Marlins place Fairbanks on IL with median nerve irritation
Miami Marlins closer Pete Fairbanks has been placed on the 15-day injured list with right median nerve irritation after exiting Monday's 4-2 loss to the Boston Red Sox. He left after walking one batter in the ninth, feeling numbness through his throwing arm—the second such setback this season.
Key Takeaways
- Fairbanks exited after a leadoff walk to Mickey Gasper in a tied ninth inning at loanDepot park.
- The Marlins placed him on the 15-day IL Tuesday with right median nerve irritation.
- He dealt with a similar issue in April that previously sidelined him for about three weeks.
- Manager Clayton McCullough said ninth-inning duties will be handled day to day.
- Rookie left-hander Dax Fulton was recalled from Triple-A Jacksonville as the corresponding move.
What happened to Pete Fairbanks in the Marlins' loss?
Fairbanks started the ninth with the score tied at 2 against Boston. After issuing a leadoff walk to Mickey Gasper on his fifth and final pitch—a 96 mph four-seamer—he motioned to the dugout and left without attempting warmup throws.
He stepped off the mound, touched his arm, and spoke with catcher Brian Navarreto and manager Clayton McCullough before departing with a trainer. Right-hander Tyler Zuber entered and allowed the go-ahead triple to Anthony Seigler and an RBI single to Nick Sogard in the 4-2 Marlins defeat.
Why does the nerve irritation matter for the Marlins now?
Fairbanks, 32, signed a one-year deal with Miami after seven seasons with the Tampa Bay Rays. He has appeared in 44 games with 18 saves and a 6.02 ERA, though he had allowed just one run over his prior 10 outings.
The club was 4 1/2 games back of the Padres for the final National League Wild Card spot with 30 games remaining. Losing the closer mid-push raises the stakes for a bullpen already sharing late-inning work. For more trending coverage, visit our Future Tech & AI Wonders hub.
How long could Fairbanks be sidelined?
This is the second nerve-irritation episode of his Marlins season. A similar issue at Dodger Stadium led to an IL stint beginning April 28; he was reinstated May 13. Fairbanks said this time the numbness ran through his whole arm, not just his fingers.
He planned to see the same specialist in Pensacola, Florida. McCullough said any timeline depends on exam results, with a best-case hope similar to last time—back throwing within about five or six days—though nothing is mapped until those results arrive. Five active arms—Calvin Faucher, Tyler Phillips, Josh Ekness, Michael Petersen and Zuber—have recorded saves this season, and NBC Sports flagged Faucher as a likely interim option.