The Miami Marlins are reportedly not interested in bringing back DH Jorge Soler. It looks a little bit weird the way it was all set up, with The Fish refusing to give him a QO. It's time to look ahead at who will actually be Soler's replacement. Who will Peter Bendix bring in as the new Designated Hitter, that is if he will even sign anyone at all. There's always a chance that a trade will take place instead, or even nothing...
Who can the Miami Marlins sign as the new Designated Hitter?
I wrote about JDM as a free agent target before and my points still stand. J.D. Martinez is from Miami and is of Cuban descent. It would be a homecoming for him and he would probably help boost attendance as well. He also has a strong bat and track record on top of all of that. The downside with him is of course the fact that he's limited to DH duties. It's not really a good idea to play him in the OF.
J.D. Martinez was worth 1.9 WAR in 2023 as he batted .271/.321/.572, with 33 home runs and 103 RBI, in 113 games and 432 AB. Throughout his career, the 36 year old is a .287/.350/.524 hitter. There is a market for him that the Miami Marlins may potentially be priced out of. I expect him to receive something along the lines of a 1 year/$20 million contract. If his market falls, or Peter Bendix is willing to spend on the right player on a short-term contract though...
NEXT: A VERSATILE DH