Marlins don't extend qualifying offer to Soler
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MIAMI -- The Marlins did not extend a qualifying offer to All-Star designated hitter Jorge Soler ahead of Monday's 5 p.m. ET deadline.
A qualifying offer is a one-year contract for a designated amount, which this year is $20.325 million. If Soler had been offered one and declined it, the Marlins would have received Draft-pick compensation.
Soler, who declined his 2024 player option ($9 million, with an increase by up to $4 million based on plate appearances in ’23), will now test the free-agent market. He bounced back from an injury-plagued '22 to hit 36 homers and tally 75 RBIs -- both marks were second most in his 10-year MLB career -- in 137 games. He also was named to the Midsummer Classic for the first time.
Replacing him would be a tough act. Soler accounted for 22% of the Marlins' home run total in 2023. His 36 homers were second among this year's free-agent class behind Shohei Ohtani (44).
Miami scored the fifth-fewest runs and was tied for the eighth-fewest homers in MLB. Among the club's other likely offseason needs are at shortstop and catcher. One position the Marlins won't have to worry about is first baseman/DH after Josh Bell accepted his $16.5 million player option for 2024.