Marlins bullpen has gone from strength to weakness

After a 5-3 loss to the San Diego Padres on Sunday, the Miami Marlins made franchise history with their 12th consecutive defeat.

The Marlins quickly went from firmly in the playoff picture to three games out, with five teams — including San Diego — to chase.

The Los Angeles Dodgers suffered an 11-game slide before finishing the 2017 season in the World Series. Miami is only one win from shifting back to a playoff contender hovering over .500.

The biggest problem for the Marlins recently has been their bullpen. Miami has been outscored 24-10 after the seventh inning during their losing streak. Two of their three losses against Milwaukee were walk-offs.

The Marlins were leading 3-1 in the eighth inning until home runs from Manny Machado and Jackson Merrill highlighted a 4-run Padres rally. That’s the issue with overusing the bullpen. While every other reliever went through their innings without a run allowed, it only takes one pitcher to get ambushed by opposing bats and change the game.

It was Lake Bachar on Sunday, but it was Tyler Zuber on Friday, when he gave up a go-ahead two-run homer in a 4-2 loss.

Overall, the bullpen has put up a 5.45 ERA since July 10, which is the fifth highest in baseball.

Fairbanks is solid at home, but when he’s on the mound anywhere but loanDepot park, his ERA jumps up to over 13.00. And this is the closer commanding the most money the Marlins ever spent on a relief pitcher in franchise history.

An argument can be made Fairbanks should’ve been on the mound in the eighth against San Diego’s heavy hitters instead of Bachar. Marlins manager Clayton McCullough indicated after the game he will continue to send out a variety of relievers in high-leverage situations, saying, “who you see pitch in the eighth inning one day might pitch in the sixth inning.”

“I’ve been using Pete in the ninth inning,” McCullough said. “Right now, [going to] continue to do that, and again, like Lake or whoever else we have down there, feel terrific about that. When you talk about [matching up with] parts of the order, but OK, if you get through the eighth, like someone’s going to throw the ninth, too. I think I just have to — and will — remain very confident in the group we have, and you know what? Right now, we’re just not getting it done.”

The Marlins’ bullpen hasn’t been the same since Tyler Phillips went from being their most reliable reliever to a solid starting pitcher. The unit is also suffering injuries in the form of Andrew Nardi and Anthony Bender. They almost lost reliever Michael Petersen (2.84 ERA) too. He left Sunday’s game with a right forearm contusion after being struck by a batted ball, but fortunately the X-rays were negative.

The Marlins will send Phillips (2-5, 3.52 ERA) on the mound against the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday.