How Marlins pitching staff looks heading into spring. The likely starters and bullpen
The Marlins won’t have two of the steadiest members of their rotation this decade (injured Braxton Garrett, Philadelphia-bound Jesus Luzardo) when pitchers and catchers report to Jupiter next week.
They won’t have one of the top prospects in baseball, Eury Perez, who hopes to be back by the All-Star break after Tommy John surgery.
But they will have former Cy Young winner Sandy Alcantara and some serviceable arms behind him in a rotation that has gone from very good to average.
With Luzardo traded to Philadelphia and Garrett out for the year after elbow surgery, the Marlins’ second through fifth starters figure to include Ryan Weathers and Edward Cabrera, likely Valente Bellozo and either Max Meyer, Adam Mazur or someone who’s not currently on the 40-man roster.
According to a source, the Marlins are considering adding a veteran starter or two in the coming days, though executive Peter Bendix doesn’t address those types of things publicly. There are more than a dozen veteran starters who are still available in free agency, and Miami is open to adding one at a modest salary.
New manager Clayton McCullough has raved about Cabrera, adding that he believes the hard-throwing right-hander can reach another level despite past injuries and control problems.
Cabrera was 4-8 with a 4.95 ERA in 20 starts last season, with 107 strikeouts but 50 walks, 82 hits allowed in 96 ⅓ innings.
Weathers, acquired from the Padres during the 2023 season, was competent last season, going 5-6 with a 3.63 ERA in 16 starts but missed three months (June through mid September) with an index finger strain.
Bellazo, acquired from the Astros for Jacob Amaya last April, was something of a revelation after his promotion from the minors in June, posting a 3.67 ERA (and a 3-4 record) in 13 starts.
Meyer, the third overall pick of the 2020 Draft, missed all of 2023 after Tommy John surgery and struggled in his return last year, with a 5.68 ERA (3-5 record) in 11 starts.
Mazur, acquired from the Padres in the Tanner Scott trade last July, had a 5.21 ERA (2-3 record) in eight starts at Triple A Jacksonville, with 38 strikeouts, just seven walks and 42 hits allowed in 38 innings.
That’s better than his earlier Triple A experience this season (a 7.83 ERA in five starts in El Paso). Mazur, drafted in the second round out of Iowa in 2022, made eight starts with the Padres between June 4 and July 26 in 2024 and struggled, going 1-3 with a 7.49 ERA, with 61 baserunners allowed in 33 2/3 innings.
After allowing just two hits in six innings in his big-league debut at the Angels, he failed to reach five innings in six of his next seven starts.
Some Marlins people believe he was rushed to the majors and want him to have the necessary time to develop in the minors. During his first two professional seasons, he was very effective in Double A (3.07 in 18 games) and Single A (2.02 in 12 games). The question is whether he can replicate that performance at higher levels.
Roddery Munoz, who made 17 starts for the Marlins last season, signed with the St. Louis Cardinals, and Adam Oller — who made eight Marlins starts — is now pitching for a team in South Korea.
The Marlins have several top starting pitching prospects who likely will begin the season in the minors, including Robby Snelling, Thomas White (arguably the Marlins’ best overall prospect), Noble Meyer, Karson Milbrandt, Dax Fulton (coming off his second Tommy John surgery; 5.18 ERA in seven games at Pensacola last season) and Jacob Miller.
How bullpen looks
Calvin Faucher is positioned to be the closer, but Andrew Nardi likely will compete for the job, and don’t overlook emerging Jesus Tinoco.
Faucher had six saves and a 3.19 ERA in 53 appearances last season.
Nardi wasn’t as good as expected last season, with a 5.07 ERA in 59 appearances. He had no saves but struck out 70 in 49 innings.
Tinoco was very good in 21 appearances, with three saves, a 2.03 ERA and 18 base-runners allowed and 30 strikeouts in 24 innings.
Anthony Bender (5-2, 4.08 ERA, one save in 59 games), Declan Cronin (3-4, 4.35 ERA in 56 games) and George Soriano (6.75 ERA and a save in 22 appearances) also are positioned to claim bullpen jobs.
And the Marlins want a long look at right-hander Connor Gillespie after claiming him off waivers from Atlanta recently, months after the Guardians designated him for assignment.
Gillespie, who’s on the 40-man roster, had a 2.25 ERA in three games and eight innings for Cleveland last season and has a 4.01 ERA and eight saves in 114 minor league games, including 55 starts. In 2023 and 2024, about half of his minor-league appearances were as a starter.
Also competing for bullpen jobs: Anthony Veneziano, Lake Bacher, Xzavion Curry, Luarbert Arias and Will Kempner, a Giants third-round pick in 2022 who’s likely to begin the season in Double A.
This story was originally published February 4, 2025 at 3:31 PM.
