The Miami Marlins find themselves in an interesting position heading into this winter.
They are undeniably one of the worst teams in baseball, and most of their most effective players are entering the latter half of their 20s, making these players potentially expendable in the trade market.
However, the Marlins are said to have serious interest in former White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu, according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network:
The Marlins are said to like Jose Abreu very much. However, the loss of a draft pick that would come with an Abreu signing is a big consideration for a team like the Marlins. Easier to see Abreu winding up back with the White Sox.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) November 13, 2019
As Heyman alludes to, the White Sox submitted the qualifying offer to Abreu, meaning any other team that would sign him would lose a draft pick this summer. Naturally, this could ultimately prohibit a team such as the Marlins–who are still in “rebuild” mode–from offering him a contract.
Abreu had another tremendous season at the plate. He led the American League with 123 RBIs while slashing .284/.330/.503. He has quietly been one of the most effective hitters in baseball since arriving at the big-league level in 2014.
Although a number of teams could pursue Abreu in free agency, he will almost certainly end up back in Chicago. The White Sox are enamored with Abreu in terms of his leadership and the culture that he brings to the clubhouse, and young players like Eloy Jimenez noted that they “need” him back (via Jon Paul Morosi of MLB.com):
“I think he’s going to come back,” Jiménez told MLB.com during his appearance at the MLB General Managers Meetings International Showcase. “He’s a really good player and a really good teammate. I think [the White Sox] need to bring him back. . . . You can see how good he is. Every time he stands up at home plate, you expect he’s going to do something.
Meanwhile, the Marlins simply need to add veteran hitters to their roster in the hopes that some of their young talent continues to develop.
While Abreu fits that mold, someone more akin to Asdrubal Cabrera could be in the cards. The Marlins will undoubtedly be scouring the market for more low-cost moves.
Follow Us
Subscribe