4 Miami Marlins free agents and their chances of coming back

2. SP JOHNNY CUETO

It makes sense for the Miami Marlins to pursue more rotation depth this off-season, but will bringing back Johnny Cueto make sense for the team? Cueto had some promise despite being 37 years old, considering that he was coming off of a 3.35 ERA season with the San Francisco Giants in 2022. There was some question based on his age and recent track record (4.59 ERA/4.38 FIP from 2019 to 2021).

The Miami Marlins expected Johnny Cueto to be a veteran innings-eater for the back of the rotation. He didn't deliver on that expectation at all, ultimately switching between the rotation and the bullpen throughout his time on the team. He produced a disastrous 6.02 ERA/7.02 FIP, with 6.7 K/9 and 2.6 BB/9 in 13 games (10 starts) in 52.1 innings pitched. Yeah.... he wasn't an innings eater at all. Not even remotely close.

Johnny Cueto was such a disaster in 2023, that you have to wonder if any team will even be willing to give him a Major League deal at this point. No team will sign him as an innings-eater, or even expect him to provide any quality innings at all. I certainly don't se the Miami Marlins bringing him back after this. Pretty much anyone would be better for starting pitching depth.

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