Marlins, Jesus Aguilar cannot agree to salary terms for 2020

The Miami Marlins and first baseman Jesus Aguilar cannot agree to salary terms for the 2020 season. His case will be set for a hearing.

The Marlins front office was hoping the team would be able to work out deals for all players who were eligible for arbitration and move along toward the start of Spring Training which is a little more than a month way.

It wasn’t the case as Jesus Aguilar and the team could not agree to terms and are headed for a hearing to determine how much he will make this coming season. Per MLB.com, Jonathan Villar, Adam Conley, and Jose Urena all agreed to terms.

As Joe Frisaro of MLB.com wrote, “MLB Network insider Jon Heyman reported Villar will earn $8.2 million in 2020 and Ureña will take home $3.75 million. Sources said Conley will make $1.525 million.”

The organization has spent this offseason adding free agents to their roster. The team signed Aguilar off waivers from the Tampa Bay Rays and he is expected to compete and win the open first base position in camp.

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"“The Marlins have a standing policy to cut off negotiations and proceed to a hearing if a deal isn’t reached with an arbitration-eligible player by the exchange deadline,” Frisaro wrote. “Technically, the two sides can continue talking up until the hearing starts. But the Marlins open discussions again only if they plan to work out a multiyear deal.”"

Aguilar hit only 12 home runs in 2019 to go along with 50 RBI in parts of seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers and Rays. He is a year removed from smacking 35 home runs with 108 RBI for the Brewers in 2018. The Marlins hope 2020 will be a bounce-back season where he finds his swing again and provide power in the middle of the batting order this coming season.

The signing of both Urena and Conley is a solid one for the Marlins because the team can decide to keep either pitcher in the bullpen or deal one of them prior to the start of the season. There has been plenty of talks this offseason the front office will move Urena, Miami’s Opening Day starter the past two seasons because of their depth of young pitching and because he can provide versatility to a rotation in need of a fifth arm.

An experiment late last season after he returned from a herniated disc injury where the team wanted to use him as the closer out of the bullpen failed.

Conley is looking to bounce back from his worst season in the Majors. He is a lefty in the bullpen, which has plenty of value for the team, but he could also be shopped if the team believes it has a replacement for him in the bullpen.