Do the Marlins really need ANOTHER corner outfielder?

According to several reports, the Marlins are interested in the Orioles’ Anthony Santander, a 26-year-old corner outfielder that had a breakout season in 2020. Acquiring him would potentially take a package of at least two prospects (presumably those with the upside to develop into future starting pitchers) plus a cheap outfielder like Magneuris Sierra to fill Santander’s shoes in Baltimore.

The Marlins do have prospects and young players to use them as trade chips. But do they really need a corner outfielder? Shouldn’t it be a higher priority to get some other pieces, like, say, a better catcher?

It’s true that a .890 OPS guy is always welcome on a team that has had run-scoring struggles, but Santander might prove to be a tricky fit in Don Mattingly’s lineups. The Marlins already have Corey Dickerson in left, Starling Marte in center, and a combination of Garrett Cooper, Lewis Brinson, Monte Harrison, Magneuris Sierra, and Harold Ramírez in right. Would you still sacrifice prospects to get another outfielder who has a relatively short and mixed MLB track record? Can you trust him to be an upgrade over those existing RF candidates?

Instead, the Marlins should consider trading from their pitching surplus to address other areas. If players such as Elieser Hernández, Braxton Garrett, and Daniel Castano are available, I’d get a better, more established catcher than Jorge Alfaro or Chad Wallach, another good reliever, or a depth starting pitcher who is a veteran and an innings eater. At the end of the day, Alfaro has not been able to hit as expected in the Majors, Wallach contributes very little beyond his defense, the Marlins are still lacking a proven closer, and their older starter (Castano) is only 26. In the latter case, that young group could easily use the experience of a veteran arm.

If Miami is looking for another outfielder, they could get someone like Yasiel Puig, who could be even more affordable than Santander and has to take an incentive-laden contract coming off a lost year of his career. In fact, reportedly, the Marlins are still in the mix for Cuban Wild Horse.

The Marlins are not done yet. Expect more moves to come. Will they get a closer, a catcher, or an outfielder...or something else? It remains to be seen.