Marlins' Connor Norby: Dealing with side discomfort
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Norby exited Saturday's Grapefruit League game due to left side discomfort, Daniel Alvarez-Montes of ElExtraBase.com reports.
Norby was sliding into third base in the second inning and stretched awkwardly as he tried to stay on the bag. There's no indication of the severity of the issue, though a stint on the injured list to begin the season is seemingly a possibility.
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Marlins' Connor Norby: Removed early Saturday
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Norby was removed from Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Astros with an apparent injury, Daniel Alvarez-Montes of ElExtraBase.com reports.
Norby suffered the injury on a slide into third base after hitting a triple, though it's not immediately clear what is bothering him. The Marlins' medical staff will take a closer look at him, and the team should provide some more information on his status in the near future.
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Marlins' Edward Cabrera: Bullpen session on tap
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Cabrera (finger) will throw a bullpen session Monday, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.
Cabrera is already slated to begin the season on the injured list, but the fact he's trending toward mound work before Opening Day is good news considering his throwing session Monday reportedly didn't go well. If he gets through his bullpen session with no issues, the plan is for Cabrera to pitch in a sim game Wednesday, at which point a return timeline may be established.
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Marlins' Valente Bellozo: Favorite for rotation spot?
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Bellozo has emerged as a leading candidate to open the season in the Marlins' rotation, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.
A spot in Miami's rotation opened up once Ryan Weathers suffered a forearm strain Monday, and the reassignment of Janson Junk to minor-league camp Saturday puts Bellozo in a great position to make the Opening Day roster, even though he was optioned to Triple-A Jacksonville himself last week. The 25-year-old righty started 13 games for the Marlins last season, finishing the season with a 3.67 ERA and 1.31 WHIP. However, his 5.72 FIP indicates that his performance wasn't nearly as good as his base stats might suggest.
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Marlins' Cal Quantrill: Perfect finish to spring
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Quantrill struck out five over four perfect innings in Friday's Grapefruit League game against the Nationals.
Facing most of Washington's Opening Day lineup, Quantrill was simply superb, striking out Dylan Crews twice and James Wood, Josh Bell and Jose Tena once each. While the veteran right-hander was signed in February to bolster the back of the Marlins' rotation, injuries to Ryan Weathers (forearm) and Edward Cabrera (finger) may require Quantrill to take the bump for the second game of the season, March 28 against the Pirates.
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Marlins' Connor Gillispie: Named to Opening Day rotation
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Gillispie will begin the season as part of the Marlins' rotation, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.
Manager Clayton McCullough made the announcement Friday. Injuries to Edward Cabrera (finger) and Ryan Weathers (forearm) opened up a couple spots in Miami's rotation, and Gillispie stepped up in camp to claim one of them by posting a 0.75 ERA and 6:3 K:BB through 12 Grapefruit League innings. He's set to make his Marlins debut March 30 against the Pirates.
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Marlins' Janson Junk: Moved to minors camp
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The Marlins reassigned Junk to minor-league camp Saturday.
Junk will finish Grapefruit League play with a 5.23 ERA and 1.06 WHIP alongside a 10:4 K:BB over 10.1 innings. He became a candidate to begin the season in Miami's rotation once Ryan Weathers went down with a forearm injury, but it now seems the Marlins will look elsewhere to fill their fifth rotation slot. Junk will presumably still be stretched out into a starter with Triple-A Jacksonville to provide extra organizational depth, though his fantasy appeal will be minimal if he finds his way back into the big leagues.
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Marlins' Josh Simpson: Making push for bullpen spot
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Simpson walked one and struck out five over 2.1 scoreless, no-hit innings in Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Astros.
The 27-year-old southpaw lost his spot on the 40-man roster during the offseason, but Simpson's performance in camp -- plus the Marlins' lack of established relief options from the left side -- has put him back on the radar. Simpson has a 12:4 K:BB through 9.1 Grapefruit League innings, and he's out-pitched Anthony Veneziano, who has an 8:7 K:BB in 9.2 spring frames. If Simpson does break camp on the 26-man roster, he may work in long relief behind an injury-ravaged rotation.
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Marlins' Jesus Tinoco: Serves up two homers Thursday
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Tinoco gave up four runs on four hits, including two home runs, in one inning during Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Astros. He struck out one.
The 29-year-old right-hander is projected to split closing duties with Calvin Faucher to begin the season, but Tinoco did himself no favors with Thursday's outing as the long balls didn't exactly come against Houston's most dangerous bats -- Jake Meyers and Zack Short did the honors in the seventh inning. Tinoco has a rough 9.72 ERA and 7:5 K:BB through 8.1 Grapefruit League innings, but Faucher hasn't been much better this spring with an 8.10 ERA and 6:4 K:BB through 6.2 frames. The Marlins' closing picture could remain muddled well into the summer.
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Marlins' Max Meyer: Locked into rotation spot
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Meyer threw a simulated game on a back field Thursday as the Marlins prepare him for a role in the Opening Day rotation, Chuck King of MLB.com reports. "Max has been terrific," manager Clayton McCullough said. "He's in a great spot... It's just a chance to do it in a more controlled-type setting."
The young right-hander came into camp simply trying to win a rotation job, but since then Braxton Garrett (elbow), Edward Cabrera (finger) and Ryan Weathers (forearm) have all broken down, potentially positioning Meyer to start the second game of the season for the Marlins on March 28 against the Pirates. Meyer, the third overall pick in the 2020 First-Year Player Draft, has yet to put things together in the majors, posting a 5.86 ERA, 1.43 WHIP and 52:21 K:BB in 63 IP, but he's looked good this spring with an 8:2 K:BB and zero homers allowed in nine Grapefruit League innings.
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Marlins' Sandy Alcantara: Final tune-up on back field Friday
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Alcantara is expected to build up to 80-to-90 pitches while pitching in a minor-league game Friday, Chuck King of MLB.com reports.
It should be Alcantara's last outing of the spring before he takes mound for the Marlins on Opening Day. The right-hander has been impressive in camp in his return from Tommy John surgery, posting a 0.00 ERA and 10:3 K:BB over 12.1 Grapefruit League innings, and if he shows he's back to something close to his Cy Young form, it might serve to increase the trade package Miami can get for him this summer.
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Marlins' Janson Junk: Exits Thursday's start early
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Junk (back) gave up one run on one hit and two walks over 3.2 innings in Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Astros before leaving the game accompanied by a trainer. He struck out three.
The 29-year-old right-hander appears to be the next man up in the Marlins' rotation with Ryan Weathers (forearm) set to begin the season on the IL, and Junk got stretched out to 55 pitches (35 strikes) as he prepares for the role. His body may not have been ready for that increased workload, as per Chuck King of MLB.com, back spams forced him from the contest. He doesn't think the issue will linger, however. "Just kind of one of those weird over-extension things, and doing some treatment modalities and stuff, it already feels better," he said after the game. Miami will be Junk's fourth team in five years since he made his big-league debut in 2021, and his last name accurately reflects the lack of fantasy appeal in his arsenal -- he's got a 6.75 ERA and 34:11 K:BB over 40 career MLB innings.
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Marlins' Janson Junk: Could open season in rotation
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Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said Thursday that Junk will be stretched out in the wake of the injury to Ryan Weathers (forearm), Isaac Azout of FishOnFirst.com reports.
Connor Gillispie had already seemed likely to take Edward Cabrera's (blister) spot in the rotation, and now Junk might be the favorite to open the season among the team's starting five as well. Junk has made one start and four relief appearances this spring, allowing six runs with a 10:4 K:BB over 10.1 frames. The 29-year-old has made seven starts and eight relief appearances at the big-league level, compiling a 6.75 ERA.
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Marlins' Ryan Weathers: Sidelined with forearm strain
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Weathers will begin the season on the injured list due to a left forearm strain, Isaac Azout of FishOnFirst.com reports.
Weathers had been having a fantastic spring, allowing just two runs (one earned) while striking out 11 batters through 11.1 frames. However, he came away from his last start with discomfort in his forearm and is expected to miss the first 4-to-6 weeks of the regular season. The Marlins now have an open spot in their rotation to fill before Opening Day, and manager Clayton McCullough has mentioned Janson Junk as a leading candidate to fill in while Weathers is out, per Azout.
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Marlins' Anderson Pilar: Heads back to Miami
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Atlanta returned Pilar to Miami on Wednesday, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.
A Rule 5 selection over the winter, Pilar fanned 12 batters in 5.2 Grapefruit League innings but has also walked six and permitted nine runs. The 27-year-old should open the 2025 season in the Triple-A Jacksonville bullpen, but he'll no longer possess a 40-man roster spot as he rejoins his previous organization.
Gillispie allowed one run on two hits and two walks over four innings in Tuesday's Grapefruit League game against the Cardinals.
The 27-year-old right-hander built up to 51 pitches (26 strikes) as he looks to secure the spot in the Marlins' rotation created with Edward Cabrera (blister) set to begin the season on the IL. Gillispie made his big-league debut with the Guardians in 2024, working eight innings over three relief appearances with a 2.25 ERA and 8:5 K:BB, and his numbers at Triple-A also showed a bit of promise as he struck out 119 batters in 113.1 innings for Columbus. Pitching for Miami won't provide Gillispie with much fantasy appeal, but he could be worth a dart throw in NL-only formats.
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Marlins' Anthony Bender: Headed for setup role
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Bender has a spot secure on the Marlins' Opening Day roster but will likely begin the season in a setup role, with Calvin Faucher and Jesus Tinoco getting the first closing opportunities.
Neither Faucher nor Tinoco are proven commodities in the ninth inning, so if they both struggle, Bender could get a look as the closer later in the year. The right-hander has posted an 8:2 K:BB through 7.2 Grapefruit League innings this spring as he looks to build on a 2024 campaign that saw his record a career-high 15 holds along with a 4.08 ERA, 1.28 WHIP and 59:18 K:BB through 53 innings.
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Marlins' Liam Hicks: Set as No. 2 catcher
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Hicks is expected to begin the season as the Marlins' backup catcher behind Nick Fortes, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.
That's no real surprise, especially after top prospect Agustin Ramirez was optioned to Triple-A Jacksonville on Sunday. Hicks, a Rule 5 pick from the Tigers' system, has shown some good plate discipline with a 5:5 BB:K in 11 Grapefruit League appearances this spring, but he's batting just .227 (5-for-22) with a double as his only extra-base hit. The Marlins remain in a seemingly never-ending rebuild, so Hicks will likely get as much playing time as he shows he can handle until Ramirez pushes his way onto the big-league roster.
