Marlins will add before the deadline if they remain competitive

Miami doesn't mind adding to its payroll if the club remains competitive ahead of the trade deadline, Team President David Samson told Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald.

Samson said the Marlins won’t hesitate to add payroll if they remain in contention for postseason: “Jeffrey Loria’s [approach] has been the same for 17 seasons; when we’re in the race, we add."

As the non-waiver trade deadline approaches, the Marlins will likely have to gauge if they’re in a position to compete for the remainder of the season. Through the first two and a half months of the season, with the exception of struggles against teams under five-hundred, the Marlins have remained a few games back of a wild card spot.

Unless the Nationals struggle, which is realistic since Jonathan Papelbon was placed on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday and the team has faced uncertainty with its bullpen, the Marlins will likely be forced to focus on earning a wild card spot. Miami entered Thursday's off day seven games behind Washington.

The Marlins are only a game and a half back in the National League wild card standings, though.

Despite Jarred Cosart’s early demotion to Triple-A New Orleans, the Marlins’ starting rotation, anchored by Jose Fernandez and Wei-Yin Chen, has had a fair amount of success. The unit has collectively pitched to a 3.87 ERA, which ranks 15th in baseball.

While the Marlins are known for routinely adding starting pitching, the team’s focus could be the bullpen, which is now without Bryan Morris and Carter Capps and was without Mike Dunn for the first few weeks of the season. The club reportedly has expressed interest in Drew Storen and could explore adding other available bullpen arms.

If Giancarlo Stanton continues to struggle, the Marlins could consider adding an outfielder. However, Ichiro Suzuki has proven to be a valuable substitute.

The Marlins might not have the depth necessary to make multiple moves ahead of the deadline, but if they remain competitive, addressing the payroll doesn’t appear to be an issue.