Offishial news, 3/1/23: Richard Rodriguez signing; more bullpen updates

Tuesday’s Marlins Game Coverage

Marlins Podcast Episodes

• Final call...I am the commissioner of a 2023 fantasy baseball league that’s exclusively for paid subscribers of the Fish Stripes Twitter account. Click the link for details if you’re potentially interested. Only a few spots remaining!
• The Marlins have signed Richard Rodriguez to a minor league deal. The soon-to-be 33-year-old right-hander is best known for pitching high-leverage innings with the 2018-2021 Pirates. He served an 80-game steroid suspension at the beginning of last season, then pitched for the Yankees Triple-A affiliate and the Dominican Winter League’s Águilas Cibaeñas.
• Perhaps not coincidentally, news of the signing comes at a time when projected Opening Day bullpen pieces A.J. Puk (left abductor tightness), Tanner Scott (left biceps discomfort) and Tommy Nance (right shoulder discomfort) are dealing with minor injuries. None of them have made Grapefruit League appearances yet.
• On the bright side, Huascar Brazoban has resolved his visa issue and will attempt to report to Marlins camp today. Being two-plus weeks behind Miami’s other pitchers makes it unlikely that he’ll be ready to crack the initial active roster, but Brazoban was training independently during the delay, according to Craig Mish.
• Mish and Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reported that the Marlins remain unsure of who will provide depth at first base behind Garrett Cooper. They are willing to bring in free-agent Yuli Gurriel as a non-roster invitee—Miami offered Gurriel a $3 million major league deal earlier in the offseason, but “pulled the offer after he waffled for a week.”
• From that same piece, Glenn Geffner vented to Jackson about losing his position as the team’s radio announcer. In case you missed it, Geffner joined us on Fish Stripes LIVE in January (14-minute mark) to share these same sentiments. (Programming note: this week’s livestream will take place tomorrow rather than the usual Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. ET.)

• Sandy Alcantara will be the Marlins starting pitcher today against the Mets (1:10 p.m. first pitch). Bryan Hoeing and Chi Chi González are among the pitchers expected to be available in relief. No television broadcast for this one. Listen to the Marlins radio call on Fox Sports 940.
• Thanks to Jim Callis of MLB Pipeline for sharing awesome insight with us about how he constructed his updated Marlins Top 30 prospects list.
• Baseball America put the Marlins 20th in their organizational talent rankings, the same spot they were a year ago.
• The Pesky Report podcast picked me to lead off their series previewing the 2023 season for all 30 MLB teams.
• Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald highlighted the crucial work that Wellington Cepeda does as Marlins bullpen coach. Beginning next week, Cepeda will be serving as pitching coach for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic, teaming up with Sandy Alcantara and Johnny Cueto.