2 Miami Marlins players we'll be glad are gone, and 1 we will miss

2 of 3

The 2024 season is very close and there's some definite optimism. It makes sense to look back at the 2023 season and the players that the Miami Marlins lost. Will we miss any? Will will be happy some are gone? Don't forget to get to know new additions by the way.

The Miami Marlins thankfully moved on from two players, but might miss another one.

1. GLAD IS GONE: SP JOHNNY CUETO

Johnny Cueto was a complete disaster for the Miami Marlins in 2023. It probably couldn't have been much worse. He was worth -0.2 WAR in fact for a good reason. The pitcher was coming off a pretty solid performance in 2022 with the Chicago White Sox. That season, he produced a 3.35 ERA/3.79 FIP, with 5.8 K/9 and 1.9 BB/9 in 25 games and 158.1 innings pitched.

It was probably too optimistic to expect the then 37 year old to deliver a similar performance. That optimism surely proved to be misguided. Cueto struggled to a 6.02 EA/7.02 FIP, with 6.7 K/9 and 2.6 BB/9, in 13 games and 52.1 innings pitched. Wow was he bad. He was so bad that he was hurting the team every time he took the ball basically.

It was a no-brainer that The Fish were not going to pick up Cueto's option for 2024. Johnny Cueto is still a free agent and may be forced to retire, unless he can still find a Minor League deal somewhere. It's a good thing that he won't be on the Marlins roster in 2024.

NEXT: A DISASTER AT CATCHER

2. GLAD IS GONE: C JACOB STALLINGS

It's a shame how things can go sometimes. When the Miami Marlins acquired Jacob Stallings in a trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates, the expectation was that he would fix the team's issues at catcher. He was coming off of a .246/.335/.369 batting line in 2021. He provided that in 112 games and 374 AB, being worth a very solid 3.0 WAR, with an elite 2.3 dWAR.

It was a mess for Stallings throughout his time with The Fish. He batted .210/.287/.290, with 7 home runs and 54 RBI, in 202 games and 587 AB. He was worth an abysmal -1.3 WAR. He was basically a liability every time that he stepped on the field. He was so bad, that The Fish had no choice but to non-tender him after the 2023 season.

Jacob Stallings has since inked a deal with the Colorado Rockies, and will probably do a bit better batting at Coors Field. It's still a shame how it worked out for him on The Fish. He was supposed to be the answer at catcher, but instead created more problems. He will not be missed during the 2024 season, not in the slightest.

NEXT: WHO WILL BE MISSED?

1. HE WILL BE MISSED: DH JORGE SOLER

Look, I'm going to be honest about this, I'm not a fan of Jorge Soler. I don't like his inconsistency, his injury-prone track record and I don't like that he's really only good for home runs. He's also a terrible defender and just can't be trusted to be in the field. I wouldn't have even put him on this list if the Miami Marlins signed an upgrade and replacement at DH.

All of the above said, it's hard to ignore that Soler hit 36 home runs for The Fish in the 2023 season. He was a legit clean-up bat, who led the team in home runs. Losing 36 home runs is no easy task, and requires either a replacement or someone to step up to take his place. I do consider this as a possibility, but it's not something that you can just safely predict.

Losing Jorge Soler, could be a massive blow to The Fish's power in the 2024 season. If no one steps up and if no one is acquired, this could end up being a pretty big blow to the team. There's sadly a possibility that the Miami Marlins will miss Jorge Soler in 2024.

3 Players the Miami Marlins can't demote. 3 Players the Miami Marlins can't demote. dark. Next

Home / Marlins Rumors

The Miami Marlins thankfully moved on from two players, but might miss another one.

Schedule