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Braxton Garrett didn’t start the 2023 season within the Marlins’ rotation. His first look was a three-inning reduction outing on April 1. The Fish optioned him two days later however recalled him inside a day as Johnny Cueto went on the injured checklist.
Cueto’s damage opened a spot for Garrett to imagine the No. 5 beginning job behind Sandy Alcantara, Jesús Luzardo, Trevor Rogers and Edward Cabrera. The left-hander was a top quality depth possibility, a former No. 7 general choose who had turned in a 3.58 ERA over 17 begins in 2022. That the Marlins nonetheless introduced in Cueto and commenced with Garrett sixth on the depth chart suggests the entrance workplace had trepidation about his capacity to repeat these outcomes.
As soon as damage pushed Garrett again into the beginning combine, he didn’t look again. The 26-year-old made 30 begins from that time ahead, finally logging 159 2/3 innings. He completed third on the crew in workload whereas permitting 3.66 earned runs per 9. That got here with above-average peripherals throughout the board. Garrett punched out a strong 23.7% of batters confronted whereas preserving the ball on the bottom practically half the time. He walked solely 4.4% of opposing hitters, showcasing the plus management that evaluators had praised throughout his time as a prospect.
It’s not an overwhelming profile. He averaged simply 90.5 MPH with the sinker that serves as his major providing. Regardless of the pedestrian velocity, Garrett has proven the flexibility to overlook bats together with his assortment of secondary pitches. He generated above-average whiff charges on every of his slider, cutter and changeup. The well-rounded arsenal allowed him to keep away from important platoon points. Garrett’s strikeout and stroll profile was higher than common whatever the opponent’s handedness. Proper-handed hitters made extra authoritative contact than southpaws, however neither aspect produced a lot general.
Garrett’s improvement right into a mid-rotation arm has taken on additional significance given different setbacks within the beginning employees. Alcantara underwent Tommy John surgical procedure in October, knocking him out of the combo for 2024. Rogers injured his left biceps and proper (non-throwing shoulder), limiting him to 4 begins. Cabrera, a former prime pitching prospect, has proven promising stuff however continues to problem loads of free passes. The Cueto signing didn’t work.
Miami’s rotation was productive general. Luzardo additionally took a step ahead, whereas 20-year-old Eury Pérez posted a 3.15 ERA over 19 begins as a rookie. That the Fish turned to Garrett within the second recreation of their wild-card sequence with the Phillies nonetheless hints at each the power of his 2023 marketing campaign and a few of the hits Miami took above him on the season-opening depth chart.
Garrett has just below two years of main league service. He’ll certainly qualify for early arbitration subsequent offseason as a Tremendous Two participant however stays underneath membership management for 5 extra seasons. The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal wrote in late November the Fish have been receiving commerce curiosity of their younger starters however have been more likely to take into account Garrett off-limits. There’s no query of his place within the rotation heading into 2024.
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