Junk's career-high 7 1/3 innings save Marlins' 'pen in shutout loss to Reds

MIAMI – Is Janson Junk a starter or a reliever?

That has been the question surrounding the right-hander since debuting in the Majors in 2021, and he's been bouncing back and forth between the rotation and bullpen with four clubs since then.

Junk made a strong case by setting a career high with 7 1/3 innings in the Marlins’ 2-0 loss to the Reds on Monday night at loanDepot park.

“I guess so, I don't know,” Junk said when asked if this showed he is a starter. “I just want to go out there and do the best I can. Whatever's best for the team, that's what I'm willing to do. I'm starting right now. I started last year. I want to get out there with the ball, and do everything I can to put up zeros and give us a chance to win.”

Junk, whom the Marlins inked to a Minor League deal in February 2025, had just 15 appearances (seven starts) on his big league resume at the time of his signing. When Miami selected his contract from Triple-A Jacksonville that May, his first five outings came in long relief.

From June 20 through the end of the season, however, Junk pitched in the rotation. He threw more than five innings in half of his 16 starts, posting a 4.53 ERA. Though Junk led Miami’s staff in fWAR (2.5), he went from a 2.68 ERA in 10 games (five starts) before the All-Star break to a 5.43 ERA in 11 second-half starts.

The 30-year-old Junk needed to earn his spot this spring, eking out left-hander Braxton Garrett for the final Opening Day rotation spot despite missing time with a right ankle sprain and Garrett’s longer track record.

Through two starts in 2026, Junk has given his club a chance to win. Last Tuesday, he allowed two runs over 4 1/3 frames in a 9-2 victory over the White Sox. In Monday’s series opener, Junk once again gave up just two runs.

“I've said it a number of times: Janson's a good pitcher,” manager Clayton McCullough said. “… We still feel very good about the group that we have here right now, and Janson certainly is proven to be a really high-quality Major League pitcher.”

Things didn’t start out promising for Junk, who permitted a single to TJ Friedl and issued a walk to Matt McLain to open Monday’s game. He induced an Elly De La Cruz lineout on right fielder Austin Slater’s shoestring grab and a nifty inning-ending 5-3 double play from Javier Sanoja and Connor Norby.

The Reds didn’t get another baserunner until De La Cruz’s one-out double in the fourth. He came around to score on Sal Stewart’s RBI single – the lone blemish against Junk until the eighth.

McCullough credited Junk’s increased fastball velocity and his changeup. Junk, who wasn’t pleased with the execution of the location of his pitches, capitalized on Cincinnati’s aggressive approach.

With Junk at just 74 pitches entering the eighth, McCullough sent him back out with right-hander Tyler Phillips warming up in the bullpen. Leadoff batter Tyler Stephenson took Junk deep on a hanging slider and Friedl reached on a bunt single with one out to chase Junk.

“I felt like I gave it my all,” Junk said. “The eighth inning, [my] body was pretty taxed, but at that point, I was just trying to compete. Hung that slider, but I was just trying to overcompensate a little bit just in the moment. [I] didn't control the body as well as I wanted to. But I was happy with what I did today. I feel like I didn't have my best stuff, but I was able to go out there and compete and get through quick innings, get back in the dugout and give our guys a chance.”

The deep start was much-needed for the Marlins, who relied heavily on their bullpen over the weekend in the Bronx (11 2/3 innings) to begin a stretch of playing a game on 13 straight days. Plus, Miami placed closer Pete Fairbanks on the paternity list and recalled Ryan Gusto from Triple-A Jacksonville.

“I'm sure [there] probably was a little bit of fatigue,” McCullough said. “It was beginning to kind of creep in there. He was just so efficient through seven, where he was, [we] selfishly wanted to try to eke out another inning out of him. But I think he gave us all and more tonight.”