Will Marlins add these bats this offseason?

This story was excerpted from Christina De Nicola’s Marlins Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

The offseason is well underway for the Marlins, who hired a new manager, added an assistant general manager and opened a new complex in the Dominican Republic last week. With the World Series ending in the near future, things will pick up even more.

Here's a handy FAQ:

Do the Marlins have any free agents?
No.

Which players have options and what's the impact on payroll?
Jorge Soler, who appeared in just 72 games in 2022 due to back and pelvic problems, has a $15 million player option for '23. It would be surprising if the 30-year-old declined the option and tested the open market after a down season. Joey Wendle has a $6.3 million mutual option with a $75,000 buyout. Like Soler, Wendle was limited to 101 games because of three stints on the injured list with hamstring issues. Soler and Wendle would be the club's highest- and third-highest-paid players.

Who might be a non-tender candidate, and when does the club have to decide?
The non-tender deadline is Nov. 18, and it will be a tricky one considering how many Marlins underperformed and missed substantial time due to injuries in 2022. At full strength, Miami believed its lineup had enough versatility -- mixing and matching with the likes of Wendle and Brian Anderson, for example -- to be serviceable. That wasn't the case. Once considered an extension candidate, Anderson has struggled to stay on the field since 2021, posting a 90 OPS+ in just 165 games. The Marlins moved Anderson, who will be arbitration eligible for the final time in '23, between third base and right field in the hopes he could fill a Kris Bryant-type role. But his offensive production from '18-20 (112 OPS+) has decreased due to recurring left shoulder ailments.

Who needs to be added to the 40-man roster this winter to avoid the Rule 5 Draft?
There are four Top 30 prospects who are at risk of being lost to another organization: Triple-A Jacksonville first baseman Troy Johnston (No. 19), Double-A Pensacola outfielder Griffin Conine (No. 23), High-A Beloit right-hander M.D. Johnson (No. 25) and Jacksonville left-hander Josh Simpson (No. 28). Since there are eight players on the 60-day injured list -- five of whom are recovering from Tommy John surgery -- Miami also has to make decisions on which of them to keep in the system on top of the Rule 5 guys.

How might that be resolved?
The deadline to protect those prospects is 6 p.m. ET on Nov. 15. Johnson is a lower-level arm, while Conine continues to strike out too much. Johnston is a professional left-handed hitter at a position lacking depth. Simpson is a promising bullpen arm.

What kind of help do they need? Who might they target?
Bats! General manager Kim Ng said the Marlins would explore all avenues to upgrade the lineup. It'll be difficult for Miami to outbid clubs for premier shortstops Carlos Correa, Trea Turner, Dansby Swanson and Xander Bogaerts. I recommend targeting switch-hitting first baseman Josh Bell. With rule changes coming to shifts, perhaps buy low on outfielder Joey Gallo? Maybe the Dodgers non-tender center fielder Cody Bellinger?

Who might they be willing to trade?
It's always dangerous to claim a pitching surplus, but the Marlins have six MLB starters: Sandy Alcantara, Pablo López, Jesús Luzardo, Trevor Rogers, Edward Cabrera and Braxton Garrett. If Miami can't outspend clubs, it can turn to its strength in the trade market. López, who lost his arbitration case in 2022, proved he could stay healthy for an entire season after being the subject of rumors prior to the Deadline. Luzardo's stock rose, while Rogers had a sophomore slump.