Robby Snelling lands on injured list after one MLB start

[Kevin Barral]

Miami Marlins starting pitcher Robby Snelling was placed on the injured list due to a left elbow UCL sprain, the team announced prior to Wednesday's game against the Minnesota Twins. The corresponding move was to activate closer Pete Fairbanks off the IL. Manager Clayton McCullough announced that Braxton Garrett, who was in Triple-A, will get the start for the series finale on Thursday in Snelling's place.

Fish On First's No. 2 prospect, Snelling made just one start at the big league level, going five innings allowing three runs on five hits, four walks and one strikeout. All three runs came in the first inning, then proceeded to throw four shutout innings. Snelling threw his pitch design on Tuesday and reported discomfort, per McCullough.

"You work your entire life for the opportunity to become a Major League player, you come up, make your Major League debut and then for something to pop up like this very shortly after, it's disappointing," McCullough told reporters in Minnesota. "Robby is a very hard and tough young man, and whichever way this goes, he'll come back for it."

 

 

Someone who went through a similar sequence of events was Max Meyer in 2022. Meyer made his Major League debut against the Philadelphia Phillies and after facing just one hitter in his second start, landed on the injured due to a right elbow sprain, later resulting in undergoing Tommy John surgery and missing the 2023 season.

Fairbanks, who landed on the injured list due to right nerve irritation, is activated as the corresponding move for Snelling. In 10 appearances this season, he has a 10.00 ERA, 3.34 FIP, 13.00 K/9, 4.00 BB/9 and five saves. He is just five saves away from reaching 100 in his career.

Starting on Thursday will be Braxton Garrett, who was supposed to start for Triple-A Jacksonville on Wednesday, but was scratched. No corresponding move has been made and the move to call-up Garrett has not been made official yet.

Garrett, who's 2024 season was cut short due to left elbow UCL surgery, competed for a spot in the Marlins rotation during spring training, but lost out on the final spot to Janson Junk.

In six Triple-A starts this season, Garrett has a 2.30 ERA, 4.86 FIP, 9.19 K/9 and 4.31 BB/9. He also threw a no-hitter in his fourth start of the season. In his most recent start, he allowed four runs (three earned) on four hits, three walks and six strikeouts. Five of his six strikeouts were swinging.

"Just kept his head down, continued to throw and get built up after a lengthy absence of his own," McCullough said. "Was throwing the ball well in Jacksonville and he certainly is no stranger to performing at the Major League level. While disappointed for Robby, Brax has certainly pitched well here in the past and earned the chance to come back up here and be part of our our rotation. Expect Brax to fill it up, compete very well. He knows how to pitch. He knows how to change speeds, move the ball around, so he'll get to start tomorrow."

Overall, his fastball is averaging 91.7 mph, generating a 10.5% whiff rate. His breaking pitches on the other hand, have been great. The slider, which he is throwing 22.8% of the time, is generating 41.9% whiff and has the highest psStuff+ amongst his pitches, per Prospect Savant.

For Garrett, this will mark his first start in the big leagues since June of 2024. Expect a Marlins reliever to be optioned on Thursday morning to make room for him on the active roster.

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[One Regend]

god this franchise is cursed and can never have any nice things