3 Pitchers that the Miami Marlins need to acquire

3. Mark Leiter Jr.

Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Mark Leiter Jr. is the third pitcher that the Miami Marlins need to acquire. The 32 year old was a late-bloomer, debuting in 2017 with the Philadelphia Phillies. That season he delivered a 4.96 ERA/5.14 FIP, with 8.3 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9. He did this in 11 games (5 starts) in 90.2 innings pitched. It was a pretty uneventful debut, but at least the strikeout were somewhat promising.

Leiter split 2018 between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Toronto Blue Jays. He delivered a 7.71 ERA/6.97 FIP, with 8.5 K/9 and 4.6 BB/9. It was a terrible follow-up, with his control declining significantly. It really didn't look like Leiter would ever be anything of value in his career. In fact, he spent the next three seasons in the Minor Leagues.

The Chicago Cubs brought in Mark Leiter Jr. for the 2022 season. He delivered a 3.99 ERA/4.29 FIP, with 9.7 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9 in 35 games (4 starts) and 67.2 innings pitched. This was a decent return, with a very promising strikeout rate. The ERA and FIP didn't look all that special and he was already 31 years old.

2023 has been Leiter's breakout season. He delivered a 3.58 ERA/3.12 FIP, with 12.7 K/9 and 2.9 BB/9 in 37 games and 37.2 innings pitched. Having an elite strikeout rate, good control and a great FIP (along with a solid ERA) opened a lot of eyes on the late-bloomer. The Chicago Cubs are not going to the playoffs this season, so why not trade him?

Mark Leiter Jr. is not even eligible for arbitration until next season. This means that the Chicago Cubs may want to sell high. This also means that he might be too expensive for the Miami Marlins. Then again he's 32 years old, maybe the price will be reasonable. Kim Ng only needs to make a phone call to find out.