Josh

Simpson

Simpson has the option to elect free agency in the coming days, but he’s been officially removed from Miami’s 40-man roster for now. The 27-year-old lefty was limited to just a handful of appearances last year in the minors due to a left elbow injury.

Simpson has been rehabbing in Jacksonville, and the Marlins will add him back to the 40-man roster rather than risk losing him via waiver claim. The 27-year-old has missed the majority of the season due to ulnar nerve neuritis in his left elbow.

The 26-year-old is expected to miss three months to repair ulnar nerve neuritis before he returns to action. Simpson, the Marlins’ 26th ranked prospect, posted a 4.19 ERA, 1.54 WHIP with a 59/23 K/BB ratio across 34 1/3 innings in Triple-A last season.

The procedural move opens up a spot on Miami’s 40-man roster for righty Kyle Tyler. The 26-year-old southpaw has been out since spring training due to left elbow ulnar neuritis. There is no timetable for his return yet.

Simpson has been on the shelf since early March due to a left elbow issue. There is no timetable for his return at the moment.

Marlins manager Skip Schumaker stated that the injury wasn’t related to the UCL but was similar to nerve irritation. Simpson hasn’t pitched in a game since February 27th, and the team is hoping the layoff will help ease the irritation.

Simpson returns to the minors and has yet to make his major league debut. While in Triple-A, the 26-year-old posted a 4.50 ERA, 1.53 WHIP, and 55/22 K/BB ratio across 23 appearances (32 innings).

Simpson, 26, was added to the 40-man roster last winter, but this is the first time the Marlins have called him up this year. It probably would have happened earlier, but he missed some time and struggled with his control while active. In 32 innings for Jacksonville, he struck out 55 but also walked 22, leading to a 4.50 ERA. He’ll get a look in middle relief here before the Marlins decide whether it’ll be worth keeping him on the 40-man this winter.

Simpson was added to Miami’s 40-man roster last November and will head back to Triple-A Jacksonville to open the regular season. The 25-year-old lefty misses a ton of bats and figures to get a shot with the Marlins sometime this year.

Simpson -- a 32nd round selection by the Marlins from the 2019 draft -- has climbed the minor league ladder relatively quickly. In 2022, he compiled a 3.97 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 112/34 K/BB ratio over 68 innings in 50 appearances between Double-A Pensacola and Triple-A Jacksonville. Given that jaw-dropping strikeout rate, he should get every opportunity to contribute to the Marlins bullpen during the 2023 campaign.