Miami Marlins add to bullpen ahead of Opening Day by acquiring two Orioles relievers
The Miami Marlins are adding to their bullpen less than a week before Opening Day.
Miami on Sunday acquired two relievers from the Baltimore Orioles — righty Cole Sulser and lefty Tanner Scott — in exchange for their Competitive Balance B pick in the 2022 MLB Draft, reliever prospect Antonio Velez, outfielder prospect Kevin Guerrero and a player to be named later.
To make room on the 40-man roster, the Marlins designated for assignment right-handed pitcher Nick Neidert and placed left-handed pitcher Sean Guenther on the 60-day injured list.
Sulser, 32, had a breakout 2021 season for the Orioles, pitching to a 2.70 ERA with 73 strikeouts against 23 walks over 63 1/3 innings spanning 60 relief appearances. He converted eight saves in 11 opportunities and was projected to be Baltimore’s closer. He provides the Marlins more high-leverage depth, which is good considering projected closer Dylan Floro is going to start the season on the injured list with arm soreness.
According to Statcast, Sulser ranked in the top 20 percentile of qualified pitchers last season in expected ERA (3.13, 86th percentile), expected batting average against (.208, 85th percentile), chase rate (31.5 percent, 83rd percentile), and strikeout percentage (28.4 percent, 80th percentile). His fastball averages 93.2 mph and all four of his pitches (fastball, changeup, slider and curveball) had at least a 25-percent swing and miss rate in 2021. His changeup, which had a 34.1 percent whiff rate last season, is his primary putaway pitch (24 percent).
Sulser, Anthony Bender and Anthony Bass will now be the Marlins’ top closer candidates until Floro returns.
Scott, 27, has a career 4.73 ERA in 170 appearances over five big-league seasons, all with Baltimore. He stood out in the shortened 2020 season, pitching to a 1.31 ERA with 23 strikeouts against 10 walks in 20 2/3 innings but regressed in 2021 (5.17 ERA in 54 innings over 62 games).
Scott has big swing-and-miss stuff — his 36.8-percent whiff rate in 2021 ranked in the 98th percentile among qualified pitchers — but command is an issue. He had a 14.7-percent walk rate last season and his career walk rate is 13.6 percent. His four-seam fastball averaged 96.8 mph last season and his mid-80s slider had a 46-percent whiff rate.
He gives the Marlins a third lefty in their bullpen to go along with Richard Bleier and Steven Okert. Guenther, another lefty, is going to miss significant time to start the season with an arm injury that could potentially require surgery.
What does the Marlins’ Opening Day bullpen look like now?
Marlins manager Don Mattingly said multiple times in spring training the team will likely carry 15 pitchers on their initial 28-man roster. That points to 10 bullpen arms.
With the addition of Sulser and Scott, seven bullpen slots appear set: Sulser, Scott, Bender, Bass, Bleier, Okert, and Zach Pop.
That leaves two spots up for grabs, with Louis Head as well as non-roster invitees Shawn Armstrong and Grant Dayton the main contenders for short-relief roles and Cody Poteet, Paul Campbell and Daniel Castano contenders for long-relief roles.
Floro will assume one of the late-inning roles once he is healthy and cleared to join the roster.
This story was originally published April 3, 2022 at 7:27 PM.
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