Stottlemyre Jr. on biggest questions facing Marlins pitching

JUPITER, Fla. -- Since Thursday, Marlins pitchers and catchers have been hard at work preparing for the 2024 season. Miami will only go as far as its pitching takes the club, which has plenty of potential and question marks.

Here are highlights from pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre Jr.’s recent chat with a small group of reporters.

Will spring debuts be delayed coming off career-high innings?
“Starters that we pushed, there is a fine line between we have to get them ready, make sure that they get their 25 innings or so in and their ups and downs and that volume and getting ready for the season, but still stay cognizant of what they've gone through and what is going to become of their next season. Certainly, we as pitching coaches, we look at that stuff.”

Will the club need to get creative with six-man rotations, openers?
“Yes. … There's enough guys in our rotation. Look, [Edward Cabrera] hasn't got his innings. Trevor Rogers hasn't got his innings. [Braxton Garrett], we pushed him. Eury [Pérez] certainly doesn't have his innings. So we've talked about those innings. If [No. 3 Marlins prospect] Max Meyer comes up and makes starts, there's limitations that go with his pitch count, so we're going to have to be creative, and there is going to have to be some depth.

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“Ryan Weathers is going to play a big part this year. He is going to factor in and play a big part in this rotation. Bryan Hoeing may get some starts, [George] Soriano. … But we're going to have to be creative. I'm not the biggest fan of a six-man, but I'm sure at some point through stretches of our season where we don't have enough off-days that we'll probably have to consider taking a long look at that, protecting our guys, because the ultimate goal is to get down to the end and let them go in September. We have to let them pitch so that we could win.”

Is it crunch time for Sixto Sánchez, who is recovering from a right shoulder injury and is out of Minor League options?
“It is crunch time in terms of where he's at. Like, he has to go. If you're asking me, it's not the same Sixto to this point. And I say that because I know what it looked like before when I had him. I made the statement, and I don't think I was going out on a limb -- probably the most talented stuff and feel [out of all the] starters I ever had that came to me to the big leagues at a young age. Ahead of Max Scherzer, guys like that.

“There was Félix Hernández stuff. That isn't there yet. So he's still got a gap of where he has to get to. From him, he's feeling pain free. He's feeling like we can move along on the program. My plan for him is to get him out in a live [batting practice] like the rest of the group and treat him as such. And then, hopefully, his stuff starts to spike up, and just keep moving him along. He's had so many hurdles and roadblocks, and he's just faltered. So it's been, obviously, a tough road for him. As an organization, definitely we need to see something. He's got to pitch.”

Could a relief role expedite Sánchez’s return?
“No doubt there. Obviously, building him up and building volume and pitches, it takes more time. And if he's not there, that road is a quicker one to a bullpen role. So we're not going to rule that out either. We're certainly not going to rule that out. If we can get him pitching, it's a win-win for whatever role. So we're keeping everything open there.”

How will they handle Meyer?
“He went through the [Tommy John] surgery, so you have to respect that timeline and what doctors give you and the information and the history and resources. We have to respect that part. I hate to tell him that, but, ‘Dude, you have some limitations. We just can't throw you out there and say, ‘OK, let's go help this club win.’’ And we've pulled the reins. That comes with him. We're treating him like a starter [to] help bring the changeup along, get him in Spring Training and feel like he's trying to make the club and watch him in between. That's our job. I would rather have that than have to push and kick somebody in the butt. We will watch. We can't baby [him], but there's things that come with that surgery.”