The Marlins’ top target in free agency is not a starting pitcher, but rather right-hander Kenley Jansen, reports Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports. Recognizing the difficulty they’ll face in building out a rotation that is still reeling from the shocking death of Jose Fernandez — there are few options in free agency and Miami’s woeful farm system makes trades difficult — Miami could instead look to build out a “super pen” to help shorten games and prevent leads from escaping when their starters provide them. ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick wrote earlier this week that with few rotation options available to them, the Marlins could look to upgrade the back of the bullpen instead.
Obviously, the Marlins aren’t exactly frequent shoppers at the very top of the free-agent market, and the team’s perennially low payroll is a significant strike against their chances at landing Jansen this winter. However, Miami did spend $80MM to add left-hander Wei-Yin Chen last offseason, and while the results of that deal (in year one, anyway) weren’t what the team had hoped, their willingness to spend at that level was a departure from their most recent free-agent ventures. Jansen could very well match or exceed that $80MM sum — we at MLBTR pegged him for a five-year, $85MM deal this winter — but with Miami only one year removed from spending that type of money and forfeiting a draft pick to do so, it’s tough to definitively rule out an earnest pursuit.
Jansen, as Heyman notes, is plenty familiar with Miami skipper Don Mattingly from the pair’s days together in Los Angeles, and Miami’s proximity to his native Curacao could be another minor point in the Marlins’ favor. There’s probably some allure based on those factors, though it seems unlikely that Jansen would concede any type of significant discount based on familiarity or geography.
Miami already has a the makings of a terrific bullpen in 2017, with right-handers A.J. Ramos, Kyle Barraclough and David Phelps all having contributed ERAs of 2.85 or better to go along with impressive K/9 rates (14.0 for Barraclough, 11.8 for Phelps and 10.3 for Ramos). Phelps, of course, could conceivably move back into the rotation out of necessity, though the Marlins’ plans for him are seemingly undetermined at this point. Adding Jansen and his lifetime 2.20 ERA and 13.9 K/9 to that group, with or without Phelps, would make for an imposing group to finish out games for the Marlins, though it remains to be seen whether they’ll be comfortable spending at the assuredly record rate it’ll take to land Jansen.
ChiSoxCity
What good is a high priced closer to a team with a sketchy rotation?
PBABowler27
Zach Britton.
bronxbombers
Nice
goldglover444
Niiiccceee
DannyQ3913
Boom!
bigjonliljon
Lol. Never going to happen
BlueSkyLA
Grienke signing with the low-spending D’Backs was never going to happen either.
RunDMC
2015 KC Royals (world champions) had a regular season starter ERA of 4.34 (22 of 30 MLB), while a reliever ERA of 2.72 (2 of 30 MLB).
2016 MIA Marlins had a starter ERA of 4.32 (12 of 30) with Jose Fernandez, while a reliever ERA of 3.63 ERA (14 of 30).
By the article I don’t think Jansen would be the only piece, but if they built a top-5 to top-10 bullpen, that could immensely help their pitching for presumably at a cheaper price than the market rate of starters. This is the smart approach, in my opinion, but they’ll need to find a couple of diamonds in the rough for their bullpen to balance out the overpay Jansen will command.
staypuft
Tbf the royals knew they needed another starter to take the title, which is why the added Cueto. They sure wish they had Cueto in 2016…
Blue_Painted_Dreams_LA
You also have to take into account the skewed numbers as the the royals played in the AL. Fernandez could play in both leagues and Chen has proven when healthy he can but that was one two in the rotation.
Slim_Hurley 2
Heath Bell
Blue_Painted_Dreams_LA
The first sentence from Heymans article: If the market breaks right.
kulaidx
Seems highly unlikely. He will definitely get more money from bigger teams, ie. Dodgers, Giants, Nationals, Cubs, Yankees…..no way he goes to Miami.
teufelshunde4
Don’t forget Miami doesn’t do NTC either.. So ur exactly on point.. Less $$ to go with less chance to contend for WS and topped with no NTC..
vtadave
Not sure parting with the #14 pick for an $80MM reliever makes sense given that rotation and that bottom-feeding farm system.
mkeving
Dodgers just resign the man.
ottomatic
Why would the Dodgers want for force Jansen to quit?
cxcx
Lame.
jdolan74
Watch him get 5 years and $100m. At least one team will overpay. Chapman could get $125m and 5 or 6 years. Melancon is probably the bargain but he’ll still get 4 or 5 years and at least $80m.
rivera42
5/100? 5-6/125? That sounds highly, highly unlikely.
bonquisha
Id say 5/85-90 or 6/96-102ish seem more realistic.
Your AAV is too high
rivera42
Oh please. Miami is cheap. They can target him all they want but they’re still not getting him.
jakem59
The Marlins have ponied up plenty of times, we’re actually about due for one of their spending sprees.
JT19
Yes, and then they would proceed to hold a fire sale if/when the team struggles.
bonquisha
MIA would need to offer the most money. Only way
Id imagine other rosters and ownership are more appealing.
bucknerforhall
All smoke -no fire
Solaris611
If, by some miracle, they sign Jansen, they’ll still have to go out and sign 1 or 2 SPs – probably an Edinson Volquez or Brett Anderson type – to fill out the rotation. Marlins have a substantial lineup, but the holes in the pitching staff and lack of organizational depth doom them to the middle of the pack
redbirdrooter
Bullpen’s pretty good already. Be smarter to add a cheaper version like Tony Watson and spend real money on a starter.
Ralph Frascone
Yankees should send Betances &a Gardener to Marlins for Ozuna.
Nice salary dump getting rid of gardner, yanks get a stud corner and free up some cap to bring in Chapman.
Marlins get a great reliever back in Betances who thrives in the set up role. Betances/Ramos would be legit.
aber22
No way marlins get that much for Ozuna
kulaidx
MUCH rather have Betances, Gardner and Chapman than Ozuna and Chapman. The Yankees have money, they can sign Chapman without having to give up Betances in the process.
ernestofigueroa87
Were you dropped on your head as a child?
cuban1
Im a marlins fan, and even i know thats a huge overpay for ozuna
jj954
I actually think this isnt that far fetched, Yankees just dumped McCann for nothing basically. Ozuna and Betances have similar value given Ozuna has club control for 3-4 more years, he also is much younger than Betances.
Marlins kick in a prospect or Dietrich and this could get done imo
willi
Jansen is going to Yankees, Chapman stays with Cubs and mark goes to giants !
Mikel Grady
I’d take that as a cub fan. Keep hearing Theo won’t spend on top 3 closer. Hope we get one
Blue_Painted_Dreams_LA
It makes sense that they aren’t. They are going to have to spend big money this year or next year on the rotation either to lock guys up or towards the free agent market next year. If they really feel Edwards can work his way into that role they can just go get a reliever with control. I think Chapman ends back up with the Yankees. Jansen to the Dodgers. Melancon to the Giants. Now the Cubs still have multiple options like Doolittle etc. Watson is probably on the market, Robertson will probably be able to be had, someone will take a chance on Holland.
brewfan27
Jansen – Dodgers
Chapman – Yankees
Melancon – Giants
brewfan27
Jansen – Dodgers
Chapman – Yankees
Melancon – Giants that
BlueSkyLA
I wasn’t convinced until you said it twice.
66TheNumberOfTheBest
I think the Marlins could end up targeting Ivan Nova.
They love ex-Yankees and Jim Benedict can continue the work Searage started.
And sadly, they need at least one more starter.
yanksknicks
As a Yankee fan I only want chapman or melancon because they dont require us forfeiting a draft pick. Personally I think these reliever prices are way too high and I think it would be better to invest elsewhere than sign chapman for 18-20 mil per year.
tmlmikey
I’m not sure where else to ask this. A trade starting with Marcus Stroman for Christian Yelich? Feedback on logic, please? I started thinking maybe fish could start strengthening starting five with addition of Stroman. Go….
Michael Macaulay-Birks
Why would the Blue Jays do that?
jj954
WHY WOULD THE MARLINS DO THAT?
Yelich is way more valauable