3 Players that won't be on the Miami Marlins by the end of 2023

There is a very interesting opportunity for the Miami Marlins next off-season, by that time though three current players may no longer be on the team. Before we get into this list, make sure that you read Kim Ng's very interesting interview about this off-season and her thoughts and plans based on how it went. So, who are these three players? These are players that will be affected if The Fish aren't going to the playoffs this upcoming season or if they simply fail to bounce back. Let's begin...

There are three players that could be gone from the Miami Marlins by 2024.

1. SP JOHNNY CUETO

Johnny Cueto was a solid signing for the Miami Marlins. Cueto had a 3.35 ERA/3.79 FIP in 158.1 innings pitched in 2022 with 5.8 K/9 and 1.9 BB/9. The strikeout rate was pretty poor and the age is definitely a concern (he is 37 years old). All of that said, he is a very experienced starting pitcher who can provide decent results 9as proven just by his 3.35 ERA from 2022). Cueto will be making $6 million in 2023 and there's a team option for 2024 for $10.5 million. A team option is ideal here as it means that The Fish can just decline it and move on if he struggles in 2023, and can only pick it up if he has a strong season.

Johnny Cueto has a pretty strong track record. He had a 3.27 ERA/3.87 FIP with 7.4 K/9 and 2.7 BB/9 in 1208.1 innings pitched during 2008-2014 with the Cincinnati Reds. That was a pretty good run, and he made a name for himself while proving to be a top of the rotation arm. Cueto split 2015 between Cincinnati and the Kansas City Royals, pitching to a 3.44 ERA/3.53 FIP with 7.5 K/9 and 2.0 BB/9 in 212.0 innings pitched.

Cueto pitched from 2016 to 2021 with the San Francisco Giants, pitching to a disappointing 3.81 ERA/3.93 FIP with 7.9 K/9 and 2.6 BB/9. The results were solid for a mid-rotation starter, but they were clearly paying for an ace, which Cueto didn't pitch as. 2022 saw Cueto have his aforementioned revival with Chicago.

I believe that the Miami Marlins will make the playoffs in 2023. I do. Call me overly optimistic, but I think that there's a chance. In the chance that The Fish do NOT make the playoffs however and if Cueto has a solid year he can be flipped at the trading deadline for prospects. In fact, if The Fish don't make the playoffs, he's GUARANTEED to be gone. He's either going to pitch good and be traded at the trade deadline or be bad and have his option declined after the season. In the case that The Fish make the playoffs and he's not that good, the option gets declined too.

An All-Star could be on his way out too...

Jacob Stallings was supposed to solve the Miami Marlins catching problem. Stallings spent 2016 to 2021 playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates and had mixed results along the way... At least at first. Stallings debuted in 2016 as a 26 year old. He batted .400/400/.467 with 0 home runs and 0 RBI in 5 games and 15 AB. In 2017, he followed that up with a .357/.438/.500 batting line with 0 home runs and 3 RBI in 5 games and 14 AB. Both seasons he had a 0.0 dWAR.

Jacob Stallings may be playing his final season with the Miami Marlins.

In 2018, Jacob Stallings batted .216/.268/.216 with 0 home runs and 5 RBI in 14 games and 37 AB. This was a pretty poor offensive showing, but he did add a 0.2 dWAR showing some exciting defensive potential. In 2019, he batted .262/.325/.382 with 6 home runs and 13 RBI in 71 games and 191 AB. He was worth 1.4 dWAR that season, which is absolutely insanely good for the AB. His overall WAR was 1.5 that season by the way.

In 2020, Jacob Stallings batted .248/.326/.376 with 3 home runs and 18 RBI in 42 games and 125 AB. In 2021, he batted .246/.335/.369 with 8 home runs and 53 RBI in 112 games and 374 AB. More importantly he was worth 2.3 dWAR. It definitely looked like as if he was a great defensive catcher. Catchers aren't expected to be middle of the order bats or elite offensive players, in fact even league average offense isn't really expected from them. Defense is what makes a catcher valuable or not.

The Miami Marlins saw a lot of potential in Jacob Stallings defensively, and so The Fish acquired him prior to the 2022 season. The results unfortunately wee very underwhelming. He batted .223/.292/.292 with 4 home runs and 34 RBI in 114 games and 346 AB that season. Unfortunately he was worth -0.7 WAR and just 0.0 dWAR. This was a very disappointing season and since he's eligible for an arbitration raise after this upcoming season, you have to wonder what happens if he repeats that poor production.

If Jacob Stallings has another poor season, the Miami Marlins will almost certainly non-tender him after. What do you think? Which of these three players do you think is playing their final season with The Fish?