3 DH options for the Miami Marlins to replace Jorge Soler with

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?

3. J.D. MARTINEZ

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

2. JUSTIN TURNER

Arguably a better option than J.D. Martinez is of course Justin Turner. Turner doesn't have to be limited to DH duties, as he can also play third base and first base. This means that the Miami Marlins can rest other starters and rotate players as the team sees fit. Turner was worth 2.1 WAR in 2023.

The 39 year old batted .276/.345/.455, with 23 home runs and 96 RBI, in 146 games and 558 AB in 2023. The age is definitely an issue and the demand for him might be a bit higher than for JDM. I do see him having to settle for a 1 year deal, at perhaps somewhere in the vicinity of $20 million as well. I just don't see him getting a multi-year deal at his age.

The same argument as for JDM applies here, it's unclear if the Miami Marlins will spend at the level that Turner will likely cost. The Fish were interested in him before (though under a different regime), so perhaps another attempt to bring him in will happen here. I do see it as a realistic possibility that Peter Bendix will look into this.

NEXT: THE MOST REALISTIC OPTION