Puk's first career start an 'uncharacteristic' uphill battle

MIAMI -- Marlins left-hander A.J. Puk waited four seasons and 142 outings to make his first start as a Major Leaguer.

It didn’t go as planned, as Puk was chased with no outs in the third inning after issuing six walks and giving up four runs in Friday night’s 7-2 loss to the Pirates at loanDepot park.

“That's the nice thing having experience as a reliever,” said Puk, who had 15 career appearances at least as long as Friday’s start. “If you have a bad outing, you've just got to flush it. This is not going to affect me mentally at all. I know what I can do as a pitcher and know my ability, so I'm not too worried.”

This version of Puk was a far cry from the dominant pitcher the Marlins saw in Grapefruit League action, where he allowed just three runs (two earned) with 23 strikeouts and four walks in 13 2/3 innings. He matched that walk total eight batters into the game.

In a 26-pitch second, Puk walked four batters, including one with the bases loaded, and allowed a sacrifice fly. Things unraveled in the third with another two free passes, two hits and a wild pitch. Puk exited after 68 pitches (33 strikes) and 14 batters, with Miami down 4-0. His lone strikeout came against Connor Joe, the game’s first hitter.

During the 2023 season, Puk ranked in the 89th percentile in walk percentage (5.4) and the 95th percentile in strikeout percentage (32.2). That’s what made Friday’s performance so unusual. Postgame, Puk said the ball didn't feel comfortable in his hand. If so, that not only affected his strike-throwing but also his velocity, which was down by at least 2.1 mph on three of his pitches.

“It's tough for me, too, because somehow I feel like, ‘What can I do to get him better?’” catcher Christian Bethancourt said. “‘What can I do to get him back in the strike zone?’ And every inning, I was trying to find a pitch to get him back in the strike zone, and everything was just corners or way up. I guess it's just one of those days.”

So how exactly did the 28-year-old Puk wind up starting the second game of the 2024 season for the Marlins in the first place?

Last August, manager Skip Schumaker and pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre Jr. threw out the idea, then seriously considered it in September when Puk’s two-seamer -- an addition to complement his four-seamer and sweeper -- took off. According to Baseball Savant, Puk's sinker had the most horizontal movement of any sinker (from a lefty) in the Majors’ final month of the season (just 19 thrown). Though he didn’t have enough pitches to qualify for any leaderboards, he got three inches more drop and 3 1/2 inches more horizontal break against average compared to similar sinkers at his velocity.

Plus, Puk was no stranger to starting. He mostly did so at the University of Florida and through his first two professional seasons from 2016-17, though he wound up pitching more in relief from ‘19 on after coming back from Tommy John surgery.

But Oakland planned on using Puk as a starter in 2023 before dealing him to Miami on Feb. 11. At the time, the Marlins’ greater need was in the bullpen, where he was used in a high-leverage role. Even after losing closer duties midseason, he still finished with a club-high 15 saves.

Despite Friday’s showing, Schumaker isn’t concerned about Puk, who earned a spot in the Opening Day rotation even without injuries to right-handers Edward Cabrera (right shoulder impingement) and Eury Pérez (mild right elbow inflammation) as well as left-hander Braxton Garrett (left shoulder impingement).

“I'm not exactly sure what was going on out there,” Schumaker said. “I haven't talked to him. It was just uncharacteristic of him. We'll have to figure out exactly what was happening. It's a game of adjustments, hitting or pitching, even fielding. The quicker you make them, the better off you'll be.

“And I think A.J. is going to be fine. It's one start. He was so good in spring -- I know it's just Spring Training -- but everything looked right. He had a bad outing. If this was June and he had some really good outings, I don't think we'd be talking about it as much. But it's so fresh. I understand. But I think he's going to be OK.”