3 Marlins bold predictions with MLB spring training well underway

Fans were waiting for 2022 NL Cy Young Sandy Alcantara to find his form for most of last year, but it never happened for an extended period of time. Worse yet, he was forced to undergo Tommy John surgery in October and is therefore expected to miss the entirety of this upcoming campaign. Just like in 2023, manager Skip Schumaker will look to Eury Perez to pick up the slack.

The 20-year-old righty endured a roller-coaster rookie year that included a terrific first-half, a controversial demotion to the minor leagues and an untimely injury that kept him sidelined for the postseason. When the ride officially stopped, however, Perez finished with a commendable 3.15 ERA, 108 strikeouts and a .214 batting average against in 91 1/3 innings pitched.

He should be ready to become the Marlins’ ace in 2024. The Dominican Republic native is honing his curveball in spring training, which could be the impetus for a true leap into stardom. If Perez can pair his punishing fastball with a formidable secondary pitch, an All-Star selection should be his for the taking.

Eury Perez suffered a broken nail on his right middle finger during a spring training start and did struggle in Friday’s outing versus the New York Mets, but this young pitcher should nevertheless be poised to anchor Miami’s promising rotation.

Tim Anderson will bounce back with Marlins

For the second consecutive offseason, the organization’s flashiest acquisition is an infielder with a batting title. 2024 could not come fast enough for shortstop Tim Anderson after a year marred by poor offensive output, drama in his personal life and injuries. A viral Jose Ramirez-dealt punch to the face perfectly summed up 2023 for him and the Chicago White Sox as a whole.

Health will continue to be a concern as it has been during much of his career, but Anderson has a good chance at reclaiming his hitting prowess with Miami. MLB Network Radio’s Chris Gimenez feels the same way. The veteran shortstop found his groove at the plate from 2019-22, exceeding a .300 batting average in each year while earning two All-Star selections, a Silver Slugger award and a top-10 MVP finish.

While the sample size might have been comparatively small, Anderson flaunted impressive skills. He also supplied reasonable power for the position, hitting 17 or more home runs four times in his eight-year run with Chicago. Some South Siders will blame him for the team’s alleged culture issues, but this former first-round pick was a key part of the White Sox’s brief rejuvenation.

At only 30 years of age, Tim Anderson can enjoy a comeback season for the Marlins. He could be another valuable base-hit magnet to slot in the lineup behind two-time batting champion Luis Arraez. The Fish survived by being unconventional last season, so Skip Schumaker might be compelled to double down on this contact-heavy approach.

I expect Anderson to greatly improve upon his .245 average from 2023 and end up somewhere in the .270s. Miami should receive a pat on the back or two once this one-year, $5 million contract expires.

Marlins will finish top-10 in team ERA

If this club is going to reach the postseason for the second-straight year, something it has never done in its 31-year history, the pitching staff must be among the best in the NL. Sandy Alcantara’s absence definitely leaves a huge void, but it is one that can be filled by a plethora of young arms.

We already gave Eury Perez a heaping pile of praise, so it is necessary to turn our attention to the other viable pitchers on this staff. Jesus Luzardo has blossomed into a reliable front-end guy in the last couple years with Miami, recording a 3.58 ERA and 208 strikeouts in 32 starts last season. Braxton Garrett is becoming a pillar of consistency in his own right after working through some early growing pains but is probably going to begin the season on the injured list (shoulder soreness).

Edward Cabrera was superb in 2022 before coming back to earth in 2023. If he can find a middle ground between the 3.01 and 4.24 ERA from those respective seasons, then you can add another promising hurler to the mix. Former closer A.J. Puk is intriguingly being stretched out into a starting role. The fifth spot in the rotation could be occupied by Trevor Rogers and Ryan Weathers, two former first-round draft picks who have yet to live up to their ample potential. The returning Max Meyer can also be an X-factor

Tanner Scott and Andrew Nardi both handled their big bullpen workloads exceptionally well and were sneakily two of the more impactful relievers in the league last year. Simply put, the Marlins could be stacked on the mound. This is their time to finally crack the MLB’s top 10 in ERA rankings and emphatically announce their collective presence.

Final thoughts ahead of 2024 campaign

Now that I have lulled Fish fans into a false sense of security by raving about the abundance of pitching talent Miami has at its disposal, it is time to cruelly turn this supposed hype train in the other direction. There will be no champagne showers this year.

In all seriousness, it gives me no pleasure to predict that the Marlins will fall short. They are easy to root for and a welcome deviation from the bash-happy, low batting average style of baseball that still exists to a decent degree in the league. There must be a balance, however.

Jorge Soler’s past health issues made it difficult for new president of baseball operations Peter Bendix to justify paying him the three-year, $42 million contract San Fran gave him this winter, but another big bat could have helped. A surprise fourth-place finish in batting average (.259), which was heavily boosted by Luis Arraez’s first-half flirtation with .400, obscures the fact that Miami ranked in the bottom half in most other offensive categories. There is room for upside, but the health of guys like Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Avisail Garcia leaves me dubious.

The litany of questions that crowd the batter’s box makes an NL Wild Card berth feel downright improbable. The Marlins shattered my expectations last season and can do so again behind their stout pitching staff, but a backslide feels plausible from my perspective. And that is perfectly alright.

It is unreasonable to count on this franchise venturing into uncharted territory with such limited financial resources. Fielding a team that can see October baseball in its range of vision during September is the critical next step this organization must take. That would be more than just a silver lining. It would be proof of an undeniable culture change.