:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/52317071/613201644.0.jpeg)
From the outset, the Marlins have been on a mission to improve their bullpen this winter, and it does not like they are going to stop soon after signing Junichi Tazawa earlier tonight:
Industry buzz this afternoon was that the Marlins could still add two relievers. Tazawa is one, team still in on Brad Ziegler.
— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) December 16, 2016
After missing out on the sweepstakes for Aroldis Chapman and Kenley Jansen, Miami was known to be aggressively evaluating other bullpen upgrades, and Tazawa may only be the first domino to fall.
Brad Ziegler is, undoubtedly, coming off the better season. The right-hander posted a 2.25 ERA with 22 saves over 68 innings in 2016, and his career has gone from strength to strength, even though he is now 37 years old.
As a result, he could demand significantly more money than the $12 million the Marlins just gave to Tazawa. However, Miami has shown that they are willing to spend this off-season in order to compete for a playoff spot next season.
Failing to sign both Jansen and Chapman must have been a bitter pill to swallow for the front office, but complementing the signing of Junichi Tazawa with the addition of Brad Ziegler could go a long way to achieving the overall objective of this organization.