triple-A, the then-22-year-old Quero hit just .255/.336/.412. His 10.0% walk rate and 14.0% strikeout rate show solid plate discipline and contact ability, but he didn’t hit for much power to speak of with just 21 extra-base hits and six homers in that time. That 101 wRC+ showing, in conjunction with injury woes and questions about his arm strength following shoulder surgery, was enough to knock Quero off most top-100 prospect lists this offseason.
Still, it’s fair to remember that Quero hasn’t really struggled much at the plate throughout his minor league career to this point and has shown the skills necessary to be a quality catcher. It would surprise no one if he becomes an impressive partner to William Contreras in the Milwaukee catching tandem in the fairly near future. With that being said, that end goal appears relatively far off given the presence of Gary Sanchez on the club’s 40-man roster. He serves as Contreras’s primary backup and, as a veteran who has been a roughly league average offensive player for several years now, he should have a considerable leash in that role.
For now, however, the Brewers are going with a three-catcher roster due to Vaughn’s injury. Though only a league average hitter for his career, Vaughn slashed a sensational .308/.375/.493 in 63 games with Milwaukee last year after being acquired from the White Sox midway through the year. That showing was enough for the Brewers to hand Vaughn the keys to the first base job, but after he left yesterday’s game due to a hand injury he’s evidently now ticketed for a trip to the shelf. It’s unclear just how long Vaughn will be out of commission at this point, and while he’s gone adding Quero to the roster should free Sanchez up for some starts at first base. Quero, as another right-handed hitter, also keeps a righty bat in the club’s bench mix.
Of course, Sanchez isn’t likely to be the only one in the first base mix while Vaughn is out. Switch-hitting Luis Rengifo could see some time there, creating an opportunity to get more playing time as he shares third base with David Hamilton. Another option would be to get lefty-swinging outfielder Jake Bauers in at first base, which would then open the door for one of Rengifo, switch-hitter Blake Perkins, or righty hitter Brandon Lockridge in the outfield mix. Bauers is the most experienced first baseman on the roster at this point, with over 2000 innings at the position in the majors throughout his career.
Christopher Morel Sidelined 4-6 Weeks By Oblique Strain
The Marlins are placing infielder/outfielder Christopher Morel on the 10-day injured list, with Deyvison De Los Santos set to be recalled in the corresponding move. Manager Clayton McCullough told reporters (including Kevin Barral of Fish On First) this afternoon that Morel is expected to be sidelined for between four and six weeks by the oblique strain he’s suffering from.
Morel, 26, was non-tendered by the Rays back in November but signed a major league deal with the Marlins during the offseason with the expectation that he would serve as Miami’s starting first baseman. Morel’s career kicked off with a bang in Chicago when he was promoted to the majors straight from Double-A back in 2022 due to injures on the club’s roster. Morel served in a utility role for the club that year, splitting time between center field, third base, second base, and shortstop as needed. He was below average defensively at all of those positions, but hit a solid .235/.304/.433 in 113 games.
Headed into the 2023 season, Morel returned to the minors to start the year at Triple-A but was quickly called up and made the team’s starting DH, with occasionally stints in the outfield and at second base as well. Morel delivered a banner offseason year that season, posting a 120 wRC+ and clubbing 26 homers in just 107 games. Once Morel showed the ability to offer such big time power, the Cubs opted to give him the keys to third base headed into 2024. Unfortunately, things went sideways for Morel in more ways than one that year. He was atrocious defensively at the hot corner, and despite solid peripheral numbers his bat wasn’t enough to justify an everyday spot in the lineup. He hit just .199/.302/.372 in 103 games for the Cubs that year before being shipped to the Rays as part of the Isaac Paredes trade at the 2024 trade deadline.
Morel’s year-and-a-half stint with the Rays saw things devolve further. The Rays committed to playing him nearly exclusively in left field during his time in the organization, with only brief cameos at second base and in right field. That was in hopes that focusing on one position could help him rediscover his groove on offense and be more effective on defense, but neither of those hopes panned out. Morel slashed just .208/.277/.355 in 154 games as a Ray, and in 105 games with Tampa last year he struck out at a massive 35.7% clip. The failed experiment of bringing Morel into the fold came to an end for Tampa when he was non-tendered back in November, but that opened the door for the Marlins to take a shot on him.
The low-stakes environment of a dubiously competitive Marlins team seemed like a good place for Morel to try and turn his career around, and playing him at first base would keep the expectations for his glove to a manageable level. Unfortunately, Morel’s oblique injury leaves him sidelined before he even got to take the field for Miami this year. He’ll now miss at least the first month of the season and figures to be back in action at some point in May. While Morel is out of commission, Connor Norby, Graham Pauley, and Javier Sanoja could all see additional time on the infield to make up for his absence.
The primary beneficiary of Morel’s absence, however, is De Los Santos. A 22-year-old corner infielder who has yet to make his big league debut, De Los Santos was one of the prospects traded to the Marlins by the Diamondbacks in the A.J. Puk deal during a breakout 2024 season. De Los Santos hasn’t yet lived up to that strong performance after struggling to hit for power at Triple-A in 2025, but could still be a valuable right-handed bat for Miami down the line. For now, he’ll get his first taste of big league action a little earlier than expected and have the opportunity to get into the lineup against southpaws.