Catching up with A.J. Puk: Former Cedar Rapids Washington star on trade to Miami, bullpen role, hometown pride

LINGTON, Texas — Baseball can often be a game full of odd timing.

In early February, A.J. Puk was in Arizona preparing for spring training with Oakland, which selected him sixth overall in the June 2016 Amateur Draft.

A Cedar Rapids Washington product who made his big-league debut for the Athletics in August 2019, Puk was being stretched out to become a starter for Oakland when he received some interesting news on Feb. 11. He’d been traded to Miami for outfielder JJ Bleday.

“It was a complete surprise, especially coming during spring training. I’d just moved into my place in Arizona for spring training for the A’s,” Puk, 28, said. “It was about two or three days before spring started.

“It definitely surprised me, but I’m glad to be here. I was preparing to be a starter and came to spring training to try and win a job. I knew when I got traded that I would be going to the bullpen here, but it’s been great.”

Thus far, Puk has made 39 appearances for the Marlins and is 5-4 with a 4.75 ERA and 15 saves. For much of the season, he has been Miami’s closer. However, when the Marlins acquired veteran closer David Robertson from the Mets at the MLB trade deadline, Puk shifted to a setup role.

Either way, first-year Miami Manager Skip Schumacher likes what he has seen thus far from the lanky southpaw.

“Yeah, he was extremely valuable, especially early on when he was closing out all those games,” Schumacher said. “We’re just trying to find some soft spots to be able to put him in to get his stuff back, get his confidence back.

“We feel like his stuff is back to where it was earlier in the year. So, getting him back in the seventh, eighth, ninth inning role when (Huascar Brazoban) is off is going to be important for us moving forward.”

Some players might grouse about being traded from the only organization they’ve known as a professional, but Puk chooses to view his move to the Sunshine State as a big positive.

“Yeah, I think the timing for me worked, coming in (for all of) spring training and getting to know these guys,” Puk said. “I’ve enjoyed my time in Miami and am happy to be here.”

“I enjoyed my time with the A’s, too. They get a bad rap being a cheaper team. When I was there, I enjoyed it. We had a great group of guys when I was coming up. It’s sad to see where it is now with them moving to Vegas. That kind of stuff happens. I definitely enjoyed myself. The fans always treated me well.”

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No matter where baseball has taken him — his three years as a collegian at Florida, his various stops in the minors on his way to Oakland or now to Florida and the National League — Puk has never lost touch with his roots and remains immensely proud to be from Cedar Rapids.

“That’s where I fell in love with the game of baseball. Perfect Game got started in Cedar Rapids and I was always around that facility while I was playing,” he said. “When I go home, I try to go back there or Dugout Sports in the Fairfax area to get my workouts in. It’s cool being from Iowa and in the big leagues.

“We got (fellow Cedar Rapids native) Mitch Keller right now up with the Pirates. It’s pretty cool to see.”

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Not only has Schumacher, a player-friendly skipper who is only several years removed from playing, and a great bunch of new teammates helped Puk feel welcome in Miami almost immediately, he’s also forged a great bond with the Marlins catchers, including Nick Fortes, a third-year backstop who excels in making his pitchers feel comfortable.

“Yeah, he’s been great. He studies the team very well,” Puk said. “We’ve got a lot of trust in him. When there’s runners in scoring position, you’re not scared to throw a ball in the dirt because you know he’s going to block it. Been fun playing with him.”

And that respect is clearly mutual.

“He’s a really nice guy,” Fortes said. “I really like being around him. He’s a great pitcher. He’s saved a lot of games for us this year, so he’s been a big part of our bullpen. He’s been a great addition.”

Puk’s return to Florida also has been nice because it allows him to now see some of his college teammates on a regular basis and younger brother Owen Puk, a product of Marion High School who is a sophomore pitcher at Florida International in Miami.

“Yeah, that was definitely cool. I enjoyed my time at Florida,” Puk said. “Spent a couple of offseasons out in Florida when I got out of college. Got some buddies from college down in Florida, so it’s good to see them and my little brother plays at FIU.”

Regardless of whether he’s closing or now working in a setup role, the goal remains the same for Puk — record as many outs as possible.

“You just got to go out there and when they call your name, be ready to go,” he said. “That’s all it is, just execute your pitches as well as you can that day and hopefully get results.”

And even though Puk’s role recently changed, his manager sees plenty of good signs that the hard-throwing Iowan is on the right track.

“Where he’s throwing pitches and where he’s missing is what we look at,” Schumacher said. “Some of the pitches like the one home run he gives up (recently) is just a missed location. The other pitches were just spot-on. Now, you see his misses, they’re missing in the right spot where they can’t hit it, it’s a ball, fouled off or whatever. It’s just not there. That’s where we’re getting with AJ, he feels really good.”

Stephen Hunt is a freelance writer based in Frisco, Texas