Miami Marlins: Tendering Dan Straily was a Good Idea
By Will Patrone
All 30 clubs faced difficult decisions as the non-tender deadline passed this Friday. The Miami Marlins had a particularly difficult decision with starter Dan Straily.
After a 2018 where Miami Marlins pitcher Dan Straily was oft-injured and due for a pay raise, it would not have been a surprise to see the budgeting Marlins cut ties with him. Despite the price hike, Straily provides the Marlins with a valuable trade piece in a weak free agent pool and veteran leadership on a staff full of young prospects.
Dan Straily will be entering his third season with the Marlins and eighth in the majors. His 2017 season consisted of a 5-6 record with a 4.12 ERA, which is slightly skewed due to a few poor outings. Straily could provide a back-end rotation piece for a contender this upcoming season.
The Oakland Athletics, for example, where Straily began his career, have a plethora of starters out for the season. They could use an additional starter for 2018, and Straily may be a smart option to bring back out west.
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Should the Marlins hold onto their starter, he could provide internal benefits for their rotation. With top prospects, such as Sandy Alcantara, on the verge of sticking in the major league rotation, Straily can provide a veteran presence to mentor the righty in his development.
Furthermore, the Marlins have four starter pitchers on their 40-man roster who are projected to start the season in AA or below. Removing Straily from the rotation may cause the Marlins to force these prospects into roles they are not prepared for, stunting their development.
Their current rotation is in a similar situation: Trevor Richards has a year of major league experience. He had a 4-9 record with a 4.42 ERA in 2018. Straily contributes a steadier force to the rotation and may help the Marlins be a better team in 2019.
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The Miami Marlins are clearly going through an extensive rebuild. Keeping Dan Straily will be a key component to making their goal a success in the future.