Posted on December 28, 2019, by Bryan Zarpentine
Slowly but surely, the Miami Marlins are adding veteran players to help give their roster an immediate boost in 2020. That continued on Saturday when the club agreed to terms with outfielder Corey Dickerson. The Marlins and Dickerson have agreed to a two-year worth $17.5 million and will fill an immediate need on Miami’s roster.
The 30-year-old Dickerson has had a hard time finding a permanent home during his career. He spent his first three seasons with the Rockies before an offseason trade to Tampa Bay. The Rays designated him for assignment and quickly traded him to the Pirates during spring training in 2018. After missing part of the 2019 season with a shoulder injury, Dickerson was traded to the Phillies last summer. Unfortunately, his season ended in mid-September because of a broken foot before hitting the free-agent market this winter.
Despite a continuous change of scenery, Dickerson has produced at a high level, even after leaving the friendly confines of Coors Field. He owns a career batting average of .286 with an OPS of .832. Dickerson was an all-star in 2017 but had arguably the best season of his career in 2019. Between his time with the Pirates and Phillies this past season, Dickerson hit .304 with a .906 OPS despite hitting just 12 home runs, his lowest total since his rookie season. Of course, he only played in 78 games because of injuries.
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Dickerson will provide the Marlins with a proven middle-of-the-order power hitter, something they’ve been lacking since trading away Giancarlo Stanton, Christian Yelich, and Marcell Ozuna. While he’s been more productive against right-handed pitching, Dickerson is good enough against lefties to play every day and shouldn’t require a platoon partner. He also gives Miami a much-needed left-handed hitter, another asset the Marlins were previously lacking.
In Miami, Dickerson figures to become the team’s primary left fielder. That should give the Marlins stability at one of the three outfield positions. There are multiple options in center field while natural third baseman Brian Anderson is expected to see most of his action in right field. Harold Ramirez and Austin Dean will provide depth at the corner outfield spots and could play against left-handed pitchers if Dickerson has trouble with southpaws.
In addition to Dickerson, the Marlins have also added Jesus Aguilar, Jonathan Villar, and Francisco Cervelli this offseason. While that’s not the most exciting list of offseason acquisitions, all should be considered upgrades for Miami’s roster. Aguilar boasts serious power, hitting 35 home runs in 2018. He should pair well with Dickerson and Anderson to provide some power in the middle of Miami’s order. Meanwhile, Villar should help provide a table-setter at the top of the lineup.
For the Marlins, signing a player like Dickerson is the best of both worlds. He will surely help them be more competitive in 2020 while the franchise continues to develop its farm system. With a two-year deal, the Marlins avoid a long-term commitment and could turn Dickerson into a useful trade chip at some point. Along with Aguilar, Villar, and Cervelli, Dickerson is a low-risk acquisition with a good upside who should help make the Marlins a more respectable team in 2020.