According to Peter Gammons of The Athletic, the Marlins are working to move Starling Marte, Adam Duvall, and several helpers.
It’s not surprising that the team is selling. They have been in conversion mode for years, despite the surprise push in 2020 into the extended postseason. They currently have a record of 43-57 and, according to FanGraphs, are sitting in the basement of NL East with a 0% chance of reaching the playoffs.
Marte’s departure seemed inevitable as he and the team stopped extension talks a week ago. He has since been associated with the Astros, Phillies, Yankees, and Giants. That popularity is not surprising given Marte’s track record and outstanding performance in 2021. He currently has a wRC + of 139, which is above his previous career high of 132, which was reset in 2014, earning 3.2 fWAR in just 63 games this year. He still owes him about $ 4.7 million of his $ 12.5 million salary this year, which could have luxury tax implications for any team that takes him on. Although Miami could potentially eat some of it for a better return on investment.
Duvall, like Marte, is also an upcoming free agent, though he has a joint option for 2022. Even though he can’t match Marte’s production, he could still be very useful, especially with his racket. Duvall’s 22 home runs were somewhat offset by a high strikeout rate of 31.6%, but he’s still got a wRC + of 107 this season. His $ 2 million salary also makes him a lot more affordable than Marte.
Gammon’s tweet implies that the Reds, and perhaps others, inquired about Marlin’s shortstop Miguel Rojas but were turned away. General manager Kim Ng previously announced that the team will stick with Rojas, who is 182 record appearances away from its $ 5.5 million option for 2022.
As for the bullpen, the marlins should have plenty of options to redeem their veteran aides for those interested in helping them rebuild. Yimi Garcia is an upcoming free agent, playing on a modest salary of $ 1.9 million. Over 36 1/3 innings he has a 3.47 ERA and 15 saves. Ross Detwiler will also be joining the independent agency in a few months. His 6.25 ERA may be unsightly, but he’s left-handed, knocks out 26.1% of the clubs, and only has about $ 300,000 for the rest of the year. Another left-hander, Richard Bleier, has an even better season with an ERA of 2.82. His strikeout rate of 20.3% is below average, but a career high for the groundball specialist. He’s playing with a salary of $ 1.425 million and has another year of arbitration control. Anthony Bass could also be interesting for some clubs. Righty, 33, has an ERA of 3.79 this season and has made a modest $ 1 million this year. He also comes with two more years of potential control, under contract for $ 3 million in 2022 and a club option of $ 3 million in 2023.