Garrett's elbow injury latest blow to Miami's 'decimated' rotation

MIAMI -- The Marlins placed left-hander Braxton Garrett on the 15-day injured list with a left forearm flexor strain on Sunday. Miami had scratched him on Saturday ahead of his Sunday afternoon start against the Mariners at loanDepot park when he felt left elbow discomfort following his Friday bullpen session.

This is the latest setback in an injury-plagued 2024 for Garrett, who showed up to Spring Training with general shoulder soreness and began the season on the IL with a left shoulder impingement. He then experienced “dead arm” during an in-between-start bullpen while on rehab assignment in mid-April, which delayed his debut until May 8. Garrett is no stranger to elbow discomfort, as he underwent Tommy John surgery back in 2017 when he was still a prospect.

"It's been a long time since I've had any elbow issues, really since my surgery in 2017," Garrett said. "So it's been a while, but like I said, it doesn't seem something super serious."

The 26-year-old Garrett entered 2024 coming off a breakout campaign in which he recorded a 127 ERA+ and a 1.15 WHIP over a career-high 159 2/3 innings. He even started Game 2 of the National League Wild Card Series against the Phillies. Garrett has an 82 ERA+ and a 1.19 WHIP in seven starts, including a shutout on May 24 in Arizona, this season.

"I'm disappointed, but I hope to get it back as soon as I can," Garrett said. "[It] doesn't look like it's a season-ending [injury] or anything, so just going to get back on the right track to get it right."

Right-hander Kyle Tyler, whose contract was selected from Triple-A Jacksonville to start in Garrett's place, allowed two runs over four innings in Miami's 6-4 win over Seattle on Sunday.

Miami has seven starting pitchers sidelined due to injury: right-handers Sandy Alcantara (Tommy John surgery), Eury Pérez (Tommy John surgery), Edward Cabrera (right shoulder impingement) and Sixto Sánchez (right shoulder inflammation) as well as lefties Garrett, Ryan Weathers (left index finger strain) and Jesús Luzardo, who landed on the 15-day injured list with lumbar stress reaction before being transferred to the 60-day IL on Sunday. Southpaw A.J. Puk, who has transitioned back into a relief role, also missed time with left shoulder fatigue.

“We still have a job to do,” manager Skip Schumaker said. “It's still the Major Leagues, still a Major League game today that we're trying to win. It's cliché, the next-man-up-type situation. I feel like I've said it maybe too many times already this year, but it's kind of part of our story and our year, and so we've got to figure out a way to win and different ways to win. …

“Those guys out there in the bullpen have been really, really good. I don't want to abuse them. They have a career also that you have to be concerned with and worry about, and making sure that they feel good as well. I've never seen a rotation this decimated before this early in the season. It's June, and almost our whole rotation pretty much besides Trevor [Rogers] is on the IL. It's kind of crazy.”