Early deals at Winter Meetings once again a reminder of what Marlins deal with in NL East

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The top of the National League East continues to spend.

And that continues to make the Miami Marlins’ attempt for playoff contention that much tougher.

The two main acquisitions at MLB’s Winter Meetings on Monday were made by a pair of Marlins’ division rivals, with the Mets signing right-handed pitcher and reigning American League Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander to a two-year, $86.66 million deal (with a vesting option for a third year) and the Phillies signing shortstop Trea Turner to an 11-year, $300 million deal that includes a full no-trade clause.

The significance of that?

Verlander and Turner’s combined average annual value for next season, while on different teams, is $70.6 million.

The Marlins’ current projected payroll for its entire big-league roster, for comparison, is about $80 million. The Mets, Braves and Phillies have the first-, second- and ninth-highest payrolls in MLB.

Miami’s current payroll is broken down as follows:

$45.4 million in payroll commitments for six players (outfielders Jorge Soler and Avisail Garcia, starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara, infielder Miguel Rojas, and relievers Dylan Floro and Richard Bleier)

A projected $26.5 million for eight players whose salaries still need to be determined in arbitration (infielders Joey Wendle and Jon Berti, starting pitchers Pablo Lopez and Jesus Luzardo, first baseman/designated hitter Garrett Cooper, catcher Jacob Stallings, and relievers Tanner Scott and J.T. Chargois)

At least $8.6 million for the other dozen spots for players who have not yet reached arbitration and will make either the league-minimum $720,000 or just above that.

The payroll disparity has Skip Schumaker facing an uphill battle in his first year as Marlins manager before he even gets to Opening Day, when the Marlins will face the Mets on March 30 at loanDepot park.

Yet Schumaker is still emphasizing that Miami is in win now mode, a mind set he has to have with the organization heading into Year 6 of the Bruce Sherman ownership group with just one playoff appearance (in the shortened 2020 season) in that span.

What gives him the confidence Miami can be competitive?

He, like just about everyone else in the organization, points to the Marlins’ starting pitching depth as the team’s foundation.

“I still really like our rotation,” Schumaker said.

That’s fair. Miami’s current group of Sandy Alcantara, Jesus Luzardo, Edward Cabrera, Pablo Lopez, Trevor Rogers and Braxton Garrett gives them six options for five spots, although Miami very well could trade from this group to acquire a proven hitter.

Right-handed pitcher Eury Perez, the team’s top prospect and the No. 9 overall prospect in baseball according to MLB Pipeline, is waiting in the wings. Lefty Jake Eder (Miami’s fourth-ranked prospect) likely isn’t too far behind either. Fellow lefty Dax Fulton (Miami’s eighth-ranked prospect) could work his way into the conversation as well. Righty Max Meyer (Marlins’ second-ranked prospect, No. 43 in MLB) is out next season after undergoing Tommy John surgery but is a big arm too.

“The depth is real,” Schumaker said.

The Marlins’ hitting depth? That remains to be seen.

Schumaker on Monday looked back to his time with the Cardinals last season, when St. Louis had the likes of Brendan Donovan and Lars Nootbaar both step up as young players to help them win the NL Central. Donovan finished third in National League Rookie of the Year voting after posting a .773 on-base-plus-slugging mark with 45 RBI and 60 runs scored in 126 games. Nootbaar played in 108 games and had a .788 on-base-plus-slugging mark with 14 home runs and 53 runs scored.

“We had guys ready,” Schumaker said.

Miami brought up its share of top prospects at the end of last season — JJ Bleday, Peyton Burdick, Jerar Encarnacion, Jordan Groshans and Charles LeBlanc specifically. None to this point proven himself enough to guarantee a roster spot for next season.

“The player development has to be good and has to get better,” Schumaker said. “That’s just the reality. When you have the payroll like we have, competing against monsters in the East, we have to really be good at developing our own guys.”