KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Miami Marlins recalled pitcher Bradley Blalock and infielder Pauley from Triple-A Jacksonville as Major League rosters expanded, with manager Clayton McCullough signaling a bullpen role for the 25-year-old right-hander the club acquired from the Colorado Rockies for pitching prospect Jake Brooks in January.
Blalock posted a 5.61 ERA and a 1.49 WHIP across 23 starts with the Jumbo Shrimp after the Marlins kept him in the Minors all season. His career Major League numbers remain rough — an 8.16 ERA and 1.83 WHIP in 21 games (18 starts) with the Brewers and Rockies across 2024-25, surrendering 120 hits in just 89 1/3 innings with 43 walks against 47 strikeouts.
“We’re excited to see how Bradley potentially looks out of the bullpen in maybe a longer-role-type capacity there,” McCullough said. “So I think that’s kind of how at least initially we are looking to use him, give us some length out of the bullpen, because he has been starting all year in Jacksonville.”
Blalock said he used his time in Jacksonville to sharpen a pitch mix that now leans less on his fastball and more on his slider, cutter, hard curveball and kick change. “It was just waiting my time, kind of being in the present down in Jacksonville and being with the guys and competing day in day out with them,” Blalock said. “I’ve been up here, so I kind of know what it takes to get back up here, and just helping the younger guys learn and go in the right direction to get up here, too.”
Pauley, a left-handed hitter who made the Opening Day roster but has shuttled between the Majors and Minors, started at third base for the series opener against the Royals at Kauffman Stadium. He has hit .194/.228/.306 with nine doubles and one homer in 115 MLB plate appearances this season. With Xavier Edwards sidelined, Javier Sanoja will move from third base to second base on a daily basis, while Jared Serna is set for his first Major League start this series and Leo Jiménez will also factor in — all three right-handed bats.
“We’ll just kind of continue to give some of those guys some opportunity here,” McCullough said. “Just looking at now, again, each day or going into a series how the rest of the pieces all fit together.”
Pauley has no remaining Minor League options this season, making his roster spot effectively permanent through the end of the year. Blalock’s first appearance out of the Miami bullpen is expected during the current series in Kansas City.