Top 5 Offseason Signings in Marlins History That Changed the Franchise
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The Miami Marlins have made some aggressive offseason moves during their franchise history.
It’s not easy to get the most intriguing free agents during the winter. The Marlins don’t accomplish this every year. We have witnessed key players join the organization and change the culture for the better.
Who Are The Top 5 Best Offseason Signings in Marlins History?
5) Moises Alou
In just one season with Miami, Alou made the best of it. He became an All-Star in 1997. Alou belted 23 homers and 115 RBIs, finishing 10th place in the NL MVP voting.
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If it weren’t for Livan Hernandez’s incredible pitching performance in Games 1 and 5, then Alou would’ve been named World Series MVP. Alou batted .321 with three home runs and nine RBIs in the seven-game series. In addition, he set the tone in the bottom of the ninth inning when he got on base with a hit.
4) Al Leiter
When Leiter signed as a free agent, he made an immediate impact in the 1996 season. He pitched a no-hitter against the Colorado Rockies and became the first pitcher to toss a no-hitter in Marlins history. Leiter also made his first All-Star team and reached 200 strikeouts.
His signature moment with the Marlins came in Game 7 of the 1997 World Series. He was the starting pitcher and used his curveball often to neutralize the dangerous Cleveland Indians lineup, a powerhouse team at the time. Leiter gave up just two earned runs and pitched six innings.
3) Kevin Brown
Another pitcher who joined Leiter during free agency. He had one of his best seasons in a Miami uniform. Brown was a major anchor to the Marlins' rotation, especially in 1997.
In 1996, he won 17 games and finished second in the NL Cy Young voting. The following season, he made his third trip to the All-Star Game and reached 200 strikeouts for the first time in his career. Brown did amazing things for the Marlins in 1996 and 1997, and that’s something we should never forget. Sometimes it feels like he’s a forgotten player—one of the best right-handed pitchers of the late 1990s.
2) Jose Reyes
Reyes signed a massive deal with Miami in 2012. We have to remember how big a deal this was, since he had won the batting title in 2011. Jose signed a 6-year contract, but his time with the Marlins was short. In one season with Miami, Reyes batted .287 with 12 triples, 37 doubles, and 184 hits in 716 plate appearances.
1) Ivan Rodriguez
Arguably the most significant off-season signing in the history of the Marlins franchise. Hall of Famer and perhaps the best defensive catcher ever. Miami won the 2003 championship with Rodriguez’s contributions at the plate and on defense.
Pudge was clutch in October for the Marlins. He hit the game-winning single in Game 3 of the division series against the San Francisco Giants. Also, he recorded 10 RBIs in the NLCS against the Chicago Cubs and was named NLCS MVP.
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After graduating from City College of New York in 2014, Miguel created his own blog. Since 2021, he has written for FanSided, where he covered the Toronto Blue Jays, College Football and Utah Mammoth hockey team. He also wrote for Miami Heat on SI and Cleveland Sports Talk. Miguel is the creator and host of his podcast, Baseball Heat Podcast with Mike.