The Marlins, in the midst of a rebuilding phase, have made moves to trade Jake Burger to the Rangers and Jesus Luzardo to the Phillies. These trades were more about acquiring young talent rather than cutting payroll, as Luzardo’s estimated $6MM salary will have an impact on Miami’s finances.
As per The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, the Marlins have a luxury tax number of around $82.8MM, leaving them with ground to cover to reach the $105MM threshold required by the league’s collective bargaining agreement. This minimum spend rule has been a point of contention, with grievances filed against teams like the Marlins in the past.
The Marlins have historically been among the lowest spenders in baseball, with ownership changes and disagreements affecting payroll decisions. The recent hiring of Peter Bendix as the new president of baseball operations has signaled a shift towards a Rays-esque model of building through the farm system.
While the Athletics made moves this winter with the revenue-sharing number in mind, the Marlins are focused on rebuilding and overhauling their player development system. It is unlikely they will contend in 2025, with Bendix possibly looking to add lower-cost veterans and exploring trades for bad contracts to bolster the farm system.
Bendix’s plans for spending remain undisclosed, with a potential trade of Sandy Alcantara not entirely ruled out. Alcantara, the Marlins’ highest-paid player, has been the subject of trade rumors despite recovering from Tommy John surgery. Trading him could impact the payroll and revenue-sharing threshold for the team.
Overall, the Marlins are in a transition phase, focusing on long-term sustainability rather than immediate success.
