MIAMI—Following a relatively quiet trade deadline, Marlins president of baseball operations Peter Bendix addressed the media Friday evening ahead of the club’s series opener against the New York Yankees.
Expectations entering the 2025 season were modest. After suffering 100 losses in 2024, many anticipated Miami would once again be active at the deadline, dealing away established big leaguers in an effort to stockpile young players and continue building toward long-term, sustainable success.
Instead, the front office took a slightly different approach, holding firm on its asking prices for key players. In contrast to last year’s flurry of activity—which saw the Marlins trade away 11 major leaguers over the course of the season—Bendix opted for a more measured “soft sell” in his second deadline at the helm.
Miami completed just two trades. On July 29, catcher Nick Fortes was dealt to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for Double-A outfielder Matthew Etzel. Then, on deadline day, the Marlins sent outfielder Jesús Sánchez to the Houston Astros for right-hander Ryan Gusto and prospects Chase Jaworsky (ranked No. 13 in Houston’s system) and Esmil Valencia.
Notably, the Marlins held onto several players who had been the subject of trade rumors, including starters Sandy Alcantara, Edward Cabrera, and Cal Quantrill, as well as reliever Anthony Bender.
“We continued to build on the plan we’ve had,” Bendix said. “That means adding as much talent to this organization as we can, helping our current players get better, and continuing on a path we’re really excited about.”
Asked whether the team’s recent surge (five straight series wins entering the deadline) influenced the front office’s approach, Bendix acknowledged “”it certainly played a role.”
“Everything that goes into building a sustainably successful team is taken into consideration at the deadline. Our job is to be disciplined—that means listening, having conversations, and making the best possible decisions at every point.”
Entering Friday’s game, the Marlins sat at 52–55, seven games back of the final NL Wild Card spot. While a playoff run remains a long shot, the message from the front office was clear.
“You’ll have to ask [the players] what message they took,” Bendix said. “But I believe we have a fantastic group. You can see it coming together—in individual performances and as a team. That’s really exciting.”
Manager Clayton McCullough felt the same.
“Our group was very excited that we were able to keep most of it intact,” McCullough said. “We’re happy we still have a chance with what we’ve got. Peter and I were in constant communication throughout, and we’re going to keep pushing to improve.”
Given Miami’s recent stretch of strong play, it’s fair to wonder whether the front office considered adding major league talent in a hybrid buy/sell approach.
“We talk about everything, because that’s my job,” Bendix said. “We really believe in the talent we have here and want to make sure we’re giving this group every opportunity.”
No one was more relieved than Alcantara, the team’s ace and longest-tenured player. The 2022 NL Cy Young Award winner had drawn interest from clubs around the league but made it clear he wanted to remain in Miami.
“There’s nothing I wanted more than to stay here,” Alcantara said. “I was nervous all day, but after six o’clock, it all went away. This is my home. The Marlins gave me this opportunity back in 2018 when I was just a kid. My hometown is an hour and a half away, my family’s here—I’m happy.”
While holding onto controllable young pitchers like Alcantara and Cabrera was expected, the decision not to trade Quantrill—who’s set to become a free agent this winter—raised some eyebrows.
“He’s been pitching incredibly well and continues to get better as the season goes on,” Bendix explained. “He’s a leader in the clubhouse and a good example for a lot of our young pitchers.”
Trades that didn’t happen
According to sources close to Fish On First, contending teams were unwilling to meet the Marlins’ asking price for their young, controllable players. The Chicago Cubs were willing to include top prospect Owen Caissie in a deal for Edward Cabrera, but not much else, so Miami declined.
The Marlins also held discussions with the Cincinnati Reds regarding outfielder Dane Myers, but those talks ultimately did not result in a deal.