Because the free agent beginning pitching market thins, there’s been some chatter in regards to the Marlins as a staff which may subtract a pitcher in commerce. That focus has usually been centered on left-hander Jesús Luzardo and younger righty Edward Cabrera. Final week, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal wrote that Cabrera had the higher probability of that duo of adjusting arms, though it wasn’t clear how seemingly Miami was to maneuver both participant.
Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald added some context on the commerce prospects involving Miami’s starters this afternoon. Jackson writes that the Fish are prepared to think about provides on every of Luzardo, Cabrera and left-hander Braxton Garrett, though he signifies there aren’t any proposals below “energetic consideration.”
A commerce nonetheless appears a chance however isn’t essentially seemingly. The Fish haven’t accomplished a lot below first-year president of baseball operations Peter Bendix. Miami is the one staff that also hasn’t signed a free agent to a serious league deal this offseason. Their largest strikes have been commerce pickups of catcher Christian Bethancourt, reliever Calvin Faucher and out-of-options infielder Vidal Bruján.
It’s an underwhelming offseason for a staff coming off a shocking Wild Card berth. The Fish appear more likely to lose a 36-homer hitter after Jorge Soler declined his participant choice. They’re trying so as to add at shortstop, however the free agent class on the place is dismal. They might use one other bat within the nook outfield/designated hitter combine.
For all of the lineup questions, their largest loss in 2024 is one to harm. Sandy Alcantara underwent Tommy John surgical procedure throughout final 12 months’s postseason. With the 2022 NL Cy Younger winner lacking the whole season, the Fish undertaking for a season-opening beginning 5 of Eury Pérez, Luzardo, Garrett, Cabrera and Trevor Rogers.
That’s nonetheless a promising group, however their as soon as vaunted rotation depth has thinned. Along with the Alcantara harm, the Fish dealt Pablo López and prospect Jake Eder final 12 months. Depth choices past their entrance 5 embrace Ryan Weathers and Bryan Hoeing. Miami ought to get a lift from former #3 general decide Max Meyer, who is eighteen months faraway from his personal Tommy John process. Jackson writes that the brand new entrance workplace nonetheless considers Meyer a viable beginning pitcher; prospect evaluators have been divided on whether or not he was higher suited to a high-leverage reduction function earlier than the harm.
Meyer solely made two MLB begins earlier than the unlucky ligament tear. Rogers was restricted to 4 begins, all in April, final 12 months by biceps and lat accidents. Pérez, broadly thought to be the game’s high pitching prospect earlier than a powerful rookie season, logged 128 innings between Triple-A and the majors final season. Miami might nonetheless be cautious about increasing the 20-year-old’s workload too far past 150 frames.
Luzardo and Garrett are Miami’s solely wholesome starters who topped 100 MLB innings a season in the past. They each had robust seasons. The previous posted a 3.58 ERA whereas punching out greater than 28% of opposing hitters in 32 begins. With three years of arbitration management and a fastball approaching 97 MPH on common, he seemingly has extra commerce worth than anybody within the Miami rotation other than Pérez (who definitely isn’t getting moved).
Garrett has a extra prolonged management window, as he received’t get to free company for one more 5 seasons. The previous #7 general decide allowed 3.66 earned runs per 9 in slightly below 160 frames. Garrett doesn’t have the large velocity of most of his rotation mates, sitting round 91 MPH together with his heater. But his robust secondary choices and plus command have translated into mid-rotation outcomes for the final two seasons.
Cabrera is a extra unstable younger arm. The 25-year-old righty labored to a 4.24 ERA throughout 99 2/3 MLB frames. He generated a powerful 27.2% strikeout fee and 54.3% ground-ball proportion with a fastball that sits above 96 MPH. His management stays a major query, nevertheless. Cabrera walked greater than 15% of opposing hitters final season and has handed out free passes at a 14% fee over elements of three years within the large leagues. As with Garrett, he’s below membership management for 5 extra seasons.
