Miami Marlins focus in on specific targets

The Miami Marlins have been after a new SS for seemingly the entire off-season. It's an added issue to the team also having a hole at DH. We now know about some of The Fish's targets for SS. It's been made clear that Peter Bendix is looking at free agency to solve this issue. This is of course concerning, as we're in a pretty weak free agent market for hitters.

SS targets that the Miami Marlins are looking to acquire on the free agent market...

The Miami Marlins were after Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who ended up signing with the Toronto Blue Jays. The sticking point for The Fish was giving IKF a second year as Toronto did. I have no problem with Bendix not signing him, as he batted .242/.306/.340 last season and is a career .261/.314/.346 bat. The Fish need more power in the lineup.

As I mentioned before, the most likely options for the Miami Marlins are Amed Rosario and Tim Anderson. Amed finished the 2023 season playing second base for the Los Angeles Dodgers, but played SS for the Cleveland Guardians prior to that. He batted .263/.305/.378, with just 6 home runs and 58 RBI for both teams in 142 games and 510 AB. It doesn't look like there's much demand for him and defensively he may not be the best option.

Tim Anderson has been very good from 2019-2022, batting .318/.347/.474 for the Chicago White Sox. Things fell off a cliff for him in 2023 however. He batted an abysmal .245/.286/.296 with a home run and 25 RBI, in 123 games and 493 AB. He was so bad, that Chicago declined their $14 million team option on him. Could he bounce back in 2024? That's the question that whichever team that signs him will be hoping to get an answer to.

I would say that Amed Rosario and Tim Anderson are the top available free agent SS options at this point for The Fish. Neither one is particularly exciting, but there's no one really better on the open market. The trade market may be the better option, but it of course depends on the price.