Marlins Name Janson Junk Fifth Starter, Option Braxton Garrett
The Marlins announced Friday that left-hander Braxton Garrett has been optioned to Triple-A Jacksonville. Manager Clayton McCullough confirmed to the team’s beat that righty Janson Junk will open the season as Miami’s fifth starter (via Kevin Barral of Fish On First).
Junk, 30, was always going to make the club’s roster, given last year’s solid showing and his lack of minor league options. The question was whether it’d be in the rotation or in a swing capacity. He pitched 110 innings with a 4.17 ERA, 17.2% strikeout rate, 2.9% walk rate and 40.6% grounder rate in 21 appearances last year (16 starts, five relief outings). That strikeout rate is well below average, but Junk’s walk rate was elite — the lowest among the 127 MLB pitchers who tossed at least 100 frames last year.
This spring, Junk allowed five runs in five official innings but punched out 26% of his opponents against a solid walk rate. Putting him in the rotation affords the Marlins more flexibility with regard to their bullpen composition and also gives Garrett some additional time to round back into form after missing the 2025 season due to injury.
Garrett, 28, was the No. 7 overall pick by the Marlins back in 2016. He never ranked as a top prospect and had done little to make good on that lofty draft status until a breakout showing in 2022-23. Garrett combined for 47 starts (247 2/3 innings) with a 3.63 ERA, 23.8% strikeout rate and 5.1% walk rate across those two seasons, all but solidifying a long-term rotation spot for himself — or so it seemed.
In 2024, Garrett was limited to just seven starts, during which he struggled badly (5.35 ERA). A shoulder impingement and a flexor strain necessitated separate trips to the injured list that season, and his hopes for a 2025 rebound were dashed when he required UCL surgery last spring. Garrett didn’t pitch at all last year and has been built up judiciously thus far. He’s only pitched four official innings in Grapefruit League games, though he’s gotten side work on the back fields.
This is Garrett’s final minor league option year. He’s earning $1.53MM in his second trip through the arbitration process as a Super Two player. As long as he spends even four days on the active roster this year (which seems like a given), he’ll be under club control through the 2028 season.
With Garrett opening the year in Jacksonville, Miami will begin the season with Sandy Alcantara, Eury Perez, Chris Paddack, Max Meyer and Junk in the rotation. Between Garrett’s eventual return and the likely MLB debuts for top prospects Thomas White and Robby Snelling, there could be a fair bit of turnover on that staff this year. If Miami isn’t in contention this summer, both Alcantara and Paddack will stand as natural trade chips if they’re performing well.
Poll: How Will The Marlins Round Out Their Rotation?
While the Marlins enjoyed an encouraging season in 2025 with a 79-83 record that put them on the periphery of playoff race relevance, the club is nonetheless still engaged in a multi-year rebuilding effort. This offseason, that meant trades of controllable rotation pieces in order to bring more young talent into the system. Right-hander Edward Cabrera was dealt to the Cubs for a package headlined by outfielder Owen Caissie, while lefty Ryan Weathers was shipped to the Yankees in return for a package of four prospects. Those departures from the rotation mix would be damaging to any team, but the Marlins are in position to weather the losses thanks to their exceptional pitching depth. Sandy Alcantara and Eury Perez both have ace-level ceilings at the front of the rotation. The Marlins believe Max Meyer is ready to take the step into full-time rotation work after parts of three seasons in the majors, and veteran Chris Paddack was brought in via free agency to eat innings.
That leaves four spots in the rotation accounted for. For much of the offseason the assumption had been that lefty Braxton Garrett would reclaim his spot in the rotation after missing out on the 2025 campaign due to injury. Recent reporting from Christina De Nicola of MLB.com suggests that might not be guaranteed, however. De Nicola writes that the Marlins could consider giving Garrett additional time to rehab and build up towards his return to the majors after last year’s Tommy John surgery. That could involve him beginning the year on the injured list, or even simply using his final remaining option year to send him to the minors. Garrett was incredibly impressive for Miami back in 2023, with a 3.66 ERA in 31 appearances (30 starts) and a solid 23.7% strikeout rate.
Typically, it would be a shock to see the Marlins not simply go back to the once-effective southpaw for the final spot in their rotation. With that said, however, there are some indications that the club is giving a real consideration to Garrett starting the year in the minors. The lefty did struggle a bit in the seven starts he made during the 2024 campaign when he was healthy enough to take the mound, though some grace must be given considering that those starts came with solid peripherals and in the midst of an injury-marred campaign. On the other hand, De Nicola does note that the Marlins are hoping to have Garrett make changes to his approach this year and move into the strike zone a bit more often.
That’s a change that could take some getting used to for the lefty, and simultaneously changing his philosophy as a pitcher while also rehabbing could be a tall order for one Spring Training. If there are questions about Garrett’s ability to take on that workload, starting the season in the minors could make sense. That’s especially true given that Garrett’s return from Tommy John surgery has some similarities to that of Alcantara, who struggled badly upon his return last year. The Marlins are surely hoping to do a better job positioning Garrett for success when he returns than they did with the former Cy Young award winner, and that the lefty will be able to do a lot better this year than Alcantara’s 5.36 ERA in 31 starts last season.
If Garrett were to start the season in the minors, to whom could the Marlins turn? Perhaps the most obvious choice would be right-hander Janson Junk, who served as a swingman for the Marlins last year and posted a solid 4.17 ERA in 110 innings of work (including 16 starts) with even better peripherals. De Nicola notes that manager Clayton McCullough indicated that the club views Junk as a starter, and the team has worked to stretch him out this spring in order to keep him available as an option to start games. With that said, Junk pitched much better as a reliever (2.78 ERA) than as a starter (4.53 ERA) last season and has struggled a bit during camp this spring. Some of that can be attributed to poor sequencing considering Junk’s lackluster 62.2% strand rate in games he started last year, but his strikeout rate dropping from 22.5% in relief to 15.9% when starting games is surely no coincidence.
One other option could be top prospect Robby Snelling. Snelling would be something of a surprise pick for the Marlins, but the former first-rounder and current top-100 prospect is clearly poised to make his big league debut at some point this year. He turned in a dominant year between Double- and Triple-A last year, including 11 starts of 1.27 ERA baseball at the minors’ highest level. He struck out 30.3% of his opponents between both levels, and while he’s struggled in terms of run prevention (7.56 ERA) this spring his 32.5% strikeout rate during camp has been excellent. The Marlins have rarely allowed their young starters to stick in the majors for an entire wire-to-wire big league season during their rookie year, but if the team prefers to slow-play Garrett and keep Junk in a swing role then they might be best served starting Snelling in the majors and sending him down later in the year if he struggles or the rest of the staff is healthy when Garrett is ready.
How do MLBTR readers think the Marlins will ultimately handle the fifth spot in their rotation? Will they stick with Garrett to open the year even in spite of how things went with Alcantara last year? Will they overlook Junk’s lackluster numbers when starting last year and give him a shot? Or will they turn to top prospect Snelling in spite of his mixed performance during camp? Have your say in the poll below:
Who will open the 2026 season in the Marlins' final rotation spot?
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Braxton Garrett 51% (759)
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Janson Junk 34% (511)
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Robby Snelling 15% (225)
Total votes: 1,495
Marlins’ Adam Mazur Undergoes UCL Surgery
12:05pm: Mazur underwent a UCL reconstruction (Tommy John surgery) and had an internal brace installed, reports De Nicola. The estimated timetable for his return from that hybrid procedure is 13 to 14 months.
9:00am: Marlins righty Adam Mazur will undergo elbow surgery today and miss the entire 2026 season as a result, MLB.com’s Christina De Nicola reports. Mazur wasn’t locked into Miami’s rotation but was among the top depth options in the event of an injury to one of Sandy Alcantara, Eury Pérez, Chris Paddack or likely fourth and fifth starters Max Meyer and Braxton Garrett. It’s not yet clear which type of procedure he’ll require. Mazur recently reported elbow discomfort to the team and was quickly sent for an evaluation with renowned surgeon Keith Meister.
Mazur, 24, came to the Marlins alongside infielder Graham Pauley, top pitching prospect Robby Snelling and minor league infielder Jay Beshears in the 2024 trade that sent lefty Tanner Scott and righty Bryan Hoeing to the Padres. He’s a 2022 second-rounder who posted big numbers up through the Double-A level but has run into some trouble at both the Triple-A level (5.03 ERA, 168 1/3 innings) and in more limited major league work (6.22 ERA, 63 2/3 innings).
In 2025, Mazur split the season between Triple-A Jacksonville and Miami, tossing 107 1/3 innings with a 4.36 ERA at the former and 30 innings with a 4.80 ERA with the latter. He turned in solid strikeout and walk rates in Jacksonville but was far too homer-prone to keep his ERA down. Homers were less of an issue in his six big league starts, but he recorded a bottom-of-the-barrel 13.7% strikeout rate in his 30 MLB frames.
Having traded Edward Cabrera to the Cubs and Ryan Weathers to the Yankees, the Marlins entered camp with Alcantara, Pérez and free agent signee Paddack locked into rotation spots. Meyer and Garrett have both pitched only four official spring innings, but they’re both former top-10 picks and top prospects who have experienced success in the majors previously.
Garrett notched a 3.63 ERA in 247 2/3 innings from 2022-23 before a 2024 UCL surgery wiped out his entire 2025 season. Meyer has a 5.29 ERA in 25 career starts but has had big starts to his season in both 2024 and 2025. Miami optioned him in 2024 despite that big start, keeping him down for months and leaving Meyer six days shy of the service time he’d have needed to be a free agent following the 2028 season instead of the 2029 season. In 2025, a hip injury surfaced and eventually required season-ending surgery.
Depth options on the 40-man roster include swingman Janson Junk (4.17 ERA, 110 innings in 2025), Ryan Gusto (acquired from the Astros in last summer’s Jesús Sánchez trade), Bradley Blalock (acquired from the Rockies in January) and 2020 second-rounder Dax Fulton (healthy again after multiple injuries, including a June 2023 internal brace procedure). The aforementioned Snelling and fellow left-hander Thomas White are the two most notable rotation arms in waiting; both rank among baseball’s top 100 prospects, but neither has needed to be added to the 40-man roster just yet. That’ll very likely change in ’26, as both are considered nearly MLB-ready. White is the more touted of the two but has a bit less experience in the upper minors, given his status as a 2024 draftee compared to Snelling, a 2023 draftee.
Since Mazur is on the 40-man roster, has big league experience and was in major league camp at the time of injury, he’ll be placed on the major league injured list. If and when Miami needs an additional 40-man roster spot, he’ll be placed on the 60-day IL. Mazur will accrue a full year of service time and retain the lone minor league option year he has remaining. Miami will be able to control him via arbitration through at least the 2031 season.
Marlins Notes: Meyer, Garrett, First Base
With Spring Training on the horizon, the Marlins are hosting their annual FanFest today at LoanDepot Park. The club’s rotation was underwhelming last year outside of Eury Pérez and the since-traded Edward Cabrera, but today’s events offered updates on two key figures for 2026 in Max Meyer and Braxton Garrett.
Meyer spoke to reporters about his rehab from left hip surgery (link via Kevin Barral of Fish On First). He underwent the procedure for a labrum tear back in June. In October, general manager Peter Bendix told reporters that Meyer would be ready for Spring Training. That is indeed the case, as Meyer told reporters, “Everything feels good, how it should feel.” He added that he was able to start running halfway through his rehab and more or less followed a normal throwing program this offseason. Per manager Clayton McCullough, the team is committed to using Meyer as a starter rather than a reliever (link via Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald).
The 26-year-old right-hander was the Marlins’ first-round draft pick in 2020. Since debuting in 2022, he has thrown 127 2/3 innings over 25 starts with a 5.29 ERA, a 21.5% strikeout rate, and a 7.3% walk rate. While his 49.4% groundball rate is strong, Meyer also allows a lot of hard contact. His average exit velocity of 91.2 MPH and 47.8% hard-hit rate are both worse than average. He’s particularly struggled to keep the ball in the yard, allowing 1.97 home runs per nine innings in his career.
Meyer’s 2025 consisted of a 4.73 ERA in 64 2/3 innings before the aforementioned hip surgery. That workload was actually a career-high for Meyer, who missed the latter half of 2022 and all of 2023 due to Tommy John surgery. That said, he is still young, inexpensive, and a former Top-100 prospect. He’ll continue to get his chances in the rotation, though a full starter’s workload would be quite a reach even if he stays healthy.
The 28-year-old Garrett underwent an internal brace procedure on his throwing elbow in January 2025 and missed the entire season. He previously made just seven starts in 2024 before missing most of that season with a flexor strain and general elbow soreness. Per Jackson, Garrett is now healthy and will compete for a mid-rotation spot, with Sandy Alcantara and Pérez being locks at the front of the rotation.
Like Meyer, Garrett is a former first-round draft pick – No. 7 overall in 2016. Garrett has the more impressive track record of the two, having established himself as a mid-rotation arm from 2022-23. He threw 247 2/3 innings in that time over 48 appearances (47 starts), posting a 3.63 ERA with a 23.8% strikeout rate and an exceptional 5.1% walk rate. Garrett also induces groundballs 48.2% of the time and excels at getting hitters to chase, ranking in at least the 76th percentile in chase rate in 2022 and 2023.
That quality production came before two injury-ruined seasons, so it is fair to wonder if Garrett can return to his previous form. Like Meyer, he probably won’t be counted on for 150+ innings. That said, just having a healthy season will be a good outcome for the Marlins, who have traded Cabrera and Ryan Weathers and are counting on a separate return to form from Alcantara. Garrett has one option year remaining, so in the worst case scenario, he can be sent to Triple-A if he needs more time after a year off.
Turning now to the position players, McCullough implied that the Marlins will have “a lot of competition for playing time” at first base in 2026 (link via Barral). He specifically mentioned that Christopher Morel is “open to giving it a shot,” with Griffin Conine and Liam Hicks also being options. Morel and Conine are surprising candidates, as neither has played first base in the majors or minors. Hicks is the only one of the three with experience at the cold corner. Eric Wagaman was the team’s primary first baseman in 2025, though he was traded to the Twins last month.
Morel was signed by the Marlins in December after being non-tendered by the Rays. He was an above-average hitter in his first two seasons from 2022-23 but has struggled more recently, grading out 10% below average by wRC+ in 2025. He has bounced around at multiple positions and hasn’t graded out well at any of them. Conine debuted in 2024 and has exclusively played the outfield. McCullough merely described him as “open-minded” about first base, so it’s possible the club will give Conine reps in Spring Training but only consider him an emergency option. The left-handed hitting Hicks batted .247/.346/.346 with a 98 wRC+ last year but was 4% better than average against righties. The club could consider a timeshare with Hicks starting against righties and the right-handed hitting Morel against southpaws.
Photo courtesy of Denis Poroy, Imagn Images
Marlins Claim Zach Brzykcy
The Marlins have claimed right-hander Zach Brzykcy off waivers from the Nationals, per a club announcement. Miami also passed right-hander Christian Roa and infielder Jack Winkler through waivers. Both were assigned outright to Triple-A Jacksonville. Additionally, the Fish reinstated lefties Braxton Garrett and Andrew Nardi and righties Anthony Bender and Max Meyer from the 60-day injured list.
Washington signed the now-26-year-old Brzykcy (pronounced brick-see) as an undrafted free agent following the truncated 2020 amateur draft. He’s seen fairly brief action in each of the past two big league seasons, allowing 32 runs in just 28 2/3 innings of relief.
Brzykcy posted strong minor league numbers in 2022 and 2024 but missed the 2023 season due to Tommy John surgery. His 2025 results with Rochester weren’t any better than they were in the majors, but in ’24 he logged 35 1/3 innings with a 2.04 ERA, a 33.1% strikeout rate and a 10.8% walk rate across four levels as he worked his way back from that ligament procedure. Brzykcy still has a minor league option year remaining, and he’ll hope that a change of scenery can get him back to the minor league form he displayed prior to this year’s dismal showing.
Miami claimed Roa, also 26, off waivers from the Reds one year ago. The 2020 second-rounder tossed three scoreless frames in his first taste of MLB action this year and also logged a 2.83 ERA in 60 1/3 Triple-A frames. Roa has poor command but solid results in the upper minors and an average fastball clocking in at 96 mph. He doesn’t have the service time or prior outright needed to elect free agency. The Marlins are surely happy to hang onto a power arm with decent results, even if his command is suspect.
Winkler came to the Fish by way of the 2024 Rule 5 Draft’s minor league phase. The former A’s farmhand also made his debut in ’25, collecting four singles in 16 at-bats. He can play all over the diamond and has decent speed but minimal offensive production. Winkler hit just .225/.299/.333 in 281 plate appearances at the Triple-A level this year, though he also notched a perfect 25-for-25 record in stolen base attempts.
Garrett missed the 2025 season after undergoing UCL surgery in January. He’ll be back in the rotation mix next year, barring any setbacks, though he might not quite be ready for spring training. Nardi missed the 2025 season due to back injuries and is a non-tender candidate. Bender’s season ended in August due to a stress reaction in his right tibia. Assuming he’s healthy next year, he’ll reprise his role as a key late-inning arm for skipper Clayton McCullough. Meyer, the No. 3 overall pick in 2020, underwent season-ending hip surgery in June. It’s the second notable surgery of the promising right-hander’s career. He also missed half the 2022 season and all of 2023 following Tommy John surgery.
Marlins Notes: Alcantara, First Base, Garrett, Meyer
The Marlins improbably remained alive in the Wild Card race into the season’s final week. While that was enabled largely by the Mets’ collapse, Miami finished just four games under .500 after a 100-loss season in 2024. President of baseball operations Peter Bendix spoke with reporters on Wednesday as he enters his third offseason.
Bendix’s biggest decision is whether to trade Sandy Alcantara. The Marlins held onto the former Cy Young winner at the deadline. Alcantara hadn’t found a groove in his first few months back from Tommy John surgery, and the Fish preferred not to sell low. He looked a lot sharper down the stretch, turning in a 3.70 ERA with a 23.1% strikeout rate in his final 10 starts. He tied for fourth in the majors with 65 2/3 innings pitched after the deadline. Everyone else in the top five had the benefit of an extra start.
The Fish will get calls from teams intrigued by Alcantara’s strong finish. Bendix dodged a question about whether he expected the two-time All-Star to remain in South Florida headed into next season. “I’m not going to speculate on any individual player,” he said (relayed by Isaac Azout of Fish On First). “We’re always looking for ways to improve our club and I’m going to stay as disciplined as possible in doing that.”
It’s the kind of generality that most executives express publicly when asked about specific players. It’s not an especially surprising response, though it does contrast with the club’s approach from last offseason. The Marlins had reportedly informed Alcantara by August that he wouldn’t be moved. Bendix more or less confirmed that publicly during the winter, saying in December that he was “really excited to see him pitch on Opening Day.” A trade this winter seems more plausible now that he’s healthy even if the Fish are closer to contention than they were 12 months ago.
Alcantara is headed into the final guaranteed season of the extension he signed over the 2021-22 offseason. He’ll make $17MM and is guaranteed at least a $2MM buyout on a $21MM club option for ’27. If a deadline trade would’ve been mostly about salary relief, an offseason deal could net a legitimate prospect return. Alcantara finished with an underwhelming 5.36 ERA overall, yet he’d very likely command more than $19MM if he were a free agent this offseason.
Walker Buehler, for instance, pulled $21.05MM coming off a 5.38 ERA in fewer innings because of his pre-injury track record and two good appearances during the World Series. Alex Cobb got a $15MM deal at age 36 after making five combined starts between the regular season and playoffs. If Alcantara carries his second half form into next year, the extra year of control via the club option would also be a bargain.
While payroll is always a consideration for the Marlins, the front office shouldn’t be under financial pressure to deal Alcantara. He’s the only player on the roster making a salary of much significance. They’ll pay Avisaíl García a final $5MM buyout to end that disastrous free agent deal. They owe the Yankees $10MM annually for the next three seasons as part of the Giancarlo Stanton trade. That’s all in terms of guaranteed commitments. They have a lot of arbitration-eligible players — Anthony Bender, Braxton Garrett, Edward Cabrera, Ryan Weathers, Andrew Nardi, Calvin Faucher and Max Meyer — but none who are going to break the bank individually.
Miami did almost nothing in free agency during Bendix’s first two seasons at the helm. They signed three players to major league deals (Tim Anderson, Cal Quantrill and Eric Wagaman) for a combined $8.7MM in guarantees. It’s clear they’ll do more than that this winter. FanDuel Sports Network Florida & Sun’s Craig Mish indicated over the weekend that they’ll likely pursue a late-inning reliever. Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald echoes that sentiment and writes that they’ll try to bring in a free agent offensive upgrade as well.
The Marlins had a middle-of-the-pack offense this past season. They ranked 16th in runs and finished between 11th and 20th in all three slash stats. They were light on power, finishing above only the Padres, Cardinals and Pirates in home runs. Playing at loanDepot Park doesn’t do their hitters many favors, but they were tied for 22nd in road home runs. Kyle Stowers and Agustín Ramírez were their only 20-homer bats.
Miami didn’t get much production out of first base or designated hitter. They’ll probably want to keep at-bats available at the latter position for Ramírez, whose defensive numbers as a rookie catcher were terrible. They should upgrade on Wagaman and Troy Johnston at first base. It’d be a surprise if they made a serious push for Pete Alonso or Josh Naylor, but a mid-level target like Ryan O’Hearn could be within the range of outcomes.
Paul Goldschmidt and Rhys Hoskins will be available on one-year deals and still have a higher floor than the in-house options. The Astros could look to offload part of the Christian Walker contract, while players like Spencer Steer or Triston Casas could be sell-low candidates. It’s not entirely out of the question that the A’s could consider swapping Tyler Soderstrom for a controllable starting pitcher. Maybe there’s a match with a Miami team that has a lot of talented, affordable arms. Almost all of them come with some kind of durability questions, though the Fish finished the season with an impressive front four of Alcantara, Cabrera, Weathers and Eury Pérez.
Garrett missed the entire season after undergoing UCL surgery in January. Meyer suffered a labrum tear in his left hip and went under the knife in June. Bendix told Jackson and other reporters that both pitchers are expected to be ready by the start of Spring Training.
Marlins Sign Cal Quantrill
The Marlins announced that they have signed right-hander Cal Quantrill to a one-year deal. Left-hander Braxton Garrett has been transferred to the 60-day injured list as the corresponding move. Quantrill’s deal reportedly guarantees him $3.5MM, though the Excel Sports Management client can potentially earn another $500K via incentives.
Quantrill, 30, just finished a season pitching for the Rockies. After a few years pitching for the Guardians, he was flipped to Colorado and had to navigate the challenge of pitching at altitude in 2024. Given the conditions, the results were passable. He made 29 starts and logged 148 1/3 innings, allowing 4.98 earned runs per nine. His 16.8% strikeout rate was subpar but pretty normal for him. His 10.5% walk rate was a bit higher than average while his 44.4% ground ball rate was right around par.
The Rockies could have brought Quantrill back for 2025, with MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projecting him for a $9MM salary, but they opted to non-tender him instead. That sent him to free agency without being exposed to waivers, which made him available to work out this deal with the Marlins.
He has had some better numbers in the past. Over the 2021 and 2022 seasons with Cleveland, he worked a swing role, making 54 starts and 18 relief appearances. Over those campaigns, he posted a 3.16 ERA with an 18% strikeout rate, 6.8% walk rate and 42.6% ground ball rate. He benefited from a .274 batting average on balls in play and 77.9% strand rate in that time, which were both on the lucky side. His 4.10 FIP and 4.50 SIERA over that span were perhaps better reflections of his performance but still solid numbers for a back-end starter or swingman.
In 2023, things regressed for him a bit. He spent some time on the injured list due to shoulder inflammation and was only able to make 19 starts. He had a 5.24 ERA and was designated for assignment after the season, which led to his trade to Colorado.
The Marlins are likely looking for Quantrill to serve as a steadying force in a rotation that has talent but is in flux. With the club rebuilding, they have had a strong willingness to deal players over the past year. In the rotation, they traded Trevor Rogers to the Orioles at last year’s deadline and then Jesús Luzardo to the Phillies in this offseason. Garrett is also going to miss the 2025 season while recovering from surgery on the ulnar collateral ligament in his throwing elbow. Eury Pérez is recovering from Tommy John surgery and isn’t slated to return until around the All-Star break.
As of now, the on-paper rotation consists of Sandy Alcántara, Ryan Weathers, Edward Cabrera and Max Meyer, with plenty of uncertainty in those remaining options. Alcántara is returning after Tommy John surgery wiped out his 2024 campaign. Even if he’s successful in coming back healthy, he will likely be in trade rumors this summer. Weathers had some good numbers last year but spent a decent chunk of time on the IL due to a finger strain and still hasn’t thrown 100 innings in an MLB season. Cabrera has also never hit the 100-inning plateau and has walked 13.3% of opponents in his career. He’s also been in plenty of trade rumors and could be flipped if he shows some hints of improvement. Meyer missed the 2023 season recovering from Tommy John surgery and came back last year to make 11 big league starts with a 5.68 ERA.
The Fish have some depth options like Valente Bellozo, Adam Mazur and Connor Gillispie, but those guys all have options. Quantrill can take a rotation spot and bump those guys down to the Triple-A rotation, at least until an injury or a trade opens up an opportunity. If Quantrill pitches well, he’ll likely end up on the trade block himself.
RosterResource currently pegs the Marlins for a competitive balance number of just over $83MM, which should jump to around $86-87MM once Quantrill’s deal is factored in. It has been reported that they may need to get up to $105MM to avoid being subject to a grievance from the MLBPA, in relation to the use of their revenue-sharing funds. If the club plans to get to that number, then perhaps they will look to make further upgrades to their roster in the coming weeks.
Alden González of ESPN reported that the two sides were in agreement prior to the official announcement. Craig Mish of the Miami Herald first reported the $3.5MM guarantee. Robert Murray of FanSided reported that Quantrill can earn as much as $4MM on the deal, suggesting that there are potential incentives worth $500K.
Players Who Could Move To The 60-Day IL Once Spring Training Begins
Most of the clubs in the league currently have a full 40-man roster, which means that just about every transaction requires a corresponding move these days. Some extra roster flexibility is on the way, however. The 60-day injured list goes away five days after the World Series but comes back when pitchers and catchers report to spring training.
Per R.J. Anderson of CBS Sports, most clubs have a report date of February 12th or 13th. The Cubs and Dodgers are a bit earlier than most, on the 9th and 11th, respectively. That’s due to the fact that those clubs are heading to Tokyo, with exhibition games in mid-March, followed by regular season games against each other on March 18th and 19th. All the other teams have Opening Day scheduled for March 27th.
It’s worth pointing out that the 60 days don’t start being counted until Opening Day. Although a team can transfer a player to the 60-day IL quite soon, they will likely only do so if they aren’t expecting the player back until end of May or later. A team also must have a full 40-man roster in order to move a player to the 60-day IL.
There are still plenty of free agents still out there, including big names like Alex Bregman and Pete Alonso, as well as Nick Pivetta, Andrew Heaney, David Robertson, Randal Grichuk, Kenley Jansen, Harrison Bader, Lance Lynn, Jose Quintana and many more. Perhaps the extra roster flexibility will spur some deals to come together in the next week or so. It could also increase the ability of some clubs to make waiver claims or small trades for players who have been designated for assignment.
Here are some players who are expected to miss some significant time and could find themselves transferred soon.
Angels: Robert Stephenson
Stephenson underwent a hybrid Tommy John surgery with internal brace in late April. Given the 14-plus months required to recovery from such a procedure, he’s not likely to be ready in the early parts of the 2025 season.
Astros: Cristian Javier, J.P. France, Bennett Sousa
Javier underwent Tommy John surgery in June and is targeting a return in the second half of 2025. France is recovering from shoulder surgery and hoping to return in July. Sousa’s timeline is less clear but he underwent surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome in April. Other possibilities include Luis Garcia and Lance McCullers Jr., who are expected to start the season on the IL but returning in April or May still seems possible.
Athletics: Luis Medina, Ken Waldichuk
Medina underwent Tommy John surgery in August and Waldichuk in May. Medina might miss the entire season while Waldichuk is likely to miss a few months at least.
Blue Jays: Angel Bastardo, Alek Manoah
The Jays grabbed Bastardo from the Red Sox in the Rule 5 draft in December, even though he had Tommy John surgery in June. Manoah also had Tommy John around that time and is hoping to be back by August.
Braves: Joe Jiménez
Jimenez had knee surgery in November with a timeline of eight to twelve months, so he might miss the entire season. Spencer Strider and Ronald Acuña Jr. are also possibilities, though those will be more borderline. Strider had internal brace surgery in April, so returning in May is somewhat possible. Acuña is recovering from a torn ACL last year and it’s possible he’ll miss the first month or so of the season. Given how important both of those players are, Atlanta probably won’t put them on the 60-day IL unless it’s 100% certain that they can’t come back in the first 60 days of the season.
Brewers: Robert Gasser
Gasser had Tommy John surgery in June and will be looking at a late 2025 return even in a best-case scenario.
Diamondbacks: Kyle Nelson
Nelson’s timeline is unclear, but he underwent surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome in May and missed the remainder of the 2024 season.
Dodgers: Gavin Stone, Brusdar Graterol, River Ryan, Kyle Hurt, Emmet Sheehan
Stone underwent shoulder surgery in October that will cause him to miss the entire year. Graterol also underwent shoulder surgery and isn’t expected back until the second half of 2025. Each of Ryan, Hurt and Sheehan required Tommy John surgery in 2024: Ryan in August, Hurt in July and Sheehan in May.
Guardians: Sam Hentges, David Fry, Shane Bieber, Trevor Stephan
Hentges required shoulder surgery in September, with an expected recovery timeline of 12 to 14 months. Fry underwent UCL surgery in November with a more fluid timeline. He won’t be able to throw at all in 2025 but could be cleared for designated hitter action six to eight months from that surgery. Bieber is perhaps a borderline case, as he underwent Tommy John surgery in April. Given his importance, the Guards may not transfer him to the 60-day IL until it’s assured that he won’t be back in the first 60 days of the season. Stephan underwent Tommy John surgery in March and perhaps has a chance to avoid the 60-day IL, depending on his progression.
Mariners: Matt Brash, Jackson Kowar
Brash underwent Tommy John surgery in May. Given the typical 14-month recovery timeline from that procedure, he would be looking at a midsummer return. However, it was reported in November that he’s ahead of schedule and could be back by the end of April. That’s an optimistic timeline but the Mariners will probably hold off moving him to the 60-day IL until the door is closed to an early return. Kowar underwent Tommy John in March, so an early return in 2025 is possible for him, depending on how his recovery is going.
Marlins: Braxton Garrett, Eury Pérez
Garrett just underwent UCL surgery last month and is going to miss the entire 2025 season. Pérez underwent Tommy John surgery in April of last year and will miss at least part of the beginning of the 2025 campaign.
Mets: Christian Scott
Scott required a Tommy John surgery and internal brace hybrid procedure in September and will likely miss the entire 2025 season.
Nationals: Josiah Gray, Mason Thompson
Gray required a Tommy John surgery and internal brace hybrid procedure in July, meaning he’ll miss most or perhaps all of the 2025 season. Thompson required Tommy John surgery in March, so he has a better chance to make an early-season return if his recovery is going well.
Orioles: Kyle Bradish, Tyler Wells
Bradish and Wells each required UCL surgery in June, so they’re both slated to miss the first half of the upcoming campaign.
Padres: Joe Musgrove
Musgrove had Tommy John surgery in October and will therefore miss the entire 2025 season. However, the Padres only have 36 guys on their 40-man roster at the moment, so they’ll need to fill those spots before moving Musgrove to the 60-day IL.
Pirates: Dauri Moreta
Moreta required UCL surgery in March, so an early-season return is possible if his rehab is going well, though he could end up on the 60-day if the club goes easy with his ramp-up or he suffers any kind of setback.
Rangers: Josh Sborz
Sborz underwent shoulder surgery in November and is expected to miss the first two to three months of the upcoming season.
Rays: Nate Lavender, Ha-Seong Kim
The Rays took Lavender from the Mets in the Rule 5 draft, even though he had Tommy John in May and will miss the start of the season. Kim’s status is more up in the air after he had shoulder surgery in October. Various reports have suggested he could return anywhere from April to July. The Rays made a sizable investment in Kim, their largest ever for a position player, so they probably won’t shelve him until they get more clarity on his status.
Red Sox: Patrick Sandoval, Garrett Whitlock, Chris Murphy
Sandoval had internal brace surgery in June of last year and should miss the first half of the season. Whitlock had the same surgery in May, so he could have a bit of a better chance to return in the first 60 days of the season. Murphy underwent a fully Tommy John surgery in April and will certainly miss the beginning of the upcoming season. Another possibility is Lucas Giolito, who had internal brace surgery in March, though he expects to be ready by Opening Day.
Reds: Julian Aguiar, Brandon Williamson
Aguiar underwent Tommy John surgery in October and Williamson in September, so both are likely slated to miss the entire 2025 season.
Tigers: Sawyer Gipson-Long
Gipson-Long underwent internal brace surgery in April. On top of that, he underwent left hip labral repair surgery in July, with the club hoping to address both issues at the same time. It seems likely that he’ll miss some of the early 2025 schedule, but his IL placement will depend on how he’s been progressing.
White Sox: Jesse Scholtens
Scholtens underwent Tommy John surgery in early March. Whether he goes on the 60-day IL or not will depend on how he’s progressed since then and when the White Sox expect him back.
Yankees: Jonathan Loáisiga
Loáisiga underwent internal brace surgery in April, so he could potentially be back on the mound early in the 2025 season. It was reported in December that the Yankees are expecting him to be in the bullpen by late April or early May, so he’ll only end up on the 60-day IL if he suffers a bit of a setback.
MLBTR Podcast: The Jeff Hoffman Situation, Justin Verlander, And The Marlins’ Rotation
The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don’t use Spotify or Apple for podcasts.
This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors to discuss…
- Jeff Hoffman signing with the Blue Jays after his agreements with the Orioles and the Braves fell apart, both due to concerns relating to his physical (2:05)
- The Giants signing Justin Verlander (12:00)
- The Marlins lose Braxton Garrett for the year (15:55)
- The Mariners signing Donovan Solano (26:10)
Plus, we answer your questions, including…
- With the Reds getting a new TV deal, can they sign Anthony Santander or Jurickson Profar? (31:30)
- What do you make of the Nationals‘ offseason so far? (37:55)
- What would a Kyle Tucker extension look like for the Cubs? (44:30)
Check out our past episodes!
- Brent Rooker’s Extension, Gavin Lux, And Catching Up On The Holiday Transactions – listen here
- Kyle Tucker To The Cubs, And Trades For Devin Williams And Jeffrey Springs – listen here
- Winter Meetings Recap – listen here
The podcast intro and outro song “So Long” is provided courtesy of the band Showoff. Check out their Facebook page here!
Braxton Garrett To Miss 2025 Season Due To UCL Surgery
Marlins left-hander Braxton Garrett will undergo a revision surgery on the ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow with an internal brace, reports Craig Mish of the Miami Herald. The southpaw will miss the entire 2025 season. Mish adds that the Fish are looking at free agency as a way to replace Garrett in their rotation.
It’s another unfortunate development in the health department, both for Garrett and the Marlins. The lefty had Tommy John surgery as a minor leaguer in the summer of 2017, which led to him missing the back half of that season and all of 2018.
After recovering from that surgery, he got back on track and made it to the major leagues, serving as an up-and-down guy for the 2020 to 2022 seasons. In 2023, he seemed to establish himself as a viable big league rotation member. He tossed 159 2/3 innings for Miami that year, allowing 3.66 earned runs per nine. His 23.7% strikeout rate was around league average but he had a solid 49.7% ground ball rate and excellent 4.4% walk rate.
But 2024 was a challenge for him, as he made multiple trips to the injured list and only made seven starts. A left shoulder impingement put him on the shelf to start the year. He was back by the middle of May and made his seven appearances over the next few weeks, but then was back on the IL due to a left forearm flexor strain. He was rehabbing in September and seemed ready to come off the IL but suffered a setback when he “felt something” in the back of his elbow. He was diagnosed with an elbow impingement in October and seemed set for a mostly healthy offseason, but that prognosis has apparently changed.
It’s unfortunate for Garrett on a couple of fronts. He’s 27 years old, turning 28 in August of this year, so he’s now set to miss a full season of what could have been his prime. It will hurt him financially as well. He just qualified for arbitration for the first time as a Super Two player, meaning he’ll get four passes instead of the normal three. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projects him for a $1.8MM salary next year. After missing all of 2025, he’ll likely be slated for the same salary when he hopefully returns to the mound in 2026. Even if he comes back healthy and effective, he’ll be nudging up his salary from a lower foundation than if he had stayed healthy.
For the Marlins, their rotation picture has frequently changed in recent years. The Fish managed to sneak into the playoffs in 2023, partially thanks to a starting staff consisting of Garrett, Sandy Alcántara, Jesús Luzardo, Eury Pérez and Edward Cabrera. But all of those guys were either hurt or ineffective in 2024, causing the club’s competitive chances to fall apart.
There was a chance of having that whole gang back together in 2025 but Luzardo was recently traded to the Phillies and now Garrett is going to be on ice. Miami isn’t planning to compete in 2025 anyhow, based on their lack of offseason additions as well as their trades of Luzardo and Jake Burger, but it’s still less than ideal for Garrett to go down like this. Given his age and years of club control, he was in line to be part of the club’s next competitive window. That could still be the case but the path ahead is a bit foggier now.
Going into 2025, they could still have a rotation core of Alcántara and Cabrera. They could welcome back Pérez midseason, as he underwent Tommy John surgery in April of last year. Ryan Weathers, Max Meyer, Valente Bellozo and Adam Mazur are candidates to take the ball as well. Prospect Robby Snelling isn’t yet on the 40-man but could push his way into the mix.
Given the club’s lack of offseason activity, both in the previous offseason and the current one, it wouldn’t be a surprise if they just rolled with that group and let the chips fall where they may, but it seems as though they will look to add a veteran via free agency. That is perhaps related to recent reporting that they may need to get their competitive balance tax number up to $105MM in order to avoid a grievance from the MLB Players Association related to the usage of their revenue-sharing funds. RosterResource currently pegs their CBT number at $83MM, so it seems they will have to find ways to bridge that gap.
Acquiring a player making decent money from another club would be one way to do that, but free agency is obviously another. The starting pitching market has been hot but guys like Jack Flaherty, Nick Pivetta Andrew Heaney are still out there. It would be a surprise if the Marlins went after those guys, who are surely looking for notable multi-year deals, but the market also has guys that will likely be limited to one-year deals such as Kyle Gibson, Patrick Corbin, Chris Flexen, Lance Lynn, Ross Stripling, Jose Quintana, Jakob Junis, Colin Rea, Spencer Turnbull and more.