Marlins' Cal Quantrill faltering in role he was signed to fill this past offseason

When the Miami Marlins signed Cal Quantrill this offseason (one-year deal worth $3.5 million), the assignment was simple: eat innings, keep games close, and save the bullpen. He wasn't expected to dominate due to inconsistent velocity numbers, but Miami still plans on giving him the ball every fifth day.

"I think that he's demonstrated he can do that," President of Baseball Operations Peter Bendix said. "He can throw 180 innings in a season. That's a rare skill and it's especially hard to find these days, and it's something that's going to be really helpful for us." (MLB.com, Christina De Nicola)

However, ever since Cal showed up for Spring Training he hasn't been the "innings eater": that Peter Bendix was envisioning when he first showed interest in signing the 30-year-old rightie. Quantrill has struggled to make it past the fifth inning on multiple occasions this season, causing Miami's bullpen to become overworked just one month into the year.

His ERA has climbed north of 8.00, and he's posted a WHIP (1.80) that supports his trouble in finding the strike zone and limiting hard contact. The pitch counts have been high, the outs have been loud, and the early exits have been concerning.

The regression isn't surprising. According to Quantrill's metrics from his final season in Cleveland, his declining strikeout rate combined with a rising walk rate hinted at a potential bump in the road. Still, Miami hoped that a change of scenery and a fresh start would be enough to get him back on track.

That bet hasn't paid off quite yet. There's still time for a turnaround, and given his track record, Quantrill could still string together a few solid starts. But if the Marlins are going to stay in contention for a wildcard spot, they need more than just a few good starts. They need the workhorse they thought they were getting when they signed him in February.

What is the answer if the Marlins have to move on from Cal Quantrill?

Well, the answer isn't great. Currently, Marlins phenom Eury Perez and bounce-back candidate Ryan Weathers have started rehab assignments with Miami's Single-A affiliate (Jupiter Hammerheads).

Perez made his second rehab start on Thursday evening, and let's just say he is moving in the right direction! The Marlins hurler tossed 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K (26 pitches/17 strikes). The fastball velocity also averaged 97.2 mph, only .3 off of what it was before his Tommy John surgery.

Ryan Weathers also looked very good in his outing this past Sunday! The Marlins' southpaw tossed 3 perfect innings with 6 strikeouts in his rehab start with Jupiter (35 pitches/25 strikes). According to Fish on First, his velocity was right in line with Spring Training. Weathers is expected to make another rehab start tonight, throwing to his MLB battery mate Nick Fortes.

Miami has some reinforcements on the way, but the question remains: Will Miami still be in contention for a Wild Card spot by the time these guys are ready to take the hill in about a month?