What Grade Does the Marlins’ Front Office Deserve After 2025?
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The Miami Marlins had a very average season. They finished 79-83, good for third place in the National League East. Now, the third-place finish might be better than some might have expected, but it still led to another missed postseason.
General manager Peter Bendix was hired in November 2023. That gave him a shortened offseason to build the roster he wanted for the 2024 season. However, this past year, he had a full offseason to implement the changes he wanted to see.
With that in mind, how did Bendix and the front office do in his first full offseason, and during the year?
Pitching
The Marlins entered 2025 with a lot of excitement surrounding their pitching staff. Sandy Alcantara is a former Cy-Young winner, while Edward Cabrera and Eury Perez are two young, high-potential pitchers.
The front office had some decisions to make regarding their pitching staff, though. Alcantara and Edwards were both at the center of trade discussions this past deadline. The two aces continue to be in trade talks during the offseason, as well. Miami could have gotten a pretty good return for one of Alcantara or Edwards, but they ultimately have decided to hold onto them.
Last offseason, the Marlins traded another ace in Jesus Luzardo. This trade was bound to happen at some point, but Luzardo was one of the best pitchers in baseball this year. One could only imagine how much better Miami would have been if they kept Luzardo this year.
Cal Quantrill was another rough decision the front office made. This year, Quantrill finished with a 5.50 ERA over 24 starts. The right-hander was not the pitcher the Marlins were hoping for in 2025, and it hurt the team.
Bullpen
The front office did a nice job with the bullpen last offseason and throughout the year.
The Marlins claimed Ronny Henriquez off waivers from the Minnesota Twins in February, and he turned out to be the best reliever on the team. Henriquez made 69 appearances, threw 73.0 innings, allowed just 53 hits, struck out 98 batters and finished with a 2.22 ERA.
Tyler Phillips was another win for Miami's front office. They traded cash for the right-hander, and it was one of the best moves they could have made. Phillips finished with a 2.78 ERA over 54 appearances. He was not much of a strikeout pitcher, but he was one of the most reliable pitchers at Loan Depot Park late in the year.
Position Players
The front office did little to improve the position players heading into this season. One move made was trading for Matt Mervis. He was meant to be a full-time first baseman who could provide some power in the middle of the order. But that is not what happened. Instead, Mervis slashed .175/.254/.383 with seven home runs and 14 RBI in 42 games played.
A good move was selecting Liam Hicks in the Rule-5 draft. The rookie backstop slashed .247/.346/.346 with six home runs, 45 RBI, and he struck out just 56 times in 119 games played. Hicks could improve a little bit defensively, but his offense is a reason for excitement.
Final Grade
The Marlins were better than expected this season. Their young roster also provides some hope for the next few years. How those next few years go will depend on the moves made this offseason and beyond, but the team is in a good spot.
As for last year, the front office hit on a few position players and key bullpen pieces. Starting pitching is what held this team back, and that was kept in mind when giving this final grade.
Final Grade: B-
