Joey Votto was known for many things, including frequently destroying the Cubs at Wrigley Field. But when I think about him as a hitter, there's one collective thought that comes to mind: the guy was just so good at working an at bat toward either a walk or a line drive.
With this early-spring trade, the organization is mortgaging Loperfido's long-term potential - a low-cost asset with five additional seasons of club control - in favour of short-term certainty in Sánchez, who features another arbitration-eligible season in 2027 before hitting free agency. It provides this lineup, now without Anthony Santander (left shoulder surgery), with a known commodity that can help address a particular need - power.
The catcher began his journey through the minor leagues with the Dodgers, who signed him out of Venezuela in 2019. Valladares was one of a few Venezuelan catching prospects in the Dodgers' system alongside Diego Cartaya and Keibert Ruiz. Both Cartaya and Ruiz eventually left the Dodgers via trade, but Valladares remained with the Dodgers and trudged his way through L.A.'s farm system.
Only two Marlins players have more than 1,000 games played with the club. Arizona and Tampa each have three. Colorado has nine. Furthermore, the games played leaders for each of those three clubs? True MLB stars, each with at least 300 career home runs, with multiple honors, awards, and seasons spent being counted among some of the games best.