Struggling A.J. Puk sidelined by shoulder fatigue

[Ely Sussman]

Puk had lousy control in each of his first four starts of the season. A dip in velocity during Friday's Marlins loss signaled that something was physically wrong with the converted reliever.

Well, it was worth a shot. The Miami Marlins brought A.J. Puk to spring training as a candidate to crack their 2024 starting rotation. Despite never having handled that role at the major league level, Puk genuinely earned a spot, excelling in an exhibition setting while utilizing an expansive pitch mix. Once the real games began, though, the tall left-hander looked way over his head. On Saturday, the Marlins placed Puk on the 15-day injured list with left shoulder fatigue.

Puk was an important albeit inconsistent piece of the 2023 Marlins bullpen. He stood out for his nasty stuff and his ability to control it, serving as Miami's closer for nearly half the season.

Unfortunately for the Fish, Puk was unrecognizable in a starting role. Through four starts (13.2 IP) in 2024, he issued an MLB-leading 17 walks; the year before, he totaled only 11 unintentional walks (56.2 IP). His average four-seam fastball velocity plummeted from 95.8 mph to 93.3 mph. A 9.22 ERA exaggerates the degree of Puk's struggles, but he was undisputedly the weakest link in the Marlins rotation.

For the time being, there is now a void in the Marlins starting rotation. Rookie right-hander Max Meyer is out of the picture indefinitely after the club optioned him to Triple-A Jacksonville, allegedly for workload management and developmental reasons. He was limited to three innings in his start on Saturday. Left-hander Braxton Garrett was seemingly on the cusp of being reinstated from the IL before experiencing a setback during a bullpen session on Monday. He is currently throwing, but there is not a firm timetable for his return.

Roddery Muñoz was summoned from Jacksonville to make his major league debut against the Chicago Cubs on Saturday night. The 24-year-old right-hander was very impressive in his five-plus frames. However, his MiLB track record is underwhelming (6.57 ERA in 76.2 IP over parts of three Triple-A seasons).

Puk's old rotation spot comes up next on Wednesday when the Marlins will be wrapping up a series against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park.

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