Marlins bullpen continues to take shape as Opening Day looms

Jupiter, FL—While the starting rotation is the number one topic of conversation around Miami Marlins camp—especially while everyone waits for news on Eury Pérez—the bullpen continues to take shape as Opening Day draws near quietly. Two critical pieces of the 'pen made their first back-to-back appearances, the best story in camp passed his latest test on just two days' rest, and the continued absence of Huascar Brazoban creates an opportunity for an additional arm. (Brazoban is still dealing with visa issues and has been getting work done at the Marlins academy in the Dominican Republic.)

Tanner Scott pitched to a 2.31 ERA over a career-high 78 innings last season, forcing his way into the closer role towards the middle of the year. His WHIP was an astonishing 0.99. 

After a rough start to spring training, Scott has looked like his usual self in his last few outings. For the first time this spring, he pitched on back-to-back days and did not allow a run in either outing. In his previous four outings, including Wednesday, he has allowed 0 runs in 3.1 IP after allowing ten runs (eight earned) in just one full inning of work across three appearances to begin the spring. It had gotten so out of whack that when he finally recorded three outs, he came to the dugout and was congratulated by Skip Schumaker for finally getting three outs and proceeded to parade through the dugout cheering, "I can do it, I can do it, I can do it!"

Joining Scott in the back-to-back outings club is last year's setup man/firefighter, Andrew Nardi. While Scott got off to a rough start, Nardi picked up right where he left off, not allowing a single run in his seven spring appearances. He has been dealing with some command issues, walking seven batters and hitting one, but he's kept his WHIP down at 1.35 through 6.2 IP.

Skip on where Nardi slots into the mix: "I don't know what we're going to do just yet as far as, like, is he the seventh-inning guy? Is he the eighth-inning guy? Are we matching up? I want to see how this bullpen is going to be structured. And then I figure out from there who gets the toughest part of the lineup." Last season, Nardi pitched to a 2.67 ERA and a WHIP of 1.15 over 57.1 IP, allowing only five of the 40 runners he inherited to score, the least of any pitcher that inherited at least 40 runners last season. He shall henceforth be referred to as "Fireman Nard."

Skip went on to add: "I want to see what the roster looks like. I didn't have Anthony Bender last year. He's throwing 98 mph bowling balls. So if I need a double play, it might be him."

Aside from Scott, Nardi and Bender, "some guys have opened your eyes this camp," Skip said. They're battling for the five remaining spots in what is projected to be an eight-man bullpen.

So who are these other guys?

The unquestioned best storyline around Marlins camp this spring has been the return of Sixto Sánchez. Seemingly on the eternal IL with a myriad of shoulder setbacks, Sixto has made his triumphant return to a major league mound. And he's looked good while doing it. He's checked box after box in his return to action, pitching multiple innings on two occasions and pitching Wednesday on two days' rest as he prepares to assume a role in Schumaker's bullpen. With fastball velo that is touching 98 on multiple occasions and a signature changeup that still plays well off of that, Sixto has not allowed a run over seven innings pitched this spring while striking out seven. 

When asked how much Huascar Brazoban's absence means to the bullpen and who is going to be tasked with picking up the slack, Skip said: "Brazoban is a big piece in the bullpen puzzle because he can pitch in down games by one; he can pitch in tie games, and he can pitch in positive games. That's why he's so valuable. When guys are down, he can provide some useful innings.

"I'm going to throw [George Soriano] in the fire quickly. He's got a really good changeup against lefties, a slider (that works against) righties and lefties, and he's throwing 96 mph. I mean, it's real. He could provide two or three innings if needed...Sixto has opened your eyes. You have [Bryan] Hoeing down there, who has been trending in the right direction and can provide multiple innings. [Vladimir] Gutierrez can provide multiple innings. So there are guys that can provide multiple innings. We'll just have to see how this all plays out."

George Soriano being thrown directly into the fire stems from his ability to contribute in almost any situation. He can make a spot start or give you length when a starter can't and everyone else is exhausted, all while still being trustworthy enough to send to the mound with a game on the line. He threw 52 innings in his first season in the majors last year over 26 games with an ERA of 3.81 and a WHIP of 1.33. He made one start and converted one save in two opportunities. 

Two non-roster invitees, Vladimir Gutierrez and Mychal Givens, appear to be on track to break camp as members of the bullpen, filling the slots that Huascar Brazoban and the injured JT Chargois would've occupied.

Vladimir Gutierrez pitched in 32 games over two seasons for the Cincinnati Reds in 2021 and 2022 and has bounced around the Reds system before electing free agency after the 2023 season. He signed a minor league deal with the Marlins in February with an invite to spring training.

Mychal Givens broke into the league with the Baltimore Orioles in 2015, spending the next six seasons as a staple in their bullpen before being traded to the Colorado Rockies in 2020. The Rockies traded him to the Reds in 2021. He elected free agency following that season and signed with the Chicago Cubs, who then traded him to the New York Mets at the 2022 trade deadline. Givens ran into injury trouble when he got to New York but still managed to pitch in a combined 59 games in the 2022 season. He elected free agency and went back to the Orioles, where it all started.

Everything went south when left knee inflammation landed Givens on the IL for the first month of the 2023 season. He returned to the big leagues in May and pitched in six games before heading back to the IL, this time with right shoulder inflammation. The Orioles DFA'd and released him in August. The Marlins signed him to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training on March 18. 

The last spot in the bullpen is where the real question lies. It looks like a battle between Marlins 2019 draft pick Bryan Hoeing and 2024 waiver wire pickup Declan Cronin. Hoeing ping-ponged between the bullpen and the rotation last season, pitching in 33 games, seven of them were starts. His familiarity with Skip and the coaching staff will bode well for him. Cronin is the real wild card in the equation, as the Marlins don't really know what to expect from him as he's only thrown eleven (ineffective) innings in the big leagues.

That being said, it could be an anticlimactic competition if the Marlins pick either Hoeing or Gutierrez to be their temporary fifth starter (the other four being Jesús Luzardo, A.J. Puk, Ryan Weathers and Trevor Rogers). Such a decision would make room for both of them and Cronin on the pitching staff.

With Josh Simpson (nerve in elbow), Calvin Faucher (shoulder), and JT Chargois (neck) all down with injuries, Cronin may well find himself sitting alongside the other seven bullpen guys when the Marlins host the Pirates on Opening Day.