Marlins week in review: Potential deadline for Gurriel, Iglesias decisions looming

The Miami Marlins could have a decision to make on Yuli Gurriel and Jose Iglesias by the end of the week.

The veteran infielders signed minor-league deals with the Marlins on March 10 and are able to opt out of that deal on Saturday — five days before Opening Day — if they are not added to Miami’s 40-man roster.

This is standard procedure.

MLB’s collective bargaining agreement says any player who entered the offseason as an Article XX(B) free agent — defined as a player has at least six years of service time and finished the previous season either on a big-league roster or the injured list — and signs a minor league deal at least 10 days before Opening Day will have three opt-out dates in his contract: Five days before the start of the season (in this case, March 25), May 1 and June 1.

Gurriel and Iglesias fit this description.

Even though the Marlins’ 40-man roster is currently full, the Marlins are in a situation where they can add both players with no issue when the time comes by placing right-handed pitchers Max Meyer (rehab from Tommy John surgery) and Nic Enright (treatment for Hodgkin’s lymphoma) on the 60-day injured list. They already selected the contract of utility player Garrett Hampson, another non-roster invite who had an out clause in his minor-league deal, by moving Anthony Bender (rehab from Tommy John surgery) to the 60-day IL.

(While Hampson was added to the 40-man roster, he still has a minor-league option, so his spot on the Opening Day roster is not a lock.)

Marlins general manager Kim Ng on Friday bring a “similarly veteran presence” to the clubhouse.

“Good ballplayers. They know how to play the game,” Ng said. “We’ll see what they bring.”

They also would round out the Marlins’ roster.

Gurriel, who turns 39 in June, would give the Marlins a second true first baseman. As the roster stands, Garrett Cooper is the only natural first baseman on the Marlins’ 40-man roster. The team has been experimenting with prospects Jordan Groshans (who primarily plays third base) and Jerar Encarnacion (primarily an outfielder) at first base during spring training, but logically would prefer the two to get everyday playing time in the minor leagues rather than being a backup while playing out of position.

Plus, Gurriel has seen what it takes to win. He spent his first seven MLB seasons with the Houston Astros. The Astros won two World Series and made it to at least the American League Championship Series each of the past six seasons.

In those seven seasons, Gurriel posted a .284 batting average with 94 home runs, 435 RBI, 206 doubles and 400 runs scored over 801 games. He was the AL batting champion and a Gold Glover winner at first base in 2021. Even in a down offensive season like 2022 (.647 OPS), Gurriel still managed to hit 40 doubles, which was tied for 12th in all of MLB.

Iglesias fits as a potential shortstop platoon with Joey Wendle. Iglesias is a right-handed hitter; Wendle is a lefty.

Iglesias, who turned 33 in January, is a career .279 hitter with a .701 OPS, 47 home runs, 366 RBI and 438 runs scored. His .292 average last season was the third-highest of his career of the seasons in which he played 100 games. The .708 OPS was fourth.

After getting reps on the back fields the first two days after signing, both have played in Grapefruit League games three of the past five days the Marlins have had games. Iglesias has hit a pair of doubles and both have looked sound defensively.

“They knew they were going to get a job at some point, so they were going to be ready because they knew that wherever they were going to go, it was going to be in the middle of somebody’s camp,” Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said. “Where they’re at physically is really close to where everyone else is, and that’s credit to them and what they were doing at home.”

Who has the edge?

With a week left until the Marlins break camp, there are a few roster spots still up for grabs.

Should both Gurriel and Iglesias make the Opening Day roster and assuming there are no injury hiccups, Miami has three real position battles ongoing. They are:

▪ Starting left fielder: This will come down to either Jesus Sanchez or Bryan De La Cruz,

As for the rest of the outfield, Jazz Chisholm Jr. will start in center field, Avisail Garcia will start in right and Jorge Soler will primarily be a designated hitter but could also make spot starts in the outfield.

▪ Final rotation spot: Sandy Alcantara, Trevor Rogers, Johnny Cueto and Jesus Luzardo, in no particular order, will make up four-fifths of Miami’s projected rotation to begin the season. The final spot will go to either left-handed pitcher Braxton Garrett or right-handed pitcher Edward Cabrera.

Cabrera logically makes the most sense of the two. He has the more intimidating pitching repertoire — fastballs that average 96 mph and can touch 100 and three secondary pitches with swing-and-miss potential, including a changeup that averages 92.5 mph.

Cabrera on Sunday threw 4 2/3 solid innings in Miami’s 5-4 spring training win over the Houston Astros. He allowed just one earned run on two hits and two walks while striking out three. His fastball topped at 99.2 mph and he induced 11 whiffs on 35 swings.

Overall this spring, Cabrera has held opponents to two earned runs over 9 2/3 innings in three appearances. This doesn’t include a three-inning performance on the back fields earlier this week.

▪ Final bullpen spots: This is where things get interesting.

Six of eight spots appear to be locked up in righties Matt Barnes, Dylan Floro and JT Chargois along with lefties Tanner Scott, A.J. Puk and Steven Okert.

Right-handed pitcher Huascar Brazoban most likely has an inside track for the seventh spot.

As for the eighth? That depends on a few factors.

Miami’s remaining healthy relievers on the 40-man roster who are still in big-league camp are lefties Andrew Nardi and Josh Simpson as well as righty Eli Villalobos. Tommy Nance has a shoulder injury.

Nardi is the most likely of the trio to make the roster.

However, if Miami prefers to have a true long reliever as part of its bullpen, the primary options in camp with Nance sidelined are lefty Daniel Castano and righty Bryan Hoeing, neither of whom is on the 40-man roster.

Stories from the week

▪ Top Marlins prospect Eury Perez is reminding Schumaker of Juan Soto and Fernando Tatis Jr. in the early stages of their careers.

▪ Jean Segura’s decision to participate in the World Baseball Classic was a balancing act of pride for his country and preparation for the season.

▪ What Schumaker saw from the Marlins’ top prospects who were part of big-league spring training.

▪ Sandy Alcantara’s first start back with the Marlins after the World Baseball Classic was a good one.

▪ World Baseball Classic helping new Marlins second baseman Luis Arraez feel at home in Miami.

▪ Updates on Max Meyer and Anthony Bender’s Tommy John surgery rehab.

Next week’s schedule

Monday: @ St. Louis Cardinals (Jupiter), 1:05 p.m., Radio via 940 AM

Tuesday: @ Houston Astros (West Palm Beach), 1:05 p.m., Radio via MLB.com

Wednesday: vs. St. Louis Cardinals (Jupiter), 1:10 p.m., TV via Bally Sports Florida, Radio via 940 AM

Thursday: OFF

Friday: vs. Houston Astros (Jupiter), 6:40 p.m., TV via Bally Sports Florida, Radio via 940 AM

Saturday: @ St. Louis Cardinals (Jupiter), 1:05 p.m., Radio via 940 AM

Sunday: Split squad — vs. Washington Nationals, Jupiter, 1:10 p.m., Radio via MLB.com; AND @ New York Mets (Port St. Lucie), 4:10 p.m.