Marlins left-hander Braxton Garrett was seemingly poised to be activated from the injured listing to begin tomorrow’s recreation in opposition to the Braves, however MLB.com’s Christina De Nicola was amongst these to notice that the southpaw suffered a setback in his rehab immediately that may carry his 2024 season to a detailed. Garrett reportedly “felt one thing” behind his elbow after throwing a bullpen session yesterday, and the lefty is now set to bear testing and switch his consideration in direction of a wholesome return to the mound in 2025.
The 2024 season has been one to overlook for Garrett. The 27-year-old southpaw appeared poised to enter the season as one of many membership’s most promising starters after pitching to a strong 3.63 ERA (124 ERA+) with a near-matching 3.64 FIP in a mixed 247 2/3 innings of labor for the Marlins over the earlier two seasons. Sadly, no such profitable marketing campaign got here to fruition because the lefty handled shoulder points that sidelined him for the primary six weeks of the season.
Upon returning to the membership’s rotation on Could 12, Garrett’s efficiency was combined with a number of begins the place he was shelled regardless of sturdy peripheral numbers with occasional dominant performances combined in comparable to his four-hit, complete-game shutout of the Diamondbacks in his third begin of the yr. General, the lefty pitched to a lackluster 5.35 ERA in 37 innings of labor throughout seven begins this yr regardless of improbable peripheral numbers, together with a 2.5% stroll charge and a 51.3% floor ball charge that gave him a 3.82 FIP and a 3.46 SIERA for his work this yr.
It’s attainable that his outcomes would’ve finally caught as much as his sturdy peripherals had he been in a position to pitch extra this season, however the lefty was positioned on the injured listing in late June attributable to elbow soreness that was finally identified as a forearm flexor pressure. That proved to be his closing begin within the majors this yr, although he started a rehab task earlier this month and had carved up minor league opponents with 15 strikeouts throughout 10 2/3 innings of labor earlier than struggling yesterday’s setback, suggesting his repertoire was in a comparatively good place regardless of the lengthy layoff.
Sadly, that layoff now figures to get even longer. Whereas the outcomes of Garrett’s testing haven’t but been made clear, the membership is now trying in direction of the 2025 season for the lefty’s return to motion. With a 57-97 report, it’s been a disastrous season in Miami however the membership does have some causes to anticipate enchancment subsequent yr, comparable to the superb begin Connor Norby has gotten off to since being acquired from the Orioles on the commerce deadline again in July in addition to the returns of Sandy Alcantara, Eury Perez, Jesus Luzardo, and now Garrett from the injured listing.
With 4 above-average beginning pitchers set to return to motion subsequent yr after making anyplace from zero to 12 begins for the membership this season, it’s not onerous to think about Miami turning issues round in comparatively quick order if they will enhance an offense that has few long-term items in place apart from Norby, Xavier Edwards, Jake Burger and maybe Kyle Stowers.
