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Offseason Outlook: Miami Marlins

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Even the game’s largest Covid-19 outbreak couldn’t derail the Marlins’ Cinderella season, as the Fish surprised the league with a 31-29 record and went on to topple the Cubs in the Wild Card round of this year’s expanded postseason format. With a slew of young talent bubbling up to the Majors, newly minted general manager Kim Ng will be aiming to bring the club back to October baseball in 2021.

Guaranteed Contracts

Arbitration-Eligible Players

Note on arb-eligible players: this year’s arbitration projections are more volatile than ever, given the unprecedented revenue losses felt by clubs and the shortened 2020 schedule. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz, who developed our arbitration projection model, used three different methods to calculate different projection numbers. You can see the full projections and an explanation of each if you click here, but for the purposes of our Outlook series, we’ll be using Matt’s 37-percent method — extrapolating what degree of raise a player’s 2020 rate of play would have earned him in a full 162-game slate and then awarding him 37 percent of that raise.

Option Decisions

Free Agents

Much of the Marlins’ surprising success in 2020 can be attributed to the team’s enviable collection of young pitching. Right-handers Sandy Alcantara, Pablo Lopez, Elieser Hernandez and Sixto Sanchez each gave strong performances, with Alcantara and Lopez soaking up the most innings. Alcantara, Lopez and Hernandez are all locked into next year’s rotation, manager Don Mattingly said after the Marlins’ postseason run ended. Sanchez’s omission from the mix may surprise some, given his strong rookie effort, although he’ll surely have the opportunity to cement his spot in Spring Training.

Behind that quartet of righties is a mix of intriguing but still unproven arms. Righty Jordan Yamamoto had some success in 2019 but was clobbered in 2020. Prospects Nick Neidert, Braxton Garrett and Trevor Rogers all struggled in small samples of work as well. Veteran righty Jose Urena is out of the mix after yesterday’s DFA, although that’s hardly a surprise given that he stood out as one of the game’s likelier non-tender candidates. The Marlins have some intriguing yet-to-debut options (e.g. Edward Cabrera), but their pitching depth was thinned out a bit when they sent Caleb Smith and Humberto Mejia to the Diamondbacks in this August’s Starling Marte trade.

Beyond Alcantara and Lopez, Marlins starters have at best limited track records of MLB success. Even Hernandez, whom Mattingly proclaimed as a member of the rotation, pitched just 25 2/3 solid innings in 2020; in 2018-19, he posted an ERA north of 5.00. The youth and years of team control are obviously appealing, but the Marlins would still be well served to bring in a veteran both to help mentor the staff and to provide some stable innings. Names like Rick Porcello, Martin Perez and south Florida native Mike Fiers are all available if the team’s priority is dependable innings, and there are plenty of interesting names looking for bouncebacks from injured seasons (e.g. James Paxton, Jose Quintana, Corey Kluber).

With Kintzler and Boxberger both returning to the market, the Marlins will have some work to do to round out their bullpen. Miami could’ve retained Kintzler at a seemingly reasonable $4MM price point, but there were quite a few solid reliever options declined this year. Perhaps the hope is that recently acquired righty Adam Cimber, another ground-ball specialist, can provide similar production at a fraction of the rate. Miami picked him up from the Indians in exchange for cash, and he’s projected to earn $800K via arbitration. Even with Cimber aboard, it’s likely that the Marlins will talk to Kintzler about coming back at a lower price than his option would have guaranteed.

More intriguing bullpen options will become available after the non-tender deadline. The Marlins seem likely to again look for affordable veteran help to complement their in-house options, particularly with an unsettled mix at the back of the ’pen. Two offseasons ago, the Marlins did quite well on a low-cost, one-year deal with Sergio Romo. Last winter, it was Kintzler. It seems reasonable to expect a similar approach this time around, even with a new GM at the helm.

Turning to the offense, the Marlins have plenty of intriguing youngsters on the cusp of Major League readiness, but struggles behind the plate could lead the club to look outside the organization for upgrades. Jorge Alfaro was a key piece of the trade that sent J.T. Realmuto to Philadelphia — along with the aforementioned Sanchez — but he’s yet to solidify himself as the team’s long-term replacement for Realmuto. In two years as a Marlin, Alfaro has a .256/.306/.410 batting line, and both his offense and defense took marked steps back in 2020. By the time the playoffs rolled around, Miami was starting the light-hitting Chad Wallach over Alfaro.

Miami doesn’t figure to spend particularly aggressively in free agency. A Realmuto reunion is off the table, but any of the market’s second-tier options — James McCann and Yadier Molina headline the group — could seemingly fit into the budget for a team whose current payroll projection check in shy of $60MM now that Urena no longer factors into the mix. Additional trades or non-tenders could yet lower that mark.

The trade market could offer myriad other possibilities. Many Marlins decision-makers have Yankees roots and are familiar with Gary Sanchez. There’s bound to be speculation about the Cubs moving Willson Contreras as they look to cut costs. MLBTR’s Mark Polishuk recently explored the reasons that San Diego might move Francisco Mejia. The Blue Jays have a glut of catchers on their 40-man roster.

Looking up and down the rest of the lineup, the needs aren’t as palpable. The outfield should be more or less set with Corey Dickerson’s contract locking him into left field and Starling Marte set to return as the primary center fielder. Garrett Cooper hit well in 2020, but if he falters in right field, the Marlins are rife with corner-outfield alternatives; any of Jon Berti, Monte Harrison, Harold Ramirez, Magneuris Sierra, Jesus Sanchez or Lewis Brinson could earn an increased role there.

If somehow that entire bunch struggles, the club could always consider moving third baseman Brian Anderson back to right field. Between Berti, Miguel Rojas, Isan Diaz and Jazz Chisholm, the Fish should be able to cover third base, shortstop and second base even if Anderson is needed in the outfield. It’s possible the Marlins still bring in a versatile veteran infielder, if only so they have the option of allowing both Diaz and Chisholm to continue to develop in Triple-A without compromising their bench mix.

Over at first base, the Marlins got a big rebound performance out of Jesus Aguilar and will surely tender him a contract after he raked at a .277/.352/.457 clip with eight long balls in 216 trips to the dish. Should he sustain an injury or see his 2019 struggles recur, the Marlins could turn things over to Cooper or dip into the farm and call on prospect Lewin Diaz to get an earnest look at first base.

Given the wealth of young options in both the infield and the outfield, a major addition at any position other than catcher seems unlikely. Minor league depth signings and a veteran bench piece to add to either the infield or outfield mix — possibly both, if the target is someone like old friend Enrique Hernandez — make plenty of sense for the Marlins. However, this is a club whose collection of position players simply needs some time to audition for the front office.

The pitching side of things presents a bit more of an opportunity for some veteran pickups, but again, there are several key young players in place and others who are ready for a chance to show they belong in the conversation as long-term building blocks.

Had there been a traditional season with expected revenue streams and ample time for said young players to get their feet wet in the Majors and upper minors, the Marlins’ outlook might be a bit different. They’d have a better sense of who is and who isn’t vital to their long-term competitiveness and would perhaps have a better idea of where they need to spend in the long run. Given that they remarkably don’t have a single guaranteed dollar on the books for the 2022 season, the Marlins might have been considered a dark horse to again splash around with some notable free-agent spending.

That doesn’t seem as likely now with a year of zero revenue and with so many young questions to be answered. Still, that blank slate on the 2022 payroll is worth bearing in mind both as the 2021 trade deadline approaches and as next offseason looms. If the organization’s younger options aren’t cutting it, this is a team with such a wide-open financial outlay that they could take on salary either via trade or (next winter) free agency. The Fish have reached the point where they’ll look to rise from NL East cellar dweller to a legitimate threat in what could be the game’s most competitive division race for several years to come.

Marlins Acquire Adam Cimber, Designate Jose Urena

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The Marlins have acquired right-hander Adam Cimber from the Indians for cash considerations, per an announcement from Cleveland. The Indians will receive $100K, according to Tom Withers of the Associated Press. Miami designated righty Jose Urena for assignment in a corresponding move, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.

Also a former Padre, the 30-year-old Cimber will now join his third team since he debuted in the majors in 2018. Although he only averages around 86 mph on his fastball, Cimber has generated decent results in the bigs, including during a 2020 campaign in which he logged a 3.97 ERA/3.99 FIP with a 52.4 percent groundball rate and a 1.59 BB/9. Cimber averaged a paltry 3.97 strikeouts per nine during his 11 1/3 innings of work (down from 6.51 the previous year), though, and the Indians then deemed him expendable when they designated him last week.

Cimber will go down as the first trade acquisition for new Marlins general manager Kim Ng, and he’ll try to help a bullpen that ranked fifth from the bottom in ERA and second to last in FIP in 2020. He’ll be an inexpensive part of their relief corps next year, as he’s projected to earn between $800K and $1MM in arbitration. Cimber isn’t due to reach free agency until after 2024, so he could be a multiyear piece for Miami.

Urena is the Marlins’ longest-tenured player, Craig Mish of Sports Grid notes, but it appears the two sides are going to part ways. The 2020 season, which could go down as Urena’s last as a Marlin, ended in ugly fashion when he suffered a right forearm fracture at the end of September. He concluded his season with 23 1/3 innings of 5.40 ERA/6.06 FIP ball and 5.79 K/9 against 5.01 BB/9. It was the second straight rough season for the 29-year-old Urena, who enjoyed a solid run as a viable innings-eater from 2017-18. But considering his performance since 2019 and his $3.8MM to $4.2MM arbitration projection for next year, Urena entered this offseason as an obvious non-tender candidate.

Angels, Giants, Reds Among Teams Interested In Dan Straily

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Right-hander Dan Straily dropped completely off the MLB radar following a dismal 2019 showing with the Orioles — a season that saw him surrender 52 earned runs in just 47 2/3 big league innings. Interest in the righty was tepid, and he opted to take a guaranteed $1MM deal with the Lotte Giants of the Korea Baseball Organization over a nonguaranteed deal with an MLB club.

That move could wind up paying dividends for Straily, who’ll turn 32 next Tuesday. Sportsgrid’s Craig Mish reports that the veteran righty is receiving interest from MLB and KBO clubs alike, with the Angels, Giants and Reds among the Major League teams to have reached out. Straily is aiming to decide between a return to the Majors and another season (or seasons) in South Korea as soon as next week, per the report.

Straily’s return to the market this winter comes under vastly different circumstances. While he was coming off the worst season of his professional career a year ago, Straily recently wrapped an outstanding debut campaign in the KBO. In 31 starts, Straily totaled 194 frames and pitched to a 2.50 ERA and 2.97 FIP, averaging 9.5 strikeouts, 2.4 walks and 0.46 home runs per nine innings pitched. It was a remarkable turnaround for the well-traveled right-hander — one that seems to have restored some confidence in his ability to navigate a Major League lineup.

The 2019 season was such a struggle for Straily that it’s easy to forget he’s not far removed from being a perfectly serviceable rotation piece in the Majors. From 2016-18, Straily pitched in 90 games for the Reds and Marlins, working to a collective 4.03 ERA with 7.8 K/9, 3.3 BB/9 and 1.49 HR/9. Fielding-independent marks were less bullish on the righty (4.83 FIP, 4.89 xFIP) due in some part to a .261 average on balls in play that was well below the league average and a 77.9 percent strand rate that was well north of average. It’s fair to say that Straily probably did benefit from some good fortune, but extreme fly-ball pitchers like him are generally able to sustain lower BABIPs; his .261 mark over that three-year term is right in line with his career .267 mark.

Also working in Straily’s favor is the simple fact that he should be affordable if he opts to return from the KBO. It’s possible he could command a multi-year pact with a modest annual salary, but many teams are likely hoping to ink him on a one-year deal, perhaps with some incentives to help boost his annual value. He’d surely be able to generate multi-year interest in the KBO or perhaps in NPB at this point, though a successful big league return is the most lucrative potential path forward.

NL East Notes: Kingston, Phillies, Marlins, Kintzler, deGrom

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The Phillies are considering Dodgers assistant GM Jeff Kingston for their general manager position, MLB Network’s Jon Morosi reports (Twitter link).  Kingston joins a rather short list of names linked to the Phils’ front office search thus far, as former Marlins GM Michael Hill is also expected to interview for the president of baseball operations position and the Phillies will also make something of a longer-shot appeal to gauge Theo Epstein’s interest in the PoBO role.

Kingston has been the Dodgers’ AGM for the last two seasons and worked in the same role with the Mariners from 2016-18, also briefly serving as Seattle’s interim general manager before Jerry Dipoto was hired.  Most recently, Kingston was a finalist for the Angels’ GM opening before Perry Minasian was hired.  It would be somewhat unusual if the Phillies hired Kingston or anyone else as general manager before hiring a president of baseball ops, though it remains to be seen if Philadelphia is necessarily embarking on a full-fledged search, since it remains possible that current PoBO Andy MacPhail and interim GM Ned Rice could remain in their current roles through the 2021 season.

More from around the NL East…

  • As of Wednesday, the Marlins hadn’t made Brandon Kintzler a new contract offer, The Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson reports.  The Marlins declined their 2021 club option on Kintzler (worth $4MM) last month and had expressed interest in bringing him back, though no progress has yet been made on that front.  Kintzler posted a 2.22 ERA over 24 1/3 innings in his first season in Miami, with the caveat that advanced metrics and ERA predictors were much less impressed with the groundball specialist’s work.
  • Jackson also provides an update on negotiations between the Marlins and Sinclair Broadcast Group about a new TV contract, as the team’s old deal expired at the end of the season.  The Marlins are looking to more than triple the $18MM-$20MM they received annually under the terms of their old contract, though “one problem is that there’s no legitimate TV competitor to challenge Sinclair for Marlins rights.”  The club could explore such alternative broadcast options as Amazon or YouTube (which Jackson describes as “a long shot”), though barring such a development, talks with Sinclair might stretch into January or February.
  • Less than two years after signing Jacob deGrom to a contract extension, should the Mets explore another deal with their ace?  The New York Post’s Joel Sherman makes the case, noting that deGrom can opt out of his current contract following the 2022 season, if he chose to move on from the $30.5MM owed to him for 2023 and a potential $32.5MM for 2024 via a club option.  DeGrom would entering the 2022-23 free agent market as a 34-year-old, though if he kept pitching close to his current form, he would surely land more than one guaranteed year on the open market.  If deGrom has another Cy Young-caliber season in 2021, it will give him more leverage in extension talks, which is why it could behoove the Mets to discuss an extension now.  On the other hand, with deGrom’s decision still two years away, the Mets could decide to stand pat rather than commit more big money to a pitcher approaching his mid-30’s.

Marlins Add Jose Devers, Jerar Encarnacion To 40-Man Roster

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The Marlins announced that they have added infielder Jose Devers and outfielder Jerar Encarnacion to their 40-man roster, which is now full.

Devers, the cousin of Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers, joined the Marlins in the team’s trade with the Yankees centering on outfielder Giancarlo Stanton before the 2018 campaign. Still just 20 years old, Devers debuted at the High-A level in 2019 and slashed .325/.384/.365 in 138 plate appearances.

Devers is now the Marlins’ 13th-ranked prospect at MLB.com, which places Encarnacion at No. 17. Encarnacion, 23, reached High-A ball for the first time in 2019.

Marlins Introduce GM Kim Ng

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The Miami Marlins introduced Kim Ng as their new general manager today, streaming live on Twitter and broadcast on MLB Network. Though it was a muted affair because of coronavirus protocols – the magnitude of the moment was anything but. Ng received over 1,000 messages of congratulations “from all walks,” including writers, former players, current managers, scouts, executives, and others. Per Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald (via Twitter), Ng said:

The idea that it has effected this many people is just extraordinary. I thought it would be a big deal, but this is beyond my expectations … People are looking for hope, are looking for inspiration. I’m happy this is part of it.”

The defining characteristic of her journey, said Ng, was fearlessness. She recognized Marlins CEO Derek Jeter for setting an example for the sort of fearlessness needed to be a great player, and for now demonstrating similar fortitude as an executive. As much courage as she needed to interview for position after position over the years, it would seem she landed in the right place. Ng lauded the Miami organization for building a diverse organization:

The information has become more precise, but you can’t ignore the different perspectives needed.”

Involving as many voices as possible was a theme for Ng throughout the day. She spoke about the ease with which she’s been able to communicate within the Marlins organization already, credited to her experience and level of comfort with, among others, Gary Denbo, Jeter, and Don Mattingly, the latter of whom she worked with in Los Angeles.

Interestingly, Ng said that she hasn’t faced much overt resistance in the day-to-day throughout her career, from a discrimination standpoint. She did, however, admit that some of the time when she interviewed for GM roles, she felt it wasn’t exactly on the “up-and-up.” And while she recognized the potential tokenism, she also credited those moments for getting her name out there and furthering the process that ultimately came to fruition with the Marlins.

Her graciousness aside, this moment was a long time coming, and it’s a comfort to many. Per MLB Network’s Jon Morosi (via Twitter), Ng said:

I thought it would be a big deal, but this is beyond my expectations . . . People are looking for hope. People are looking for inspiration. I’m happy that this is part of it.”

In terms of her plans for the Marlins, being seen as a “pillar of the community” is a priority for the business side, being visible and active as a source for change and growth in Miami. On the baseball side, too much remains in limbo in terms of coronavirus to lay out specific plans for next season at this time. Making baseball decisions, however, will be a collaborative process involving many people from different areas within the organization.

In sum, as the first woman to hold the title of general manager, Ng will forever be an icon and a trailblazer in the sport. As such, Ng’s biggest piece of advice was this:

Tell people what you think…you have your opinion, just voice it.”

Reactions To Kim Ng Hiring

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The Miami Marlins set baseball aflutter with their momentous hiring of Kim Ng as their general manager. Accolades have poured in for Ng, who becomes the first woman and the first Asian-American to hold the position of GM. Those diminishing the gravity of this hire have been appropriately shouted down, like the Athletic’s Britt Ghiroli does via Twitter here, but on the whole, the response has been overwhelmingly positive.

The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal goes back to Ng’s beginnings in baseball, speaking with former big-league exec Dan Evans, who hired her as an intern when she was 21 years old. From her first time leading an arbitration hearing, to her recruitment by the league offices, to Evans’ hiring of Ng for a second time, the former Dodgers’ GM speaks glowingly of Ng and her readiness to take on the leadership of a ballclub. Said Evans (per Rosenthal):

Part of the reason she’s going to be great is because perseverance is one of her stronger character assets. It’s going to allow her to recognize that maybe it didn’t happen in the speed she would have liked. But has there ever been a more qualified person on the first day on the job? I can’t remember one.

“The Marlins didn’t hire her as a woman. They hired her because she’s the most qualified person for the job. In my mind, she has been a number of times. The ownership groups who interviewed her just weren’t ready for whatever reason. I’m thrilled about what the Marlins did. As the father of a couple of daughters, I always want that person who is going to shatter a ceiling to be ready for the opportunity, because there is enormous pressure to be that first person. She doesn’t have the ability to fail in some areas that a guy would. There is going to be far more attention. She’s not only ready, but she has been ready. They hired the best and most qualified person who also happens to be the first female general manager. It’s a great statement for the game and the progression of our society.”

MLB.com’s Anne Rogers provides a number of reactions to Ng’s hiring. In terms of the importance this hiring has for the league and for women, Rachel Balkovec, a Yankees Minor League hitting coach said this (per Rogers):

It changes the conversation from, ‘Oh it’s never been done,’ to, ‘Oh, well, Kim’s doing it so you can do it. With Jeter, I think that’s important, too, because it’s like, ‘Well, if he can make that decision, somebody who has that much respect in the game, anybody can make the decision.’ It changes the conversation and the idea that people have about what a GM looks like. The importance really just can’t be overstated.”

Jeter’s relationship with Ng goes back to her time as an assistant GM with the Yankees from 1998 until 2001. That Jeter knows Ng so well goes a long way in instilling confidence in her abilities to steer the Marlins in the right direction. The presumption of skepticism, to be clear, has everything to do with the usual skepticism that goes with being a new GM. For Jeter and for those who know Ng, however, there isn’t a hint of doubt that she was the right hire.

Ng is described by those who worked for her as an attentive, gracious, and measured leader. For example, she got players with the Dodgers to call Evans to thank him when they clinched a division title, even though Evans had been fired before the start of the season, writes Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times. That kind of attention and compassion goes a long way in a business requiring cold calculations that dispatch players to-and-fro without their say-so.

For all the affirmations of her character, Ng was hired because the Marlins believe she’s the right person to bring a championship back to Miami. That, too, is Ng’s goal. Per MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro, Ng says:

This challenge is one I don’t take lightly. When I got into this business, it seemed unlikely a woman would lead a Major League team, but I am dogged in the pursuit of my goals. My goal is now to bring championship baseball to Miami. I am both humbled and eager to continue building the winning culture our fans expect and deserve.”

Marlins Hire Kim Ng As General Manager

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The Marlins have made a groundbreaking hire, as the team announced that Kim Ng will be the team’s new general manager.  MLB Network’s Jon Heyman (Twitter link) was the first to report the news that Ng will join the Marlins, making her the first Asian-American GM in Major League Baseball history and the first woman to ever act as a GM for a men’s team in any of the major North American sports.

Today’s news is the culmination of a baseball career that began almost 30 years ago, when Ng was hired as an intern in the White Sox front office.  Like many other Marlins hires, Ng has a connection to Derek Jeter, as she worked as an assistant GM with the Yankees from 1998-2001.  Ng then moved on to an assistant GM job with the Dodgers until 2011, and she has since worked for Major League Baseball as the league’s senior vice president for baseball operations.

Ng’s name has long been floated in past GM searches, as she was previously a candidate for openings with the Orioles, Giants and Mets as recently as 2018, as well as past vacancies with the Dodgers, Phillies, Diamondbacks, Angels, Mariners, and Padres.  These interviews created some anticipation that Ng would eventually be the first woman put in charge of an MLB front office, though after all the years and all the close calls, it was the Marlins who made the breakthrough decision.

The 51-year-old Ng will now oversee a promising young team that is coming off both its first playoff berth since 2003 and its first winning season since 2010.  While the Marlins’ 31-29 record in a shortened season isn’t quite yet indicative that Miami has wholly turned the corner after another rebuild, Jeter and owner Bruce Sherman appear to have gotten the franchise on the right track since taking over in 2017.

The Marlins decided to part ways from long-time president of baseball operations Michael Hill after Hill’s contract expired after the season, and there hasn’t been much news about candidates on Miami’s radar.  Jeter has often spoken about the collaborative process involved in the Marlins’ front office decision-making, so it makes sense that he would want another familiar and trusted voice in Ng to provide counsel and handle the day-to-day front office operations.

Don Mattingly, Kevin Cash Win Manager Of The Year Awards

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Florida was privileged to see some first-rate managing this season. Don Mattingly of the Marlins and Kevin Cash of the Rays have been named the Manager of the Year in their respective leagues, per the BBWAA NL and AL announcements. The ballots for the 30 participating writers in each league can be seen in full on the announcements page.

Mattingly becomes just the fifth manager to win the award after having won an MVP award as a player, which Mattingly won with the Yankees in 1985. The Marlins’ skipper finished with 20 of 30 first-place votes and 8 second-place votes. He was left off two ballots. He finished with 124 total points, well ahead of the Padres’ Jayce Tingler, who finished second for the award with 71 votes. David Ross of the Cubs finished third with 25 votes. Ross and Tingler each head into just their second years on the bench, while Mattingly will be entering his 6th season as the manager of the Marlins next season.

The award comes in the same season that his former club, the Los Angeles Dodgers, won their first World Series of this century. Mattingly managed Los Angeles from 2011 until 2015, finishing in first place for the final three seasons of his tenure there, which began the Dodgers’ current stretch of 8 consecutive division titles.

This season, Mattingly helped the Marlins to a 31-29 wild card run that ended their playoff drought at 16 years. The Fish enjoyed quite the turnaround after suffering 98 and 105 losses in the two seasons prior. Perhaps a more telling harbinger of the hardware that would be coming Mattingly’s way was the way his club battled throughout the postseason. They swept the NL Central champion Cubs in a three-game series before being swept themselves in a 3-game series by the division rival Braves. The Marlins were without star centerfielder Starling Marte for their NLDS series.

In the American League, Kevin Cash wins a new trophy for his mantle after leading the Tampa Bay Rays to the World Series. He received 22 first-place votes, 5 second-place, and 1 third-place vote to finish with a total of 126 points. He was left off two ballots. Rick Renteria – who has been dismissed by the White Sox – finishes in second place with 61 points. Charlie Montoyo of the Blue Jays finishes in third place with 47 votes. This is Cash’s first time winning the award.

Cash has taken his lumps of late for pulling Blake Snell in Game 6 of the World Series, but he’s more than deserving of this award. He led the small-market Rays to a 40-20 record, the best mark in the American League. They swept the Blue Jays in the Wild Card Round before heading to a decision final game in each of the next two series. They outlasted the Yankees in the divisional round and the Astros in the ALCS to win the pennant. It was just the second time in Tampa’s history making it to the World Series.

Managerial/Coaching Notes: Cora, Rowson, Fuld

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Alex Cora’s return as the Red Sox manager was widely predicted and even expected by some pundits, though the club’s managerial search “wasn’t a dog-and-pony show,” a source tells The Athletic’s Chad Jennings (subscription required).  Chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom spoke to a wide range of candidates, and as Jennings writes, “the feeling within the organization was, if Bloom wanted someone else, ownership would support that choice.”  There was even some sentiment that Cora was initially only included in the search as “a courtesy interview,” though Bloom increasingly became convinced that Cora was the best choice to lead the club going forward.

More coaching-related notes from around baseball…

  • Marlins bench coach James Rowson was the third finalist for Boston’s managerial job, Jennings writes.  It was already reported that Cora and Phillies director of integrative baseball performance Sam Fuld were the other two finalists (and perhaps the top two choices) for the position, though it wasn’t known whether Rowson or Pirates bench coach Don Kelly was the other candidate to make the final cut.
  • Rowson’s future still looks bright, however, as The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal writes that Marlins “officials are intrigued” by their bench coach as a potential manager of the future.  Miami hired Rowson as their bench coach and something of an organizational hitting coordinator a year ago, following Rowson’s past stints as a hitting coach for the Twins and Cubs and multiple years working as a hitting instructor in the Yankees’ farm system.  Of course, the Marlins already have a manager in Don Mattingly, though Mattingly’s contract is only guaranteed through the 2021 season (with a club option for 2022).  It certainly doesn’t seem like Mattingly is in danger of being replaced any time soon, both due to Miami’s success last season and, as Rosenthal puts it, “it’s difficult to imagine them making a move with Mattingly and paying two managers at once.”  However, Mattingly is one of the few holdovers remaining from Jeffrey Loria’s ownership, so Derek Jeter could want a hand-picked manager in charge if he feels the Marlins have fully turned the corner on their rebuild.
  • Fuld may not have been the choice as Red Sox manager, but Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe wonders if the team’s interest in Fuld could make him a candidate to be the team’s next bench coach.  Fuld has never worked as a coach or manager at either the MLB or minor league levels, as his post-playing career has been spent in his current role with the Phillies.  If not Fuld as bench coach, the Sox could promote from within their current coaching staff, with Abraham suggesting Ramon Vazquez or Carlos Febles as potential candidates.
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