A.J. Puk

Acquired by Miami last February, Puk locked down the primary save share early in the season, converting 6 of the Marlins' first 10 saves. The momentum the southpaw was gaining in the 9th inning was halted by a mid-May trip to the injured list due to nerve irritation in his throwing elbow. Fortunately, he only missed 3 weeks and reclaimed closing duties upon his return. Puk racked up 9 more saves until a brutal July (10.24 ERA) forced manager Skip Schumaker to make a closer change. The 28-year-old rebounded over the final two months to finish the season with a career-high 15 saves, 7 wins and 78:13 K:BB ratio across 56.2 innings. Puk's 26.9% K-BB percentage was 3rd-best among qualified relievers, so there's a good chance he sees save opportunities again in 2024. Read Past Outlooks