Marlins right-hander Sixto Sanchez is “taking a bit longer” to recover from July’s season-ending shoulder surgery, tweets MLB Network’s Jon Heyman, which has pushed back his readiness to appear in a game setting. Obviously, with the entire season in limbo right now, Sanchez won’t be missing any immediate games, but Heyman suggests it’d be midseason before the touted 23-year-old would be ready to return. It’s a change in tone from when Sanchez himself went on record earlier this year to say he felt “100 percent” and expected to be ready to go when the 2022 season rolled around.
Sanchez was a bright spot for the 2020 Marlins, graduating from top prospect status to a successful big league pitcher at just 22 years of age. The centerpiece prospect in the trade that sent J.T. Realmuto to the division-rival Phillies, Sanchez logged 39 innings of 3.46 ERA ball with a 20.9% strikeout rate, a 7.0% walk rate and a massive 58.0% grounder rate. The strikeout rate was perhaps surprisingly low for a pitcher with Sanchez’s combination of pedigree and raw stuff (98.8 mph average on his heater, plus changeup) — but Sanchez was making the jump straight from Double-A to the big leagues. He also turned in a huge 12.8% swinging-strike rate and 38.7% opponents’ chase rate, both of which point to the possibility for more whiffs down the road.
Sanchez missed time early in the 2021 season, first due to a lengthy stay in Covid-19 protocols during Spring Training and later due to shoulder discomfort. The Marlins eventually shut him down until early summer due to that first bout of shoulder pain, and he was shut down again when the discomfort returned between bullpen sessions. Eventually, a small tear in Sanchez’s posterior capsule was discovered, which resulted in an early-July procedure that ended his season.
While there’s no concrete timeline for his return, the broader cause for concern is that a decelerated rehab program only causes further concern regarding Sanchez’s surgically repaired shoulder. It’s already been nearly 18 months since Sanchez pitched in a big league game, and while he couldn’t work out at Marlins facilities anyhow because he’s on the 40-man roster, it doesn’t sound as though he’d be ready to take the mound had Spring Training been underway as originally scheduled. At the time of the surgery, general manager Kim Ng announced that Sanchez would resume throwing in three months’ time but wasn’t likely to pitch in winter ball. That timeline now rather clearly appears to have been pushed back.
Even without Sanchez, the Marlins boast an enviable crop of arms, headlined by newly extended ace Sandy Alcantara, who signed a five-year, $56MM deal prior to the current lockout. He’ll be followed in the rotation by Trevor Rogers, Pablo Lopez, Elieser Hernandez and Jesus Luzardo, though Miami has plenty of arms beyond that top quintet. Righty Edward Cabrera is regarded as one of the game’s most promising pitching prospects and already made his MLB debut in 2021. Flamethrowing righty Max Meyer, the No. 3 overall pick in 2020, is also considered among the game’s best arms and could open the year in Triple-A.
Other depth options on the roster include Braxton Garrett, Nick Neidert, Daniel Castano, Cody Poteet and Paul Campbell — all of whom have pitched in the big leagues. Further down the pipeline are righty Eury Perez and lefty Jake Eder, the latter of whom will miss the ’22 season due to Tommy John surgery but is as highly regarded as any arm in the Miami system.
That deep reserve of pitching talent notwithstanding, Sanchez is a key piece to the Marlins’ future and, had he been healthy, would’ve been viewed as a vital rotation candidate for the upcoming campaign. The team isn’t likely to issue any kind of formal statement on his outlook while the lockout is going on, but his status will be a key storyline to follow for Marlins fans whenever the lockout lifts.
Heyman’s analysis is all based on Craig Mish’s reporting and tweets. Credit where it’s due.
Sixto so much talent, but so many injuries. Even before making his MLB debut he had problems.
Saw him throw in ’20.
Huge Stuff.
On Savant, he is listed as throwing 2,4,& cut FB’s all in the mid nineties to triple digits. Which’ll play. Also throws his change more than anything. Which is really promising for such a young pitcher.
Do have a question for you guys that are more familiar with him;
Savant lists his sole breaking pitch as a slider. Yet some scouting reports mention a curve. Indeed, I actually found a clip of his curve. Wondering if anyone has some insight on why Savant calls it a slider.
It has a little bit of different movement from other curves.
So, more of a Slurve then?
Thanks.
Yes and no, but in that line. It tends to differ from others who have his velocity because his height of 6’0 and resulting release point and dip toward the zone make it different than the same high velocity ilk of pitchers who tend to be taller (like 6’3 and up) who release from a different spot and generate a different looking dip that we know as a regular slurve. With Sixto, some of those pitches sometimes look similar to a raw version of Pedro Martinez, probably again because of the height (5’11) and everything we saw Pedro do.
I would much rather talk about pitcher’s repertoires than things like a lockout.
Looking at the velocity range of his breaking pitch(es?) 82-90 mph I was actually wondering if he wasn’t mixing in an occasional “true” curve alongside a slider. Some pitchers that throw a slurve kind of dial it one way or another towards slider or curve throughout a game or even a single AB.
Either way, I am rooting for him. As I am quite certain you are as well. So much ability there. Always good to get a boots-on-the-ground perspective. That’s actually the main reason I MLBTR joined, bro.
Yes, these conversations are much better than the lockout. I actually like talking baseball like this over most else because I definitely like this also more than the stats debates because talking what we see these guys do on the field with technique, fundamentals, development, etc. is just pure love for the game. I wish there were more of us on this site that can have these conversations.
I’m rooting for Sixto big time because the more success he has with his development, that’s another arm for the Marlins.
And as far as his curve usage, he does make the effort for a true curve, but his combination of arm strength, location effort in combination of his height, and the other factors seem to make him have different results than the taller pitchers who have more of a cookie-cutter (or more common) style of true curve. His repertoire shows him making minor adjustments for location on various pitches. Even his fastball up in the zone is done differently as he has to release to make it rise, especially against taller hitters, where as a 6’5 pitcher would just pound it straight for a fastball up in the zone. It’s interesting to watch just for the approach and adjustments he has to make. Fun stuff.
Thanks for this discussion. I love this far more than the conversations where I say a pitcher has some nice wrinkles in his secondary pitch, or if I feel that a pitcher’s 100 MPH fastball is a little flat to where it can be easily timed, but then I run into someone that responds with, well his spin rate, K9, ERA+ and FIP from a one month period about two years ago says different about his pitching.
Save opening day !
Thanks Jeter….oh by the way… you have to buy your own cup of coffee and sodas are $1!!!!
I actually had some tacos last night. I’m telling you…a taco bar would have saved these negotiations.
Agreed ! Do you wanna head down to T Bell tonight and pick up a box of tacos ?
Taco Bell would’ve saved these negotiations if they disallowed everyone from going to the restroom until they agreed to a new deal.
@MarlinsFanBase
I said that tacos would have saved these negotiations. I never said anything about Taco Bell. Taco Bell is for road trips. It’s not for formal settings.
He will be pitching for the Red Sox by July.
While i wish i shared your optimism, the only way that happens is if the Sox send Casas back in the deal, and i don’t see Bloom doing that.
I’m not even a Red Sox fan. I just know that the Marlins will trade him at some point because that’s what they do.
FYI – Jeffrey Loria is no longer owner of the Marlins.
Loria wasn’t the owner when they broke up their team after 2017. I understand moving Stanton’s ridiculous contract but Ozuna and Yelich both could have stayed longer.
More FYI…
Ozuna was traded after he refused to sign an extension because he wanted to test the free agent market.
Yelich demanded a trade.
Realmuto demanded a trade and refused to sign an extension that actually was a higher and longer offer than the contract he eventually got from the Phillies.
At least try to know the information first.
Neither wanted to stay anyway. You all underestimate what Jose Fernandez’s death did to the morale of the locker room. Everyone wanted out.
None of those players were free agents the next year as far as I remember though. I’m not saying that they shouldn’t have traded them. I’m saying that they should have traded them in the last year before free agency so that they could at least try to win while they were under team control.
Cleveland is a smaller market but even they were able to keep a team together and make multiple postseason appearances while they had control of their young core.
@secretsatan
Jose’s death had a major impact, but not exactly as you put it.
The Marlins had an excellent lineup no doubt. The problem was that their pitching was Jose Fernandez and really not much else after Wei Yin Chen’s arm fell off. Prior to Jose’s death, the Marlins were planning on going all in on Jonny Cueto. Unfortunately Jose’s death changed those negotiations. The Marlins offered Cueto the highest deal on the market, but with Jose’s death, it was Jonny to be the replacement of Jose on a weak pitching staff. Had Jose not died, it would’ve been for Cueto to join in with Fernandez. When that rejection came about, and with the prime pieces in the next free agent year being Darvish and Arrieta, the Marlins had no way of putting together a legit pitching staff to support the hitting. And even if they would’ve signed those pitchers, in combination with the raises guys were getting, the Marlins payroll would have approached or surpassed $200 million. They couldn’t support that payroll.
But you did get it right,,,Jose’s death changed things drastically. He was an ace, not making ace money yet.
Sorry, but we needed to sucker someone with Stanton.
Ozuna was more valuable with an extra year of control. Without that, we wouldn’t have gotten Alcantara and Zac Gallen (who we traded for Jazz).
Yelich wanted out. Why keep a disgruntled player?
Realmuto wanted out. We kept him an extra year, but it was clear he wasn’t happy the whole time.
Why deal with all that when that team wasn’t going to have enough pitching to win?
I’m trying to understand how the Marlins were planning on going all in with Cueto? cueto signed prior to Fernandez passing away.
We shouldve actually taken local boy Casas in the draft, but Jeter drafted athleticism instead (Connor Scott).
@48-team MLB
Stop listening to E!SPN’s old narrative.
It has nothing to do with ESPN. It has just been a pattern there.
You mean to tell me that you know more than me about the Marlins? That’s an E!SPN thing and narrative.
Everyone wanted out with a new ownership group coming in that literally had to scrape change together to finish off the sale. The players were likely expecting more of the same, and Jeter’s departure hints that that is exactly what is going to happen
@MarlinsFanBase
It’s not an ESPN thing and narrative. It’s been the entire history of their franchise. They never keep a team together for very long regardless of who the owner has been.
Loria didn’t become the owner until 2002. That 1997 World Series team was broken up immediately afterward.
@Rsox
We’ll see what happens. Jeter isn’t as deity-like in Miami like he is on the Northeastern US and E!SPN viewership. He is human. He making a statement doesn’t mean he is speaking absolute truth. He could’ve easily acted on hat old narrative of owners past.
Notice that nobody else left…including the team he put together. Including Michael Jordan if you need a big name.
@48-team MLB
Again, what does this ownership have to do with Wayne Huizenga’s group? What do they have to do with Loria?
Old narrative.
With the breakdown when this new ownership came in, only someone who doesn’t know what the Marlins were would try to use what was a smart move as a way to try and claim it’s what the Marlins do. It speaks of not knowing what you’re talking about with this team. Not knowing anything about where they are right now.
We’ve seen this team build up. Do you even know that? Can you name more than 5 players without looking them up?
You think your statements about the team sounds wise, but to a Marlins fan, their foolish comments that show a lack of knowledge of what this team has been and have been building into. And it wreaks of the same type of stupidity that comes from E!SPN viewers. If it’s not the Yankees and Red Sox, they don’t know it.
@MarlinsFanBase
You stated that Loria is no longer the owner of the Marlins, as if he’s the only one who has done this and it hasn’t been a pattern with every owner they’ve had. This has been a common theme with that franchise from the beginning. It doesn’t matter who the owner has been.
Also, this new ownership has been in place since 2018 and they have only made the playoffs once during a fake 60-game season with a ridiculously expanded postseason. They were a .500 team through 60 games. That’s not a contender. It’s just taking advantage of a horrible postseason format for one year.
I agree. We don’t know what will happen. Jeter claiming he thought he would have at least $15 million to spend after the lockout and then finding out that was not the case is only his side of the story. My point was on the players asking for trades when Sherman and Co. were on the way in because they didn’t know what to expect and there were questions about Sherman’s ability to pay Loria’s asking price
@48-team MLB
OK, you showed your hand. This last statement just shows you’re reaching for anything to criticize this team. Obviously no reason for you to stick to logic and have awareness when you’re doing that. Just go back to E!SPN..
@Rsox
Actually, Yelich and Realmuto didn’t ask to be traded until after the new ownership indicated that they would move Stanton’s contract and trade Ozuna since he and his agent refused to sign an extension. The new ownership wanted to have a quick rebuild around Yelich and Realmuto. Yelich was already signed to a short extension and the Marlins approached Realmuto with a long-term extension. They also approached Ozuna about an extension.
Marlins had every intention for the rebuild around Yelich and Realmuto, and to a lesser degree, Ozuna. When Ozuna made it clear he was going to test free agency, the Marlins made it clear that anyone that didn’t want to be here long term would be accommodated. Ozuna was the first one with the message.
Stanton was a mess, but a great move.
Yelich and Realmuto did what they felt was best for them at the time.
As for Sherman’s ability to pay Loria’s price, he got it done. It’s called negotiations. And I find it hilarious for a Red Sox fan to mention that considering what John Henry did in Miami when he pretty much played the pauper card in stadium discussions when he was down here. This after he was rejected by the NHL for being a BS artist in trying to short change his offers for a team there as well. So, is every owner that pretends he can’t pay a price actually broke? Sherman? John Henry?
As for Jeter, stay tuned. I’m sure we’ll hear more from all sides.
Again, we’re not as enamored with Jeter as fans in the northeastern US, E!SPN and FOX Sports viewers are.
@MarlinsFanBase
What have I stated that isn’t fact?
The Marlins have consistently broken up teams regardless of ownership. FACT.
The Marlins have one postseason appearance since 2003. FACT
That one postseason appearance came in a significantly shortened season with an expanded postseason. They were a .500 team that year and would not have made the postseason under normal circumstances. FACT.
@48-team MLB
What have I stated that isn’t a fact?
Why are you ignoring what I’ve pointed out? Is it because you don’t know? It’s either you don’t know or are just focusing on what you want to.
Maybe you need E!SPN to tell you?
@48-team MLB
I’ll break it down for you.
Marlins were not going to be able to add pitching to support the offense they had because attempting to do so would have had them approach $200 million in payroll. FACT
Stanton’s contract being moved to a sucker was a great move. FACT
Ozuna being moved after he wanted to test free agency. FACT
Yelich moved after he asked for a trade. FACT
Realmuto moved after he refused an extension and asked for a trade. FACT
Marlins under Sherman have built their franchise up. FACT
This is not the ownership of Loria, who had no plan. FACT
Did I miss anything for you?
Again, what did I state that isn’t fact? Don’t waste time trying to find it on E!SPN. You won’t find it there.
@MarlinsFanBase
It doesn’t matter what reason you give because they haven’t proven anyone wrong under ANY ownership. Maybe they will one day but they haven’t yet. All the Marlins have managed to do consistently is break up teams and throw at Acuna.
If it helps, I actually think the Marlins will finish ahead of the Mets.
And here it is. You ignore facts, then take another shot at the team about Acuna.
Another FYI for you. Jose Urena hasn’t been on our team for two years. Acuna’s last injury had nothing to do with being hit. And only an idiot or E!SPN viewer thinks Pablo Lopez threw at Acuna. Even the Braves manager knows that. He wanted Lopez out the game, so he made a thing of it.
So, essentially, by ignoring facts and throwing another outdated shot, you’re here for nothing relevant.
Let me guess. the next shot will be some obscure transaction they made during the expansion draft, or perhaps they stop serving some type of service at the park or the players when they moved to the current stadium. How long will it take you to research it, because this last one took you a long time to find a response.
I’m wondering, who do you root for?
Acuna has been hit on the very first pitch of the game multiple times against the Marlins. That’s what makes it obvious.
Twice. And once it was Pablo Lopez, HIS FRIEND, and Acuña even admitted he thought it wasn’t on purpose.
Hit in other innings? Unfortunately a few too many. But people forget the Braves started it by hitting Brian Anderson 3 times over several games before the Marlins hit Acuña once. And until recently BA was hit more than Acuña. Then Acuña got hurting running.
I’m not saying it’s right they hit him, but know the whole context. The Braves hit the Marlins all the time, pre and post that Ureña v Acuña. They hit JTR like 4 times his last season here. But no one in the league cared about that .
Sanchez should really become the closer for them. Too many injuries and a lot of Starting Pitching depth for the Fish. To me it’s no brainer.
The Marlins have to make sure that they have a long-term replacement in the rotation first. His health is definitely something that says send him to the bullpen, but we saw Edward Cabrera last year who the same case can be made because he looks good for a couple of innings, then not.
We’ll see.
Meyer looks like a stud and should be in the rotation by June. Maybe Luzardo turns it around. If they moved Cabrera and Sanchez that would be a dynamite pen for the 8th and 9th inning.
Nah they won’t move both. Not until Eury and Eder are ready or very close. Cabrera has been healthy but ineffective which is better that pretty effective but never healthy.
Sixto as closer isn’t the worst idea depending how he plays out. Right now Bender needs to be closer.
Sixto needs to lay off the mangu with extra fried cheese and salami and focus on staying healthy for a full season.
A person 6’-0” 234 is considered clinically obese, regardless of age and fitness level. It’s no wonder he’s frequently injured.
If you check his Instagram over the offseason he looks fantastic and has been working out hard. Which is why he said he is 100%. He will probably always have a little pouch but he looked real good not long ago. He has work to do but he’s not the Sixto of the Phillies
If this guy doesnt pan out, we wont have one decent big league player to show from the Yelich/Realmuto/Stanton trades. Thank you Captain #Respect
We got rid of Stanton’s contract. Everything from after that in that trade is a bonus.
We gifted Stanton to the Yankees.
Agreed, could’ve gotten a 4th OF or a bullpen arm at least though.
@MarlinsFanBase
Your take on every opinion on this thread is incredibly one sided. You can’t and don’t know as half much as you claim to. Take a breath. Have a Snickers.
Cause he is right. Getting Stanton’s contract away was amazing and so far STILL looks like a brilliant move.
Is He any relation to Sixto Lezcano?? asking for a friend