Miami Marlins Javier Sanoja starting in WBC is fun but he must remain utility man

Well there's no denying it's been a great offseason for the Miami Marlins Javier Sanoja.

Winning the NL Gold Glove for best utility player would have been enough to make that claim. Yet it also turned out that Sanoja was afforded the opportunity to compete with his countrymen on Team Venezuela in this year's World Baseball Classic. One game into the tournament, Sanoja is for 2 for 4, including a home run in his first at bat.

A studly showing to be sure from the Miami Marlins super utility star. Yet any version of a story where the Marlins have a season to remember in 2026 likely depends on utility remaining the key word in that last sentence.

Because as cool as it is that he looks to be an everyday player for Venezuela this March, it's his uber-versatility that makes him Miami's secret weapon. Sanoja played every position for the Marlins in 2025 save for right field, and yes that does include pitcher and designated hitter. Put another way, he's probably going to have more MLB first base experience than whoever ends up being Miami's starting first baseman.

It's also important to note that, WBC fireworks aside, defense is his calling card. Sanoja had an OBP under .300 last year, and slugged under .400. That's not what you want from an everyday part of your lineup. Especially at the corner infield and outfield spots, where teams generally expect a healthy dose of power.

Now you might be wondering at this point why even say all this. It's not as if the Marlins held a press conference this week announcing they thought he could take over full time at first base, similar to when they moved Jazz Chisholm to centerfield a few years back. Although, at least in that case, there were zero concerns about the offense.

No, this is about using Sanoja's ability to dazzle on occassion to make a point about the hole in Miami's roster construction, and the fact that an injury anywhere on the diamond outside of catcher is going to be a big problem for the Marlins.

Kyle Stowers is already on the shelf, although he should be back for Opening Day. Xavier Edwards put fear in the hearts of every Marlins fan the other night. Just this afternoon, Otto Lopez got hit on the wrist in his own WBC game. Sanoja's value is to make up for, if not even outright surpass in a few cases, the defensive abilities of Miami's big bats. But if Miami finds themselves needing to replace someone's offensive production? It's questionable at best that they will be able to do so.

It just goes to show the continuing problem with going cheap on the 26-man roster. No Luis Arraez. No Ryan O'Hearn. No Eugenio Suarez. Not even a Nick Castellanos or Rhys Hoskins flyer. Plenty of upside bats were added to big league rosters this offseason, for contracts that would still have been reasonable for the 30th ranked payroll in the majors to add even if you account for the "Marlins tax" that the team would surely have had to pay to bring them aboard.

Are there upside arguments to be made for some other pieces on the bench? Sure, but it's also fair to say they are less sure things than any of the names mentioned above. And it's more than fair to say, based on how 2025 played out, that Sanoja is looking like the first option to fill most holes. Teams serious about winning give themselves multiple ways to tackle problems that come up over the course of a 162-game season, and there just isn't enough evidence that the rest of Miami's supporting cast is up to that task.

Sanoja can help the Marlins anywhere in a small sample. If he's pressed into everyday service though? The club will be dangerously shorthanded if any other issues emerge.