JUPITER, Fla. – With one week to go in Spring Training, injuries continue to impact the Marlins’ pitching staff. Left-hander Braxton Garrett and right-hander Edward Cabrera are behind in their throwing progressions because of shoulder trouble, while righty Eury Pérez is in no-throw status because of elbow soreness.
“It is frustrating,” pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre Jr. said before hearing the news about Pérez. “Other clubs are going through a lot of the same things. You're talking about some really important rotation pieces, and that part hurts. Better now than later.”
Below are five pitchers to monitor as spring nears its end:
LHP Ryan Weathers
Miami’s starting-pitching depth is being tested, so it’s a good thing the club acquired the 24-year-old Weathers ahead of last year’s Trade Deadline as a reclamation project. Until Friday night’s outing against the Cardinals (4 1/3 IP, 4 ER), he had given up just two runs across 13 2/3 innings through his first four Grapefruit League outings (three starts).
“He's definitely on the right track and has opened up a lot of the organization's eyes,” Stottlemyre said. “We're starting to put a lot of trust in him.”
|
RHP George Soriano
Though manager Skip Schumaker envisions Soriano as a future starter, he will serve in a multi-inning relief role to help bridge the gap from the starters to late-inning arms. He did a good job of that in 2023 as a rookie, posting a 3.49 ERA as a reliever.
Soriano, who turns 25 next Sunday, has tossed 7 1/3 scoreless frames with a 0.41 WHIP this spring. He will be crucial to a bullpen dealing with injuries to righties Calvin Faucher (shoulder impingement) and JT Chargois (neck spasms). Plus, Huascar Brazoban hasn’t arrived because of visa issues.
“Soriano has definitely opened eyes in this camp, the way he's come in, how hard he's worked,” Schumaker said. “I think he has real swing and miss [stuff].”
RHP Sixto Sánchez
The Marlins didn’t quite know what to expect from Sánchez this spring, especially after the radar gun registered just 88.7 mph on his first pitch on March 2. But with two shoulder surgeries behind him, the 25-year-old has been impressive through four scoreless innings entering Sunday. In his most recent outing on Wednesday, Sánchez maxed out at 98.8 mph and looked as close to vintage Sánchez as we’ve seen.
Miami won’t extend Sánchez more than a few innings out of the bullpen, but he also needs to shorten the time in between his outings.
|
RHP Mychal Givens
Although Givens didn’t sign a Minor League contract with a spring invitation until Monday, he already threw live batting practice on Friday and should appear in a Grapefruit League game soon.
In 2023, Givens, 33, dealt with left knee inflammation and right shoulder inflammation, which limited him to just six appearances. But the nine-year big league veteran has a 3.47 ERA and 31 saves in 425 career big league outings.
Miami’s 40-man roster is full, so the organization would need to make a corresponding move for him. Givens would join Anthony Bender as another right-handed high-leverage option, and since Bender will not pitch on back-to-back days early on while coming back from Tommy John surgery, Givens could be key.
Another non-roster invitee to keep an eye on is righty Vladimir Gutierrez, who would be used in a multi-inning role (0.88 WHIP this spring).
RHP Bryan Hoeing
With three starters possibly sidelined come Opening Day, swingman Hoeing might need to add volume to give Miami 4-5 innings. As of now, he hasn’t been stretched out past two frames in a Grapefruit League game. Should Hoeing be used in that capacity, the Marlins would require another bulk arm in the bullpen.
If the Marlins can find space on the 40-man roster, non-roster righty Yonny Chirinos has experience in this role and hit 94.6 mph last time out.
“Certainly didn't want to tap into that [depth] at the tail end of Spring Training, but it's where we're at right now, and we have to let the other guys get healthy,” Stottlemyre said.
|
|
|
MLB Network visits Jupiter to preview the Marlins' season as part of its "30 Clubs in 15 Days" special. |
The Marlins announced fan giveaways for the 2024 season, and they begin on Opening Day (March 28). The first 10,000 fans will receive a magnet schedule, and the first 30,000 fans will receive rally towels presented by UHealth.
• March 31 -- Jake Burger or Jazz Chisholm Jr. mystery jersey presented by Miccosukee Casino & Resort
• April 14 -- Reversible bucket hat presented by Bally Sports
• April 28 -- Marlins basketball jersey presented by ADT
• May 12 -- Mother’s Day clutch purse presented by AutoNation
• May 19 -- Jake Burger bobblehead presented by PNC Bank
• June 2 -- Eury Pérez bobblehead presented by UHealth -- University of Miami Health System
• June 9 -- Dontrelle Willis bobblehead presented by SeatGeek
• July 7 -- Marlins soccer jersey presented by Goya
• July 21 -- Billy’s birthday tropical shirt presented by Norwegian Cruise Line
• Aug. 11 -- Rooster plush doll
• Aug. 25 -- Luis Arraez bobblehead presented by AutoNation
• Sept. 8 -- Luis Arraez or Eury Pérez Los Marlins mystery jersey presented by loanDepot
• Sept. 22 -- 2025 magnet schedule
|
|
|
“Every day we ask for needs, guys that will play, guys that will back up. We do a little background check on each one of those guys. Georgia Tech, drafted last year. It’s good to see those guys come in, and [he] hit a homer. It's probably a special moment for him. I'll probably give him the lineup card. That's good. Every time a kid comes from the Minor Leagues and performs, it's good to see.” -- acting manager Luis Urueta, on prospect Jake DeLeo’s homer Friday
|
FORWARDED FROM A FRIEND? SUBSCRIBE NOW |
To subscribe to Marlins Beat, visit this page and mark "Marlins Beat" from our newsletter list. Make sure you're following the Marlins or that they're checked as your favorite team. |
|
|
|
