Marlins could add veteran arm to bullpen before Spring Training

Would the Miami Marlins look to familiar faces to add bullpen depth for the 2020 season?

There are 24 days until pitchers and catcher report to the Marlins training complex in Jupiter, Florida and all I can think of is whether the current roster of players will look the same in less than a month or will more names be added to the foundation of this organization.

I’m not talking strictly about the minor league system, as there could be a veteran or two who still jump on the train toward South Florida this season, hoping to give the bullpen some added leadership and depth.

If the Marlins do add arms, could they look to bring back former players who they have jettisoned to other teams in trades the past three seasons? It’s a question I have been kicking around and other sites have discussed as well

Does the front office, who had no hand in trading David Phelps, Mike Dunn or A.J. Ramos, look to re-sign them in free agency to stabilize the bullpen in 2020?

More from Marlins News

Phelps came to the Marlins in 2014 in a deal that involved Martin Prado for Nathan Eovaldi, Garrett Jones, and Domingo German. He served as the team set-up man and also spent time in the rotation as a fifth starter at times. He was traded to Seattle in 2017 in a trade that brought the team, Pablo Lopez and Lukas Schiraldi.

Ramos was traded to the New York Mets prior to the 2017 MLB Trade Deadline for minor league prospects. He was used primarily as a closer and split time with Fernando Rodney in that role prior to the trade.

Dunn, 34, is someone the Marlins may want to look at, having pitched for the organization from 2011-2016.

With the Marlins adding Yimi Garcia in free agency, Sterling Sharp via the Rule-5 Draft and then trading for Stephen Tarpley last week, the front office has shown it is committed to making changes to what now becomes a better bullpen.

Does a better bullpen translate to getting more saves and helping the rotation? That’s the unknown the franchise must solve.

"“Having Drew Steckenrider healthy will be huge because he will factor into the closer-role picture. Ryne Stanek also is a high-leverage option, as is lefty Adam Conley, and José Ureña is moving to the bullpen after being the Opening Day starter the past two years,” Joe Frisaro of MLB.com writes.“The key to this bullpen may end up being the starters going deeper into games to ease its overall usage.”"

And if the Marlins do add more arms to the pen, which veteran is moved off the 40-man roster? Also, which prospect is held back from a chance to make the MLB roster? The Marlins have plenty of depth in the feeder system.

Manager Don Mattingly and the front office must decide if taking a chance on a young arm is the direction to go or should a veteran, who will not be here longer than a cup of coffee, prove to be the right move to make before camp opens.

Home/Marlins News