Marlins Reliever's Velocity Shows Why He Could Have Major Role in 2027
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Going into the offseason, the Miami Marlins, as noted, need some bullpen help. Every so often the best place to look is inward, and Tuesday night's extra-inning victory over the juggernaut Chicago Cubs might have unlocked a reliever with potential.
A Velocity Record
Right-handed reliever Josh Ekness threw a pitch at 102 mph, for the second-fastest strikeout pitch in the tracking era for the Marlins, according to MLB.com's Sarah Langs. The other was from current Red Sox reliever Tyron Guerrero, who pitched with the Marlins back in 2019.
Ekness earned the win in the game against the Cubs, striking out two and walking one in his inning of work. This season, in 28 innings of work for the Marlins, Ekness owns a 3-4 record with a 3.54 ERA. The win-loss record doesn't really tell the story for relievers, as they often are not the pitchers on record, but in games like Tuesday's, those wins matter.
Just because the Marlins are eliminated this season does not mean there is nothing to play for. Playing the Cubs this week means the Marlins have a chance to play spoiler, and last night, with the efforts from Ekness, they did just that.
Could be a High Leverage Arm?
In his small sample of 28 innings, Ekness has posted a 1.21 K/BB rate this season and, perhaps most impressively, a 0.64 HR/9 rate. The best thing a high-leverage reliever can do is keep the ball in the ballpark. So far, he's done that. The walks are a tad high and something the Marlins are certainly going to need to keep an eye on.
The Marlins would also want the strikeout rate to be higher than it currently is. That comes with time and experience, and offseason work. The one thing that plays into Ekness' hands is his velocity. If his average velocity is consistently at or around 100 MPH, that is going to lead to him missing bats and eventually racking up high leverage innings.
The Marlins have questions with the closer's role going into 2027, and while the Marlins are unlikely to turn to a pitcher that has less than a full season of MLB experience, Ekness should put himself in the conversation for a setup role. Down the road, Ekness could become the closer because of his potential, but it would be wise for the Marlins to give him more time to develop.
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Matthew is a writer covering the Miami Marlins for On SI. He has experience covering rumors and transactions, as well as editing, for Last Word on Sports, as well as covering MLB labor negotiations and other rumors for DiamondCentric. Matthew is close to completing a bachelor's degree in communications with a minor in sports studies from Manhattanville University.