As expected, the Marlins won’t be picking up their club options on two pitchers. The New York Post’s Jon Heyman reports that Johnny Cueto’s $10.5MM option will be bought out for $2.5MM, and Daniel Alvarez-Montes of El Extrabase reports that Matt Barnes’ $9MM option will be bought out for $2.25MM. (Both links to X.)
Cueto signed a one-year contract worth $8.5MM in guaranteed money last winter, as the Marlins saw the veteran righty as a way to add some experience and depth to an overall young rotation. Unfortunately, the gambit didn’t pay off, as Cueto posted a 6.02 ERA while tossing only 52 1/3 innings over 13 appearances. Right biceps tightness sent Cueto to the injured list for over the half the season, and he had a 15-day IL stint due to a viral infection at the end of August.
2024 will be Cueto’s 17th Major League season and his age-38 season, though there hasn’t been any indication that the right-hander is considering retirement. He’ll probably have to settle for a minor league deal in the wake of his underwhelming year in Miami, but teams are forever in need of pitching, and Cueto will likely get another look to see if he has anything left in the tank. As recently as 2022, Cueto had a 3.35 ERA in 158 1/3 innings with the White Sox, so a return to that form might be possible if he can just stay healthy.
Injuries also ruined Barnes’ season, as his 2023 campaign was prematurely ended by a hip surgery in July. Barnes struggled to a 5.48 ERA in 21 1/3 innings prior to that IL trip. Though a .348 BABIP and 4.35 SIERA indicated that Barnes was somewhat unlucky, he posted a below-average strikeout rate for the second consecutive season.
Between Barnes’ hip surgery, a shoulder injury in 2022, and generally a lot of up-and-down performance over the last three seasons, it was a pretty easy call for the Marlins to decline the option. Miami acquired Barnes in a trade with the Red Sox last offseason, and Barnes’ two-year, $18.75MM deal was initially signed with the Sox back in July 2021. Since Boston covered a good chunk of Barnes’ 2023 salary, it was a relatively risk-free move for the Marlins, especially since Richard Bleier (who went to the Sox in the trade) also didn’t pitch well last year.
Marlins won’t be picking up any options most likely, especially with a new guy.
The last sentence in the article is strange. How Bleier pitched in Boston had nothing to do with the Fish’s decision.
It’s hindsight talk but Boston did end up paying more for their injured pitcher considering that they covered Barnes’ salary and the Marlins saved some money with the trade. Nobody can predict both pitchers being injured all year.
Really a no brainer. Both guys barely pitched this year. Even if they pitched a ton next year they are well under water
Leaky pen?
As a Marlin, isn’t that where you’d rather be?
Barnes was good for a brief shining moment. Is he a good pitcher who veered bad or a bad pitcher who had a few good months?
He couldn’t make Kobe flinch either
This is devastating news to me. I was convinced the Marlins were going to pay a combined $19.5 million to retain both of those legends.
@Big Smoke
You just know that all those posters that bash every move the Marlins make now have some great ammo with these moves.
these are the worse moves since Jeter “gifted” Stanton to the Yankees.
Sheesh…we couldn’t spare $19.5 million for a has-been and someone that didn’t pitch much for us with an inconsistent career?
And with good reason, imo.
I thought Barnes was an okay gamble by both sides, that didn’t work out for either.
But a team with pitching coming out the wazoo, signing a pitcher instead of a hitter struck me as strange from day 1. It worked out worse than it should’ve, but that was a strange move.
Barnes and Cueto?
Is this a headline from 2017?
Barnes back to Boston.
Not!
Only if he still needs to clean out his locker.
Back to the White Sox for Cueto. Need as many SPs as they can grab.
Possible end of the line for both but i could see both securing minor league deals if they choose to play next season but i don’t see anyone giving either a guaranteed deal
That Barnes-Bleier trade… woof! No winners there!
Marlins paid less, so…
Addition by subtraction. Not even sure why they had Cueto to begin with.
Cueto has been counted out before. There is probably another chapter to be written before he’s done.
I’d love to see the Nats take a flier on him. He’d provide some depth and if he has a year like ‘22 could be flipped at the deadline. It could allow them to put Williams in the bullpen and start Rutledge in the minors.
Where are all those bashers of the Marlins moves? Clearly this was a move because the Marlins are cheap and they are misogynists who wanted to get rid of Kim Ng’s acquisitions now that she’s gone.
I can see E!SPN and FOX Sports reporting these two moves.
Title: Marlins With Another Fire Sale After Playoff Run
That will bring the geniuses out again.
Wouldn’t mind Cincy bringing Cueto home. They need a vet starting pitcher in the worst way and you know Po Boy won’t sign a legit ace like he should.
6.02 ERA for Cueto last year. Guess he’ll be the number two starter in Oakland next year.