Faced with Rotation Injuries, Miami Marlins Can Find Starting Pitcher Bargains in Free Agency
The Miami Marlins are dealing with some injury concerns at the moment.
With it already looking like Braxton Garrett (shoulder) wouldn't be ready for Opening Day and Max Meyer (Tommy John) and Sixto Sanchez (shoulder) still trying to get into regular season form, the Marlins took another blow when Edward Cabrera (shoulder tightness) left Sunday's game during warmups.
Reliever A.J. Puk is considered a favorite to capture a rotation spot out of spring, with reliever Ryan Weathers potentially joining him in the Opening Day rotation, given the injuries.
But if Miami needs to keep the Weathers in the bullpen or just wants another starting pitcher option in camp, there's some free agents that can be had on close-to-league minimum or minor-league deals.
Veteran fringe depth options
There's some major league veterans that are still in their early 30s and looking for a chance make a roster for the 2024 season.
Former Braves starter Jake Odorizzi, 34, missed all of 2023 with a shoulder injury but made 22 starts in 2022 between Houston and Atlanta with a 4.40 ERA. (And his last start of that season, pictured here, was in Miami, where he went five innings with only one run on two hits, walking one and striking out seven.)
Other veteran options in their early-30s include Michael Lorenzen (32), Mike Clevinger (33), and Vince Velasquez (32).
Aging veterans looking for one last ride?
There's also a subset of veterans, the almost-40-and-just-looking-for-one-last-ride group, that should also come rather cheap and could provide not only some innings but also mentorship for the young arms on the roster.
Rich Hill, 44, pitched 146.1 innings combined between the Padres and Pirates last season, albeit with an ERA of 5.41.
Other options in this tier include Zach Greinke (40), Dallas Keuchel (36), and Madison Bumgarner (33, although his arm is at least 40-years-old.)
Old friend alert?
Johnny Cueto, at age 38, is also still available. He's been preparing to pitch this season, working out and reportedly having moved past his bicep issue from last season.
Admittedly, last season wasn't that great of a showing in Miami - 52.1 innings and a 6.02 ERA.
But he's only one season removed from giving the Chicago White Sox 158.1 innings and a 3.35 ERA, with the potential of better health possibly leading to better results than what he showed last season.
Miami actually turned down his $10.5M club option for 2024 after last season, opting instead to pay the $2.5M buyout. But rather than commanding another $8.5M contract, like he did last year, a realistic deal is probably closer to 2022's $4.2M deal from Chicago.
What do you think Miami should do to reinforce the rotation, just weeks away from Opening Day?
Managing Editor for Blackerby Media, covering the Atlanta Braves and Miami Marlins Also: Senior Baseball Writer for Auburn Daily, member of both the National College Baseball Writers Association and Internet Baseball Writers Association of America (where he won the 2023 Prospects, Minors, & College Writer of the Year award)