Miami Marlins Roster
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Miami Marlins left-hander A.J. Puk (shoulder) will pitch out of the bullpen when he returns to the major-league roster, according to manager Skip Schumaker. The experiment as a starter in Miami's rotation was a failed on for Puk, who is nursing fatigue in his left shoulder following just four appearances and holds a dismal 9.22 ERA, 2.63 WHIP, and a 12:17 K:BB over 13 2/3 innings. Although Puk's return timetable from the issue remains unclear, this development is bad news for the rest-of-season outlook of closer Tanner Scott, who is going to have some competition for ninth-inning work when Puk is eventually reinstated from the 15-day injured list. With Scott carrying a 3.38 ERA (5.88 FIP) and 1.68 WHIP while striking out 10 hitters and walking 12 through his first 10 2/3 frames of the 2024 regular season, it probably behooves fantasy managers to field some sell-high trade offers after Puk picked up 15 saves in 2023.
Miami Marlins catcher Christian Bethancourt (illness) has been activated from the 10-day injured list on Wednesday. The 32-year-old will return to the field after missing the last week or so due to an illness. His return won't mean too much for fantasy managers as Bethancourt has struggled this season. He's hitless through 23 plate appearances, so fantasy managers can look elsewhere for help. Jhonny Pereda has been optioned to Triple-A Jacksonville to make room for Bethancourt on the active roster.
Miami Marlins right-hander Sixto Sanchez will get the start for the series finale against the division-rival Atlanta Braves on Thursday. The last time Sanchez started in a big-league game was in Game 3 of the 2020 National League Division Series against the Braves. The 25-year-old Dominican hurler has made his return to the majors in 2024 after dealing with multiple shoulder injuries and is currently 0-1 with a 6.14 ERA (5.75 FIP) and 1.50 WHIP with three walks and three strikeouts in 7 1/3 innings pitched, all in relief for the Fish. It's a cool comeback story for Sanchez, but fantasy managers looking for a streaming option on Thursday should avoid him, as he's unlikely to go more than two or three innings as the team's opener against a very tough opponent.
Miami Marlins left-hander Braxton Garrett (shoulder) threw a 25-pitch side session on Tuesday that went "great," according to the team. He will now through four innings or 60 pitches in a minor-league rehab start for Triple-A Jacksonville on Friday. Garrett had to pause his rehab assignment after dealing with dead arm, but he's back up and running and may need only a few rehab starts before he's activated to rejoin Miami's starting rotation in the big leagues. The former seventh overall pick by the Fish in 2016 out of high school is worth picking up and stashing right now in deep-mixed fantasy leagues. Garrett flashed his upside in a career-high 31 outings (30 starts) last year when he went 9-7 with a 3.66 ERA and 1.15 WHIP with 29 walks and 156 strikeouts in 159 2/3 innings.
Miami Marlins left-hander Josh Simpson (elbow) will have surgery on Tuesday to fix ulnar-nerve neuritis in his left elbow. He's expected to miss three months before returning to play. The 26-year-old southpaw reliever will attempt to return in the second half of the 2024 season. The team's No. 26 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, suffered the injury in spring training and was trying to rehab it, but in the end, surgery was necessary. The former 32nd-round selection in 2019 out of Columbia University had a 4.42 ERA and 1.55 WHIP with 27 walks and 66 strikeouts in 38 2/3 innings pitched over 28 relief appearances with Single-A Jupiter and Triple-A Jacksonville in 2023. Simpson gets a lot of whiffs, but he's also seen his walk rate rise in recent seasons.