MLB Rumors: Miami Marlins Interested In Former Closer

The Miami Marlins are still looking to make some noise here in the offseason, and are said to be interested in former St. Louis Cardinals All-Star closer Alex Reyes, according to Craig Mish and Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. 

Ranked as highly by some evaluators as the No. 1 prospect in all of baseball as recently as 2017, a series of injuries derailed Reyes's career as a starter, before he reinvented himself as a closer for the Cards in 2021. And that season, at least for four or five months, was good enough to earn him a spot in the Midsummer Classic.

But physical ailments cropped up again, and he was forced to undergo shoulder surgery in May of this year, forcing an end to his 2022 season before it began. 

Free Agent target: Alex Reyes

2021 Stats: 10-8, 3.24 ERA, 4.40 FIP, 29 SV, 95 SO, 52 BB, 1.355 WHIP

- Reyes was an All-Star in 2021
- Did not pitch in 2022
- Very cheap option
- Sandy Alcantara has shown his desire to bring him
- Back end of the bullpen piece#Marlins pic.twitter.com/L4kGsAinSG

— Kevin Barral (@kevin_barral) November 25, 2022

The price tag, as noted by Marlins beat writer Kevin Barral, shouldn't be too high after sitting out the entire year, and he isn't expected to be ready for 2023 until May. 

The Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers have also been linked to Reyes this offseason, but the Marlins' Cy Young Award winner in 2022, Sandy Alcantara, is pushing the Fish to reel him in. 

Now 28, Reyes finished that 2021 season with St. Louis with a 3.24 ERA and 29 saves, with 11.8 strikeouts per nine innings. 

He should be a low-risk, high-reward type of signing for whichever team brings him in. 

 

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