The Miami Marlins appear ready to upgrade their outfield heading into the 2020 season and have their sights set on a couple of former All-Stars.
While Miami remains interested in possibly acquiring Yasiel Puig, free-agent outfielder Corey Dickerson is seemingly the stronger possibility, reports Craig Mish of FNTSY Sports Radio.
Improving the outfield is a major need for the Marlins, who finished second-last in MLB last season in offensive production from the positions. Their outfielders combined to bat .238/.304/.386 and were worth just 1.2 WAR, according to FanGraphs.
Dickerson would certainly help. The 30-year-old slashed .304/.341/.565 with 12 home runs, 28 doubles, and 59 RBIs in 78 games last season split between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Philadelphia Phillies.
He missed most of 2019 with a fractured left foot but has been reasonably durable through his career, appearing in at least 131 games in four of his seven big-league campaigns. Since debuting with the Colorado Rockies in 2013, Dickerson has hit .286/.328/.504 with 115 homers and 370 RBIs in 776 games.
Dickerson carries a high price tag and is being coveted by at least six teams, Mish previously reported.
Meanwhile, the Marlins have been linked to Puig for a large part of the offseason. They reportedly met with the Cuban at the winter meetings, where Puig said he'd like to play for the club due to its proximity to his Miami home and to be reunited with manager Don Mattingly, whom Puig played under with the Los Angeles Dodgers from 2013-15.
The 29-year-old Puig split last season between the Cincinnati Reds and Cleveland Indians. In 149 games, he batted .267/.327/.458 with 24 home runs, 30 doubles, 84 RBIs, and 19 stolen bases.
