FanSided

2 Miami Marlins offseason additions we should already be worried about

By Neil Raymond |
Johnny Cueto
Johnny Cueto / Jasen Vinlove/Miami Marlins/GettyImages
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Spring Training is coming to an end and the Miami Marlins have a new starting pitcher who may not be with The Fish after this season. There's another new arrival that I'm concerned about, but we'll get to him later... Johnny Cueto is the starting pitcher however, and he...hasn't been so good so far in Spring Training. Is it time to worry about him? Will he be fine? I'm starting to become increasingly more concerned...

1. SP JOHNNY CUETO

Miami Marlins SP Johnny Cueto is not looking very promising for 2023.

Johnny Cueto is a 37 year old veteran of 15 years. He pitched for the Cincinnati Reds from 2008-2015. From 2008-2014 he delivered a 3.27 ERA/3.87 FIP with 7.4 K/9 and 2.7 BB/9 in 194 games and 1208.1 innings pitched. In 2015, he split time between Cincinnati and the Kansas City Royals. He produced a 2.62 ERA/3.20 FIP with 8.3 K/9 and 2.0 BB/9 in 19 games and 130.2 innings pitched with Cincinnati. With Kansas City, he delivered a 4.76 ERA/4.06 FIP with 6.2 K/9 and 1.9 BB/9 in 13 games and 81.1 innings pitched.

Cueto was a NL Cy Young award contender 2012 and 2014. In 2012, he finished fourth in voting with a 2.78 ERA/3.27 FIP with 7.1 K/9 and 2.0 BB/9 in 33 games and 217.0 innings pitched. In 2014, he finished second with a 2.25 ERA/3.30 FIP with 8.9 K/9 and 2.4 BB/9 in 34 games and 243.2 innings pitched. By the time that he signed with the San Francisco Giants for the 2016-2021 seasons, he was a legitimate ace in the prime of his career.

With San Francisco, Johnny Cueto delivered a 3.81 ERA/3.93 FIP with 7.9 K/9 and 2.6 BB/9 in 104 games and 614.0 innings pitched. He finished sixth in NL Cy Young voting in 2016 with a 2.79 ERA/2.95 FIP with 8.1 K/9 and 1.8 BB/9 in 32 games and 219.2 innings pitched. Cueto couldn't stay healthy in his latter seasons with San Francisco and he wasn't pitching very well either.

Cueto bounced back with the Chicago White Sox in 2022, when he delivered a 3.35 ERA/3.79 FIP with 5.8 K/9 and 1.9 BB/9 in 25 games and 158.1 innings pitched. It's this 3.5 WAR performance that earned him his contract with the Miami Marlins. He currently has a 27.00 ERA in Spring Training and was terrible during the World Baseball Classic. I'm very worried that he's in decline and that he'll be pretty bad during the season. Fangraphs sees him having an ERA above 4.00...

NEXT: Another pitcher that I'm worried about...

2. RP MATT BARNES

There was an interesting trade between the Miami Marlins and the Boston Red Sox earlier during the off-season. It wasn't as historic as another trade between these two teams... The Miami Marlins acquired relief pitcher Matt Barnes. Matt Barnes is a high risk high reward reliever who can either be the next Miami Marlins closer or a frustrating reliever who you're wondering why he's pitching in late innings at all.

Matt Barnes is a high risk high reward relief pitcher for the Miami Marlins.

Matt Barnes is 32 years old and is a right-handed relief pitcher. Barnes debuted in the Major Leagues in 2014 with the Boston Red Sox. In that 2014 season, Barnes pitched in 5 games and 9 innings, delivering a 4.00 ERA/3.47 FIP with 8.0 K/9 and 2.0 BB/9. This was very promising, especially the strikeout rate and the FIP. In 2015, Barnes pitched in 32 games (with 2 of them being starts) and delivered a 5.44 ERA/5.23 FIP with 8.2 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9. This was obviously a letdown.

In 2016, he pitched in 62 games and 66.2 innings, producing a 4.05 ERA/3.72 FIP with 9.6 K/9 and 4.2 BB/9. This was an improvement, but not a big enough one, so the question remained if he could ever get back to his previous form. The walk rate especially was very alarming.

From 2017-2022 he delivered a 3.88 ERA/3.35 FIP with 12.6 K/9 and 4.4 BB/9 in 330 games and 313.0 innings pitched. It's clear that the strikeout rate and FIP are impressive, but the walk rate and ERA are not. He currently has a 4.91 ERA in Spring Training. I'm concerned that he will blow leads and do more harm than good if he can't get his walks under con

Next. Miami Marlins division rivals don't have history on their side.... dark

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