Former Marlins First Round Pick Has Golden Opportunity To Solidify Rotation Spot
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The Miami Marlins entered the offseason with questions surrounding the president of baseball operations, Peter Bendix, and what he was going to do with his starting pitching.
Was he going to run it back with Sandy Alcantara and Edward Cabrera at the top of his rotation, or was he going to move one of them? The case could have been made for him to do either.
In January, he chose to move Cabrera in a trade with the Chicago Cubs that got a haul of prospects back in return, including outfielder Owen Caissie. Bendix also traded left-handed pitcher Ryan Weathers to the New York Yankees for prospects.
Those two moves opened up a pair of rotation spots that will be up for grabs as spring training gets underway. Alcantara is back to anchor the rotation and there are some young prospects who will be pushing for a slot in the rotation.
One of those players who has a chance to pounce on a rotation opening is right-hander Max Meyer. If there is a time for him to grab a full-time slot, it's this year.
Marlins Max Meyer Facing Big Spring Training
Meyer, selected third overall by Miami in the 2020 MLB Draft, has struggled with injuries during his time in the organization, which cost him most of the 2022 season after he made his MLB debut. He ended up having Tommy John surgery.
In 2025, the 26-year-old Meyer, who will turn 27 next month, made 12 starts, going 3-5 with a 4.73 ERA in 64.2 innings with 68 strikeouts, before undergoing season-ending hip surgery in July. He has made 25 starts in his career to date before and after his surgery, but if there is a year for him to solidify a spot in Clayton McCullough's rotation, it's 2026.
Veteran Chris Paddack was signed in free agency for some depth in spring training to battle for a spot and it wouldn't be surprising to see him slot in as the No. 4 or 5. Eury Pérez is primed to slot in behind Alcantara as the No. 2, which would allow Meyer to land the third slot in the rotation for the Marlins.
Some still believe that Miami is a team that can make a run for a playoff spot if its pitching can hold up despite losing Cabrera. They do have some young up-and-coming arms that can certainly find their way into the rotation this year at some point, but this feels like Meyer's time to solidify his spot in McCullough's rotation.
