By Greg Fuchs
Marlins Making Moves
With the start of spring training around the corner, the Miami Marlins
have been more active than any team in MLB in January in getting their
roster ready for the 2023 season.
It all started with the signing in early January of free agent Jean Segura.
The veteran infielder has primarily played second base and shortstop in
his career, but the Marlins signed him to be their third baseman.
Segura, who played for the Phillies last season, hit .277 with 10
homeruns and 13 stolen bases in 98 games in 2022.
The Marlins big move, though, was the recent trade of starting pitcher
Pablo Lopez along with a couple of prospects to Minnesota for Twins
infielder Luis Arraez, the 2022 American League batting champion.
Arraez doesn’t possess much power or speed, but the 25 year old
makes a lot of contact and only struck out 43 times in 547 at bats last
season while hitting .316 and drawing 50 walks. He will play 2 nd base for
the Marlins with Jazz Chisholm moving to centerfield.
Shortly before trading Lopez, Miami signed veteran righthander Johnny
Cueto, who will take Lopez’s spot in the rotation. The 36-year-old Cueto
had a 3.35 ERA with a 1.23 WHIP pitching for the White Sox in 2022.
Miami also traded away veteran shortstop Miguel Rojas to the Dodgers
for shortstop prospect Jacob Amaya. The 24 year old Amaya split the
2022 season between AA and AAA and hit a combined .261 with 81
walks and 17 homeruns. He will likely start the season at AAA, but could
be called up midseason if he has a good start to the season.
The Marlins will have an open competition for the starting shortstop
job in spring training with veteran Joey Wendle being the favorite.
Miami’s most recent transaction was the trading of lefty reliever
Richard Bleier to the Red Sox for righty reliever Matt Barnes on January
30.
If the season opened tomorrow, the Marlins likely opening day lineup
would have Garrett Cooper at 1st base, Arraez at 2 nd base, Segura at 3 rd
base and Wendle at shortstop.
Bryan De La Cruz is the odds-on favorite in leftfield, but he will get
competition from JJ Bleday, Peyton Burdick, and Jesus Sanchez.
Chisholm will play centerfield with Avisail Garcia in rightfield. Jorge
Soler will be the designated hitter. Super utility man Jon Berti, who can
play any position but catcher, should also get a lot of playing time over
the course of the season.
Jacob Stallings and Nick Fortes will likely split the catching duties.
While this lineup won’t remind anyone of the 1927 Yankees’ Murders
Row lineup, it should be an improvement over 2022 as Arraez and
Segura should get on base on a consistent basis. As long as Chisholm
stays healthy and Garcia and Soler bounce back from off seasons, the
Marlins lineup should be adequate.
And adequate may be good enough considering that the strength of the
2023 Marlins should be their starting rotation, headed by 2022 Cy
Young Award winner Sandy Alcantara. Cueto will also be in the rotation
along with righty Edward Cabrera and lefties Trevor Rogers and Jesus
Lazardo. Braxton Garrett will also compete for a spot in the rotation.
In order for the Marlins to compete for a playoff spot in 2023, the
rotation will need to stay healthy, which was a major issue in 2022
except for Alcantara and Lopez.
Marlins’ pitchers report to spring training on February 16 for what is
hopefully the start to a successful 2023 season for the Fish.
