Three takeaways from Miami Marlins decision to pass on Nick Castellanos opportunity

So why exactly didn't the Miami Marlins even consider adding Nick Castellanos?

It's a question that many Marlins fans are likely asking themselves this weekend, and with good reason. The Archbishop McCarthy product signed for the veteran's minimum Saturday with the San Diego Padres after being unceremoniously jettisoned by the Philadelphia Phillies. Philly will pay him $20 million to keep himself and his Presidentes out of their clubhouse this season despite the fact he makes $20 million and just hit 17 HRs for them last year.

Now, the Miami Marlins might go the rest of their existence without paying someone $20 million for a single season. Veteran's minimum money though? That's a price they can afford. It's less than half of what Miami will pay Christopher Morel next season. It's almost exactly what they paid Eric Wagaman last season. Meanwhile, Castellanos has a more impressive MLB resume than both of them combined, and has expressed a willingness to move to first base on account of his...let's call them limitations in the outfield. How was there not a fit here?

Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately depending on where you landed on this and how risk-averse you are, the reasons are many. Here are the three main takeaways.

The Miami Marlins really trust their process

For starters, to their credit, the Marlins are trusting their process here. At the start, I mentioned that many fans might be wondering why this move wasn't explored. Many- not all. The simple truth is that while a former All-Star with legit power, Castellanos was terrible last year. Despite that 2023 All-Star appearance, there's an argument to be made he's been in steady decline since 2021. Going back to last season again, he put up a -0.8 WAR...a number actually worse than the -0.4 WAR the aforementioned Eric Wagaman put up for Miami in 2025. If Miami felt they needed to move on from Wagaman, why in the world would they add Castellanos?

Yes, there is a track record of MLB success, and plenty of veterans have had bouncebacks after perceived declines. But if the numbers say your in house options will be better next season, this would seem to have been an easy call for Peter Bendix.

The Miami Marlins were never getting that price

Secondly, any outrage about the Marlins not rolling the dice on a veteran's minimum deal for Castellanos misses a crucial point.

That was the deal Castellanos was willing to accept from a Padres team expected to contend for the playoffs. There's no guarantee he would have taken such an offer from a Marlins team that's expected to only win 74 games according to the latest PECOTA projections. In fact, there's every reason to believe he would not have, hometown team or not.

Indeed, a bonus answer here could be that the Marlins said they weren't interested because they knew they'd be rejected if they asked. Better to be the one giving the it's not you, it's me speech than to receive it I guess.

The Miami Marlins expect a rookie to enter the mix soon

Lastly, and there is some overlap here between the first point, but the Marlins refusal to make this or any other move at first base this winter speaks volumes about what they think of at least one of their on the farm options.

Namely, either Deyvision De Los Santos or Joe Mack, with Mack being the far likelier answer.

It has been suggested before this offseason the the Marlins are loathe to block Agustin Ramirez from taking over significant reps at designated hitter and first base once the team decides that he can't...well, catch at an MLB level. Not even taking a shot at Castellanos might be the clearest sign yet that this is the case. Saying that Castellanos can't compete with Morel or Heriberto Hernandez is one thing. Saying that he can't compete with Ramirez...is probably accurate at this point of their respective careers.

Or this is about De Los Santos, and not Mack pushing Ramirez off of catcher. Either way, one or two bats Miami is genuinely high on could be coming soon to clog up even more playing time. If that's the case, passing on Castellanos was the right call to make.

It would have been interesting though.