Fairbanks (2-3) took the loss Friday against the Mets, giving up two runs (one earned) on one hit while recording one out in the 10th inning.
Brought on to keep the game tied at 7-7, Fairbanks instead served up a walk-off homer to MJ Melendez. The right-hander has allowed two homers in 5.1 innings over six appearances since returning in mid-May from nerve irritation in his hand, suggesting his command may not be as sharp as it was prior to the issue cropping up. Fairbanks has converted six of eight saves chances for the Marlins this season, but his 7.53 ERA, 1.40 WHIP and 21:7 K:BB through 14.1 innings are far from his career ratios.
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Marlins' Pete Fairbanks: Banks second win
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Fairbanks (2-2) picked up the win Sunday against the Mets, giving up a hit and a walk in a scoreless ninth inning. He struck out one.
The Marlins closer did his part to maintain a 0-0 tie in the top of the ninth, and Fairbanks was rewarded for his efforts when Heriberto Hernandez walked it off with a grand slam. Both of Fairbanks' wins this season have come in four appearances since he was activated from the IL a little over a week ago, but on the season the right-hander has a shaky 7.62 ERA, 1.46 WHIP and 20:7 K:BB in 13 innings while converting six of eight save chances.
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Marlins' Pete Fairbanks: Secures save Friday
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Fairbanks picked up the save in Friday's 2-1 win over the Mets, issuing one walk with two strikeouts in a hitless and scoreless ninth inning.
It's been a rough start to the season for Miami's closer, as he entered Friday having allowed at least one run in three straight outings and at least three runs in three of nine appearances since the beginning of April. Fairbanks struck out the first two batters he faced Friday and closed it with a flyout from Bo Bichette. It was Fairbanks' sixth save of the season to go with an 8.25 ERA and 19:6 K:BB across 12 innings.
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Marlins' Pete Fairbanks: Takes second blown save
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Fairbanks (1-2) was charged with a blown save but earned the win Saturday against the Rays, allowing one unearned run on one hit and one walk in the ninth inning. He struck out two.
Joe Mack committed a throwing error while attempting to catch Cedric Mullins stealing second base, which resulted in Tampa Bay's game-tying run in the ninth frame going unearned on Fairbanks' ledger. The Marlins went on to rally in the 10th inning and get Fairbanks off the hook, but the hurler has certainly been shaky during his debut season with Miami. Through 10 frames as the club's primary closer, the hard-throwing right-hander has a 9.00 ERA, 1.50 WHIP and 15:5 K:BB while converting five of his seven save chances.
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Marlins' Pete Fairbanks: Returns from stint on IL
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The Marlins reinstated Fairbanks (hand) from the 15-day injured list Wednesday.
Fairbanks wound up missing the minimum amount of time after the Marlins placed him on the IL on April 28 due to nerve irritation in his right hand. Though a similar issue caused him to miss about three weeks while he was a member of the Rays in 2024, Fairbanks was cleared to throw a bullpen session about a week after landing on the shelf and checked out fine after facing hitters in live batting practice over the weekend. The right-hander is expected to immediately step back in as the Marlins' preferred option at closer after he converted five of his six chances prior to landing on the IL.
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Marlins' Pete Fairbanks: Completes bullpen session
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Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said that Fairbanks (hand) threw a "very encouraging" 13-pitch bullpen session Wednesday, Jeremy Tache of Marlins.tv reports.
Fairbanks was able to get back on the mound for the first time since Miami placed him on the 15-day injured list April 28 due to nerve irritation in his right hand. Though Fairbanks had a similar occurrence of nerve irritation back in the 2024 season with the Rays and ended up missing about three weeks, the Marlins are hopeful that the veteran reliever will be ready to return from the shelf in close to the minimum 15 days. Fairbanks' ability to complete a side session is a promising step toward meeting that goal, and he's set to throw again Friday before Miami determines his next steps, per MLB.com.
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Marlins' Pete Fairbanks: Could be dealing with nerve issue
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Fairbanks described the issue that forced him out of Monday's 5-4 loss to the Dodgers as numbness in his pitching hand, a potential recurrence of the nerve issue that sidelined him in April 2024 during his time with the Rays, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports. "Just a lot of diminished sensation," Fairbanks said after the game. "Felt like any movement of the wrist would exacerbate just loss of sensation in the index finger. So we'll see where it goes and how to work on it."
The right-hander was sidelined for about three weeks in 2024 when the issue first surfaced, but Fairbanks went on to have a strong season for Tampa Bay once he returned, converting 23 of 27 save chances with a 3.57 ERA and 1.17 WHIP over 45.1 innings. For however long Fairbanks is unavailable this time around, the Marlins will likely take a committee approach to the ninth inning, with Anthony Bender, Tyler Phillips, Andrew Nardi and Calvin Faucher all options to close out games depending on matchups.
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Marlins' Pete Fairbanks: Battling thumb injury
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Fairbanks left Monday's game against the Dodgers with a right thumb injury, Fish on First reports.
Manager Clayton McCullough described Fairbanks' injury as an "unusual sensation" in the right-hander's thumb, resulting in his removal from the matchup. McCullough also noted that Fairbanks will be evaluated further, at which point another update should surface. Anthony Bender could be asked to handle save opportunities until Fairbanks is cleared to return.
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Marlins' Pete Fairbanks: Leaves with unspecified injury
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Fairbanks left Monday's game against the Dodgers due to an undisclosed injury, Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com reports.
Fairbanks worked his way into a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the ninth inning, and after receiving a visit from the team trainer, he would walk off the field having retired only one batter on 23 pitches. He can be considered day-to-day until more information on his injury surfaces. Tyler Phillips was called on to attempt to salvage the save chance following Fairbanks' departure.
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Marlins' Pete Fairbanks: Locks down third save
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Fairbanks earned the save Sunday against the Brewers, tossing a perfect ninth inning with two strikeouts.
Fairbanks was dominant in the ninth, striking out the first two batters he faced on just three pitches each before inducing a groundout to secure the victory. It was the right-hander's third save of the season. After allowing three runs in back-to-back appearances to begin April, Fairbanks has now posted consecutive perfect frames, reinforcing that his role as the primary closer should remain secure.
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Marlins' Pete Fairbanks: Blows save, takes loss Tuesday
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Fairbanks (0-1) blew the save and took the loss during Tuesday's game against Atlanta. He allowed three runs on three hits while striking out one batter across one inning.
The Marlins brought out Fairbanks for the bottom of the eighth while holding a 5-3 lead. He retired two of the first three batters he faced before loading the bases, and he was unable to get out of the frame unscathed after yielding a bases-clearing double to Dominic Smith. Fairbanks collected a save in two of his first three outings of the season while striking out five batters across three innings. However, he has allowed three earned runs in each of his last two appearances. If Fairbanks can't figure out his command, then that might force the Marlins look to other closing options out of the bullpen such as Michael Petersen, Tyler Phillips, Calvin Faucher or Anthony Bender.
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Marlins' Pete Fairbanks: Back from paternity leave
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The Marlins activated Fairbanks from the paternity leave list Thursday.
Fairbanks missed the first three games of the series against the Reds as he welcomed a new addition to the family, but he'll be available for the series finale Thursday. The veteran closer has permitted three runs with a 6:1 K:BB over his first four innings this season, collecting a pair of saves along the way.
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Marlins' Pete Fairbanks: Notches second save
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Fairbanks earned the save in Saturday's 4-3 win over the Rockies, striking out one in a perfect ninth inning.
Fairbanks was called on to protect a one-run lead in the ninth and needed just nine pitches to do so. He could be unavailable Sunday after notching saves on back-to-back nights, but the 32-year-old appears to have a firm grip on the closer's role following a strong start with his new club.
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Marlins' Pete Fairbanks: Bags first save with Miami
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Fairbanks gave up a hit and struck out one in a scoreless ninth inning Friday to record his first save of the season in a 2-1 win over the Rockies.
The Marlins' new closer allowed a one-out single to T.J. Rumfield, but he induced weak contact from Jordan Beck and Brenton Doyle to end the night. Fairbanks racked up 75 saves over the last three seasons for the Rays before inking a one-year, $13 million deal with the Marlins in December, and his ability to stay healthy might be the only thing standing between him and his first career 30-save campaign.
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Marlins' Pete Fairbanks: Lands in Miami on one-year deal
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Fairbanks and the Marlins agreed Wednesday on a one-year, $13 million contract, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.
Tampa Bay declined Fairbanks' $11 million club option for 2026 earlier this offseason, but the reliever ended up securing an extra $2 million after hitting the open market. The deal also includes a $1 million signing bonus and another $1 million in appearance-based incentives, per Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. The Marlins took a committee approach to the closer position in 2025, but Fairbanks' contract should give him some security as the Marlins' preferred ninth-inning man heading into spring training. Though staying healthy has often been an issue for Fairbanks throughout his career, he continued to pitch effectively in his age-31 season in 2025, logging a 2.83 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 59:18 K:BB while converting 27 of 32 save chances across 60.1 innings with the Rays.
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Pete Fairbanks: Club option declined
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The Rays declined Fairbanks' $11 million club option for 2026 on Thursday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.
Fairbanks will instead receive a $1 million buyout from the Rays and look to the free-agent market for his next opportunity. The 31-year-old right-hander delivered one of the best seasons of his career in 2025, finishing the regular season with a 2.83 ERA and 1.04 WHIP through 60.1 innings while collecting a career-high 27 saves. His reliability in high-leverage situations should attract plenty of interest in free agency.
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Rays' Pete Fairbanks: Grabs 27th save
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Fairbanks earned the save in Wednesday's 2-1 win over the Blue Jays, striking out one in a perfect ninth inning.
Called upon to protect a one-run lead, the right-hander locked down his 27th save of the season with ease, continuing his bounce-back form after a rocky stretch in which he allowed six earned runs over seven appearances. Since then, Fairbanks has gone four straight outings without allowing a hit, converting three saves in that span. The 31-year-old now sports a 2.98 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 58:18 K:BB across 57.1 innings this season.
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Rays' Pete Fairbanks: Registers 26th save
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Fairbanks earned a save against the Cubs on Saturday, issuing two walks and striking out two batters over a scoreless and hitless ninth inning.
Fairbanks inherited a one-run lead when he entered in the ninth inning and immediately got into trouble when he walked the first two batters he faced. The right-hander unleashed a wild pitch on the second free pass, putting the tying run on third base with nobody out. However, Fairbanks was able to recover by inducing a fielder's choice groundout followed by two punchouts. Though he's successfully converted each of his past four save chances, Fairbanks has been a bit unsteady of late, allowing three runs on eight hits and three walks while striking out six batters across his past six appearances spanning six innings.
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Rays' Pete Fairbanks: Snares 25th save
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Fairbanks picked up the save Tuesday against the White Sox, throwing a perfect ninth inning. He did not record a strikekout.
Fairbanks snapped a streak of five consecutive outings allowing at least one hit. During that stretch, he surrendered four runs on nine hits, including three home runs, with eight strikeouts across five innings. Wednesday's save was Fairbanks' 25th of the campaign, tying his most saves in a season during his seven-year career. He has a 3.15 ERA in 54.1 innings this season.
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Rays' Pete Fairbanks: Takes loss Saturday
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Fairbanks (4-5) allowed one earned run on two hits and one walk while striking out one across one inning to take the loss Saturday against the Guardians.
Fairbanks entered the game in the ninth inning with the score tied 2-2. He allowed the first two batters he faced to reach base, which was enough for the Guardians to push across one run. While Fairbanks wasn't hit particularly hard, he has a 4.15 ERA since the All-Star break, allowing at least one earned run in six of his last 17 appearances.
