MIAMI -- With the July 30 Trade Deadline eight days away and the Marlins falling in the standings, the final two months of the season may serve as an evaluation period for the organization’s young players and their futures.
That includes right-hander Jordan Holloway, who struggled with his command in the Marlins’ 3-2 loss to the Padres on Thursday night at loanDepot park.
Three key pieces of the projected Opening Day rotation are sidelined. There is no timetable for Pablo López’s return from a right rotator cuff strain, Elieser Hernandez (right quad strain) is not expected to return until mid-August and top prospect Sixto Sánchez is done after season-ending shoulder surgery. So the 25-year-old Holloway is part of a group of rookie starting pitchers that should receive opportunities down the stretch.
After Anthony Bender held San Diego scoreless in the first inning, Holloway walked a career-high-tying five batters and permitted three runs (two earned) across 3 2/3 frames. He allowed three hits -- all singles -- and they came in the fourth. Last Friday, he followed an opener with five shutout innings, six strikeouts and just two walks.
“It's kind of like a broken record: Just trying to get ahead of guys and not walk people,” Holloway said. “I let some counts get away from me. Other than that, I feel like I made some good pitches. Didn't let my defense work behind me as much as I wanted to tonight, but you can only learn from the negatives. Like I said, I'm glad that I gave myself the opportunity to only give up three.”
The Marlins hope Holloway and the following pitchers can follow the same path as National League Rookie of the Year candidate Trevor Rogers, who experienced similar ups and downs in 2020 before turning the corner in '21.
RHP Nick Neidert
5 career starts (all in 2021)
Neidert allowed one run over a career-high five innings on Wednesday night against the Nationals. The 24-year-old righty was optioned to Triple-A Jacksonville prior to Thursday's series opener to make room for Holloway. Ranked by MLB Pipeline as Miami’s No. 9 prospect, Neidert is trying to regain his form after dominating the Arizona Fall League in 2019.
LHP Braxton Garrett
5 career starts (3 in 2021)
Garrett, who turns 24 on Aug. 5, permitted three runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings to the Phillies on Sunday. The former first-round Draft pick ranks as the organization’s No. 7 prospect, but he has fallen behind younger arms in the system.
RHP Cody Poteet
7 career starts (all in 2021)
Poteet threw a 35-pitch bullpen session on Wednesday, and he is scheduled for live batting practice on Saturday. Poteet, who turns 27 on July 30, is rehabbing from a sprained right MCL, which has sidelined him twice. Prior to the injury, he had a 2.95 ERA through his first four starts. Poteet was not a top 30 prospect before his callup, though he has been with the organization since it drafted him in 2015.
RHP Zach Thompson
6 career starts (all in 2021)
Like Poteet, Thompson had his contract selected from Triple-A Jacksonville when injuries caught up to the pitching staff. A Minor League free-agent signing last November, the 27-year-old has taken hold of a spot in the back end of the rotation with a 1.93 ERA in six starts.
“I think it's valuable experience for the guys,” manager Don Mattingly said. “You see how valuable that was to Trevor last year, and that's really what you want to see from those guys, is just that picking up things. That doesn't always come out in the result that night, but you want to keep improving and take that experience and move forward.
"Obviously, a number of guys are getting that, a number of different guys have gotten that opportunity. Some of that's been better than others, some of it's been good, maybe a step back and then good. That's kind of the way it goes with that little set of opportunities. We know there is that in some way, shape or form even when it doesn't go as well as they'd like.”