Miami is seeking a fourth outfielder before the start of spring training.
Miami is looking to add another outfielder before the start of spring training, and there are four specific names the Marlins have been linked to. According to MLB.com's Joe Frisaro, Will Venable and Andy Dirks are among the outfielders the Marlins are interested in.
Last week, the Marlins were linked to both Ichiro Suzuki and Nate Schierholtz, as the fourth outfielder would ideally be left-handed and have the ability to come off the bench late in games. Baltimore and Toronto are also reportedly interested in Suzuki, while teams may be hesitant to consider Schierholtz because of an inconsistent offensive campaign in 2014.
The organization is pretty much exploring several left-handed hitters to handle backup outfield and pinch-hit roles. Andy Dirks, non-tendered by Detroit, and Will Venable of the Padres, in his final season of arbitration, also have drawn attention.
Although Suzuki and Schierholtz might be atop the Marlins' list because of their experience, the club has expressed interest in Venable since the end of the Winter Meetings. Venable, 32, posted a .224/.288/.325 batting line to complement eight home runs and 33 RBIs with in 146 games with San Diego last season. He will make close to $4.25 million in 2015, and he provides power from the left side of the plate, which is something Miami's lineup has lacked in recent years.
Venable also makes sense if Dan Haren was involved in a possible trade. Haren has made it clear he does not want to pitch in Miami, and as a result, the Marlins have been trying to trade him to a West Coast team. The Padres, despite their confidence in their rotation, would likely welcome the addition of Haren. However, for such an exchange to be realistic, the Marlins would have to be willing to send some form of financial compensation to San Diego, and to this point, it is still unclear if that is something the Marlins are open to doing.
While adding Venable would make sense, Dirks, 28, could prove to be a solid option too. His last full major league season came in 2013 with Detriot, when he posted a .256/.323/.363 line to complement nine home runs and 37 RBIs in 131 games. He has established himself as a solid left fielder, and would be a solid late defensive replacement.
With Giancarlo Stanton, Marcell Ozuna, and Christian Yelich all healthy and in the lineup, the Marlins have one of the best young outfields in all of baseball. A solid backup in case of an injury or inevitable offensive slump is necessary, and the Marlins appear to be interested in veteran players who have experience serving in such a capacity.