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The Marlins should be aiming for a 15-win improvement from last season, but they can’t mortgage the future to do it. Ely attempts to thread the needle with carefully thought out 40-man roster maneuvers (6:00) and a handful of efficient free agent signings and trades (19:00).
Enjoy Episode 46!
In roughly chronological order, these are the offseason moves that I’d like to see Miami execute:
Pre-Winter Meetings
- Release LHP Wei-Yin Chen; designate for assignment Brian Moran (outright to minors if he clears waivers); trade SS JT Riddle and OF/1B Austin Dean for low-level prospects
- Select the contracts of RHP Sixto Sánchez, SS Jazz Chisholm, RHP Edward Cabrera, RHP Nick Neidert, 1B Lewin Díaz, RHP Humberto Mejía and LHP Will Stewart (protecting them on 40-man roster)
- Sign free agent RHP Sergio Romo—two years, $7.5 million
- Trade RHP Kyle Keller and INF Bryson Brigman to Rockies for INF Daniel Murphy and 3B Ryan Vilade (Marlins absorb Murphy’s $8 million salary for 2020 season and $6 million buyout of Murphy’s 2021 mutual option)
Winter Meetings
- Trade RHP Jordan Holloway to Cubs for OF Albert Almora Jr.
- Sign free agent INF/OF Brock Holt—two years, $9.5 million
- Sign free agent LHP Jake Diekman—one year, $4 million with $4 million club option for 2021 season ($1 million buyout)
- Designate for assignment RHP Tayron Guerrero (outright to minors if he clears waivers)
Early 2020
- Sign free agent C Jason Castro—one year, $3.5 million with up to $2 million in performance bonuses based on days spent on active roster and games started
- Designate for assignment LHP José Quijada (outright to minors if he clears waivers)
Projected Opening Day Lineup
- SS Miguel Rojas
- 3B Brian Anderson
- RF Garrett Cooper
- 1B Daniel Murphy
- C Jorge Alfaro
- 2B Isan Díaz
- LF Brock Holt
- CF Albert Almora Jr.
- SP Sandy Alcantara
The Fish Stripes podcast is home to Miami Marlins shows Fish Bites, Earning Their Stripes and A-Ball with Erik Oas. All new episodes are posted to FishStripes.com/podcasts. You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Podbean, Megaphone or wherever you normally get your pods from.
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