Marlins evaluate Gusto amid competition for 2027 rotation

Ryan Gusto’s next scheduled start could be about more than simply getting the Miami Marlins through Friday.

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Gusto, 27, will start the series opener against the highly talented Los Angeles Dodgers at 7:10 p.m., giving the right-hander another opportunity to show the club that he deserves to remain part of their plans beyond this season.

Sitting three games below .500 with 15 games remaining and on the outside of the playoff picture, the Marlins may begin thinking about 2027, when there will be plenty of competition surrounding the starting rotation.

Gusto’s performance over the final few weeks of the season could help determine where he fits into those plans.

The Marlins acquired Gusto from the Houston Astros last season in a trade that sent former Miami outfielder Jesús Sánchez to Houston. Now, more than a year into his time with the Marlins, Gusto has a chance to make a case that he should remain in the organization’s rotation plans rather than simply serving as depth.

One key factor is that Gusto is not approaching free agency. He remains under team control for the foreseeable future, giving the Marlins flexibility to keep evaluating him without having to make a decision with his contract this offseason.

Gusto has provided the Marlins with reasons to believe he can be part of that group. His August was really encouraging, when he posted a 1.88 ERA over six starts and showed the type of consistency that Miami would like to see from a pitcher capable of securing a rotation role.

Another encouraging development has been Gusto’s increased velocity, giving his fastball more life and making his overall arsenal more difficult for hitters to handle.

His latest outing Sept. 5 against the Cubs at loanDepot park, however, was a different story. Gusto allowed five runs on 10 hits and two walks across 4 2/3 innings, ending what had been a nice stretch.

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A difficult start does not erase the progress he made throughout August and over the course of a 162-game schedule. Facing the Dodgers lineup, which consists of Kyle Tucker, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, among others, will undoubtedly be his most challenging task.

The organization has several young pitchers who could shape the rotation of the future. Sandy Alcantara’s future with the club remains to be decided, but one can almost pencil in Eury Pérez.

Left-hander Thomas White, the Marlins’ No. 1 prospect, is slated to eventually make his way into the major-league rotation. He was shut down for the remainder of the 2026 minor-league season after suffering a left shoulder capsular sprain in May, but is expected to be fully ready for 2027.

Left-hander Robby Snelling, who made his debut with the Marlins in May before an elbow injury ended his season, is another young arm expected to factor into Miami’s long-term plans.

If both eventually join the rotation, whether the Marlins elect to use a five or six-man rotation, competing for a starting job could become intense, leaving little margin for error for Gusto.

He does not need to go seven innings every fifth day. The Marlins need to see whether he can consistently command the strike zone, limit big innings, work efficiently and give the team a chance to win every time he is on the hill.

Against the Dodgers, who will be without Shohei Ohtani after he was placed on the injured list for the first time in three years, Gusto will have a chance to prove to the coaching staff that his August was no fluke and that he has earned a permanent place in Miami’s rotation for years to come.

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