Christian Yelich is not expected to be moved by the Miami Marlins. Yelich has struggled throughout the course of 2015, but according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald, the Marlins are "leaning strongly against" moving their starting left fielder.
ChristianYelich has been a disappointment; his 29 RBI ranking among the lowest for left fielders. But the Marlins believe he’s going to be a quality player and lean strongly against trading him.
Even after extending Yelich during spring training, it is likely the Marlins have considered trading him this season. He was reinstated from the disabled list on Tuesday and over 92 contests is batting .275/.343/.376 to complement six home runs and 29 RBIs. There is, however, reason to believe he will thrive as a starting outfielder. Last season, Yelich posted a .284/.362/.402 batting line in addition to nine home runs and 54 RBIs over 144 games.
At one point, the Marlins believed they had one of the best outfields in baseball, and according to Wins Above Replacement, they did. However, Yelich has regressed and Marcell Ozuna has spent time in Triple-A attempting to become more patient at the plate. Giancarlo Stanton thrived in the early months but has since been sidelined with a hand injury.
Miami has not received a notable amount of production from its first baseman this season but the outfield has also been inconsistent. Beyond Stanton, Yelich and Ozuna have both had comparatively down years. Ichiro Suzuki and Cole Gillespie have contributed but the Marlins could be seeking additional outfield help this winter.
While Yelich is not expected to be moved, Jackson adds the Marlins have not made a decision with regard to Ozuna's future. Some feel it would be best to use Ozuna as a trade chip in a deal for starting pitching. Other suggest Ozuna will be able to produce consistently moving forward. If the Marlins do opt to move Ozuna, they should be able to maximize the return. Regardless, talks are notable since the Marlins tried to extend Ozuna last offseason.
The Marlins plan on upgrading the pitching staff, which will likely be essential moving forward. But the club will also need additional offensive weapons and increased outfield production might need to come from outfielders not currently on the major league roster.
