Pete Fairbanks
#29 RP · Marlins
Height
6'6"
Weight
235 lbs
Age
32
College
Missouri
Draft
2015, Rd 9, #258
Experience
7 yrs
Bats/Throws
R/R
B+
A-
D-
N/A
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The Verdict on Pete, in One Read
On the field, Pete Fairbanks grades out as an excellent RP for Marlins (A- Performance). That places him 80th of 389 graded relief pitchers. The contract is harder to defend: the Contract Value Index calls it good value (B+), with the cost outrunning the output. The public read is negative (D- Sentiment), drawn from current news and social signal rather than the box score.
Career StatsA-
| Year | Team | GP | ERA | W-L | K | WHIP | IP | SV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Career |  | 286 | 3.3995156 | 21-26 | 347 | 1.1840193 | 0.0 | 95 |
| 2026 | | 18 | 6.61 | 2-3 | 23 | 1.29 | 16.1 | 7 |
| 2025 |
Current Contract
Length
1 year
Total Value
$13.0M
Guaranteed
$7.8M
AAV
$13.0M/yr
Guaranteed %60%
Performance Analysis
A-
FCA+
Pete Fairbanks's WAR-tier baseline and counting stats together earn an A- performance grade. When healthy, he operates as an elite, high-leverage bullpen arm—his 23 strikeouts across 18 games in the 2026 season reflects the kind of premium stuff and velocity that justifies a $13 million annual investment. The strikeout rate is his signature strength, showcasing the type of swing-and-miss ability that keeps hitters honest in high-pressure situations. The critical liability, however, is durability: recurring nerve irritation has landed him on the injured list multiple times already this season, and his availability profile now overshadows his on-field talent to the point where media and fan confidence has cratered to a D- sentiment grade despite his elite performance grade. At 32 as an established veteran eight seasons into his career, Fairbanks is caught in a frustrating gap—he retains the capability of a frontline reliever when activated, but the injury cloud and skeptical beat-reporter framing mean the Marlins' organization appears to be hedging its bets on his reliability rather than banking on him as a cornerstone arm. With Miami's recent bullpen churn (adding multiple relief arms in late May and early June) and the team fighting for playoff positioning, there's little room for another absence from a high-priced reliever.
Fan & Media Sentiment
D-
Negative
NegativeNeutralPositive
Recent headlines push Pete Fairbanks's sentiment grade to a D-, with Miami's broader season shaping the read. The dominant storyline isn't what Fairbanks can do on the mound — it's whether he'll be available to do it at all. Beat reporters and fantasy analysts have zeroed in on recurring injury management, specifically nerve irritation that landed him on the IL, and the pessimistic framing around his recent recovery updates signals real skepticism about his durability going forward. This stands in sharp contrast to his A- performance grade, which reflects elite stuff and high-leverage capability when healthy — but that gap between talent and availability is precisely what's eroding confidence. The Marlins' recent bullpen churn (releasing Paddack, signing Jones, recalling Gibson) suggests the organization is hedging its bets rather than riding out Fairbanks as a cornerstone arm, and with the team sitting at 20-24 and three weeks into May, there's little margin for error on a $13M reliever who can't stay on the field. The narrative has hardened into cautious skepticism: Fairbanks has the pedigree of a well-compensated veteran, but the injury cloud will need to lift substantially for fans and media to trust him in a meaningful role again.
Contracts in the Same Value Band
Other same-position deals the Contract Value Index also places in the B band — a quick read on where Pete's contract sits relative to comparable money.
How Pete Compares at the Position
Pete Fairbanks ranks 80th of 389 graded relief pitchers by performance. That slots Pete between JoJo Romero (A-) just ahead and Hoby Milner (A-) just behind.
Graded higher
JoJo RomeroCardinalsA-Nick DavilaMarinersA-Riley MartinCubsA-Pete FairbanksA-
Graded lower
Hoby MilnerCubsRecent Games
| Date | OPP | Result | AB | H | R | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun, 6/14 | @ PIT | W 4-2 | - | - | - | 0 | - | - | - |
| Thu, 6/11 | vs ARI | W 2-0 | - | - | - | 0 | - | - | - |
Transaction History
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About this player
Pete Fairbanks is a player in his 7th MLB season listed at RP for the Marlins. FanVerdicts covers every MLB player, team, GM, and transaction — and puts your verdict on all of it. Sign in to cast your Fan Verdict on Pete Fairbanks, see where the crowd lands, and argue the call. FanVerdicts also brings its own read — performance, sentiment, and Contract Value Index — as one honest input alongside the crowd's. Where FanVerdicts has weighed in so far: Contract Value Index B+, Performance A-, Sentiment D-.
The crowd's Fan Verdict moves in real time as fans vote on this profile. FanVerdicts' own read updates as new data lands — performance recalculates when MLB game stats post, sentiment shifts with media coverage and fan discussion, and the Contract Value Index recomputes when contract terms change. Contract details below show the structure (years, total value, average annual value, guarantees) behind the Contract Value Index read.
For league-wide context, the MLB hub has team rankings, GM report cards, the transactions feed, and live scoreboards. The MLB player rankings page sorts every active player by performance and contract value within their position.
