Janson Junk Ends Marlins Camp with Concerning Build-Up to Starting Spot
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The Miami Marlins are wrapping up spring training in Jupiter, Fla. On Saturday, they gave their fifth starter, Janson Junk, a spin in the rotation.
It was an uneven performance. He took the loss, pitched three innings, allowed seven hits, five runs (four earned), and one walk in 50 pitches. He also struck out one.
The performance doesn't change his status for opening day. But it does leave concern that he's far behind the rest of the rotation when it comes to how deep he can go in games.
Janson Junk’s Build Up
Per MLB.com’s Christina De Nicola, the Marlins have a way they like to build up starting pitchers in spring training. Miami wants to get them six appearances before the start of the season. The first appearance is one inning, followed by appearances of two innings, three innings, three innings, four innings and five innings.
Junk has pitched in four games since he made his spring training debut on March 7. He’s behind schedule. De Nicola reported that the Marlins were hopeful he could go four innings. Bu this pitch count went up early in the game and derailed that potential. Junk threw 49 pitches in his previous game on March 16, and he pitched just two innings.
Junk is behind due to a grade one right ankle sprain he suffered early in spring training. It limited him at a time in which the starters were transitioning from bullpen sessions to spring training games and Junk was unable to join them. He needed two more weeks to get back on the mound.
Junk has 10 days between Saturday’s game and his scheduled start on March 31 against the Chicago White Sox. During spring training, starters typically get an extra day of rest. Miami can get Junk one more start in a minor league game, but it would have to be on Thursday to ensure he can make his season debut on normal rest. Miami has not announced what kind of work the right-hander will get between now and his scheduled start.
It seems clear given the build-up that the Marlins will have to leverage a long reliever during his first start and perhaps further into the season. But Miami needs him after Adam Mazur’s elbow injury required surgery and will cause him to miss the 2026 season. Plus, Miami has optioned its top prospects to Triple-A to start the season.
That long reliever is now one of the most important decisions the Marlins must make early in camp. With Junk’s build-up, counting on him to pitch more than five innings in either of his first two starts seems like it may be too much to ask.
