Can Pete Fairbanks' proven save ability and Florida roots help the Marlins make the playoffs?
The Miami Marlins are looking to make the playoffs in 2026, and Pete Fairbanks is the type of signee teams with postseason aspirations make.
Fairbanks, 32, had another successful year in 2025, saving 27 games and posting a 2.83 ERA for the Tampa Bay Rays.
But because the Rays wanted to address other needs, they decided not to pick up Fairbanks' $11 million option, making him a free agent.
Fairbanks liked what Miami was building, and because he and his wife are expecting a child around Opening Day, staying in Florida was ideal.
So now, Fairbanks is a Marlin, and he's the latest profile in our "Getting to Know the Fish" series, which profiles each Miami player.
Height: 6-foot-6
Weight: 235 pounds
Hometown: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
MLB Experience: 7 years
Years with Marlins: 0
Last Year: Fairbanks' surface numbers in 2025 looked great, and he's been a reliable reliever throughout his career, having saved 20+ games in each of the past three seasons.
But digging deeper, there were reasons for concern, according to The Sporting News' Kristie Ackert.
"Fairbanks’ 59 strikeouts in 60.1 innings translated to roughly a 24% strikeout rate, well below the dominant swing-and-miss levels he posted earlier in his career," Ackert wrote in a Dec. 18 report. "Hitters made more contact, and while that didn’t torpedo his ERA, it did change how front offices view his margin for error.
"In a bullpen market where many of the top relievers came off the board early, his experience and durability remain attractive to teams seeking depth without paying elite closer prices."
Fairbanks' strikeout rate in 2024 was 23.8, so this trend could become a bigger concern if it keeps up.
Where He Stands: Fairbanks is projected to be the Marlins' closer for the 2026 season. The Marlins had somewhat of a closer-by-committee approach in 2025, with Calvin Faucher -- Fairbanks' old Rays teammate -- ending the season with 15 saves to lead the team.
Miami's bullpen also has Ronny Henriquez, who went 7-1 with a 2.22 ERA and seven saves last season.
The Marlins' bullpen could be one of baseball's best, and Fairbanks would play a big part.