Update: Marlins, Trevor Rosenthal do not have deal

Updated: Agent Scott Boras told Nightengale that Miami is NOT signing Rosenthal, meaning he’s still a free agent. Boras noted that Rosenthal is not expected to pitch this season, and instead will spend the year rehabbing.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Original: The Marlins have signed veteran reliever Trevor Rosenthal to a one-year contract, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today.

Nightengale says Rosenthal, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery, will earn $88,900 in the minors and the league minimum of $545,000 if he makes it back to the majors this season.

Rosenthal joins the Marlins’ organization after spending nine years in the Cardinals’ organization, six of which were in the majors. The 27-year-old right-hander broke into the big leagues in 2012 and became an impactful arm for the Cardinals’ bullpen, especially in the postseason in 2012 and 2013 by not allowing a run in 20 ¹⁄₃ innings pitched. In 2013 when the Cardinals reached the World Series, Rosenthal allowed only four hits and rang up 12 strikeouts during their run.

Then, he wound up becoming one of the game’s best closers from 2014-15, making 93 saves (45 saves in 2014, 48 in 2015) while posting a 2.65 ERA and 11.0 strikeouts per nine innings in 139 innings pitched during that span. During the 2015 season, he was named an All-Star and he finished 17th in the NL Cy Young voting.

However, Rosenthal had a big drop-off in production in 2016 (4.46 ERA, 14 saves) and in 2017 (11 saves), leading to his release by St. Louis.

The Marlins hope they can get something out of Rosenthal whenever he returns. The upside is that Rosenthal is still young and, if he pitches well, he can be a good piece for the rebuilding Marlins to have in their bullpen.