Miami Marlins: 2017 Season Review and Offseason Preview

The Pitching Staff

Marlins pitchers are to blame for the majority of their 85 losses. The rotation never recovered from the tragic loss of Jose Fernandez and drifted through the season without an ace. Jose Urena was a pleasant surprise, putting up a 3.82 ERA in 28 starts and six relief appearances, but his 6.0 K/9 and 5.20 FIP suggest his success is unsustainable. Offseason acquisitions Dan Straily and Edinson Volquez proved to be solid mid-rotation options, though Volquez was limited to 17 starts due to injury.

The remainder of Marlins starters didn’t fare as well. They suffered through 62 combined starts from Adam Conley (6.14 ERA), Tom Koehler (7.92 ERA), Vance Worley (6.91 ERA) and Justin Nicolino (5.06 ERA).

The relievers weren’t much better. Only Kyle Barraclough, AJ Ramos and David Phelps averaged more than one strikeout per inning, and the latter two were traded away at the deadline.

All told, the Marlins’ 4.82 ERA was the third worst in the NL. Only the Texas Rangers and Minnesota Twins registered a lower K/9 than Miami’s 7.5.