Miami Marlins Offseason Tracker: Hottest Free Agency News, Trade Rumors
The Miami Marlins were able to stay in contention for much of the 2014 season, but injuries caught up to them in the end. With a young and talented core in place, the front office can look at making moves that could make the team a serious playoff contender.
Miami has plenty of talent in the field and on the mound. Giancarlo Stanton, Christian Yelich, Adeiny Hechavarria and Marcell Ozuna are all young and talented. Jose Fernandez and Henderson Alvarez are very good arms.
This team could use some help on the infield and in the rotation. Adding a talented veteran or two could go a long way in making this team very formidable next season.
Stay tuned throughout the offseason to see what is going on with the Marlins.
*All stats are via MLB.com
Done Deals
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Done Deals
Nov. 1: Exercised $1.5 million club option on C Jeff Mathis
Nov. 17: Signed OF Giancarlo Stanton to a 13-year, $325 million extension; includes no-trade clause and opt-out clause
Nov. 28: Traded LHP Brian Flynn and RHP Reid Redman to the Kansas City Royals for RHP Aaron Crow
Dec. 8: Chicago White Sox claimed C Rob Brantly from Marlins
Dec. 10: Acquired 2B Dee Gordon, RHP Dan Haren, INF Miguel Rojas and cash from the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for LHP Andrew Heaney, UT Kike Hernandez, RHP Chris Hatcher and C Austin Barnes
Dec. 11: Acquired RHP Mat Latos from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for RHP Anthony DeSclafani and C Chad Wallach
Dec. 11: Acquired RHP Andre Rienzo from the Chicago White Sox in exchange for LHP Dan Jennings
Dec. 16: Signed 1B/LF Michael Morse to a two-year, $16 million deal
Dec. 19: Acquired UT Martin Prado, RHP David Phelps and $6 million from the New York Yankees in exchange for RHP Nathan Eovaldi, 1B Garrett Jones and RHP Domingo German
Rule 5 Draft
Dec. 11: Selected LHP Andrew McKirahan from the Chicago Cubs
Dec. 19: Acquire UT Martin Prado and RHP David Phelps from Yankees
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The Miami Marlins have acquired utility man Martin Prado from the New York Yankees, according to Jack Curry of the YES Network. Miami would also receive pitcher David Phelps and would send pitcher Nathan Eovaldi and first baseman Garrett Jones to New York, per the Miami Herald's Barry Jackson. Per the New York Post's Joel Sherman, the Yankees will also receive pitching prospect Domingo German in the deal.
New York will also send $3 million to the Marlins in 2015 and 2016, according to the Sun Sentinel's Juan C. Rodriguez.
Prado is a veteran who can play second, third or even some outfield. Along with the skills that he brings on the field, he is a great veteran presence in the clubhouse.
In 2014, Prado hit .282 with 12 home runs and 26 doubles between the Yankees and the Arizona Diamondbacks. After the midseason trade that sent him to the Bronx, he hit .316 with seven home runs in 37 games.
The 31-year-old is probably good for about 10 home runs per season. He did go on a bit of a power surge at the end of this past season, but Marlins Park is a lot bigger than Yankee Stadium.
With Dee Gordon on the roster, it seems likely that Prado will play third base for Miami.
Prado is due $11 million in each of the next two seasons and is set to become a free agent after the 2016 season.
Phelps, 28, has had a hard time putting together consistent numbers. Part of that could be because he has split time between the rotation and the bullpen.
This year, the right-hander posted a 4.38 ERA in 32 games (17 starts). He has a career 4.21 ERA in 87 appearances, breaking down to a 4.34 ERA 40 starts and a 3.84 ERA in 47 relief appearances.
Phelps is under team control through the 2018 season.
The Marlins started the offseason with plenty of young talent on the roster and have added some big-time players this winter. Prado gives the team a solid contributor on offense and a good clubhouse presence, and Phelps can contribute to the team in some way.
Dec. 19: Traded Casey McGehee to the Giants
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The Miami Marlins are trading third baseman Casey McGehee to the San Francisco Giants in exchange for right-handers Kendry Flores and Luis Castillo, according to the Sun Sentinel's Juan C. Rodriguez.
After a busy offseason by the Marlins, Casey McGehee became expendable.
The 32-year-old hit .287 with four home runs and 29 doubles in 2014. He used to be a player who could give a team 15-20 home runs, but with a new approach, he concentrated more on getting hits rather than dingers.
The Marlins now have Michael Morse at first base and Martin Prado at third base, so the Marlins were able to trade McGehee.
In return, Miami got a couple of young arms.
Flores, 23, has been in the Giants' system since 2009. He has a career 3.47 ERA in 90 games (85 starts). In 2014, he posted a 4.09 ERA and a 1.259 WHIP in 20 starts in High-A. That came one year after he grabbed everyone's attention by posting a 2.73 ERA and a 0.918 WHIP in 22 starts in Single-A, thanks to 137 strikeouts in 141.2 innings.
Castillo, 22, has pitched in three professional seasons. He has a 2.67 ERA in 94 career relief outings, covering 141.1 innings. The right-hander has 147 career strikeouts, so he is able to make hitters swing and miss.
There was no longer room for McGehee in Miami, and with his contract set to expire after the 2015 season, the Marlins decided to get something in return for him after his strong rebound in 2014. Miami got a promising starter and a nice young arm that could eventually help the bullpen.
While most of the moves made by the club this winter have been "win now" moves, this deal could end up helping the team a few years from now. For a player like McGehee, this was a pretty solid return.
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Dec. 16: Marlins Sign Michael Morse to 2-Year Deal
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The Miami Marlins have reached an agreement for a two-year deal with Michael Morse, according to the Miami Herald's Barry Jackson. Per Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal, Morse will get $16 million in the two-year deal.
After a rough 2013 season, Michael Morse rebuilt his value with the San Francisco Giants. He was able to use that strong year with the champions to land a multi-year deal.
Morse hit .279 with 16 home runs and 32 doubles in 131 games in 2014.
An oblique injury forced him to miss some time and take on a bench role in the postseason. That may limit the amount of money he will be able to find on the open market, but considering he put up impressive offensive numbers at AT&T Park this year, he was an attractive free agent.
Morse did hit 31 home runs with the Washington Nationals back in 2011. Although he doesn't figure to put up that number again at this point in his career, he is still good for 15-20 home runs per season.
Miami wanted a big bat to help protect Giancarlo Stanton. Morse is a slugger who can play left field and first base, with the latter being an area the Marlins were looking to address.
Dec. 11: Marlins Acquire Mat Latos from Reds
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The Miami Marlins have acquired right-hander Mat Latos from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for right-handed pitcher Anthony DeSclafani and catcher Chad Wallach.
When healthy, the 26-year-old is one of the best pitchers in the league. He is 33-16 with a 3.31 ERA in three seasons with the Reds.
Latos spent last offseason recovering from surgery that removed bone chips in his pitching elbow. Then, on the first official day of spring training, he slipped and tore the meniscus in his left knee. He was out until June recovering from that injury. He pitched very well when he returned but missed the end of the season with a bone bruise in his right elbow.
Latos is eligible for arbitration for the third time. He made $7.25 million this past season and will see the number bump up a bit this winter.
Miami had set out to acquire a front-of-the-rotation starter. That's exactly what they got in Latos, at least for one season. With Latos, Jose Fernandez and Henderson Alvarez, the Marlins have a very formidable rotation.
Dec. 10: Marlins Acquire Dee Gordon from Dodgers
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The Miami Marlins have acquired second baseman Dee Gordon and right-hander Dan Haren from the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for left-hander Andrew Heaney, utility man Kike Hernandez, right-handed pitcher Chris Hatcher and catcher Austin Barnes, per the Miami Herald's Clark Spencer. Infielder Miguel Rojas will also be coming to Miami, according to MLB.com's Joe Frisaro.
Gordon had a breakout season in 2014 after struggling at the plate early in his career. The 26-year-old hit .289 with 24 doubles and 12 triples this year.
Speed is obviously his biggest asset. Along with the triples, the speedster also led the majors with 64 stolen bases. He can make pitchers lose focus when he's on the bases, and he also puts pressure on fielders to make clean plays.
The 2014 NL All-Star still has four years of club control.
Heaney was a top prospect, but the Marlins wanted to improve its offense. Adding Gordon to the top of the lineup should help Stanton and Co.
Rojas, 25, hit .181 with one home run and three doubles in 162 plate appearances in his first stint in the majors. He played second, third, shortstop and even left field for the Dodgers this year.
As for Haren, it's unclear if he will actually join the Marlins. Back in November, the 34-year-old told ESPNLosAngeles.com's Mark Saxon that he has no interest in playing away from his home in Los Angeles.
The Dodgers will pay the Marlins $10 million (Haren's potential salary) regardless of whether or not Haren pitches for them and will also pay Gordon's salary, according to Spencer.
Justin Morneau: Trade Target
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The Marlins are interested in Colorado Rockies first baseman Justin Morneau, according to MLB.com's Joe Frisaro.
Morneau hit .319 with 17 home runs, 32 doubles and 82 RBI in his first season with the Rockies. He hit .327 at Coors Field, but he also hit .309 on the road. That was a nice rebound from the .259 average he posted between the Minnesota Twins and the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2013.
The 33-year-old has a career .281 average and has 238 home runs in his 12-year career. He is a four-time All-Star, a two-time Silver Slugger award winner and was the 2006 AL MVP.
Miami has been doing whatever it can to improve its offense. The team added Dee Gordon to get on base at the top of the lineup. Now the club is looking to add someone who can protect Giancarlo Stanton and can drive in runs.
The Marlins wanted a left-handed hitter with some pop for first base, and that's exactly what Morneau is. He probably isn't going to hit 30 home runs the way he did in his prime, but he can still give a club 15-20 home runs.
Morneau will make $6.75 million in 2015 and has a $9 million mutual option—with a $750,000 buyout—for the 2016 season.
James Shields: Potential Free Agent Target
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Update: Tuesday, Dec. 9 at 11:55 a.m. ET
James Shields appears to be too pricey for the Marlins, according to MLB.com's Joe Frisaro.
--End of Update--
As the Marlins look for a front-of-the-rotation starter, they are looking at James Shields, per Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal.
Shields went 14-8 with a 3.21 ERA in 34 starts with Kansas City this year. The right-hander has a 114-90 record and a 3.72 ERA in his nine-year career.
The 32-year-old has often been referred to as "Big Game James." However, he probably cost himself quite a bit of money with an unimpressive postseason. He recorded only two quality starts in five starts this postseason and failed to go deeper than six innings in any of those showings.
Miami has a couple of young and talented arms in Jose Fernandez and Henderson Alvarez. Bringing in a veteran front-of-the-rotation starter would help a rotation filled with youngsters.
Jose Fernandez: Possible Extension Candidate
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Update: Monday, Dec. 1 at 1:55 p.m. ET
The Marlins have made a long-term offer to Fernandez, according to CBS Sports' Jon Heyman. The offer is reportedly worth close to $40 million over six years. That deal is not expected to be enough to get an extension done with the pitcher.
--End of Update--
Given that Jose Fernandez is one of the best pitchers in the game, the Marlins would be crazy not to explore a long-term deal with him this offseason. However, it may not be easy to convince him to sign a long-term deal at the moment.
The 22-year-old is 16-8 with a 2.25 ERA and a 0.972 WHIP in 36 career starts.
Fernandez made only eight starts in 2014 before having to undergo Tommy John surgery. Knowing that, the 2013 NL Rookie of the Year could decide to get financial security by signing a deal now or bet on himself to be able to return to form and negotiate at a later date.
Miami has already locked up Giancarlo Staton this winter. If it can lock up Fernandez and other young players, the future will be very bright in South Beach.
Adeiny Hechavarria: Possible Extension Candidate
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Update: Monday, Dec. 1 at 1:55 p.m. ET
The Marlins have made a long-term offer to Hechavarria, according to CBS Sports' Jon Heyman.
--End of Update--
The Marlins would like to lock up some young players this winter. Adeiny Hechavarria is among the players that the team will look to sign to a multi-year deal, per CBS Sports' Jon Heyman.
Hechavarria has been great with the glove and showed signs of improvement with the bat in 2014. A year after hitting .227, the 25-year-old hit .276 with 20 doubles and 10 triples this past season.
The shortstop is under club control through the 2018 season, so neither side has to feel like a multi-year deal needs to get done this winter. However, the Marlins would probably like to get something done in the event he continues to get better and better.
Christian Yelich: Potential Extension Candidate
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Update: Monday, Dec. 1 at 1:55 p.m. ET
The Marlins have made a long-term offer to Yelich, according to CBS Sports' Jon Heyman.
--End of Update--
Christian Yelich is among the young players the Marlins are looking to sign to a multi-year deal this offseason, according to CBS Sports' Jon Heyman.
Yelich has shown plenty of promise at the plate through his first year and a half in the majors. He hit .288 with four home runs in 62 games in 2013 and followed that up by hitting .284 with nine home runs and 30 doubles this past season. He has also stolen 31 bases in 38 attempts.
The outfielder is under club control through the 2019 season. He was a first-round pick in the 2010 draft, so the Marlins believe that he will be a big part of the team's future.
Nov. 17: Marlins and Giancarlo Stanton Agree to Record-Breaking Extension
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The Miami Marlins have locked up the face of their franchise to a record-breaking deal.
Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reported that Giancarlo Stanton and the Marlins have agreed to a 13-year, $325 million extension. Fox Sports' Jon Morosi reported that the deal is officially done.
Stanton will have a full no-trade clause and an opt-out clause that will allow him to opt out after six seasons (after the 2020 season), per Morosi.
A deal didn't have to get done this winter, considering he was already under club control through the 2016 season. However, getting the right fielder locked up was the team's top priority.
In 2014, Stanton hit .288 and led the NL with 37 home runs. He also set a new career high with 105 RBI. Had he not been hit in the face by a pitch in the middle of September, he likely would have been the favorite for the 2014 NL Most Valuable Player award. Instead, he had to settle for runner-up.
This is a big step for a franchise that has never really been able to keep star players. The organization rarely handed out big deals, no-trade clauses or opt-out clauses. However, with a player of Stanton's caliber, the team did what it took to sign him.
Miami has one of the league's best young stars, and for once, the club stepped up to make sure that he was going nowhere. With Stanton locked up, the Marlins can turn their attention elsewhere the rest of winter.
Marcell Ozuna: Possible Extension Candidate
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Miami is open to signing Marcell Ozuna to a multi-year deal this offseason, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.
The 24-year-old had a bit of a breakout season in 2014. He hit .269 with 23 home runs, 26 doubles and five triples this past season. Numbers like those are promising for a player of his age.
Ozuna has played in only one full season in the majors, so he has yet to become a "proven" player. However, his 2014 numbers indicate that he could be a solid hitter for years to come.
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