Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Marlins Rumors

Marlins Notes: Infield, Outfield, Mack

By | at

The Marlins didn’t make the playoffs in 2025 but are entering the winter with a bit more optimism compared to a year ago. Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald took a look at the Miami position player mix and provided some details on the club’s aspirations for the winter.

Jackson had previously reported that the club was likely going to be targeting a veteran bat this winter. In today’s reporting, he adds that first base is the most likely place for them to make that addition, though third base and the outfield corners are mentioned as other possibilities.

First base is a sensible spot to target, as the Fish don’t really have anyone locked in there. Seven different players spent some time at that spot in 2025, though Eric Wagaman got the bulk of the action. Wagaman hit just .237/.281/.375 for a wRC+ of 79. That indicates he was 21% below league average at the plate. Teams generally hope to get above-average offense out of the first base spot, so that’s a natural spot to look for more production.

The free agent class is headlined by guys like Pete Alonso, Josh Naylor and Ryan O’Hearn. The Marlins have occasionally thrown out notable multi-year deals but president of baseball operations Peter Bendix has largely kept his wallet in his pocket since getting his job. Two offseasons ago, his big signing was one year and $5MM for Tim Anderson. Last winter, it was $3.5MM for Cal Quantrill.

Perhaps he will get more aggressive with the Marlins coming off a respectable 2025 season, though it may be more likely he goes for guys who can be had on short-term deals such as Rhys Hoskins or Paul Goldschmidt. The non-tender deadline will shake loose a few more guys, with Nathaniel Lowe and Ryan Mountcastle some of the possibilities there. Christian Walker and Alec Burleson are speculative trade candidates.

Signing a third baseman is also a possibility but Jackson reports that the most likely scenario is Connor Norby and Graham Pauley battling for the job, or perhaps even forming a platoon. Pauley seems to have a decent floor as a strong defender. In 390 innings at the hot corner this year, he was credited with three Defensive Runs Saved and six Outs Above Average. Offensively, he slashed .224/.311/.366 for a wRC+ of 90. Perhaps there’s more to come with the bat. His 11.4% walk rate and 19.6% strikeout rate were both above average and he may have been held back by an unfortunate .262 batting average on balls in play. But even with offense close to average, he could be a valuable player thanks to the glove.

Norby, on the other hand, received grades of -5 DRS and -4 OAA at third this year. He didn’t make up for that with the bat, as he slashed .251/.300/.389 for a wRC+ of 90. However, he has slashed .293/.369/.493 at the Triple-A level going back to the start of 2023, which translates to a 123 wRC+. Bringing that kind of production to the majors would be great but he’ll be a bit of a question mark until that happens.

As for the platoon possibility Jackson mentions, Norby is right-handed and Pauley left-handed. Both players have reverse splits in their big league careers thus far but the sample size is still pretty small for both. Neither had huge splits in the minors but major league pitching might be a different story in the long run.

In the outfield, Jackson suggests the investment is likely to be small, suggesting it could be similar to the club signing Heriberto Hernández to a minor league deal last winter. They should have Kyle Stowers and Jakob Marsee in two spots, with room for guys like Hernández, Griffin Conine, Dane Myers, Joey Wiemer and others.

Behind the plate, Bendix already gave a public vote of confidence to Agustín Ramírez, despite his poor defensive metrics. If he is going to get another shot behind the plate next year, that could leave Joe Mack in Triple-A. Jackson reports that the club would prefer Mack to start the year in Jacksonville, but he will have a chance to earn a job in spring training.

Mack is one of the top catching prospects in the league. He’s not yet on the 40-man roster but would be eligible for this winter’s Rule 5 draft if not added, so the Fish will surely give him a spot in order to protect him from being selected. He’s considered a strong defender and he slashed .250/.320/.459 for a 108 wRC+ in 99 Triple-A games this year.

Promoting him to the majors seems justified at this point, but if Ramírez is going to get the bulk of the playing time as the Marlins continue to give him a shot to improve defensively, then perhaps Mack would be better served staying in Triple-A to get regular playing time.

It seems like there’s even less chance of a move up the middle, as Jackson reports the club is happy with the Otto López and Xavier Edwards tandem. López has produced subpar offense but the move to shortstop has worked well. He was credited with 7 DRS and 4 OAA at that spot this year. He can also steal 15-20 bases a year, adding to his value. Edwards got poor grades at short but has been great since kicking over to the other side of the bag. He tallied 12 DRS and 9 OAA at the keystone this year, with 27 steals and roughly average offense.

Photo courtesy of Eric Hartline, Imagn Images

14 Players Elect Free Agency

By | at

Now that the season is over, we’ll start seeing several players choose to become minor league free agents.  Major League free agents (i.e. players with six-plus years of big league service time) will hit the open market five days after the end of the World Series, but eligible minor leaguers can already start electing free agency.

To qualify, these players must have been all outrighted off their team’s 40-man rosters during the 2025 season without being added back.  These players also must have multiple career outrights on their resume, and/or at least three years of Major League service time.

We’ll offer periodic updates over the coming weeks about many other players hitting the market in this fashion.  These free agent decisions are all listed on the official MLB.com or MILB.com transactions pages, for further reference.

Catchers

Infielders

Outfielder

Pitchers

Photo courtesy of Gregory Fisher, Imagn Images

Offseason Outlook: Miami Marlins

By | at

The Marlins rode a big September winning streak to the fringes of the Wild Card race and weren't mathematically eliminated from the postseason until Sept. 25. They have very little money on the books for the 2026 season and saw some key young players step up as potential building blocks. The front office, led by president of baseball operations Peter Bendix as he enters his third winter on the job, will now need to determine how real that surge was and how strongly to pursue win-now moves for next year.

Guaranteed Contracts

  • Sandy Alcantara, RHP: $19MM through 2026 (including $2MM buyout of $21MM club option for 2027)

Additional Financial Commitments

  • $10MM annually to Yankees, through 2028, as part of Giancarlo Stanton trade
  • $5MM buyout on 2026 club option for since-released OF Avisail Garcia
  • $500K buyout on 2026 mutual option for since-released RHP Woo-Suk Go

Option Decisions

  • None

Total 2026 commitments: $32.5MM
Total future commitments: $54.5MM through 2028

Arbitration-Eligible Players (service time in parentheses; salary projections via MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz)

Non-tender candidates: Nardi

Free Agents

  • None

Bendix offered little insight into his club's direction during his end-of-season press conference. The former Rays general manager noted that he was both proud of his club's strong finish to the season but disappointed to be talking to the media when other clubs were still playing. Bendix spoke in typical baseball operations generalities, deflecting questions about his expected level of aggression this offseason to merely say he hoped to build a team that was as good as it could possibly be for as long as it could possibly be. Asked whether fans should expect Sandy Alcantara to be a Marlin by the time spring training rolls around, he sidestepped and stressed the importance of being open-minded to any and all scenarios (link via Isaac Azout of Fish On First).

None of that is meant as a critique of Miami's president, to be clear. The simple reality of running a low-payroll club and trying to navigate some degree of rebuild is that hard decisions will have to be made and that payroll concerns will persist each year. It's unlikely that the Marlins will cannonball into the deep end of free agency this winter, but there's plenty of reason to believe that they could also be a bit more active than they've been in recent offseasons.

Unlock Subscriber-Exclusive Articles Like This One With a Trade Rumors Front Office Subscription

BENEFITS
  • Access weekly subscriber-only articles by Tim Dierkes, Steve Adams, and Anthony Franco.
  • Join exclusive weekly live chats with Anthony.
  • Remove ads and support our writers.
  • Access GM-caliber tools like our MLB Contract Tracker

The Marlins’ Catching Conundrum

By | at

Miami has struggled to find a viable option behind the plate since trading away J.T. Realmuto ahead of the 2019 season. After Jorge Alfaro, who returned in the Realmuto deal, failed to provide consistent results, the Marlins have shuffled through a mix of veterans and fringe MLBers over the past few seasons. Miami backstops finished 29th in OPS at the position in both 2023 and 2024.

Agustin Ramirez seems like the answer, at least on offense. Acquired in the Jazz Chisholm Jr. trade, the top prospect popped 21 homers and stole 16 bases in his first taste of MLB action. Ramirez paced the team in doubles and total bases. He was a fixture in the heart of the lineup since getting promoted in late April.

The problem with Ramirez as Miami’s solution at catcher was the catching part. He led the league with 19 passed balls, more than twice as many as the next-closest player (Shea Langeliers at nine). Ramirez also led all catchers with 10 errors, despite only making 71 starts at the position. The throwing aspect of the job didn’t go much better. Ramirez allowed 83 steals and threw out just 8 base runners, good for a paltry 8.8% caught stealing rate. He ranked dead last in Statcast’s CS Above Average metric, which compares the number of extra caught stealings to the expectation of an average catcher.

Ramirez made 61 starts at DH in his rookie season. While that may be his ultimate home, president of baseball operations Peter Bendix hasn’t given up on Ramirez in the field. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Bendix said Ramirez still has “the ability to be a major league catcher and also needs to improve a lot to be able to consistently achieve that level” (link via Kevin Barral of Fish on First). It isn’t the strongest endorsement, but it’s enough to keep the door ajar on Ramirez’s future at the position.

Liam Hicks functioned as Miami’s backup catcher for the majority of the 2025 season. He started 49 games behind the plate, while also making 23 starts at first base and 20 at DH. Hicks joined the team as a Rule 5 selection from Detroit. He posted a solid 98 wRC+ across 390 plate appearances, though the power was lacking. Hicks hit just a half dozen home runs and finished with a .099 ISO. He doesn’t have the type of thump typically associated with 1B/DH types, so sticking at catcher might be his only avenue to consistent playing time.

The main issue with Hicks as a long-term option is the same one that plagues Ramirez. Hicks allowed 51 stolen bases last season, while catching just six would-be thieves. He had the fifth-worst mark in Statcast’s CS Above Average metric.

The real answer at catcher might be waiting in the wings at Triple-A. Joe Mack is the organization’s fourth-ranked prospect according to MLB.com. FanGraphs ranked Mack third among Miami prospects in their midseason update. Mack was a first-round pick in 2021. He’s put up strong offensive numbers at each minor league stop, including a 129 wRC+ in 112 games at Double-A in 2024. Mack torched Double-A pitching once again to begin 2025 and was quickly bumped to Triple-A. He hit 18 home runs with a solid .250/.320/.459 slash line in 412 plate appearances with the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp. The 22-year-old has an elite arm, which will provide some much-needed help in slowing down the run game. Mack has a shot to break camp with the team in 2026 after hitting .298/.382/.766 with six homers in 14 games in September.

Whether or not Mack is with the big-league club next season, the team could use a glove-first veteran option. Victor Caratini, Austin Hedges, and James McCann would be viable options that shouldn’t be overly expensive. Old friend Jacob Stallings could also be a candidate to soak up innings behind the plate for a low investment. Ironically, Nick Fortes would’ve fit the bill as a veteran caddy to Mack. Fortes led the Marlins in starts behind the plate in 2023 and 2024, but was shipped out at the trade deadline this past season.

Marlins Notes: Alcantara, First Base, Garrett, Meyer

By | at

The Marlins improbably remained alive in the Wild Card race into the season’s final week. While that was enabled largely by the Mets’ collapse, Miami finished just four games under .500 after a 100-loss season in 2024. President of baseball operations Peter Bendix spoke with reporters on Wednesday as he enters his third offseason.

Bendix’s biggest decision is whether to trade Sandy Alcantara. The Marlins held onto the former Cy Young winner at the deadline. Alcantara hadn’t found a groove in his first few months back from Tommy John surgery, and the Fish preferred not to sell low. He looked a lot sharper down the stretch, turning in a 3.70 ERA with a 23.1% strikeout rate in his final 10 starts. He tied for fourth in the majors with 65 2/3 innings pitched after the deadline. Everyone else in the top five had the benefit of an extra start.

The Fish will get calls from teams intrigued by Alcantara’s strong finish. Bendix dodged a question about whether he expected the two-time All-Star to remain in South Florida headed into next season. “I’m not going to speculate on any individual player,” he said (relayed by Isaac Azout of Fish On First). “We’re always looking for ways to improve our club and I’m going to stay as disciplined as possible in doing that.”

It’s the kind of generality that most executives express publicly when asked about specific players. It’s not an especially surprising response, though it does contrast with the club’s approach from last offseason. The Marlins had reportedly informed Alcantara by August that he wouldn’t be moved. Bendix more or less confirmed that publicly during the winter, saying in December that he was “really excited to see him pitch on Opening Day.” A trade this winter seems more plausible now that he’s healthy even if the Fish are closer to contention than they were 12 months ago.

Alcantara is headed into the final guaranteed season of the extension he signed over the 2021-22 offseason. He’ll make $17MM and is guaranteed at least a $2MM buyout on a $21MM club option for ’27. If a deadline trade would’ve been mostly about salary relief, an offseason deal could net a legitimate prospect return. Alcantara finished with an underwhelming 5.36 ERA overall, yet he’d very likely command more than $19MM if he were a free agent this offseason.

Walker Buehler, for instance, pulled $21.05MM coming off a 5.38 ERA in fewer innings because of his pre-injury track record and two good appearances during the World Series. Alex Cobb got a $15MM deal at age 36 after making five combined starts between the regular season and playoffs. If Alcantara carries his second half form into next year, the extra year of control via the club option would also be a bargain.

While payroll is always a consideration for the Marlins, the front office shouldn’t be under financial pressure to deal Alcantara. He’s the only player on the roster making a salary of much significance. They’ll pay Avisaíl García a final $5MM buyout to end that disastrous free agent deal. They owe the Yankees $10MM annually for the next three seasons as part of the Giancarlo Stanton trade. That’s all in terms of guaranteed commitments. They have a lot of arbitration-eligible players — Anthony Bender, Braxton Garrett, Edward Cabrera, Ryan Weathers, Andrew Nardi, Calvin Faucher and Max Meyer — but none who are going to break the bank individually.

Miami did almost nothing in free agency during Bendix’s first two seasons at the helm. They signed three players to major league deals (Tim Anderson, Cal Quantrill and Eric Wagaman) for a combined $8.7MM in guarantees. It’s clear they’ll do more than that this winter. FanDuel Sports Network Florida & Sun’s Craig Mish indicated over the weekend that they’ll likely pursue a late-inning reliever. Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald echoes that sentiment and writes that they’ll try to bring in a free agent offensive upgrade as well.

The Marlins had a middle-of-the-pack offense this past season. They ranked 16th in runs and finished between 11th and 20th in all three slash stats. They were light on power, finishing above only the Padres, Cardinals and Pirates in home runs. Playing at loanDepot Park doesn’t do their hitters many favors, but they were tied for 22nd in road home runs. Kyle Stowers and Agustín Ramírez were their only 20-homer bats.

Miami didn’t get much production out of first base or designated hitter. They’ll probably want to keep at-bats available at the latter position for Ramírez, whose defensive numbers as a rookie catcher were terrible. They should upgrade on Wagaman and Troy Johnston at first base. It’d be a surprise if they made a serious push for Pete Alonso or Josh Naylor, but a mid-level target like Ryan O’Hearn could be within the range of outcomes.

Paul Goldschmidt and Rhys Hoskins will be available on one-year deals and still have a higher floor than the in-house options. The Astros could look to offload part of the Christian Walker contract, while players like Spencer Steer or Triston Casas could be sell-low candidates. It’s not entirely out of the question that the A’s could consider swapping Tyler Soderstrom for a controllable starting pitcher. Maybe there’s a match with a Miami team that has a lot of talented, affordable arms. Almost all of them come with some kind of durability questions, though the Fish finished the season with an impressive front four of Alcantara, Cabrera, Weathers and Eury Pérez.

Garrett missed the entire season after undergoing UCL surgery in January. Meyer suffered a labrum tear in his left hip and went under the knife in June. Bendix told Jackson and other reporters that both pitchers are expected to be ready by the start of Spring Training.

Marlins Could Be Active In Bullpen Market This Offseason

By | at

The Marlins’ 2025 season marked a step forward. The rebuilding Miami club finished just four games under .500, thanks largely to a 56-50 record from June 1 onward. The Fish went 14-11 in September and won 13 of their final 17 contests. A fair portion of those wins came against last-place teams in Washington and Colorado, but Miami also won series against the Tigers and Mets, swept the Rangers and won a pair of games against the Phillies during that blistering finish.

With those improvements fresh in mind, they’re expected to be more active in free agency than in recent offseasons, per Craig Mish of FanDuel Sports Network Florida & Sun (video link). Specifically, Mish highlights the bullpen as a likely area of focus, noting that the Marlins seem poised to target late-inning arms with closing experience and/or left-handed relievers.

The Miami bullpen was a below-average unit in 2025, ranking 22nd in the majors with a 4.28 ERA on the whole. Marlins relievers ranked 24th in strikeout rate (21.2%) and 18th in walk rate (9.3%). Only six teams saw their bullpens give up more home runs per nine innings pitched than Miami.

That’s not to suggest that there were no bright spots. Waiver claim Ronny Henriquez was outstanding in his first full season in the majors (2.22 ERA, 32.3 K%, 73 innings), and other low-cost pickups like Lake Bachar, Calvin Faucher, Anthony Bender and Tyler Phillips all pitched well, too. Homegrown lefty Cade Gibson had a nice rookie showing as well, but other Marlins draftees/signees like George Soriano and Josh Simpson struggled.

Relief pitching is the most volatile commodity in the game, and it should be noted that the vast majority of the Marlins’ success stories in relief this year carried rate stats that were less encouraging than their earned run averages. Bender, Gibson and Phillips all had well below-average strikeout rates. Bachar, Bender, Gibson and Faucher all had walk rates that were worse than the league average.  Gibson (.260), Phillips (.253), Bachar (.250) and especially Bender (.213) each benefited from BABIP marks that were well shy of the league-average .289.

The extent to which Marlins ownership will allow president of baseball ops Peter Bendix and his staff to spend is an open question, but it’s worth noting that Miami’s payroll is exceptionally clean. Sandy Alcantara is the only player with a guaranteed salary for the 2026 season ($17MM). They still owe the since-released Avisail Garcia the $5MM buyout on his 2026 option and owe the Yankees $10MM as part of the Giancarlo Stanton trade, but those are their only notable expenditures.

The Marlins also have a small arbitration class featuring Bender, Faucher, Edward Cabrera, Braxton Garrett, Ryan Weathers, Max Meyer and Andrew Nardi. Each of Faucher, Weathers, Meyer and Nardi is eligible for the first time, meaning their salaries will be small. Bender, Garrett and Cabrera all earned under $2MM in 2025.

Suffice it to say, there’s ample room for the Fish to spend on some bullpen help if the market presents offers to their liking. That could include buy-low opportunities for star relievers like Devin Williams and Ryan Helsley, or short-term deals for older veterans like Raisel Iglesias and Kenley Jansen. It’s not likely that they’d shell out the money needed to sign a prime-aged reliever who’ll command a notable multi-year deal (e.g. Edwin Diaz, Luke Weaver), but they’ll have plenty of opportunities to consider both in free agency and potentially via trade, where names like Pete Fairbanks, JoJo Romero and Dennis Santana will be among the potentially available names.

Garrett Cooper Announces Retirement

By | at

After eight Major League seasons, first baseman/outfielder Garrett Cooper has decided to retire.  The 34-year-old Cooper made the announcement on his Instagram account, praising his family and the many others who helped him along the way.

“This game has given me more than I could have ever imagined,” Cooper wrote in his goodbye post.  “I’ve had the privilege of living out every little kid’s dream and calling baseball my career for over a decade.  I poured everything I had into this game, and in return, it gave me memories, lessons, and relationships that I will carry with me forever.”

Beginning his career as a sixth-round pick for the Brewers in the 2013 draft, Cooper never suited up for Milwaukee, as he was dealt to the Yankees in July 2017.  He made his MLB debut that year by playing in 13 games in the pinstripes before the Yankees traded him to the Marlins in November 2017, as part of a noteworthy deal that brought Michael King to the Bronx.

Miami was Cooper’s professional home for the next six seasons, as he established himself as a regular in the Marlins’ lineup whenever his health allowed.  Cooper was plagued by multiple injuries during his time with the Fish, and since he was already 26 years old when he first broke into the majors, his status as a somewhat older “prospect” on a rebuilding Marlins club led to Cooper losing out on some playing time in favor of younger players.

However, Cooper showed his value at the plate when he was able to play.  Cooper hit 274/.350/.444 over 1273 plate appearances during the 2019-22 seasons, translating to a 116 wRC+ over that span.  His best performances came in the middle two years of that four-season span, and his .853 OPS over 133 PA in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season helped the Marlins make a surprise playoff appearance.  Cooper’s good numbers early in the 2022 campaign earned him a selection on the NL All-Star team.

As he was approaching free agency after the 2023 season, Cooper was dealt to the Padres at the trade deadline, with Ryan Weathers heading back to Miami in return.  Cooper’s production was on the decline in 2023 and he could only land a minor league deal with the Cubs that offseason.  Cooper’s final MLB season saw him appear in 12 games with the Cubs and 24 more appearances with the Red Sox in 2024, and another minors contract with the Braves last winter resulted in Cooper getting released in May without any call-ups to the Show.

Over 517 games and 1929 career plate appearances, Cooper hit .265/.333/.427 with 57 home runs.  We at MLB Trade Rumors congratulate Cooper on a fine career, and we wish him the best in his post-playing days.

Marlins Place Dane Myers On Injured List

By and | at

The Marlins announced today that outfielder Dane Myers has been placed on the 10-day injured list with a right knee laceration. Fellow outfielder Joey Wiemer has been recalled from Triple-A Jacksonville to take his place on the active roster.

Myers, 29, had only recently returned from an IL stint for a right oblique strain. He played in seven games after that two-week absence before suffering this new injury in Tuesday night’s game against the Phillies. In the second inning, Myers was fielding a fly ball from Max Kepler when he collided with the outfield wall and injured his knee before eventually being carted off the field.

Today, Myers spoke about the issue, as seen in this video from MLB.com. He expressed some concern for player safety with some big league fields having dangerous elements. As an example, he mentioned Aaron Judge, who missed significant time last year after injuring his toe on some concrete at Dodger Stadium.

The frustration from Myers is understandable, as the Marlins have played well of late and are technically still alive in the National League playoff race. It’s a big long shot, as they are four games back of the Mets with five games to play and would have to leapfrog the Diamondbacks, Reds and Cardinals. Still, it’s surely not fun to be trying to mount a miracle comeback and have your season ended by bashing your knee off some weird metal protuberance.

In 106 games for Miami in 2025, Myers has batted .235/.291/.326 with a 72 wRC+ and a 23.1% strikeout rate compared to a 6.9% walk rate. Defensively, he has split time at all three outfield spots, with most of his appearances coming in center field. He has been worth 3 Defensive Runs Saved and one Out Above Average. He has also stolen 18 bases this year. Without Myers, the Marlins will proceed with an outfield mix consisting of Wiemer, Jakob Marsee, Griffin Conine, Heriberto Hernández, Troy Johnston and Javier Sanoja.

Photo courtesy of Eric Hartline, Imagn Images

White Sox Claim Derek Hill

By | at

The White Sox announced that they have claimed outfielder Derek Hill off waivers from the Marlins. The latter club designated him for assignment a few days ago. He will take the active roster spot of fellow outfielder Mike Tauchman, who has hit the 10-day injured list with a right knee meniscus tear. The 40-man roster had a vacancy but is now full. The club also recalled right-hander Jonathan Cannon and placed righty Wikelman González on the 15-day IL due to a right elbow impingement.

It’s unclear when Tauchman hurt his knee, but he hasn’t played since Saturday. He tells Scott Merkin of MLB.com that he will have surgery on Tuesday and is expecting a similar timeline to Austin Slater, who also had meniscus surgery earlier this year. Slater had his surgery in mid-April and was reinstated off the IL just over a month later. If Tauchman follows a similar timeline, he should be able to have a normal offseason.

The Sox will have to decide if they are going to tender him an arbitration contract for 2026. His 2025 campaign was decent. He got into 93 games for the Sox and stepped to the plate 385 times. His 22.3% strikeout rate was right around league average but his 11.7% walk rate was quite strong. He slashed .263/.356/.400 for a 115 wRC+, indicating he was 15% better than league average at the plate. When combined with solid outfield defense, he was worth 1.4 wins above replacement, according to FanGraphs.

He would be due a raise on this year’s $1.95MM salary. The Sox might be willing to bump that but they also might prefer to keep some playing time open for younger players. They seem hellbent on picking up Luis Robert Jr.’s option, which will take up one outfield spot. Andrew Benintendi is still under contract next year. He’ll likely serve as the designated hitter a lot but appeared in 69 games in left field in 2025. They have a cluster of guys like Will Robertson, Dominic Fletcher, Corey Julks and Brooks Baldwin in the mix and might be able to let Tauchman go, at least at the start of the offseason, perhaps circling back to him later.

For today, they are also adding Hill into the mix. He hasn’t been a great hitter in his big league career but has some speed and some defensive acumen. In 617 big league plate appearances, he has a .228/.276/.348 line, which translates to a 73 wRC+. He has 23 steals in 28 tries. In 1,369 2/3 innings on the grass, he has -2 Defensive Runs Saved but +9 Outs Above Average.

Hill can step in and help the Sox play out the string on this season. He has crossed three years of big league service time this year, meaning he’s about to be eligible for arbitration for the first time. The Sox could tender him a contract if they think he can be a useful part of next year’s club, but it’s possible he’s just a stopgap to cover for the Tauchman injury. In that case, he would be non-tendered this winter.

Photo courtesy of Jonathan Hui, Imagn Images

Marlins Designate Derek Hill For Assignment

By | at

The Marlins announced a big series of roster moves today. Right-hander Edward Cabrera has been reinstated from the 15-day day injured list and outfielder Griffin Conine from the 60-day IL. To open active roster spots, right-hander Adam Mazur and outfielder Joey Wiemer have each been optioned to Triple-A Jacksonville. To open a 40-man spot for Conine, outfielder Derek Hill has been returned from his rehab assignment, reinstated from the 10-day injured list and designated for assignment.

Hill, 29, was claimed off waivers from the Giants in August of last year. Since that claim, he has generally continued to have roughly the same level of production before he came to Miami. Though he can make some nice catches and steal a few bases, he has generally been a guy with subpar offense, thanks to poor strikeout and walk numbers.

He has made a few trips to the injured list this year, two due to a left wrist sprain, another due to a left middle finger sprain, and most recently a right hamstring strain. Around those IL trips, he has appeared in 53 games for the Marlins. In his 141 trips to the plate, just 6.4% of those have resulted in him taking a walk while 32.6% of them ended in strike three. His .213/.275/.331 batting line translates to a 68 wRC+.

Though he has seven stolen bases on the year and strong defensive grades, the bat was dragging him down. He is out of options and can’t be easily sent to the minors. He has crossed three years of big league service time this year, meaning he was going to qualify for arbitration this winter. It seems the Marlins weren’t planning to tender him a contract, so they have cut him early in order to open a roster spot for their other moves today.

Since the trade deadline has passed, he will be on waivers in the coming days. There wouldn’t be much short-term appeal for other clubs, since the season is almost over and he wouldn’t be postseason eligible for any claiming team. He can be controlled for three seasons after this one, but a club would only grab him if they thought he was worth an arbitration raise for 2026. If he clears waivers, he will have the right to elect free agency.

The returns of Cabrera and Conine are also potentially notable here, as the Marlins are clinging to a tiny hope of a miracle run to finish the season. They are four games back of the Reds and Mets with six games left to play. Both players were performing well earlier this year, so perhaps they can give Miami a boost for an incredible sprint to the finish line.

Cabrera’s return is also notable for the upcoming offseason. He has had something of a breakout here in 2025, as his results have kicked up a notch. He has always been able to get strikeouts and ground balls, but his stock has been held back by poor control and some injury concerns.

He has softened both of those worries a bit here in 2025. He came into this year with a 13.3% walk rate but has managed to limit the free passes to a 7.7% clip this season. He has also stayed healthy enough to log 128 2/3 innings. He had never before hit the century mark, so that’s easily a career high.

An elbow sprain did put him out of action at the start of this month, but he has managed to return three weeks later. If he can stay healthy and effective in the final week, that could give him and the Marlins some peace of mind about him going into 2026.

The Fish will are theoretical candidates to trade a starting pitcher this winter. Rumors surrounding Cabrera and Sandy Alcantara were common this summer but the Marlins held both beyond the trade deadline. Going into next season, their rotation mix includes those two as well as Eury Pérez, Ryan Weathers, Janson Junk, Braxton Garrett, Max Meyer, Ryan Gusto, Mazur, Dax Fulton and Freddy Tarnok, with prospects Thomas White and Robby Snelling currently lurking in Triple-A.  It’s possible to imagine the Marlins revisiting the possibility of trading Alcantara or Cabrera this winter, which could give Cabrera’s return today a bit of extra intrigue.

Photo courtesy of Jonathan Hui, Imagn Images

Show all

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

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

hide arrows scroll to top