The Miami Marlins took two players off their roster on Friday and one left the organization entirely via waivers.
Ed Lucas who played the last two seasons with the Marlins was claimed by the Texas Rangers and immediately became their property. Miami was attempting to take Lucas off ts 40-man roster and exposed him to every other team. Lucas is a good candidate to make the Rangers in 2015 due to his versatility and contract status.
The Marlins also took Jordany Valdespin off their 40-man roster but he went un-claimed. This allows Valdespin to remain a part of the organization. The Marlins sent the utility player to AAA New Orleans after he cleared waivers. It is still possible that Valdespin will not be in future plans for Miami but the door remains open for now.
Lucas had played minor-league ball since 2004 before he earned a big-league promotion in 2013. As a 31-year old, Lucas was a veteran on a young growing squad in Miami. The long fight to become a big-leaguer showed in the effort made by Lucas when he was given an opportunity to play. Despite not putting up earth shattering numbers, Lucas was an asset to Miami and helped it win several games.
Replacing Lucas will not be an easy task due to his versatility. One name that could be in the mix would be Donovan Solano who played mostly at second base in 2014. Solano is not considered an everyday player but he can play multiple positions much the same as Lucas. The Marlins could also seek an outside name to fill the utility role.
Clearing these two roster spots were necessary moves as the Marlins will need to activate players on their 60-day disabled list. In addition, free roster spots will be needed for free agency which commences in November.
Miami is expected to have a busy off-season as it looks to continue to grow on its success from 2014. Beyond bench jobs, the Marlins are expected to look for a starting pitcher and assets on offense.
