The Marlins signed Jesus Tinoco to a minor league deal earlier this week, according to the right-hander’s MLB.com profile page. Tinoco returns after electing free agency following an outright assignment off Miami’s roster in early November.
The length of the contract isn’t known, which is a key element since Tinoco isn’t expected to pitch in 2026 after undergoing flexor surgery last September. It is possible the Marlins inked him to a two-year pact with an eye towards having Tinoco healthy and available for 2027, and giving him the 2026 season to rehab in a familiar environment.
This is now the third time Tinoco has joined the Marlins over his 14-pro career, which includes six seasons in the majors (from 2019-25 with the Marlins, Cubs, Rangers, and Rockies) and the 2023 season spent in Japan with the Seibu Lions. Tinoco first arrived in South Beach after being dealt from Colorado in August 2020, and Miami then claimed Tinoco off waivers from the Cubs in July 2024.
Fifty-one of Tinoco’s 126 2/3 career Major League innings have come in a Marlins uniform, and he has a 3.00 ERA over his time with the Fish. The numbers were even better before Tinoco posted a 5.12 ERA over 19 1/3 frames last year, and is fair to assume that he was never himself following an IL stint due to a back injury, and then a forearm strain that shut him down at the start of June.
Tinoco has a 3.98 ERA, 19.7% strikeout rate, and 11.3% walk rate over his big league career. His 2024 campaign was his most promising performance, as he had a 3.32 ERA, 25.9K%, and 7.4BB% in 40 2/3 innings despite bouncing around to three different teams over the course of the season. The drop in walk rate was a particularly good development, as Tinoco had previously struggled with his control in the majors and at times during his minor league career.
Tinoco relies on his slider and sinker as his primary offerings, and doesn’t make much use of his traditional four-seam fastball (which has mid-90’s velocity). It is an open question how Tinoco’s repertoire might develop once he returns to the mound in what will be his age-32 season, as Tinoco turns 31 this coming April.