Superstar and the Florida/Miami Marlins franchise have had a very contentious relationship through their history in Major League Baseball. Thank you for joining me on this journey of “What Could Have Been” in the 2017 Miami Marlins had kept things together. More accurately, we will look at just HOW LITTLE they received back for trading a trio of players that could go down in the history books of Major League Baseball after continuing their lofty, superstar-ceiling career projections.
After a losing season at 77-85, which inexplicably was still good for second place in the N.L. East in 2017, the Marlins missed the playoffs yet again. The ownership group decided to cash in the trading chips available at their disposal by dealing a trio of superstar-level MLB players over the course of two off-seasons.
First Marlins Superstar Domino Falls Before Christmas
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General Manager Michael Hill had a certain set of problems he had to deal with that were unique to the Miami Marlins. Miami finished 15-out-of-15 in N.L. attendance. That causes payroll issues when the MLB Competitive Balance checks are the biggest ones received all year. This complicates a GM job, particularly when trying to negotiate with an emerging power-hitter seeking a fat contract for his crucial slugging services.
Giancarlo Stanton, the 59HR/132 RBI-producing outfielder, won the N.L. MVP Award for Miami. He entered the off-season with some rival GMs staring at blank checkbooks and salivating at the opportunity to acquire the California-born hitter for their franchises. It was a horribly kept secret that Miami’s star would be elsewhere in 2018.
In December 2017, one of those “Scrooge McDuck” franchises landed the prolific “big fish”. The New York Yankees acquired a 28-year-old outfielder in his prime for a package of infielder Starlin Castro and Jose Devers, as well as reliever Jorge Guzman. Not entirely sure where they found the change, but Miami also kicked in $30M in the trade. Wasn’t money the point in trading him in the first place?
As you’ll see, Miami got a raw deal for being unable to pay one of the premier hitters in the game at the time. Castro was a solid addition batting .275 over two seasons in the Sunshine State before moving to Washington via free agency. Devers only played 21 games for the Marlins in 2021, while relief pitcher Jorge Guzman had a 27.00 ERA over three unmemorable games for Miami.
As for New York, Stanton has been worthwhile depending on who you ask now in his 7th season later, Stanton has dealt with some injury issues derailing his Yankees career. Despite missing almost two full seasons between 2019-2020, Giancarlo Stanton has appeared in almost 600 regular-season games in the famous pinstripes for New York. He has produced 142 home runs and 378 RBIs.
Yeeting Yelich to Milwaukee Before Superstar Status
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In January 2018, the next body punch came to Marlins fans when they sent outfielder Christian Yelich to the Milwaukee Brewers for outfielders Lewis Brinson & Monte Harrison, infielder Isan Diaz, and reliever Jordan Yamamoto. In 2017, Yelich was not playing at the NL-MVP level he reached in 2019, yet he still showcased every one of his five tools for Miami, maybe just not at the same time…yet.
Yelich would earn his first All-Star nomination as a Brewer in 2018, before winning the N.L. MVP in 2019, just like his buddy Giancarlo Staton had done for the Marlins a few years before. That 2019 honor came with an added dose of power as Yelich led the MLB in home runs with 31.
I think it is pretty safe to say, the return has not exactly worked out for Miami:
The Marlins return for Christan Yelich
Lewis Brinson: Currently playing in the Mexican League
Isan Diaz: Playing with Lancaster Barnstormers of the Atlantic League
Monte Harrison: Playing college football (?!)
Jordan Yamamoto: Head baseball coach at Dwyer High School
Shipping Marlins Backstop North on Interstate-95
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The knockout blow to that 2017 Marlins core came the next off-season. Miami was embroiled in a very public contract standoff with the best catcher in all of baseball after the 2018 season. It wasn’t even a close conversation, that is how far superior J.T. Realmuto was over the competition of the field at the time. Not only was he able to help his pitchers with exquisite pitcher-framing skills, but Realmuto also cut down almost half of the steal attempts against his staff in 2018.
Once again opting for prospects over signing a decade-worthy MLB contract, the Marlins traded catcher J.T. Realmuto to the Philadelphia Phillies in February 2019. In return, Miami received highly-touted prospect starter Sixto Sanchez, catcher Jorge Alfaro, pitcher Will Stewart, and some international bonus slot money.
Realmuto joined Philadelphia solving a critical issue the team had been searching for since the World Series days of 2008 and their anchor behind the plate, Carlos Ruiz. That same off-season in 2019 some dude named Bryce Harper signed with Philly to form the nucleus of the best team in baseball today. Kyle Schwarber would join the party later and Philadelphia has found itself deep in the N.L. playoff scene in recent years, including a trip to the World Series in 2022.
As for Miami, they find themselves looking up at the standings and wondering what could have been. No one could’ve predicted that centerpiece Sixto Sanchez would miss baseball between 2020-2024 and finally return to the mound for the Miami Marlins in 2024 in a relief role. Jorge Alfaro performed admirably in his three Miami seasons before becoming a free agent in 2022. Will Stewart now pitches for York Revolution of the Atlantic League.
Depending upon personal philosophies, you may or may not agree with me that everything happens for a reason. It is entirely understandable for fans in South Florida to look back at what could’ve been had they decided to retain even one or two of the trio of superstars they sent on their way. As a tortured Philadelphia Phillies observer, all I can say is thank you to Miami for Realmuto. He has been a joy to watch behind the dish.
