Pressure mounting for Miami Marlins to be right about their corner infield

The Miami Marlins had better know what they're doing.

In many ways, they obviously do. So much has worked already for Miami since President of Baseball Operations Peter Bendix began overhauling the Marlins front office in 2024. Some smart trades, some savvy signings, actual player signs of player development. The vibes are good for South Florida's baseball team. However, the fact that the franchise is moving in an overall positive direction doesn't mean every decision is going to be the right one. Which isn't a problem- no team nails every move. Just see the Dodgers bullpen in 2025 for proof of concept on that score. Yet that doesn't mean those missteps are viewed equally for every MLB team, or that Miami doesn't still have plenty of work to do rehabbing their image as an organization that will put winning above all else.

And given how the free agent market is playing out lately? There's just no denying that the Marlins are really boxing themselves into a corner when it comes to their corner infield in 2026.

Obviously, no one had the Marlins pegged for making a run at Pete Alonso or Alex Bregman this offseason. Dropping a comparatively paltry amount of money to sign a proven veteran to a one or two year deal though? That one wasn't just expected by a significant chunk of the Marlins fanbase -it was being anticipated by the national media. At least, until it wasn't, and further news trickled out that such reports are being overblown.

So here we are, with the Pirates and White Sox having added more new salary their respective rosters, and both Luis Arraez and Eugenio Suarez signing one-year deals in the $12 to $15 millon range.

It's an ugly look for Miami.

Had some contender been willing to splash the pot on a multi-year deal, Miami's first base approach of Christopher Morel and a bunch of other guys with next to no MLB experience at the position might be able to be swept under the rug. Even if for no other reason than maintaining as clean of a ledger as possible heading into the cap uncertainty of 2027. As frustrating as it is, there's little be gained from expecting the Marlins to spend with the Cubs, Dodgers, and Mets of the world until the rules change and require them to do so.

Unfortunately, passing on two extremely reasonable one-year deals for All-Star caliber bats is something else entirely.

If the Marlins really can't afford to sign someone to that kind of contract...then Bruce Sherman and his compatriots really doesn't need to be owning a baseball team. These kind of deals just lay bare that profits are driving the decisions being made at the corners, and honestly DH, more so than putting the best product on the field.

Now, that doesn't mean that Miami's moves can't or won't work at those spots. At least defensively, Graham Pauley is already better than either one. Everyone Miami is considering using at first has more pop in their bat than Arraez. It's not as if Sherman has ordered Bendix to try to lose or anything this season. It just means that ownership has chosen to tie an arm behind his back before the fight starts...when it really wasn't necessary.