Miami Marlins need to shut down Sixto Sanchez for the year

Sixto Sanchez is expected to be the next ace for the Miami Marlins. The headliner of the return that sent J.T. Realmuto to the Phillies, Sanchez possesses the type of upside and potential to dominate that the Marlins have not had since Jose Fernandez. However, the beginning of his reign in Miami was delayed this year as he had been dealing with injuries that have not allowed him to return to the mound.

That return has been delayed even more. Sanchez has dealing with shoulder discomfort and will be shut down for several days.

Miami Marlins need to shut Sixto Sanchez down for 2021

Sanchez showed flashes of his amazing potential during his seven game stint in 2020. He posted a 3.46 ERA and a 1.205 WHiP over his 39 innings, striking out 33 batters with just 11 walks. Most importantly, Sanchez looked as though he belonged in the majors, carrying himself with a confidence that belied his youth.

The Marlins find themselves in a difficult position when it comes to Sanchez. They entered Tuesday’s action five games out of first in the NL East, their hopes of returning to the postseason beginning to slide away. Getting Sanchez back and adding him to what has been a solid rotation would only help to improve their chances of getting back into the divisional race.

But the Marlins also have to factor in their future. Sanchez will be a key piece of that, part of what promises to be a stable of dominant young arms that are coming through their system. For Miami, it is a matter of balancing out the short term against the future.

In this case, the future needs to win out. Even if there is nothing structurally wrong with his shoulder, it is worrisome that Sanchez has had to battle injury woes throughout the year. It is better to keep Sanchez on the shelf and turn their eyes towards a run in 2022.

The Miami Marlins have shut Sixto Sanchez down for several days. They may be better off shutting him down for the rest of the year.