Miami Still Has One Trade to Make Before Opening Day
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The Miami Marlins had one of, if not the most active, offseasons in all of baseball. It's not the massive names they went out and signed, or all the money they spent, but the plethora of trades they made.
The Marlins were involved in nine different trades, from trading Edward Cabrera to Dane Myers. Whether you look at it as a blessing or a curse, the Marlins primarily received prospects back.
While this will hopefully help long-term, it doesn't impact the beginning of the 2026 season as much. Miami signed Chris Paddack to replace the innings they lost when trading Cabrera, but it'll take more than one starting pitcher addition to shake up the rotation.
Where the Probable Starting Rotation Stands
Where the current rotation stands in no particular order:
Sandy Alcantara
Eury Pérez
Max Meyer
Chris Paddock
Janson Junk
Clearly, General Manager Gabe Kapler and Co. are planning on top prospects Thomas White and Robby Snelling to be heavily involved in the rotation this season, but this staff needs more reliability.
Alcantara, Pérez, and Meyer all have a dangerous injury history, and White and Snelling have yet to step foot in the big leagues. Everyone at their best, this rotation is a top in the league, but it is quite volatile at the same time.
Miami needs more depth, which unfortunately has been tested over the years. Eliminating the openers, 11 different starters made at least three starts for the Marlins last season, incredible. We know the depth will unfortunately be tested at some point this season, so Miami must make one last trade to prepare for it.
Dean Kremer Is a Solid Starting Pitcher Trade Target for Marlins
To stick with the script, a potential trade target would be Dean Kremer with the Orioles. Last season, Kremer made 29 starts and posted a 4.19 ERA. He signed a one-year, $5.75 million contract this offseason to stay with Baltimore, but he would fit the team well.
Possible Free Agent Acquisitions
A strong free-agent candidate would be Zach Littell, who posted a 3.2 fWAR across two teams last season. Littell has made 29+ starts in back-to-back seasons, and for some reason, is still a free agent. Spotrac predicts his market value is around $12.9 million, which could be the reason why he remains unsigned, but this would be high if he wants to play this season.
Another reliable starter still available in free agency is Patrick Corban who remains unsigned. He has made 30+ starts every season except one since 2016, which is unheard of nowadays. He struggled mightily from 2021 to 2024 with Washington, but posted a solid 4.40 ERA over 30 starts with the Rangers last season.
If the Marlins want to make one last trade to sure up the rotation depth or sign a reliable starter, these are the guys to do it.
