Biggest Marlins Bummers of 2018

Unless the subject is politics, I’m a glass-half full guy, so last week I gave you the good news first with the most surprising players on the Marlins from 2018. Now though, it is my duty to also give you the biggest disappointments from the Opening Day roster.

Lewis Brinson

As the prized prospect acquired in the Christian Yelich trade prior to the 2018 season, perhaps the highest hopes were pinned, however fairly or unfairly, on the 24-year-old rookie. He would prove unable to fulfill those desires in the first half and would slash .186/.232/.338 before hitting the DL on Independence Day with a bone bruise on his hip. He was then sidelined until September and would hit only marginally better upon his return.

Justin Bour

A year after an All-Star caliber campaign of 25 HR with a .289 AVG in just 108 games, Bour had 19 HR and a .230 AVG in 109 Marlins contests. On August 10, he was dealt to the Phillies for practically nothing (no offense, McKenzie Mills). It wasn’t all his fault, as the market for platoon first basemen was—and still is—practically nothing, but his statistical fall-off and the ensuing return for him in trade still qualify as disappointments.

Junichi Tazawa

Tazawa was designated for assignment on May 17 after posting a 9.00 ERA and 13 walks in 20 innings, meaning the Marlins would pay him roughly five million dollars not to play for them. He was then picked up and cut by the Tigers before resurfacing (and actually pitching pretty decently) with the Angels in the final month of the season, all but the minimum on the Marlins’ dime.

The big contract guys: Prado and Chen

Perhaps it wasn’t unexpected from these two after similarly disappointing 2017 seasons, but one look at their paychecks automatically places them in this category. After a 3.9-WAR season in 2016, the soon-to-be 34-year-old Martín Prado signed a three-year, $40 MM contract that doesn’t end until after the 2019 season. He has only played in 91 games since, including just 54 this past year. Wei-Yin Chen received a quarter of the money due under his 5-year, $80 MM deal in 2018 while turning in a 4.79 ERA across 26 starts.

Who you got?

Which Marlins player let you down in 2018? Let your angst or grief out in the comments.