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Marlins Select Shaun Anderson

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The Marlins announced that they have selected right-hander Shaun Anderson to their roster. Right-hander George Soriano has been optioned to Triple-A Jacksonville in a corresponding move. The club already had a 40-man vacancy.

The Marlins got steamrolled by Shohei Ohtani and the Dodgers yesterday, eventually losing 20-4. Six guys took the mound to get through the game, including two position players. They had also used four pitchers on Wednesday and six on Tuesday, leaving the staff fairly taxed.

Anderson, 29, signed a minor league deal with the Rangers in April. He had a brief stint on their roster in May and was flipped to the Marlins for cash after being designated for assignment. He spent the next few weeks being frequently shuttled back and forth between the Marlins and the Jumbo Shrimp, though he was outrighted off the 40-man in August.

Between the Marlins and Rangers, he has tossed 14 major league innings this year but allowed 15 earned runs in that time for an unsightly 9.64 ERA. Naturally, his minor league numbers have been better. He’s logged 63 Triple-A innings between the two organizations with a flat 3.00 ERA, 23.4% strikeout rate and 5.9% walk rate.

The Fish are well out of contention but Anderson will give them a fresh arm as they play out the string on the season. He has been optioned four times already this season, meaning he can be optioned down once more before the year is out, if the Marlins need to shake up their pitching staff again in the coming days. He’ll be out of options next year.

Marlins Outright Jonathan Bermúdez

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Left-hander Jonathan Bermúdez has been sent outright to Triple-A Jacksonville, according to his transactions tracker at MLB.com. That indicates he cleared waivers after being designated for assignment last week. He has the right to elect free agency though it’s not yet clear if he has chosen to do so.

Bermúdez, 28, has been on and off the Marlins’ roster over the past few weeks. He was first selected to the Miami 40-man on August 25, but was designated for assignment a few days later. He passed through waivers in early September and accepted an outright assignment to Jacksonville, getting selected back to the roster a few days later. His second stint on the roster, like the first, resulted in him being designated for assignment after a few days.

Around those transactions, Bermúdez has been able to make his major league debut, though in limited fashion. He has tossed 6 2/3 innings over three appearances, allowing six earned runs via 11 hits, including two home runs. He has also given out two walks and hit two batters while striking out four.

When not in the majors, he has thrown 74 2/3 innings at the Double-A level over 14 starts, putting up a strong 2.53 ERA there. He has also thrown 23 2/3 Triple-A innings but with a 6.46 ERA, that coming across three starts and three long relief outings.

All players with three years of service time or a previous career outright have the ability to elect free agency rather than accepting another outright assignment. Bermúdez spent some time on the 40-man rosters of the Astros and Giants in 2021-22. Though he didn’t make his major league debut back then, he did get outrighted by the Giants and earn the right to reject future outright assignments. But he accepted an outright with the Marlins just a few weeks ago and could perhaps do so again.

The Marlins would likely be happy if he does indeed accept again. Their pitching staff has been shattered by injuries this year, with ten hurlers currently on the injured list. The Fish are not in contention but still have two weeks of the season to get through and might need Bermúdez on the roster again before the offseason arrives.

Marlins Designate Jonathan Bermudez For Assignment

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The Marlins announced a series of roster moves today, most notably designating lefty Jonathan Bermudez for assignment in order to clear roster space for righty Jeff Lindgren, whose contract has been selected from Triple-A Jacksonville. Miami also placed righty John McMillon on the 15-day injured list due to tightness in his right elbow. McMillon’s roster spot will be filled by righty Michael Petersen, whom the Fish claimed from the Dodgers earlier this week and who’ll now jump right onto the big league roster.

As Craig Mish of SportsGrid and the Miami Herald points out (on X), once either Lindgren or Petersen take the mound for the Marlins, the team will set a new major league record for most players used in a single season. They’re currently tied with the 2019 Mariners at 69 players. It’d be somewhat poetic if Petersen gets the distinction, as Miami announced he’ll wear No. 70 with the club.

Bermudez, 28, joined the Marlins on a minor league deal in April 2023. The former Astros draftee had been released by the Giants prior to that deal. He’s pitched 6 2/3 innings this season, his first career action at the MLB level, and allowed six runs on 11 hits and a pair of walks with four strikeouts. He’s had a rough showing in Jacksonville, too, logging a 6.46 ERA in 24 2/3 frames.

Bermudez has worked more in the bullpen this season than in years past. He spent the 2023 campaign in the Double-A rotation for the Marlins, where he made 18 starts and posted a 4.58 ERA in 94 1/3 innings. Bermudez punched out 26.6% of his opponents there against a 9.5% walk rate. The former 23rd-round pick (2018) briefly snuck onto the back end of Baseball America’s top-30 Astros prospects back in 2022, but he’s taken some steps back since that point.

Lindgren, 27, pitched seven innings for the Marlins last year in his MLB debut but was eventually removed from the 40-man roster. He’s been hit hard in the upper minors this year, combining for 75 2/3 innings of 6.19 ERA ball between Double-A and Triple-A.

Since he’s been working out of the Jacksonville rotation, he’s stretched out for multiple innings of relief if needed. The Marlins’ pitching staff is in shambles following injuries to Jesus Luzardo, Eury Perez, Braxton Garrett, Max Meyer, Ryan Weathers, Calvin Faucher and Andrew Nardi, among others (plus trades of Trevor Rogers, Tanner Scott, A.J. Puk, Bryan Hoeing, JT Chargois and Huascar Brazoban). Lindgren can fill any role necessary down the stretch but will likely be removed from the 40-man once again at some point.

Blue Jays Claim Brett De Geus, Designate Yerry Rodriguez

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The Blue Jays have claimed righty Brett de Geus off waivers from the Marlins and designated fellow right-hander Yerry Rodriguez for assignment in a corresponding move, the team announced Thursday. De Geus has been optioned to Triple-A. Miami had designated him for assignment earlier this week.

De Geus, 26, only pitched 5 2/3 innings for the Marlins. He surrendered four runs on seven hits and two walks with four punchouts during that brief look. They’re the second team of the year for the former Rule 5 pick, as he also pitched 3 1/3 innings of one-run ball with Seattle. He’s previously pitched with both the Rangers and Diamondbacks but sports an ugly 7.17 ERA in 59 major league frames. De Geus has fanned a well below-average 16.9% of his opponents in the majors against a 9.7% walk rate that’s about one percentage point higher than the average reliever.

Though he hasn’t had success in the majors or in Triple-A (7.09 ERA in 47 innings), de Geus has gotten looks from several clubs over the years. Teams clearly like his raw stuff. He sits 96.4 mph with his sinker, per Statcast, and regularly posts huge ground-ball rates because of that power offering and its movement. That sinker has still generally been hit fairly hard, but he has more intriguing swing data against his slate of secondary offerings: a cutter, knuckle curve and seldom-used splitter. For now, he’ll add a fresh arm to a Blue Jays bullpen that has been a major weakness this season.

As for the 26-year-old Rodriguez, he’ll now head to waivers. As with de Geus in Miami, he saw only a brief look with the Jays — and it didn’t go well. In 4 2/3 innings for Toronto, Rodriguez was torched for nine runs (eight earned) on 10 hits and a pair of walks. He punched out five of the 27 batters he faced (18.5%).

The Jays acquired Rodriguez from the Rangers in exchange for minor league righty Josh Mollerus earlier this summer after Rodriguez had been designated by Texas. The hard-throwing righty missed nearly a month of action in Triple-A on the injured list following the trade, and in five healthy innings there he’s walked nine batters. Rodriguez’s high-end velocity could hold appeal to another club, but he’s had a rough year both in Triple-A and the big leagues — his third season with some major league time. Overall, Rodriguez owns an 8.17 ERA in 36 1/3 MLB frames.

Marlins Claim Michael Petersen, Designate Brett De Geus

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The Marlins announced Tuesday that they’ve claimed right-hander Michael Petersen off waivers from the Dodgers. Fellow righty Brett de Geus was designated for assignment to open a spot on the 40-man roster.

Petersen made his big league debut at 30 years old this season, pitching 14 innings for L.A. and recording a 6.43 ERA with a 17.2% strikeout rate and 12.5% walk rate. He’d joined the Dodgers on a minor league deal after spending the rest of his career in the minor league systems of the Brewers and Rockies.

Though Petersen’s brief big league run didn’t turn heads, he was excellent with the Dodgers’ Triple-A club in Oklahoma City, pitching to a 1.64 ERA with a massive 35.2% strikeout rate and tidy 6.4% walk rate in 33 innings of relief. The towering 6’7″ righty sits 97 mph with his four-seamer and complements that with an upper-80s cutter. He’s in the first of three option years, as the 2024 season marked the first time his contract has been selected to a big league roster.

The 26-year-old de Geus pitched 5 2/3 innings with Miami and was tagged for four earned runs on seven hits and a pair of walks with four strikeouts. He’s also suited up for the Mariners this season (3 1/3 innings, one run) and has previously pitched in the majors with the Rangers and D-backs. Overall, the former Rule 5 pick has 59 big league innings with a 7.17 ERA. 16.9% strikeout rate and 9.7% walk rate. Now that he’s been designated for assignment, he’ll head to waivers and be made available to the other 29 teams. Because he’s been outrighted in the past, de Geus can reject a minor league assignment if he clears. Even if he accepts, he can become a minor league free agent at season’s end.

Mariners Claim Austin Kitchen, DFA Jason Vosler

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The Mariners have claimed left-hander Austin Kitchen off waivers from the Marlins, per a team announcement out of Miami. In a corresponding move, Seattle has designated first baseman Jason Vosler for assignment.

Kitchen, 27, was designated for assignment over the weekend after a brief, but meaningful, stint with the Marlins. The club claimed him off waivers from the Rockies in June, and he made his MLB debut at the end of July. Unfortunately, his first few tastes of big league action in Miami weren’t particularly successful; he gave up 12 runs (11 earned) over seven innings before his DFA. On the bright side, he has a 2.96 ERA and 3.74 FIP across 48 2/3 minor league innings this season split between the Rockies and Marlins organizations.

The left-hander will now report to the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers. He will not be eligible to pitch for Seattle in the postseason, but he offers a bit of additional depth down the stretch. What’s more, he still has two option years remaining, so if the Mariners like what they see from Kitchen, they could easily choose to keep him around in 2025.

Vosler, 31, played 10 games with the Mariners this season during a brief call-up between mid-July and early August. He went 5-for-28 with a .519 OPS. However, he has looked much better at Triple-A, batting .299 with 28 home runs and a .934 OPS in 111 games. Despite his minor league success, he did not have a path to meaningful playing time in Seattle, so it’s not too surprising to see him cut from the 40-man roster. It’s likely he clears waivers, after which he will presumably elect free agency, either right away or at the end of the season. Vosler has played for five different organizations, including three at the MLB level, over a professional career that has spanned more than ten years.

Marlins Announce 11 Roster Moves

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The Marlins announced a whopping 11 roster moves in advance of today’s game with the Phillies.  Right-handers Max Meyer and Calvin Faucher were each placed on the 15-day injured list, with Meyer’s placement due to right shoulder bursitis retroactive to September 4, and Faucher’s placement due to right shoulder impingement syndrome retroactive to September 5.  Derek Hill was also placed on the 10-day IL with a retroactive September 5 date, as the outfielder is dealing with a left shoulder impingement.  Left-hander Andrew Nardi’s season is officially over after a move to the 60-day injured list, while left-hander Austin Kitchen was designed for assignment and right-hander Anthony Maldonado was optioned to Triple-A Jacksonville.

With the departures completed, here is the list of players joining Miami’s active roster.  Righty Anthony Bender was reinstated from the 15-day IL, and right-handers George Soriano and Lake Bachar were called up from Triple-A.  Also up from Jacksonville are left-hander Jonathan Bermudez and utilityman Javier Sanoja, whose contracts selected to the big league roster.  Daniel Alvarez-Montes of El Extra Base reported (via X) earlier today that Sanoja was being promoted for his Major League debut, while Isaac Azout of Fish On First initially reported (links to X) that Meyer was headed to the IL and that Bermudez and Bachar were being promoted.

Meyer had been scheduled to start Sunday, but he’ll now hit the IL in the latest of a seemingly unending parade of injuries to Miami starters.  While more will be known about Meyer’s situation later today, it stands to reason that the Marlins could shut down the 25-year-old both due to this injury concern, and the club’s overall plan to limit Meyer’s workload this season.  Between 57 innings in the majors and 58 innings in the minors, Meyer had done a pretty good job of rebuilding his arm strength after missing all of 2023 due to a Tommy John surgery.

In terms of on-field results, Meyer has a 5.68 ERA over his 57 frames in the Show.  His 50% grounder rate is very strong and his 7.7% walk rate is around league average, but has allowed a ton of hard contact and struck out only 18.5% of opposing batters.  Such struggles aren’t unexpected for a player in his first extended taste of MLB action, as Meyer’s only big league experience prior this season was a two-game cup of coffee in 2022 prior to his TJ procedure.

In addition to Meyer, it is worth speculating if Faucher or Hill might also be shut down for the remainder of 2024, given the late date on the calendar.  The Marlins turned in this direction with Nardi, who only went to the 15-day IL a couple of weeks ago, and manager Skip Schumaker seemed optimistic at the time of the 15-day placement about the chances of Nardi returning before the end of September.  Instead, Nardi’s season is done after posting a 5.07 ERA over 49 2/3 innings, though a set of impressive Statcast metrics and a 2.79 SIERA indicates that Nardi was among the more unlucky pitchers in the league.

Faucher has been one of the few bright spots for Miami this season, as the righty has overcome a .345 BABIP and a lot of walks to post a 3.19 ERA and 26.8% strikeout rate in 53 2/3 relief innings.  The Marlins opted against trading Faucher amidst their many moves at the trade deadline, and instead installed him at closer after Tanner Scott was dealt to the Padres.

Soriano’s one save makes him the only player on Miami’s active roster with any saves this season, so the Marlins could turn to a committee to handle the ninth inning for the rest of the season.  Bender (in only his third MLB season) has the most experience of anyone in Miami’s bullpen and might be the favorite to close games now that he has recovered from the shoulder impingement that has sidelined him for the last four weeks.  Bender has a 49.2% grounder rate and above-average strikeout and walk rates, and is another Marlins pitcher whose real ERA (4.00) isn’t quite as reflective of how well he has pitched in 2024.

Bermudez returns to the big leagues after he was designated for assignment and then outrighted just within the last week.  He’ll take over the 40-man roster spot left open by Kitchen, who is also heading to the DFA wire for the second time this season.  The southpaw was designated by the Rockies in June and then quickly snapped up by Miami on a waiver claim.

Kitchen made his Major League debut on July 30 and thus far has only a 14.14 ERA to show for his seven innings and four games as a big leaguer.  Six of his 11 earned runs allowed came just yesterday in Miami’s 16-2 loss to the Phillies, as Kitchen had to make a short-notice start when Edward Cabrera was a late scratch due to migraine-like symptoms.  Kitchen is a grounder specialist with good control, and while he has pitched pretty well in the minors, his lack of strikeouts could put a ceiling on his effectiveness against MLB hitters.

Hill has hit .238/.262/.427 over 151 plate appearances with the Marlins, Giants, and Rangers this season, with the 151 PA representing a new career high over Hill’s five seasons in the Show.  Beginning the year on minors deal with Texas, he then went to the Giants for a brief stint after one waiver claim, and Miami again claimed him off waivers just over a month ago.  The Marlins had plenty of holes to fill in the outfield after their trade deadline selloff, and Hill took advantage with some regular work in center field and a few appearances in left.

Sanoja was an international signing for the Marlins in July 2019, and over four minor league seasons has emerged as an extreme contact hitter, with only 136 strikeouts in 1783 PA in Miami’s farm system.  A lack of power has limited what Sanoja has done with that contact, but between his speed and his knack for getting the bat on the ball, he has hit .291/.354/.431 over 492 Triple-A PA in 2024.  Sanoja has stolen 83 bases in 126 attempts in the minors, so there is some extra baserunning potential there if Sanoja can become more efficient with his steals rate.  Defensively, Sanoja is considered to fit best as a second baseman, but he is a decent enough fielder that he can play all over the diamond, so this versatility gives him more of a chance to stick in the Show.

The Marlins figure to use Sanoja at multiple positions during his time on the roster, though the team probably wishes he could pitch, given their larger needs on the mound.  Some reinforcements might be coming before the season is over, as Ryan Weathers and Braxton Garrett have each started minor league rehab assignments.  Neither hurler has pitched since June, as Weathers has been dealing with a finger sprain and Garrett with a flexor strain in his left forearm.

Marlins Outright Ali Sanchez, Kent Emanuel

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Marlins catcher Ali Sanchez and left-hander Kent Emanuel both went unclaimed on waivers following their recent DFAs and have been assigned outright to Triple-A Jacksonville, per the team’s transaction log at MLB.com. Both players can reject the assignment in favor of free agency if they choose, as is their right as players who’ve been previously outrighted in their careers.

Sanchez, 27, appeared in 31 games with the Fish and tallied 96 plate appearances. It was his third season with at least some big league action and by far the most playing time he’s received in the majors to date. Miami picked him up in a cash deal with the Cubs after Sanchez hit .240/.338/.388 in 41 games with Chicago’s Triple-A affiliate, but the journeyman backstop only managed a .167/.211/.190 batting line during his brief run with the Marlins.

While Sanchez hasn’t hit in 110 big league plate appearances, he’s played in parts of five Triple-A seasons and owns a lifetime .270/.344/.400 batting line at that level. As far as catchers go, that’s solid production, particularly given his massive 40% caught-stealing rate and typically above-average framing marks in Triple-A (via Baseball Prospectus). Even if Sanchez accepts his assignment to Jacksonville, he can become a minor league free agent at season’s end. He should draw plenty of interest as a depth option on a minor league deal this winter, given his defensive skills and offensive track record at the Triple-A level.

Emanuel, 32, has now been designated for assignment and outrighted to Jacksonville a stunning five times this season by the Marlins. He’s pitched 17 2/3 innings in the majors and yielded a 6.62 ERA over his five stints with Miami this season. He’s had similar results in Jacksonville, recording a 6.15 ERA, 19.2% strikeout rate and 5.8% walk rate in 45 1/3 innings.

Some may wonder why Emanuel continues to stick with the Marlins organization, but the two parties clearly have a good relationship and understanding as to how he’ll be utilized. And while a massive slate of five DFAs in a single season doesn’t exactly sound appealing, Emanuel is a journeyman lefty who has picked up 46 days of major league service time and pay this season. That’s $183K on top of his minor league earnings this season.

It’s not exactly uncommon to see minor league veterans in this type of up-and-down role willing to ride the DFA/outright carousel, knowing full well that they’ll be at or near the top of the list the next time the club needs a short-term fresh arm. The Marlins used lefty Devin Smeltzer in a similar role last year, and we’ve seen other teams like the Guardians (Anthony Gose) and Yankees (Ryan Weber, David Hale) adopt the approach over the years.

Blue Jays Claim Emmanuel Ramírez, Designate José Cuas

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The Blue Jays have claimed right-hander Emmanuel Ramírez off waivers from the Marlins, per announcements from both clubs. The Fish had designated him for assignment earlier this week. The Jays announced that Ramírez has been optioned to Triple-A Buffalo and that fellow righty José Cuas has been designated for assignment as the corresponding move.

Ramírez, 30, made his big league debut with the Marlins this season but pitched to a rough 6.97 ERA in 20 2/3 innings out of the Miami bullpen. He’s been considerably better with their Triple-A affiliate in Jacksonville, recording a 3.76 ERA, 30.5% strikeout rate and 9.6% walk rate in 40 2/3 frames. He posted similar numbers in a 2023 season split between the Yankees’ Double-A and Triple-A affiliates.

Ramírez has averaged 93.9 mph on his four-seamer and paired that with a splitter and lesser-used slider to round out a three-pitch repertoire. He has a full slate of minor league options remaining, despite his age, so he could be a flexible depth arm for the Jays next season if they opt to keep him on the 40-man roster. For now, he’ll get an audition in the final three-plus weeks of regular-season play.

Cuas, also 30, was a waiver claim out of the Cubs organization earlier in the summer. He wound up pitching only three MLB innings with the Jays and allowing three runs. The rest of his time in the organization came in Triple-A Buffalo, where he was roughed up for a dozen runs in 15 2/3 innings of work.

From 2022-23, Cuas was a solid, if command-challenged reliever who notched a 3.84 ERA in 103 innings between the Royals and Cubs. Kansas City traded him to Chicago in a ’23 deadline swap that sent designated hitter/outfielder Nelson Velázquez back to the Royals. Cuas posted good results down the stretch with the Cubs despite a high walk rate, but the glut of free passes caught up to him this season. He’s walked at least 12% of his opponents in all three of his big league seasons and also plunked an alarming 3.2% of the batters he’s faced. In 17 1/3 innings this year, Cuas has a 7.71 ERA.

Cuas will now head to waivers, where all 29 other clubs will have the chance to claim him. He has a minor league option remaining beyond the current season and has demonstrated an ability to miss bats in bunches in spite of pedestrian velocity, thanks largely to a sweeper that generates huge whiff rates.

Daniel Castano Announces Retirement

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Left-handed pitcher Daniel Castano announced his retirement via a post on his personal Instagram account. “After 25 Baseball seasons, 9 years pro, 3 in college, 4 in HS, and 10 years of little league, I’m finally hanging up the cleats and for my more important career in life,” the post reads. “To be a loving Husband, father, friend, churchman and employee.” He goes on to thank the many people who helped him on his journey and mentions he will be pivoting to a role with Entrusted Contracting.

As Castano himself mentioned, his baseball journey had many stops. He pitched at Lake Travis High School in Austin, Texas, which then led him to Baylor University. He pitched three seasons for the Bears before the Cardinals selected him in the 19th round of the 2016 draft.

Just over a year later, Castano was flipped to the Marlins. Zac Gallen, Sandy Alcántara, Magneuris Sierra and Castano were sent to Miami in the December 2017 trade that sent Marcell Ozuna to St. Louis. Castano made it to the big leagues with the Fish in 2020, the first of four straight major league campaigns in which he appeared. He logged 88 2/3 frames over those four seasons, allowing 4.47 earned runs per nine. His 12.4% strikeout rate wasn’t especially strong but he limited walks to a 7.9% clip and kept 45.2% of balls in play on the ground.

The Marlins shuffled Castano on and off their roster in 2023 but he wasn’t holding a 40-man spot at the end of the season and became a free agent. In December, he landed a deal with the NC Dinos of the Korea Baseball Organization. He made 19 starts for the Dinos this year, posting a 4.35 ERA in 111 2/3 innings. At the end of July, the Dinos signed Eric Jokisch and bumped off Castano, as a KBO team can only have two non-Korean pitchers on its roster.

Now it seems Castano has decided it’s time to move on from baseball and move towards, as he puts it, his “more important career in life.” We at MLBTR salute him on carving out a big league career and we wish him the best for the upcoming chapters of his life.

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