The Marlins are still in the middle of a playoff race in 2023 but theres at least one thing already on their to-do list this winter. Per a from Barry Jackson Jaheim Singletary Jersey , Jordan McPherson and Craig Mish at the Miami Herald, the Marlins are planning to try to upgrade at shortstop this winter. The plan is a fairly logical one, as most of their playing time at that position has gone to , who is an impending free agent. The club would likely be considering alternatives at short even if he werent bound for the open market, given his poor season. The 33-year-old has hit a meager .222/.257/.323 this year, which translates to a wRC+ of 54. That indicates he has been 46% worse than the league average hitter. Among those with at least 250 plate appearances this year, only eight hitters have a lower wRC+ than Wendle. Hes still considered strong with the glove by Defensive Runs Saved and Ultimate Zone Rating, but his Outs Above Average dropped to -3 this year. Its been a challenging year for me, Wendle says in the report. Im more frustrated than anybody else about it. Just been unable to make some adjustments. With Wendle set to depart, the Marlins will be left with internal options like , and . Berti has hit .253/.330/.354 in his career and is at .278/.316/.355 this year. He can provide value with his legs, having stolen 41 bases last year, but thats down to just 14 so far this season. Hes generally considered a strong defender all over the field but his subpar bat makes him a better fit for a utility role off the bench than an everyday shortstop. Its a fairly similar story for Hampson. Hes having decent results here in 2023 but his .398 batting average on balls in play is giving him a boost. His career batting line of .242/.303/.375 amounts to a wRC+ of 70. Hes also considered strong with the glove but is best suited to a multi-positional gig. Amaya made his major league debut this year but got into just four games. Hes hit .254/.344/.409 at Triple-A this year for a wRC+ of 89, or 11% below the average at that level. He still has one option year remaining after this one and could be kept in the minors as depth if the club doesnt think hes ready for a lengthier big league audition. Theres no obvious solution deeper in the system, with prospects like and having poor years at the plate in the minors. Given all those factors, it makes sense that the Marlins will look for exterior solutions, but there will be challenges in doing so. The upcoming free agent cla s is light on position players and the is no exception. is one of the top options, though his defensive marks are quite poor and hes also having a down year at the plate. Each of Defensive Runs Saved, Ultimate Zone Rating and Outs Above Average have put a negative sign on his shortstop defense this year. Hes shown some offensive prowe s in the past but is hitting just .259/.300/.374 this year for a wRC+ of 85. Beyond him, the options include utility/depth guys like , , and others. could be available if the White Sox turn down his option, but thats no guarantee and the only reason its po sible is that hes also having a poor season. Hes hitting just .240/.284/.294 for a wRC+ of 59 with subpar defensive marks acro s the board. Turning to the trade market would be another option, but everyday shortstops tend to be highly valued and arent easily surrendered. The Orioles and Guardians have plenty of young infielders but the best ones would likely be close to untouchable, leaving the Marlins to choose from unproven options. has been moved to second base by the Padres signing , but he is having a year and likely wouldnt come cheap. Hes also only a short-term solution, with 2024 being the final guaranteed year of his contract. Players like , and are theoretical trade candidates since they are blocked on their respective clubs, but they dont have to be traded since they can each be moved to other positions. Even if anyone in this group is available, the Marlins would likely be competing with other clubs in need of shortstop help, such as the Giants or Dodgers. Regardle s of the difficulty, the Marlins will have to come up with solutions if they have designs on competing again next year. Their shortstops this season have hit a collective .232/.267/.317 for a wRC+ of 56, the worst offensive production in the league. Teshaun Hightower Jersey