The Miami Marlins active four players from 60-day DL

The Miami Marlins have announced they have removed four players from the 60-day disabled list and now officially have 35 players on the 40-man roster.

While the Marlins may be thinking about the implication of playing baseball without All-Star catcher J.T. Realmuto next season, the franchise made other moves to increase the number of active players on the 40-man roster this week.

According to Joe Frisaro of MLB.com, the Marlins have reinstated third baseman Martin Prado, outfielder Garrett Cooper, and pitchers Caleb Smith and Pablo Lopez from the 60-day disabled list. The transactions bump Miami’s 40-man roster to 35. With the Hot Stove season in sight, these “housekeeping” items are in preparation for the offseason ahead.

"“Prado, 35, is one of three veteran players who already have a contract for 2019, along with Starlin Castro and Wei-Yin Chen,” Frisaro writes. “The veteran third baseman is signed for $15 million in the final year of his deal. He has missed significant time the past two seasons, appearing in just 91 games total. One of the leaders and most respected players on the team, Prado went on the 60-day DL on Sept. 4 with a right abdominal strain. He also had 10-day DL stints with left hamstring and left quad strains.”"

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The moves the team made on Wednesday give the team options for the upcoming season. Prado is a veteran who is well-respected on the field and in the clubhouse. He can play multiple positions and should be a contender for playing at both third and first base. Brian Anderson had a good rookie season and appears to be the team’s future at the hot corner, but could once again play in right field next year.

Prado could play first or the team could look to either Cooper or Peter O’Brien to solve that problem in the infield.

The additions of both Smith and Lopez bode well for the rotation as the former rookies were impressive in their time on the bump last season. Smith as the team’s most consistent pitcher before an injury ended his season prior to the All-Star break. Lopez was dominant at times, and the team hopes he can be a top-of-the-rotation type of pitcher next season.

There are few opening in the Marlins starting five next year.

The contracts of Chen, Castro, and Prado make up the bulk of the Marlins payroll in 2019. Chen, who was brilliant as a starter at home last season but could not find a rhythm on the road, is locked into the organization with a contract that makes him virtually untradeable. He is set to make $20 million. Castro is still a trade option this offseason at second base. The team owes him $16 million for the season, but he can become a free agent in 2020.

There should be interest in the former Yankees and Cubs star during the winter, but Miami may not get enough in return for his services.

The five remaining spots on the 40-man roster figure to be filled by prospects. Both Monte Harrison and Jordan Yamamoto are almost locks for two of the slots. They both had solid seasons in the Arizona Fall League and figure to be in the mix to earn a long look in Spring Training.

Harrison may be a season away from the Big Leagues. Yamamoto could be on the Marlins parent roster by midseason.