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Cardinals Place Harrison Bader On 10-Day IL, Promote Lane Thomas

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The Cardinals announced an outfield roster switch this morning. Harrison Bader is headed to the 10-day injured list with a hamstring strain while Lane Thomas will join the active MLB roster for the first time.

Bader’s placement is retroactive to April 14th, so he’ll be sidelined through at least the 23rd. There’s no indication to this point that he is dealing with a significant injury, but it was obviously enough of a tweak to require a dedicated period of rest. Bader, the club’s regular center fielder, joins fellow outfielder Tyler O’Neill on the shelf.

That combination of injuries has opened the door for Thomas. After a 2018 upper-minors power outburst, the 23-year-old was added to the 40-man roster last fall to protect him from the Rule 5 draft. He’s off to a .229/.383/.286 start through 47 plate appearances at Triple-A this season.

Tonight Only – Turn $5 Into $5,000 At DraftKings

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For just a $5 entry fee, you can take home a $5,000 prize!  DraftKings is offering a winner-take-all contest to MLBTR readers, so first place will take home the entire $5,000.  The lineup submission deadline is Tuesday April 2nd at 7:05pm eastern time, and there’s a limit of one entry per person.  Enter the contest now!

MLB Opening Day on ESPN+

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Offseason In Review: Washington Nationals

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This is the latest post of MLBTR’s annual Offseason in Review series, in which we take stock of every team’s winter dealings.

After a disappointing 2018 season, the Nats made a broad array of additions to bolster a still-talented core — and then bid adieu to the organization’s most famous player.

Major League Signings

Trades And Claims

Option Decisions

Minor League Signings

Notable Losses

[Washington Nationals Depth Chart | Washington Nationals Payroll Information]

Needs Addressed

The Bryce Harper question hung over the entire 2018-19 offseason for the Nationals, but the public saga may not really have reflected the behind-the-scenes situation. By the time he left for the Phillies, that had already become clear, making for a rather anti-climactic moment from the D.C. perspective.

It was possible to imagine a reunion for much of the winter, but the youthful superstar’s departure was ultimately paved by a variety of smaller decisions in the run-up to his free agency — the decision to extend Stephen Strasburg, the acquisition of Adam Eaton, the failed pursuit of J.T. Realmuto, which left top outfield prospects Juan Soto and Victor Robles in Washington.

That last point also helped to jump-start the Nats’ winter efforts. Having determined that Realmuto would not be their next catcher — he later went to Philly before being joined by Harper — president of baseball ops Mike Rizzo decided instead on a tandem. Upgrading behind the dish was a top priority: the combination of Matt Wieters, Pedro Severino, and Spencer Kieboom was among the worst in the game last year.

To do so, the Nats brought back old friend Kurt Suzuki and swung a deal for Yan Gomes. The former is a launch-angle disciple who has a bigger bat now than he did in his first tenure with the team. The latter became too expensive for the Indians but still looks like a solid value at his $7MM salary, with a pair of club options still available thereafter. Gomes is known more for his glovework but also turned in a bounceback season with the bat in 2018.

The bullpen was also addressed early. Rizzo placed a value bet on Tommy John returnee Trevor Rosenthal, a flamethrower with some highly successful seasons but also occasional control issues. The team picked up Kyle Barraclough — nearly as filthy and even wilder than Rosenthal — for a song. Veteran southpaw Tony Sipp signed on late, replacing Sammy Solis when the club didn’t like what it saw from him in camp.

Another powerful, control-challenged relief arm arrived in the form of Tanner Rainey, but his acquisition was more about re-shaping the rotation. That swap sent out Tanner Roark, who followed Gio Gonzalez (traded away last fall) in wrapping up lengthy stints on the D.C. staff.

With open roster space and some funds to work with, the Nats decided to pursue a big rotation improvement. The offseason’s most active bidding war broke out early in the winter on lefty Patrick Corbin, a still-youthful hurler who established a new ceiling in 2018. While the Nationals emerged victorious, they reportedly ended up topping the Phillies’ and Yankees’ best offers by a sizable margin. If they’re right about Corbin, they may have a nearly-unparalleled trio atop the staff. If not, the lost opportunity cost could sting.

That still left a pair of rotation openings to address. The Nats might conceivably have gone after Dallas Keuchel, but another long-term entanglement was perhaps not wise. A reemerged Anibal Sanchez was tapped instead, more or less stepping into Roark’s salary slot on a two-year arrangement. It remains to be seen whether he can continue to thrive after finally solving a longstanding home run problem last year with the division-rival Braves. While the Nats could have allowed Joe Ross and Erick Fedde to battle for the final rotation spot, they preferred instead to bring back veteran Jeremy Hellickson on another low-cost deal. He’ll presumably again be tasked with getting through opposing lineups two times before handing the ball off to the pen.

Losing Harper obviously takes some thump out of the Nationals’ lineup, but they did add some pieces to account for that loss. Brian Dozier was a star-level performer who averaged nearly 35 homers from 2015-17 before hitting a wall last year. Facing a need at second after trading away Daniel Murphy late last year, the Nats will hope that Dozier enjoys a bounce back to form in his age-32 season. The club did bring back one of the players it shipped out in the midst of an extremely disappointing 2018 campaign, nabbing lefty slugger Matt Adams on an affordable deal after he struggled in late action with the Cardinals. Adams will complement Ryan Zimmerman at first base and function as a late-inning, lefty bench bat — a Rizzo roster staple.

Questions Remaining

That’s quite a lot of action. The Nationals were plainly resolved to plug their roster holes and get back on the horse after stumbling last year. Losing Harper doesn’t change the fact that the club has a highly talented core. Veteran hurlers Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg front the staff. Trea Turner and Anthony Rendon hold down an excellent left side of the infield. Soto is one of the game’s most exciting young hitters, while Eaton is an accomplished hitter who’s renowned for his gritty play. Closer Sean Doolittle was nearly untouchable last year.

The talent is there. But there are some questions buried in the roster as well:

Let’s start with the bullpen, an area that has long been a thorn in Rizzo’s side. The current mix is … explosive. In both senses. Doolittle’s heath problems are well documented. Rosenthal is now well removed from the TJ procedure and throwing triple-digit heaters, but he’s got the downside to match. Barraclough calls to mind old friend Henry Rodriguez. The middle-relief unit isn’t particularly inspiring. Sipp is useful, but there’s a reason he sat on the market all winter. Justin Miller and Matt Grace emerged last year but don’t have lengthy track records of success. Wander Suero has earned the final relief spot over a group of other unestablished arms. Koda Glover is hurt again. There are some other options on the 40-man, though none are especially promising.

If the Nats need a long-term replacement solution in the relief unit, Ross and Fedde may be the best options. For the time being, they’ll remain stretched out as rotation depth along with Kyle McGowin and Austin Voth. That’s not a bad group to have on hand at Triple-A, but the hope will be that the starting five doesn’t need much supplementation. So … will it? That depends. Can Scherzer continue to be utterly dominant in a season in which he reaches his 35th birthday? Will Strasburg be available for most of the year? Can Corbin, Sanchez, and Hellickson approach their overall 2018 output?

That’s mostly picking nits. It’s as good a starting group as you could reasonably hope to compile. Likewise, the lineup is rather loaded on paper, even with some uncertainty baked in. Eaton and Zimmerman have long struggled to stay on the field. Robles is exceptionally talented but needs to show that he can hit against MLB pitching. It wouldn’t be completely surprising if Dozier, Suzuki, and/or Gomes sag a bit at the plate.

There are some moving parts in the final spots on the roster. Howie Kendrick and Michael A. Taylor are working back from spring injuries and disappointing 2018 seasons (the former due to health, the latter due to performance). They could be major contributors but come with some uncertainty. Utility infielder Wilmer Difo is in something of a make-or-break year. Injuries opened the door for Andrew Stevenson and emerging prospect Jake Noll to make the Opening Day roster. It remains to be seen what courses their careers take.

That leaves the team’s steadiest player, the quietly outstanding Rendon. It seemed for much of the winter that he was a prime extension candidate. But even with long-term deals all the rage this spring, he was left as one of the top potential free agents for the 2019-20 winter market.

2019 Season Outlook

There’s no doubt of the goal and expectation in D.C.: a National League East crown and some progress in the postseason. The Nats have been one of the game’s few truly sustained winners since a breakout 2012 campaign. Having transitioned to a (mostly) new core, the club is primed to keep the window open for some time to come. But late-season disappointments have continued to plague the franchise. Will this finally be the year that the organization enters November feeling truly satisfied about how things shook out?

How would you grade the Nationals’ offseason moves?  (Link for app users.)

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Minor-League Labor Changes Under Consideration

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Major League Baseball is engaged in talks that could lead to significant changes to the labor situation of minor-league ballplayers, ESPN.com’s Jeff Passan reports. Initial talks have been held with the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues, with “significant increase in salaries, a higher standard of living conditions and better transportation” all on the table.

It’s important to bear in mind that — so far as is apparent from the report — this is a negotiation about rather than with labor. Passan characterizes the initial discussions as a “collective-bargaining session,” though it’s not clear that reflects the situation. The NAPBL is the governing body of Minor League Baseball. It does not, however, represent minor-league players themselves. Neither is it clear whether the MLB Players Association is involve at this stage.

The office of commissioner Rob Manfred seems to be the driving force behind these discussions. While the league successfully secured federal protection for its low-wage approach to the pre-MLB labor force, that also served to boost the visibility of a longstanding issue that is the subject of still-pending litigation. The Blue Jays recently instituted an increased pay scale for their minor-leaguers, which has further nudged things along, and Passan says there’s a recognition at the ownership level that working-condition improvements are warranted.

Details on prospective changes are unknown and still must be negotiated. The actual agreement up for discussion is the MLB-NAPBL accord — a deal that expires in 2020. It had been extended back in 2011, with the sides indicating that the status quo was working to no small amount of mutual satisfaction. That’s no longer the case, at least from the MLB perspective, though that’s not to say that there’s any acrimony in the relationship. The rub of the matter may be that, as Passan puts it, “the expectation is that minor league affiliates would pick up at least some of the burden of the various improvements.” Apart from the salary question, the sides will need to agree upon and sort out the burden of potential workplace and travel improvements.

It remains to be seen what course these talks will take and to what extent they’ll meaningfully improve the lot of minor-league ballplayers.

Offseason In Review: Colorado Rockies

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This is the latest post of MLBTR’s annual Offseason in Review series, in which we take stock of every team’s winter dealings.

The Colorado ballclub only added a few pieces to its depth chart this winter, but that doesn’t mean the offseason lacked for consequential decisions.

Major League Signings

  • Daniel Murphy, 1B: two years, $24MM (includes mutual option)
  • Total spend: $24MM

Trades And Claims

  • Acquired RHP Jordan Foley from Yankees in exchange for RHP Jefry Valdez
  • Acquired C Chris Rabago from Royals in exchange for cash considerations (selected in Triple-A Rule 5 from Yankees)

Notable Minor League Signings

Extensions

Notable Losses

[Colorado Rockies Depth Chart | Colorado Rockies Payroll Outlook]

Needs Addressed

The Rockies are coming off of repeat postseason appearances for the first time in franchise history. While the club was bounced in the play-in game in 2017 and was swept in the NLDS last year by the Brewers, fans still savored the first full playoff series since 2009. If they’re to make it back into the tourney for a third-straight campaign, the Rockies will have to do so without a few key members of their recent squads — and without any major outside reinforcements.

This is an organization that has bet on its own players more than most in recent years. GM Jeff Bridich doesn’t swing many trades, preferring instead to hang onto and promote the club’s homegrown talent. His two biggest contracts have come via extensions, not free agent signings. Last year, it was outfielder Charlie Blackmon who secured a big payday to forego the chance to test the open market at the end of the season. This time around, the club took on the much more difficult task of working out a deal with franchise centerpiece Nolan Arenado.

Perhaps the game’s best third baseman, Arenado is a premium defender and excellent power hitter who is only entering his age-28 season. His new deal includes a hefty $33.4MM average annual salary for its newly guaranteed seasons, a record for a position player. And it provides him with full no-trade rights and an opt-out opportunity after the third year. The terms hardly represent a bargain for the Rox, who’ll bear the risk of injury or performance issues that arise during the season to come. But the team surely had legitimate concerns about what it would take to retain Arenado if he was allowed to test the open market.

The Rockies also reached another, less-consequential late-February extension by working out a new deal with manager Bud Black. He’s now under contract through 2022. Black, Bridich, and owner Dick Monfort have seemed to be on the same wavelength since the former took over for Walt Weiss before the 2017 season. It’s hard to argue with the results.

There’s a hypothetical world where second baseman DJ LeMahieu also ended up staying around. The club had interest, but it always seemed a bit lukewarm after a club-wide offseason letdown in 2018. LeMahieu ultimately signed with the Yankees for the same guarantee that the Rockies gave his replacement, Daniel Murphy.

Though he’s closing in on his 34th birthday and wasn’t fully himself last year after returning from knee surgery, Murphy looks to be a clear upgrade with the bat. He’s nowhere near LeMahieu’s class with the glove, but the Rockies won’t be asking him to line up at second base. Instead, the club will slot Murphy in at first while moving around some other pieces to fill in other areas. (More on that below.)

Otherwise, the Rockies’ only outside acquisitions rate mostly as depth. Mark Reynolds may crack the roster as a bench bat, while Alec Asher and Chi Chi Gonzalez boost the pitching ranks. In a manner of speaking, the team addressed one other need by bidding adieu to veterans Carlos Gonzalez and Gerardo Parra. That’s no slight to the players — both have certainly had their moments through the years and could still be useful contributors. But the organization probably ought to have exchanged pleasantries with Gonzalez for good last winter. Doing so now, while also letting Parra walk, cleared out a left-handed-hitting logjam in the outfield for some younger, cheaper, higher-upside players.

Questions Remaining

We just touched upon (but didn’t name) a few players whose changing status in the Colorado organization could make or break the coming season. Outfielders David Dahl and Raimel Tapia now have an opening to seize major roles. The same holds true for second base/utility candidates Ryan McMahon and Garret Hampson. There’s a fair bit of ceiling for that foursome, though it’s still anyone’s guess which of them will turn out, and to what extent.

Putting real trust in these players carries obvious risk, though it also made good sense. It’s a deserving slate of players. And the Rockies were pressed for payroll space after making some fairly significant outlays on the open market in recent seasons. Mid-season trades can always be considered; it’s worth noting, too, that prized youngster Brendan Rodgers could force his way into the infield picture.

Dahl and Tapia are highly cost-efficient, interesting young players. But neither hits from the right side, meaning that the Rockies again have a skewed outfield mix. That was addressed in part by one other roster shift related to the Murphy-for-LeMahieu substitution. Ian Desmond will move off of first base and into center field, bumping Blackmon to a corner role. That’s a much more sensible alignment, though it remains to be seen how Desmond will handle the work up the middle now that he’s 33 years of age and is a few seasons removed from his previous (and only) season of work in center. Of greater consequence: can Desmond finally emerge from his doldrums at the plate and will Blackmon decline further from a productive-but-not-peak showing in 2018?

If there’s a glaring weakness on this roster, it’s behind the dish. Chris Iannetta is closing in on his 36th birthday and suffered through down season last year both with the bat and in the framing department. Tony Wolters is younger and scored well at earning strikes for his pitchers last year, but has been a dreadful hitter the past two seasons. While Tom Murphy remains an intriguing player given his offensive output in the minors, he’s a bit of a wild card. All things considered, it’s a bit surprising that the Rockies didn’t find a way to improve the catching situation this winter.

The bullpen is the other area of concern on paper. Adam Ottavino was the team’s best reliever last year, but he was never a realistic target in free agency. The club had little choice but to put its hope in a group of arms in which it is heavily invested. Wade Davis, Jake McGee, Bryan Shaw, and Mike Dunn are all earning big bucks; only Davis was a quality performer last year, and he wasn’t at this best. Seunghwan Oh succeeded after a mid-season trade; the team will cross its fingers that he and Scott Oberg can repeat their strong seasons and that Chris Rusin can rediscover his form. Otherwise, we’ll see some younger arms in action. Antonio Senzatela will be sidelined to open the season but could factor in again once he’s up to speed; Yency Almonte, DJ Johnson, Harrison Musgrave, Carlos Estevez, Rayan Gonzalez, and Jesus Tinoco are among the options on the 40-man.

So … we’ve made it this far in a Rockies discussion without talking about the rotation? That’s a good thing, as the unit didn’t need upgrading and looks rather interesting once again. German Marquez and Kyle Freeland will hope to repeat as a quality 1-2 punch, with the talented Jon Gray still a threat to overtake both. Tyler Anderson and Chad Bettis seem like reasonable choices at the back of the staff. Perhaps Jeff Hoffman can still tap into some upside; Peter Lambert could make himself a factor. Otherwise, there’s some depth in some of the hurlers listed already above, along with Ryan Castellani and minor-league signees Chi Chi Gonzalez, and Alec Asher.

2019 Season Outlook

Overtaking the Dodgers in the NL West will be a very tough task, but the Rockies probably have the best shot to do so of the rest of the teams in the division. The Wild Card won’t be an easy back-up plan, either, as a densely packed National League figures to be full of competition. It’s clear that the Rockies believe their window is open, as it continues to set payroll records and is probably on track to do so again next year (when including reasonable guesses at arbitration salaries). That could set the stage for some interesting trade deadline decisions.

How would you grade the Rockies’ offseason moves?  (Link for app users.)

Offseason In Review: Miami Marlins

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This is the latest post of MLBTR’s annual Offseason in Review series, in which we take stock of every team’s winter dealings.

The Marlins spun off their best-remaining player and back-filled with some low-cost veterans as their rebuilding effort continues to inch forward.

Major League Signings

Trades And Claims

Notable Minor League Signings

Notable Losses

[Miami Marlins Depth Chart | Miami Marlins Payroll Outlook]

Needs Addressed

This time last year, we were looking back at a whirlwind first winter for the Derek Jeter-led Miami ownership group. It was decidedly less hectic this time around, as Jeter (the CEO), president of baseball operations Michael Hill, and their staff methodically worked through a rather limited checklist. If we’re being honest, there were two items on the agenda that greatly outweighed the others in importance.

While much of the baseball-watching world was gearing up for the World Series, the Marlins were finalizing a major move on the international amateur market. The club inked Cuban brothers Victor Victor Mesa and Victor Mesa Jr. to contracts that came with a combined $6.25MM in bonuses — a relative pittance when compared to free agent spending, but a big chunk of change in relation to the hard-capped international spending pool allocation. Victor Victor, in particular, is seen as a big score for the Marlins. He’s not far from the majors and is already graded in some circles as a top-100 leaguewide prospect.

Working out the numbers on the brothers Mesa meant spinning off assets to acquire additional spending capacity. Sending out young righty Ryan Lillie was certainly understandable, though it was a bit more surprising to see the Fish part with Kyle Barraclough to finish topping off the tank. Though he had a rough second half in 2018 and has always been uncomfortably walk-prone, Barraclough has a pretty lofty established ceiling and remains both cheap and youthful. The Marlins might have achieved much greater value had they waited to see if Barraclough could bounce back early in 2019, or even just explored the market further, but they obviously felt he was an expendable piece in their effort to take advantage of a rare opportunity to land a premium prospect.

Having added three Victors and two Mesas to the organizational depth chart, the Marlins turned to marketing their last holdover core player. Backstop J.T. Realmuto seemed likely to be traded last winter, when the Marlins auctioned off a trio of star outfielders (Giancarlo Stanton, Christian Yelich, and Marcell Ozuna). But he never drew an offer that suited the club. It was much the same story at the 2018 trade deadline. In the meantime, Realmuto rewarded the risk the organization took by continuing to run him out behind the plate, turning in a big .277/.340/.484 campaign with the bat and establishing himself as the game’s best all-around catcher.

As it turned out, the Marlins oversaw quite an extended negotiating process for Realmuto. Suitors came and went, with a variety of big names reportedly talked about — or, at least, asked for by the Miami club — over several months. The initial packages sought by the Fish were said to be staggering, with the organization no doubt comfortable knowing it would be able to fall back on a very good offer even if it failed to land a true haul. There was no shortage of interest. By the end, nearly a third of the teams in baseball — the Dodgers, Padres, Reds, Rays, Braves, Astros, Yankees, Mets, and Nationals — had pursued Realmuto at one point or another.

It ultimately took a compromise to get something done. Two affordable years of Realmuto’s services was a significant prize, but not one that teams were willing to go wild to achieve. In early February, the Marlins landed an appealing but hardly overwhelming three-part package from the Phillies. The club secured a high-ceiling, high-risk pitching prospect in Sixto Sanchez, who by most accounts tops Victor Victor and the rest of the Miami farm as the team’s top prospect, along with another solid young arm in Will Stewart. Also coming in the deal was young receiver Jorge Alfaro, who brings some upside, a decent floor, and plenty of seasons of cheap control.

Alfaro, notably, will step right into Realmuto’s shoes. While his acquisition is ultimately about the future, it also solved an immediate need. The Marlins had some other holes to plug as well, with the resulting rummaging occupying most of the club’s attention beyond its work on the aforementioned items. If things shake out as hoped, the club will benefit from having a few veterans around before spinning them off to contenders this summer; perhaps it’ll also find a keeper or two among the younger players it brought in.

The Marlins ultimately doled out only $4.5MM in guaranteed money over the winter, though they’ll likely commit some more when their Opening Day roster is announced. On the position-player side, veteran second baseman Neil Walker is expected to occupy first base in Miami. He’ll reunite with former Mets teammate Curtis Granderson, who took a minors deal but will likely be added to the roster and promised $1.75MM to play a significant role in the corner outfield. The upside here is limited. Walker had his worst full season as a big leaguer last year; Granderson is days away from his 38th birthday and ought to be limited to platoon duties. But both players could easily perform up to and past the low salary levels they’ll play for. Walker was a steadily above-average hitter for eight-straight campaigns before turning in a dud, while Granderson was capable of a .242/.351/.431 slash in 403 plate appearances last year.

A few other notable names were brought in on minors pacts. Pedro Alvarez has loads of MLB experience, though he’s not an easy fit for a National League team. The Fish picked up a few middle-infield options — including once-highly regarded prospects Dixon Machado, Deven Marrero, and Rosell Herrera.

Likewise, the Marlins focused on ensuring sufficient bullpen depth. Veteran Sergio Romo will help anchor the pen. He still gets plenty of swings and misses and comes at an affordable rate of pay. Rule 5 pick Riley Ferrell will compete with a host of other low-risk acquisitions, including trade acquisition Nick Anderson, claimee Austin Brice, and minor-league signee Hector Noesi (who’s returning from the KBO). The resulting relief mix is anything but intimidating, but it’ll be a place the Marlins can try out some arms in hope of unearthing some hidden gems.

Questions Remaining

It’ll come as no surprise that there are quite a few holes left on the resulting roster. The Marlins brought up the rear in the National League last year and seem all but assured of doing so once again, particularly with the remainder of the eastern division made up of organizations that have set about improving their rosters this winter. Under such circumstances, the questions aren’t really about the resulting record — it won’t be pretty — so much as the potential for mid-season deals and the development of young talent.

We haven’t yet touched upon the rotation, and that’s because the Marlins didn’t do so all winter long. Dan Straily seemed a potential trade piece but hasn’t drawn enough interest for the Fish to justify parting with his useful, reasonably affordable innings. That could change by the end of July. Now that he’s into his arbitration years, Jose Urena is also a fairly plausible trade chip. The hard-throwing 27-year-old has outperformed his peripherals over the past two seasons, turning in a 3.90 cumulative ERA. The club would surely love to dump some of the money still owed to Wei-Yin Chen, but that’ll require a major turnaround. Otherwise, the Marlins will simply be focused on bringing along some younger arms. Trevor Richards, Caleb Smith, and Pablo Lopez are at the top of the depth chart entering camp, with Sandy Alcantara and Jeff Brigham among those who could factor throughout the season.

As already noted, the relief unit figures to be more of a proving ground than a well-oiled machine. Closer Drew Steckenrider could be a trade candidate if he throws well; he’s still two years away from arbitration but is already 28 years old. It’s not tough to guess that Romo will be watched by rival scouts from the start of the season, with lefty Adam Conley also getting a look after his bounceback 2018. Those two hurlers are the only two members of the relief staff who have surpassed two years of MLB service. Unless Noesi sneaks into the pen, Romo will enter the season with more time on his service clock than all his bullpen mates combined.

There’s quite a lot of room for churn on the position-player side of the roster as well. Up the middle, Alfaro will get a long run. Second bagger Starlin Castro has been a walking trade candidate since he landed in Miami but hasn’t piqued much interest. It’s possible he’ll be moved this summer; otherwise, the team will surely buy him out at season’s end rather than picking up a club option. At this point, he’s keeping the seat warm for Isan Diaz. Shortstop was obviously an area targeted for some competition. Machado and Merrero will push JT Riddle and Miguel Castro in the hopes that one or more of these players finds an extra gear.

In center field, the team will presumably let Lewis Brinson try to sort things out. Brinson can still be optioned down to work out the kinks, though he has already shown he can produce at Triple-A. Prospects Monte Harrison and Magneuris Sierra already have 40-man spots and could get looks of their own if Brinson can’t improve upon a ghastly 2018 showing.

Any of those players could also end up seeing time in the corner outfield as well. To open the season, though, right-handed hitters Peter O’Brien, Garrett Cooper, and Austin Dean are all in the mix to handle things in conjunction with the left-handed-hitting Granderson. Brian Anderson had lined up at times in the outfield last year but is slated to play third base in 2019. The job there is his so long as he can manage anything approaching his strong rookie campaign. Otherwise, Martin Prado will play out his contract in a utility capacity, if he can stay on the field after two lost seasons.

2019 Season Outlook

While the American League is full of rebuilding clubs, the Marlins are the only N.L. outfit that is completely committed to a future-oriented approach. That doesn’t bode well for their win-loss record in 2019, but does mean they can likely look forward to excellent draft position in the summer of 2020. With the team’s key trade pieces already moved, the season to come will be all about developing and identifying potential core pieces for the Marlins’ first contender of the Jeter era.

How would you grade the Marlins’ offseason moves?  (Link for app users.)

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Nick Cafardo Passes Away

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Longtime Boston Globe baseball writer and reporter Nick Cafardo passed away suddenly today at the age of 62. A veteran sportswriter of more than three decades, Cafardo was among the most recognizable and respected voices in the industry. The Red Sox organization issued a statement on the unexpected, tragic loss:

We are saddened by the sudden loss of long-time baseball reporter, Nick Cafardo. For over three decades, Nick was a fixture at Fenway Park and throughout ballparks across the country. His coverage was as consistent as the game itself.  His opinions on the Red Sox and the most pressing issues facing Major League Baseball were a constant, particularly through the prominent Sunday baseball notes column in the Boston Globe. The Cafardo family will always be a part of the Boston baseball family, and the Red Sox will honor Nick’s legacy at the appropriate time.

John Tomase of WEEI, longtime Globe colleague Dan Shaughnessy and the MLB Network are among the many who’ve put together touching tributes honoring the memory of one of the industry’s most recognizable authors. We at MLBTR offer our deepest condolences to the family and close friends of Cafardo, and also to the countless readers for whom his excellent coverage had become essential reading over the years.

Free Special Report: The Truth About Projections, ADPs And Winning

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POP QUIZ: Name the player who belongs to this 2019 projection:

AB      R      HR      RBI      SB      Avg
550     85      25          75         5        .260

Is it Rafael Devers? Could it be Matt Chapman, or maybe Stephen Piscotty? How about Asdrubal Cabrera or Jed Lowrie? Actually, there are 49 players who could reasonably post this stat line. However, they are currently being drafted anywhere from Round 3 to Round 32!

Mining the gaps between the projections and draft behavior is the secret to a fantasy baseball title. Here’s how to uncover dozens of profit opportunities for Draft Day 2019!

Get this FREE REPORT now!

This is a sponsored post from Ron Shandler.

MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

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