The Miami Marlins signed right-handed starter Edinson Volquez to a two-year, $22 million contract, per multiple reports.
The Miami Marlins made the first step in rebuilding their rotation this offseason by signing Edinson Volquez to a two-year contract. Following the tragic death of Jose Fernandez in September, the move signals their desire to garner veteran starters to lead the team.
Despite struggling with the Kansas City Royals this past season, Volquez still represented one of the better bargains on the free agent market this year. His 5.37 ERA was rather unsightly, but a 4.57 FIP and .319 opponent’s BABIP indicate that luck simply wasn’t on his side in 2016.
In 2015, his first with Kansas City, Volquez was one of the more reliable starters in the American League, as he finished the season with a 3.55 ERA and 3.82 FIP. His part in the Royals’ run to the World Series cemented his status as a reliable veteran, and that’s likely one of the reasons the Marlins were willing to give him a two-year deal.
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Volquez’s career has seen quite a few twists and turns. After playing parts of three seasons with the Texas Rangers, Volquez moved on to the Cincinnati Reds, where made the All-Star team in 2008 with a 3.21 ERA and 17 wins. Injuries and inconsistency ultimately plagued him in the following years, and he continued to struggle with the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers in 2013. A move to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2014 revitalized his career, as he posted a career-best 3.04 ERA with 6.54 strikeouts per nine innings.
Now at 33, Volquez figures to be an important piece atop the Marlins rotation. With Adam Conley, Wei-Yin Chen and Tom Koehler returning, Miami has a solid, albeit unspectacular core of starters. Volquez will be able to bring stability if Chen fails to rebound from a sub-par 2016 campaign, while Conley should make some strides next season.
Miami was expected to make a trade for a starter by dangling players like Marcell Ozuna, but Volquez’s addition seemingly puts that speculation to rest. The St. Louis Cardinals reportedly had interest in a trade for Ozuna, but it’s unlikely that any of their starters would be an upgrade over Volquez.
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With a very capable offense in tow, the Marlins may still want to add a true ace at some point in the future, but Volquez has the capability to bring stability every fifth day to a franchise so desperately lacking it.