Injuries are piling up for the Marlins pitching staff. Entering the spring, the Marlins knew they would have to survive the 2024 season without ace Sandy Alcantara. With Opening Day less than two weeks away, they could also be without Braxton Garrett, Edward Cabrera, and Eury Pérez. Thankfully for manager Skip Schumaker, Miami has rotation depth. That said, with so many injuries all at once, the depth is starting to run out.
Jesús Luzardo will lead the rotation this season. Trevor Rogers hasn’t looked the same since his All-Star rookie campaign in 2021, but he has big league experience and a healthy arm. So does Ryan Weathers. In addition, the Marlins are stretching out former closer A.J. Puk and preparing him for a starting role. Still, that’s only four of the five rotations spots accounted for. If all three of Garrett, Cabrera, and Pérez start the season on the IL, the Marlins will need one more starting pitcher.
Yonny Chirinos, currently in camp on a minor league contract, is an option. He has five years of big league experience, although he has only made 38 starts at the MLB level. The right-hander struggled in nine starts with the Rays and Braves last season, giving up 38 earned runs in 43 1/3 innings of work. Devin Smeltzer is another NRI with recent experience starting in the majors. Over the past two seasons, he has made 13 starts (66 2/3 IP) with a 3.92 ERA. Unfortunately, his 5.54 ERA as an MLB reliever and 6.82 ERA in the minors during that time put a damper on his respectable numbers out of the big league rotation. The Marlins’ 40-man roster is full, so the team would have to make a corresponding move to select either Chirinos or Smeltzer.
Given all the question marks surrounding the back end of Miami’s rotation, fans have begun to wonder if top prospect Max Meyer could make the Opening Day roster. Meyer has already been optioned to minor league camp, and as he makes his way back from Tommy John surgery, it seemed like the Marlins were going to take things slowly with the 25-year-old right-hander. However, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald recently asked Schumaker if Meyer could make the big league rotation out of camp. The manager replied: “I think everyone’s on the table.”
That’s far from a guarantee Meyer will make the Opening Day rotation. Still, it’s worth noting that Schumaker didn’t shut down the possibility. Meyer struggled in his brief big league cup of coffee two years ago, but there’s a reason he was the third-overall pick in the 2020 draft, and there’s a reason he remains a top prospect despite the fact that he hasn’t pitched since August 2022. Even if he doesn’t make the Opening Day roster, none of Miami’s other depth options will stand in his way once he proves he’s ready for a big league role.
In addition to Meyer, Chirinos, and Smeltzer, McPherson mentions Bryan Hoeing as another possibility for the Marlins rotation. Like Meyer, Hoeing is already on the 40-man roster; unlike Meyer, Hoeing is still in big league camp. Hoeing doesn’t have Meyer’s upside, and he profiles more as a long man out of the bullpen. Still, he’ll be capable of eating innings until Meyer is ready for a call-up or one of the injured arms is ready to return.
Poor Marlins Get em boyz
Sign Zack Greinke to a league minimum deal. It will take Greinke about nine starts of four innings each to reach 3000 strikeouts. After nine starts hopefully one of the other guys will be ready to return e.g. Braxton or Cabrera.
Schumaker: “Everyone’s On The Table” For Marlins Opening Day Rotation & yes that includes Jackie. Ahahaha!
The Ng curse is real.
The old Chinese curse: “May you live in interesting times.”
Except she’s Thai.
If you know anything about the Far East, they have stolen a lot of things from the Chinese. A Japanese friend of mine would add “and made it better.”
Ng is Vietnamese?
She was born in Indiana. Both parents of Chinese descent but mom born in Thailand. Took two seconds to find that and I’m an old guy.
GetReal
She was born in Indiana and her parents are of Chinese descent. One parent born in USA and other in Thailand.
Hoosier curse?
Ng is Cantonese equivalent of Mandarine Wu.
I’ll never get the origins of Asian names. Ng and Wu don’t seem related in any way to me.
Actually she’s 20% overrated, 80% PR-gimmick
Jag
Seemed to me she did a solid middle/median job not a hero not a zero. She did well to bring in Skip, made some nice trades, and did only so-so with free agents but a cheap owner made the destination a tough sell.
Ready when called on, Skip!
Team needs big league SPs. Two big arms are still left on the market and it’s not even a discussion. That’s just wrong
Darkside830 has already offered so really they only need one.
And I’m willing to take the league minimum! Someone told me another pitcher is as well but I can’t seem to remember his name…
Everyone is on the operating table…
Well, I guess I need to call work and let them know I might need time off.
Go get em !
I’ll save Bauer’s burner account some time.
“Trevor is waiting.”
Meh, not every workplace needs a toxic incel.
I agree but Bauer is neither
He’s Schumaker, not Skate Maker.
But he won’t file a lawsuit. I guarantee it.
Papelbon actually offered to pay Bauer’s minimum wage MLB salary if a team signs him.
Yeah at least Bauer has never choked Bryce Harper.
Maybe if Bryce ran out his tired arse, a World Series Champion with 25 straight postseason scoreless innings pitched wouldn’t have had to tell him what it means to be a professional.
Honestly, Papelbon was absolutely RIGHT, so crap off.
Papelbon is no model teammate, but he’s never been accused of a crime.
@DarkSide830 If I wanted to I could go down to the local precinct and accuse Jonathan Papelbon of a crime right now.
Trade with Tigers. They have depth. Manning would be a good pick up
What does the Marlins have the Tigers would want?
It’s not difficult to me – of the remaining pitchers, Luzardo is the best choice.
Is that the training table?
Just kidding. Sorry Marlins fans. Been there, done that, no daggone t-shirt though.
Sole, Welt, Tongue, Laces, Heel, Collar,Vamp, Quarter, Eyelet, Throat, Toe Box all on the table for Skip.
Everyone except sixto Sanchez apparently. And he’s out of options
Might as well run him out there. How much harm could it do at this point?
No need to waste any of Sixto’s bullets in the minors.
Sixto has no wear and tear in his arm, if he’s out of shape, then throwing him out there will get him into shape. If everything is on the table, then this should be option.
If Sixto’s arm is too bad just let him throw with the other arm. High draft pick coming soon.
More depth than the Mets. I think Marlins get third place, Mets fourth.
There is always a possibility but it will be by design of the Mets. They’ve got a bunch of expiring contracts which could be flipped for prospects and lower their CBT obligations at the same time. Mets will be well below the CBT after the WS so they’re in a good position.
That is a good point.
We need a new contest here which you place the number of players to start the season on the injured list. My guess is 105 for both leagues. Sad but it is the reality of the game today. There is no such thing as having too much depth.
Everybody’s on the operating table in the Marlins starting rotation.
I hope that it’s a really well-built table…
Give Avi Garcia a shot on the mound. He has a good arm and he already hits like a pitcher.
They should sign Bauer for league minimum. I know people won’t agree but he was cleared of wrongdoing. He also says if someone gives him another opportunity he would work with the younger guys.. He has always been a great teammate. Just my opinion…
Cleared or not, it is a serious gamble to have someone like Bauer on a team with a bunch of young players – especially in close vicinity of young pitchers.
Stottlemyre has the Marlins pitchers learning for the last few years, and Sandy Alcantara has been with the team doing his rehab and coninuing his guidance of the younger pupils.
I’ll take a very hard pass.
Let Bauer go join Yasiel Puig on the Wal*Mart Whammers.
JamesRob
Why would a team hire a pitcher who is known to choke under pressure?
NO James, he wasn’t cleared of wrongdoing. His actions were so bad that he received a season long suspension. The judge presiding over the case stated blunt that the prosecuting attorneys didn’t prove beyond all doubt that Bauer was guilty and since proof puts criminals in prison, Bauer walked due to the absence of proof. He said – she said isn’t beyond doubt evidence in the courtroom, but Bauer still has cases on the docket from other women and as long as the situation can put him in prison, it is obvious why teams avoid him like the plague. To reinstate a known sexual offender, rapist, and sexual abuser would see the league have to rip up the document that suspends sexual molesters. They would have to reinstate all criminals and the players could then whatever they want with NO punishment.
Wrong. This case never even got close to a Judge. The DA’s office scoured the investigation and returned it to the police department with a big red REJECT stamp on it.
@Ashleyr Bauer has no criminal cases on the docket. He has one outstanding civil case which somehow managed to be even less convincing than Lindsey Hill. And how freaking dare you refer to Bauer as a “known sexual offender, rapist, and sexual abuser.” I hope he sues you next.
Nobody in MLB is ever signing Bauer. EVER!! Ahahaha!
Oh and why not?
There’s no reason for Max Meyer to not be given a spot in the rotation now. When Yonny Chirinos is one of your only other options, then you have to give the young guy with upside a chance.
Or Meyer could get a little more seasoning in the minors as he fully shows he’s bounced back from his tjs. My opinion is they should start sixto Sanchez. Idk why he isn’t considered an option, he was a promising young arm there for a minute.
The Tigers should trade Harris to the Mets for Jett Williams.
Trade Greenberg as well for a Ptbnl.
Hire Ng and rehire Al Avila.
Hire the Superfife.
Solve problems.
You should take Avi Garcia back. We’ll give you a good price for him.
@BannedMarlinsFanBase
Or if no one wants the useless, washed-up fat cat, then Bruce Sherman should make that bold move and direct the front office to pay off his contract. Release him and open another roster spot for a REAL BALLPLAYER. Someone like Troy Johnston, Dane Myers or Xavier Edwards. A guy who could actually help the team win ballgames. In a perfect world, maybe. But it may yet happen.
It looks like it’s going to happen soon. We are on Avi DFA Watch. If he gets off to a slow start in April (very likely), don’t be surprised that by May 1st his time with the Marlins is done.
Avi Garcia and Javi Baez both have the stench of Christ Davis all over their performances after they got paid.
@BannedMarlinsFanBase
LOL. Chris Davis, yeah? Oh, absolutely! That’s a great comparison. Worst baseball contract of all time, without a doubt. And the Orioles never saw that one coming.
@MARLIN POWER 18
Yep, that contract hurt. I wish that the owners would stand their ground to get a provision that allows them to void a contract if a player is busted using PEDs or there’s proof that he used them prior to getting a big contract that he hasn’t lived up to. I imagine many of the clean players would support that.
MLBPA would have a hard time fighting it considering the PEDs are illegal, clean players want a level playing field, owners don’t want to be responsible for paying a contract a guy won’t be able to live up to, and then the fans would absolutely stand behind voiding out contracts of cheaters because not one fan wants their team to sign one of these guys who juice up to get a big contract, then stop after they get it. It hurts that vast majority of franchises when that happens. And I’m pretty sure that the big market teams would get burned if they end up signing more than one…which is a high possibility for them considering they have the deep pockets to dish out.
I can’t wait until Avi is gone.
@BannedMarlinsFanBase
I’m with you, brother. One hundred percent. And who knows? A concept along those lines might just gain traction once the current CBA expires. If what you’ve outlined above became reality, it would go a long way toward keeping the game we love honest.
Call me, Skip! My forkball is tumbling!!!
Is Sixto Sanchez finally healthy? He was good during his rookie year before the injuries hit.
Kind of sounds like not only everyone is on the table but you can stick a fork in them as they are done 😛