Miami Marlins Spring Training Battles 2020: Rotation Back Half

Miami Marlins pitchers and catchers will report to the team facility in Jupiter for Spring Training on Wednesday. As camp begins, there are a number of positions up in the air, including in the starting rotation.

The Marlins top-three starters should be fairly set for 2020. Lefty Caleb Smith looked like the Marlins’ ace at times last season and is the odds-on favorite to start on Opening Day versus the Philadelphia Phillies on March 26th.

Smith went 10-11 last season and posted a 4.52 ERA and 1.22 WHIP with 168 strikeouts over 153.1 innings pitched. Smith was dominant to start 2019, going 3-0 with 56 strikeouts and a 2.11 ERA over his first 42 2/3 innings pitched. That lasted through mid-May, then he regressed some. If not for a June injury, Smith might have been the Marlins’ All-Star representative. He struggled in September, but is looking for a bounce-back to start 2020. Will Caleb Smith be the Ace We Deserve?

Sandy Alcantara will also be a fixture in the front end of the rotation for the Miami Marlins in 2020. The 2019 All-Star for the club, Alcantara went 6-14 with a 3.88 ERA and 1.31 WHIP with 151 strikeouts over 197 1/3 innings pitched. He wasn’t great post-All-Star, going 0-3 with a 6.91 ERA in July, but Alcantara finished the season with a strong September (2-2; 2.59 ERA).

The No. 3 starter should be Pablo Lopez. He finished 2019 with a 5-8 record. Lopez posted a 5.09 ERA and 1.24 WHIP with 95 strikeouts over 111 1/3 innings pitched. But his major issue last season was a right shoulder injury that put him out of the rotation from mid-June to late-August. Lopez struggled when he made it back to the bigs in August, going 0-3 with a 7.01 ERA and 1.50 WHIP. He’ll need to rediscover his pre-injury form to solidify his spot in the rotation.

Robert Dugger was called up to the big club in August of 2019 as an injury replacement. Dugger started the first game of a double-header in New York, but was knocked around for six earned runs in five innings pitched. The 24-year-old showed his mettle with a solid bounce-back performance in his next start. Versus the Cincinnati Reds at the end of the month, Dugger tossed seven scoreless innings.

Dugger finished 2019 with a 0-4 record with the Marlins, posting a 5.77 ERA and 1.45 WHIP with 25 strikeouts over 34 1/3 innings pitched. One of his major issues late last season was surrendering walks. Dugger issued 17 free passes in 2019. He’ll need to demonstrate stronger command during spring training if he’s going to stick with the club.

On Twitter this offseason, Dugger showed he’s added 15 lbs of muscle and added several MPH to his stuff. That would certainly help him stick with the big club.

Jose Urena bounced between the bullpen and the starting rotation last season. A regular starter prior to 2019, Urena finished the season with a 4-10 record. He posted a 5.21 ERA and 1.47 WHIP with 62 strikeouts over 84 2/3 innings pitched. He made 13 starts and 11 appearances out of the bullpen, including finishing eight games and registering three saves.

Urena struggled in 2019 after pitching well in the two years prior. In 2018, Urena finished with a 9-12 record, posting a 3.98 ERA and 1.18 WHIP with 130 strikeouts over 174 innings pitched. In 2017, his record was 14-7 with a 3.82 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 113 strikeouts over 169 2/3 innings pitched.

If the Miami Marlins keep Jose Urena in 2020, it seems as if it will be as a starter according to MLB.com reporter Joe Frisaro.

The Marlins have several high-end pitching prospects nearing the Major Leagues. Sixto Sanchez, Edward Cabrera and Nick Neidert are all among those who should be ready to make their MLB debut at some point in 2020.

Sanchez is the team’s No. 1 prospect and No. 22 overall according to MLB Pipeline. Sanchez has electric stuff and seems poised to push for a Rookie of the Year award. In 2019, Sanchez was 8-4 at Double-A with a 2.53 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 97 strikeouts over 103 innings pitched. A huge spring might see him break camp with the big club, but it’s more than likely he’ll start at Triple-A.

Cabrera is Miami’s No. 6 prospect according to MLB Pipeline. At 6’4″, he towers on the mound and slings a fastball between 94 and 97 MPH. He can hit triple digits on the radar gun, too. He has a huge upside, and 2019 saw him go 9-4 with a 2.23 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 116 strikeouts over 96 2/3 innings pitched between High-A and Double-A.

Neidert might be the dark horse pitching prospect. He’s ranked the No. 11 prospect by MLB Pipeline, but at 23-years-old and with experience pitching at Triple-A, he might be the most ready to contribute for the Marlins. He’s mature and his stuff has great movement. A solid spring might see him steal the No. 5 starter role.

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The wildcard in this race for the backend of the rotation is currently a free agent. Henderson Alvarez has spent the better part of the last several weeks performing for scouts and executives, and posting his workouts on Twitter.

Alvarez spent three seasons with the Miami Marlins from 2013 to 2015. During his time with Miami, he had a 17-17 record and posted a 3.23 ERA and 1.228 WHIP in 312 innings pitched. He was a steady starter for the Fish until a shoulder injury derailed his promising career.

At 29-years-old, Alvarez could be a veteran option for the backend of the rotation, especially if the promising young arms in the system need more seasoning after spring training.

What do you think? Comments are always welcome below, and keep checking back here for all the latest in Marlins news.