MIAMI – With the World Series underway, Hot Stove season is nearly upon us. Here’s a handy guide to the Marlins’ offseason: What are the key dates? First day after the World Series: The trade freeze is lifted and Major Leaguers may be traded between clubs. Free agents may re-sign only with their former club. Fifth day after the World Series: The “quiet period” ends, and MLB free agents are free to sign with any club. Nov. 10-13: GM Meetings in Las Vegas. Nov. 18: The deadline to add players to the 40-man roster to protect them from the Rule 5 Draft is at 6 p.m. ET. Nov. 21: The deadline for teams to tender contracts to unsigned players for the following season, including their arbitration-eligible ones. If a player is non-tendered, he becomes a free agent. Dec. 8-11: Winter Meetings in Orlando, Fla., including the MLB Draft Lottery on Dec. 9 and the Rule 5 Draft on Dec. 10. Which Marlins players are free agents?
None! Which players are arbitration eligible? • RHP Edward Cabrera • RHP Max Meyer • RHP Anthony Bender • RHP Calvin Faucher • LHP Ryan Weathers • LHP Braxton Garrett • LHP Andrew Nardi Who might be a non-tender candidate?
Miami’s 40-man roster is full, so decisions will need to be made regarding the six players on the 60-day injured list and prospects who must be protected from the Rule 5 Draft. The Marlins will bring back starting pitchers Garrett (Tommy John surgery) and Meyer (left hip surgery) as well as high-leverage arm Bender (right tibial stress reaction). Relievers Nardi (recurring back trouble) and Jesus Tinoco (Tommy John surgery), on the other hand, likely won’t be back. Once the go-to southpaw out of the bullpen, Nardi hasn’t pitched since Aug. 21, 2024. |
Right-handed swingman Valente Bellozo, infielder Jack Winkler, righty reliever Tyler Zuber and catcher Brian Navarreto don’t factor into the club’s long-term plans, so they could free up roster space. Joey Wiemer is out of Minor League options, but he helps balance a left-handed-heavy outfield group. Also without remaining options are righty relievers Freddy Tarnok and George Soriano. Who needs to be added to the 40-man roster to avoid the Rule 5 Draft? Catcher Joe Mack (Marlins’ No. 4 prospect, MLB’s No. 70 overall) is the only ranked Miami prospect. However, there are other notable names to monitor. The Marlins are thin at first base, lefty reliever, center field and third base at the Major League level, so the following prospects could enter the mix. First baseman Nathan Martorella, who was acquired in the Luis Arraez trade, completed his season at Triple-A Jacksonville (a .631 OPS in 39 games). Lefty Dale Stanavich posted a 5.46 ERA in 25 Triple-A outings (24 in relief) after a dominant showing at Double-A Pensacola (1.29 ERA in 19 relief outings) and a non-roster invitation to big league camp last spring. Center fielder Andrew Pintar, who came over in the A.J. Puk trade, recorded a .722 OPS in 84 games at Triple-A. And then there’s third baseman/outfielder Jacob Berry, the sixth overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft. Though he has a career .695 OPS, he was the walk-off hero in the Triple-A national title game and slashed .310/.373/.427 from July 22-Sept. 25. |
Indy ball darling Morgan McSweeney (2.21 ERA at Triple-A) could provide additional starting pitching depth. Relievers William Kempner (2.65 ERA, 13.2 K/9), Matthew Pushard (3.61 ERA, 10.5 K/9), Zach McCambley (3.32 ERA, 11.5 K/9) and Joshua White (2.29 ERA, 13.0 K/9) put up impressive numbers at Jacksonville. Evan Fitterer, a fifth-round selection in the 2019 Draft, converted to a reliever at Double-A Pensacola midseason. What kind of help do they need, and will they be active in free agency? The Marlins need help at first base (.663 OPS, fourth lowest in MLB). I previously mentioned veteran Paul Goldschmidt. Josh Naylor, Miami’s first-round Draft pick in 2015, will also be a free agent. Both would come at a more reasonable price than headliner Pete Alonso. A name that makes sense is 34-year-old Cuban Yandy Díaz, who has a $12 million team option with the Rays for 2026 and tallied a 136 OPS+ this season. Miami and Tampa Bay have been known to swing trades, especially under Marlins president of baseball operations Peter Bendix, a former Rays general manager. |
The Marlins could also use a right-handed outfield bat to complement lefties Kyle Stowers, Jakob Marsee, Griffin Conine, Troy Johnston and No. 21 prospect Victor Mesa Jr. Heriberto Hernández, Dane Myers and Wiemer are internal options, but only Hernández showed consistency throughout the season. Who might they be willing to trade?
There’s no such thing as a surplus of starting pitching, but as is the case whenever the Marlins are mentioned, outside interest usually involves their controllable arms. Right-handers Sandy Alcantara and Cabrera were the subject of rumors leading up to the Trade Deadline, and that won’t change after Alcantara righted the ship and Cabrera showed he was healthy in his return from a second injury scare in September. |
Weathers, who will be arbitration-eligible for the first time, missed most of the season with a fluke injury and has never made more than 18 starts in a season. Top prospects Thomas White (Marlins No. 1, MLB No. 22), Robby Snelling (Marlins No. 3, MLB No. 51) and Dax Fulton (Marlins No. 13), all of whom finished 2025 at Triple-A, are southpaws. |
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Stowers’ breakout campaign has continued into awards season. Stowers, who is a National League finalist for the Rawlings Gold Glove in left field, was named an NL Silver Slugger outfield finalist, joining Corbin Carroll (D-backs), Pete Crow-Armstrong (Cubs), Juan Soto (Mets), Kyle Tucker (Cubs) and James Wood (Nationals). At the time of his left oblique injury on Aug. 15 -- an injury to his right oblique during his rehab assignment ended his season -- Stowers ranked among the NL’s leaders in several offensive categories, including OPS (.912, fifth), slugging (.544, sixth), homers (25, tied for ninth), average (.288, 10th), RBIs (73, 11th) and on-base percentage (.368, 12th). The NL Silver Slugger winners will be announced at 6 p.m. ET on Nov. 6 on The Baseball Insiders stream on YouTube. |
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