Tag Archive for: 2020 MLB Season

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5 Keys to the Marlins, Phillies Series

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The Miami Marlins need to shrug off last night’s historic drubbing at the hands of the Atlanta Braves. And they need to do that quickly, because the Marlins return to Miami to face the waiting Philadelphia Phillies for seven games in five days.

The Marlins’ playoff push stands a stout test in the second-place Phillies. At 19-19, Miami enters with an opportunity to not only solidify its playoff position, but also overtake Philadelphia in the standings.

The Marlins are 5-5 over their last ten games. Philadelphia’s play has improved of late, as they’ve rattled off 12 wins in their last 16 games to vault up the standings, passing the Marlins in the process.

Marlins, Phillies Start Seven-Game Series

The Marlins and Phillies are playing a seven-game series thanks to the COVID-19 outbreak that affected the club back in July. MLB scrambled to rearrange the schedule and settled on this 7-game series (a first in Marlins history) which includes a pair of doubleheaders.

The Phillies will start veteran RHP Jake Arrieta (3-4, 5.67 ERA) on Thursday. Arrieta marks the ninth former Cy Young Award winner to start against the Marlins this season. Miami is 3-5 in those starts, including recent wins against Jacob deGrom and Blake Snell.

But Arrieta has had success in Marlins Park before, going 6-1 in seven career starts with a 3.40 ERA. In his career against the Marlins, Arrieta holds a 8-1 record with a 3.55 ERA in 11 starts.

This season, the Marlins are 2-1 against the Phillies. On Opening Day, RHP Sandy Alcantara (2-1, 3.78 ERA) beat the Phillies 5-2. He allowed three hits, two walks and two runs while striking out seven over 6.2 innings. Alcantara landed on the IL shortly thereafter, but he regained his rhythm in his last start. Against Tampa Bay, Alcantara went six innings and allowing just three hits and one run while striking out eight.

Keys to the Marlins, Phillies Series

The Starters

The Marlins enter this crucial seven games in five days stretch with one of their top pitchers on the mound. In five career starts against the Phillies, Alcantara has been really good, posting a 4-1 record with a 2.51 ERA.

As a staff, Miami’s starters have a 4.11 ERA this season, 11th-best in MLB. They were top-10 in ERA prior to Pablo Lopez‘s struggles last night. Former Philly farmhand Sixto Sánchez has allowed his opponent to score in just three of his 25.0 innings this season. He’s struck out 25 batters combined over his first four starts.

In Marlins franchise history, only Dontrelle Willis (26) has fanned more batters through his first four career starts. That said, Trevor Rogers has 21 strikeouts through his first three starts, so we’ll see.

Phillies starters have posted a 4.01 ERA overall. But if take out Aaron Nola and Zack Wheeler, the other starters (Jake Arrieta, Zach Eflin, Spencer Howard and Vince Velasquez) have a combined 5.34 ERA.

The Bullpen

Where the Marlins have a clear advantage is the bullpen. Prior to last night’s game, Miami had a 4.29 bullpen ERA, which was 13th-best in baseball. After Jordan Yamamoto’s implosion, though, the ERA sits at 5.27 (26th). All told, Marlins relievers coughed up 22 runs (20 earned) in last night’s debacle.

Even so, it’s the Phillies who sport MLB’s worst bullpen this season with a 7.24 ERA. Despite making a number of trades for bullpen arms at the deadline, Philadelphia still struggles in that department.

If the Marlins can post runs against Philly starters, they’ll be in great shape. And comebacks are certainly possible against Philadelphia relievers.

Finding Some Offense at Marlins Park

Miami holds a 17-10 record on the road this season, but they’ve struggled to win at home (2-9). The Phillies are 6-8 on the road this year. For the Marlins, they’ll need to find a way to put up five runs. The team is 11-2 this season when scoring at least five runs.

Miami hits just .234 at home, with a .288 on-base percentage and a .622 OPS. Not great. Jesus Aguilar has reached base safely in 9-of-10 career games at Marlins Park, going 10-for-40 (.250) with five walks, and there are several Marlins players who have performed historically well against Philadelphia.

The Phillies have hit .249 on the road, with a .288 on-base percentage and a .659 OPS. While Rhys Hoskins has been the offensive engine of late, Bryce Harper has struggled. In his last 15 games, Harper is batting .143 and slugging .163 with no homers and a .502 OPS.

Clutch Two-Out Rallies

The Marlins are batting .268 (114-for-426) this season with two outs, the fourth-highest mark in the Majors and second in the NL behind the Padres (.269).

Miami’s .366 on-base percentage with two outs is tops in the Majors in 2020. The Marlins have scored 48.5 percent of their runs this season with two outs (82-of-169), the highest such percentage in the Majors.

Rivalry Bringing Out the Best

The Marlins are 2-1 against the Phillies this year after they went 10-9 against them in 2019. All told, Miami is 12-12 against NL East opponents in 2020, while the Phillies are 17-9 against the division. Winning this series would hurt a division rival and solidify Miami’s playoff position.

And no one has enjoyed playing the Phillies more than Miguel Rojas. He sports a nine-game hit-streak against the Phillies, going 18-for-37 (.486), including a 3-for-4 effort with a home run and four RBIs in his last game against Philly on July 24.

Jorge Alfaro also plays well against the Phillies. He owns .432 (19-for-44) batting average in 13 career games versus Philadelphia, with two doubles, three homers and five RBI. Brian Anderson, meanwhile, has posted a .349 batting average (22-for-63) and a 1.128 OPS (4 2B, 1 3B, 5 HR, 13 RBI) over his last 17 games versus the Phillies.

One player who needs to get going is Starling Marte, who’s managed just a .200 batting average (7-for-35) with two home runs and four RBI in the eight games since the trade deadline.

Marte Marlins

Marte Proves Himself Immediately for Marlins

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Miami and Toronto squared off on Tuesday night, as Starling Marte made his Marlins’ debut and Jonathan Villar made his Blue Jays’ debut (against the Marlins). On Monday, the Marlins acquired Marte from the Diamondbacks, and he was in the lineup for Miami on Tuesday.

The new Marte-led Marlins bested the Blue Jays 3-2 after late-inning heroics by Marte himself. This game was extremely important for the Marlins (16-15). The Phillies (16-15) reached closer and closer to surpassing the Marlins for second place in the division.

The pitching looked solid on the Marlins end, as the bullpen pitched 7 innings of 1-run baseball after Elieser Hernandez left the game after just 2 innings pitched allowing 1 run on 2 hits. Josh A. Smith continues to pitch well going 4 strong innings to overcome the short start of Hernandez. Richard Bleier and James Hoyt combined to pitch 2 shutout innings. Brandon Kintzler picked up his 8th save in as many attempts.

Starling Marte Made Difference for the Marlins

Starling Marte, STARLING MARTE! In his first game with the Marlins, the veteran “star” showed up. He scored 2 of the Marlins 3 runs, one of which off of a Garrett Cooper RBI double and the other on a go-ahead solo bomb in the top of the 8th inning. The ball soared off his bat, leading to a no-doubter and an eventual Marlins’ win.

“I knew it was a home run when I hit it,” Marte said after the game. “The energy I felt with the bat, I knew it was gone.”

Jon Berti hit a solo shot earlier in the game as well, helping to propel the Marlins’ bats.

The Marlins (16-15) look to further this 2-game win streak tomorrow against Toronto (18-16), and sweep the two-game set. Sixto Sanchez (1-0, 2.25 ERA) takes the mound for the Marlins against Hyun Jin Ryu (2-1, 2.92 ERA) of the Blue Jays.

Starling Marte

The Starling Marte Trade – A Deeper Look at a Big Win For the Marlins

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The Miami Marlins made some waves at the trade deadline, acquiring veteran outfielder Starling Marte and prospect Griffin Conine. Here’s a look at the deal.

What The Marlins Gave Up

Caleb Smith to Arizona

Caleb Smith has been a relatively consistent force in a previously weak Marlins starting rotation since being traded over from the Yankees. A 15-17 record and 4.39 ERA in his time with Miami wasn’t anything special, but the consistency was a nice addition to a struggling starting rotation. Smith struggled with injuries with the Marlins, especially this year. Due to COVID-19, Smith only made one start where he went 3 innings on 6 walks.

This loss would have hurt a rebuilding Marlins team, but once Smith came back, there was no guarantee that he would have found himself back in the rotation. Pablo Sanchez, Sixto Sanchez, Trevor Rogers, Sandy Alcantara, and Elieser Hernandez provide a core starting five unlike anything the Marlins have seen in a while. Smith was a perfect trade piece, and the Marlins knew that. Great move.

Humberto Mejia to Arizona

Humberto Mejia seemingly came out of nowhere. Signing as a free agent at 23 years old from Panama, Mejia made 3 starts for the marlins, sporting a 5.40 ERA over 10 IP. Similar to the Caleb Smith situation, Mejia had no place in the current rotation after the call ups of S. Sanchez and Rogers in combination with a healthy P. Sanchez, Hernandez, and Alcantara.

Mejia lacked the firepower of the other pitching products in the Marlins system, and because of that found himself rightfully on the trade block.

Julio Frias to Arizona

Frias signed in 2014 as an international free agent. He has a good left arm and good strikeout stuff, but hadn’t progressed past A-ball, and in an organization where starting pitching is not currently an issue (when the whole crew is healthy, of course), the marlins made another smart move.

Jonathan Villar to Toronto

Jonathan Villar came to Miami to be a veteran leader and playmaker at the top of the lineup. Halfway through this short season, Villar hasn’t necessarily lived up to expectations. With a relatively low batting average (.259) and on-base percentage (.315), Villar’s hitting prowess hasn’t lived up to expectations. He did lead the league in steals, but has been caught stealing 5 times in the process.

With expectations being lowered every night, the Marlins went out to make a change and get Starling Marte in comparison. I’ll take a look next as to why this trade-up may be just what the Marlins need to continue their run.

What The Marlins Got

Starling Marte to Miami

The 8-year Cuban veteran finds himself in Miami after being sent to Arizona to help them compete. The Diamondbacks were sellers at the deadline due to their recent losing streak, but Marte played no negative role in that. His .311/.384 split has been a stellar representation of the difference he brings to the table over Villar. He brings the same speed to the table, and is one of the best outfielders in the league. Past the numbers, what really stands out is his patience at the plate, something Villar lacked. He gets deep into counts, and is a stellar hitter when ahead in the count with a .424 average. Marte provides the same veteran leadership, the same speed, and better stats to back him up. The perfect trade-up for a team looking to make a run.

Griffin Conine to Miami

The Marlins got Mr. Marlin’s son! Looking past that amazing story, Conine will eventually provide a solid left-handed bat in a future Marlins lineup. For more info on Griffin Conine, check out David Fernandez’s trade-day article.

The Verdict

It might have been advantageous for the Marlins to go out and bolster their bullpen, but the front-office said the deals just weren’t there. Looking at this trade in particular, the Marlins won. That’s not to say the Diamondbacks didn’t win either, as they got 3 solid pitching products, and Toronto got Robbie Ray. The question to ask: was this trade enough to put the Marlins in a better position to win this year? Trading three pitchers who most likely would have seen bullpen time at best, to upgrade Jonathan Villar to Starling Marte is a deal the Marlins lucked into and would take any day of the week. We will see how it plays out, but it looks like a win right now.

Marlins Lose to Mets, 5-4

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The Miami Marlins have struggled versus perennial all-star Jacob deGrom throughout his career and last night was no different. deGrom struck out 14 Marlins through 7 innings of work, while only allowing 2 hits and 1 run.

The Fish rallied late in the 8th inning after deGrom’s departure, tying the game 4-4, before eventually falling to the Mets 5-4.

Elieser Hernández went 4 innings for the Marlins, allowing 4 runs (3 earned) on 2 home runs. The bullpen of Leibrandt, Tinoco, and Vincent combined to pitch 4 innings, giving up only 1 run. The pitching remains relatively strong, but when put head to head versus the best pitcher in the National League, giving up 5 runs may have been a little too much to overcome for the offense.

Until the 8th inning, the hitting was relatively quiet against deGrom. The Marlins put together 2 hits in his 7 innings of work, and managed a run off of Matt Joyce’s leadoff double in combo with Corey Dickerson’s RBI groundout.

Once the 8th inning hit, the Marlins’ bats thawed as they managed 4 hits, a few walks, and 3 runs to tie the game. The tie ball game was short-lived due to the Mets taking the lead in the bottom half on a WIlson Ramos RBI single, but it goes to show the Marlins 2020 mentality. The Marlins are scrappy, willing to fight to the end, and “riding the wave.”

The Marlins (14-12) go head to head with the Mets (13-16) today in the final game of the 4 game series at Citi Field. Sixto Sánchez (1-0, 5.40 ERA) gets his second big league start for the Marlins. The Mets are yet to announce their starter.

Marlins sweep Mets

Marlins Sweep Doubleheader versus Mets

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On Tuesday, the Marlins upped their record in double-headers to 6-1 by winning both games against the New York Mets. These two seven-inning contests were decided off of the Marlins’ stellar pitching in combination with timely hitting. The Marlins won game one 4-0 and game two 3-0. This Marlins sweep of the Mets moved the Fish to 14-11, now only 0.5 games out of first place.

Daniel Castano led the charge in game 1, throwing 4 ⅔ shutout innings on 6 hits and 3 walks. Bleier picked up the win out of the pen, whereas Boxberger and Kintzler sealed the deal in the 6th and 7th innings respectively. The pitching continues to look strong after the rest day at home before this road trip started.

Miguel Rojas picked up where he left off, smashing an early two-run single that turned out to be all the Marlins would need. Brian Anderson recorded his first two doubles of the year. This points to a bigger Marlins trend of reliance on pitching.

Looking past the anomalies of their 11-8 win against Washington and their 14-11 win against Toronto, the Marlins have struggled to win games when their pitching isn’t lights out. This team has struggled to consistently put 5 or more runs on the board, and on nights when the pitching runs out of steam, there is cause for concern.

Trevor Rogers made his MLB debut in game 2 of the double-header, he pitched 4 shutout innings, allowing only 1 hit and 5 walks. Josh A. Smith and Nick Vincent closed the door with 3 shutout innings out of the bullpen to cap off 14 innings of shutout baseball. Brain Anderson’s 2-RBI double gave them the lead, and Jon Berti’s stealing home sealed the deal.

Another set of games decided heavily on whether the Marlins bullpen is on or off. For both games, they pulled through, but it is evident that as more time without rest passes for the bullpen, the Marlins could be susceptible to another skid similar to the 5-game one they ended in D.C. The Marlins next day off is September 3rd.

Looking ahead, the Marlins bring Elieser Hernandez (1-0, 2.29 ERA) to the mound tomorrow in game 3 of the 4 game series versus Jacob deGrom (2-0, 1.93 ERA). The Marlins struggled versus deGrom earlier in the season and have heavily struggled against him throughout his entire career.

Trevor Rogers

Meet the Marlins: Trevor Rogers

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The Miami Marlins roster shuffle continued throughout the weekend as the team made a number of moves. Miami has made 89 roster moves since the season began on July 24. The Marlins currently have 22 players on the Injured List (including 17 pitchers) and only have 11 players who have spent the entire season on the active roster. The latest move, though, is the additional of left-handed pitching prospect Trevor Rogers to the active roster.

Before Monday’s series finally against the Washington Nationals, a game the Marlins won 11-8, the team made several moves. Miami designated RHP Sterling Sharp for assignment, reinstated INF Eddy Alvarez from Paternity List and optioned him to the Alternate Training Site in Jupiter. LHP Brandon Leibrandt was also optioned to Jupiter. LHP Stephen Tarpley was placed on the 10-day IL (retro to 8/22) with right oblique strain, and the club recalled INF Lewin Díaz, RHP Jorge Guzman and RHP Jesús Tinoco from the ATS.

MLB altered Miami’s schedule in the wake of last week’s postponed with the New York Mets. The league scheduled a doubleheader for the Marlins and Mets Tuesday. This means the Marlins are now scheduled to play seven doubleheaders in this abbreviated season, including four over a 10-day stretch from 9/11-20. The Marlins have never played more than four doubleheaders in a single season (2011) and played a total of seven doubleheaders combined over the previous six seasons (2014-19).

One of the new rules this season allows for an expanded roster during doubleheaders, and LHP Josh D. Smith will serve in that role. Trevor Rogers will be added to the roster between games and will start Game 2.

Meet the Marlins: Trevor Rogers

Originally a 2017 first round pick by Miami, Trevor Rogers stands as the No. 9 overall prospect in the Marlins system according to MLBPipeline. Rogers’ spot on the 40-man roster came about when the team designated Sharp.

At 6-foot-6, Rogers is a lean lefty on the hill. He’s worked to add strength and velocity over the last few seasons. His fastball clocks in from 90-93 mph and tops out at 96 mph. His length aids him in that the delivery gets the ball on the hitters quickly. He has a changeup and slider in his arsenal as well, and has tried developing a cutter and slurve.

Rogers made five starts for Double-A Jacksonville in 2019. He went 1-2 and posted a 4.50 ERA with 28 strikeouts in 26 innings pitched. Over his 136.1 IP in all of 2019, between Double-A and High-A Jupiter, Rogers posted a 2.90 ERA and 150 strikeouts with only 33 walks.

Rogers is the cousin of former Marlins outfielder Cody Ross. He’s arriving at the Major League level a full year ahead of his expected promotion. While Marlins manager Don Mattingly said Sixto Sanchez will be a fixture in the rotation moving forward, that’s unlikely for Rogers.

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5 Takeaways from Marlins Series Win over Nationals

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The Miami Marlins entered their five-game, four-day wrap around series versus the Washington Nationals having lost five straight. The Marlins arrived in D.C. struggling at the plate, particularly with runners-in-scoring-position. While starting pitching had been the team’s strength thus far, there were a few hiccups with that, too.

However, the Marlins ended their five-game skid and took the series versus the Nationals 3-2. The series win marked Miami’s first in D.C. since 2018, and the team’s first five-game series win since 2004.

Here’s a look at five takeaways from the Marlins series win over the Nationals.

Offense Finally Opening Up

After huge struggles with runners-in-scoring-position during the losing streak, the Marlins offense broke out during this series. On Monday, the team batted around in the fourth inning, seeing eight baserunners and getting six hits.

An inning after leaving the bases loaded (something the team has struggled with this season), the Marlins plated six runs, including four with two outs. Nine of the team’s 11 runs on Monday came with two outs.

All told, the Marlins offense posted 5.2 runs-per-game during the series played in D.C. That’s after managing just 2.2 runs-per-game during the losing skid. With runners-in-scoring-position, Miami went 12-for-37 (.324), versus just 7-for-38 (.184) during the losing streak. Those five extra hits made the difference between winning the series and continuing the slide.

Returns of Alfaro and Rojas Are Key

Its well-trodden territory talking about the COVID-19 outbreak for the Marlins, but versus the Nationals, Miami finally saw some important returns.

Miguel Rojas signaled his return in a loud way. The unofficial captain of the team, who’d been live tweeting games while in quarantine and rehab, connected on a 3-run home run in his first at-bat back. He turned on a 2-0 offering from Patrick Corbin and immediately injected life into the lineup. In the series, Rojas went 3-for-13, with four RBI, three walks and three runs scored.

Jorge Alfaro, meanwhile, made his season debut during this series. Lost prior to Opening Day to COVID-19, Alfaro started as DH on Friday, then took over catching duties once Francisco Cervelli was lost to a concussion. Alfaro’s arrival couldn’t have come at a better time.

Alfaro singled in his first at-bat. He turned on the first pitch he saw and punched it into left field, later scoring on Rojas’s homer. Alfaro also went 3-for-13 in the series and registered his first RBI of the season yesterday.

Big Time Debuts in Marlins and Nationals Series

The Marlins have had 14 players make their MLB debut this season: INF Eddy Alvarez, LHP Daniel Castano, INF Lewin Díaz, RHP Jorge Guzman, OF Monte Harrison, RHP Jordan Holloway, LHP Brandon Leibrandt, RHP Humberto Mejía, C Brian Navaretto, RHP Nick Neidert, OF Jesus Sanchez, RHP Sixto Sanchez, RHP Sterling Sharp and LHP Alex Vesia.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the 14 debuts matches St Louis for most in the Majors this season. Entering 2020, no team in MLB history had as many debuts over a team’s first 25 games. Elias also notes that the 14 MLB debuts matches the second-most for a single-season in Franchise history (14 in 1998 and 16 in 2010). More debuts are to come.

Sixto Sanchez’s debut came with particular fanfare and the team’s top prospect did not disappoint. Sanchez earned the win in his debut in the nightcap of the doubleheader over the weekend. He threw five innings, allowing six hits, three earned runs and two homers. He posted four strikeouts and did not walk a batter.

Marlins manager Don Mattingly said Sanchez will be a fixture in the rotation moving forward.

“He’s gonna pitch every fifth day,” Mattingly said yesterday. “Right now, he’s in this rotation and we don’t plan on him going anywhere.”

Jesus Sanchez also made his much-awaited Marlins debut versus the Nationals. Although Sanchez has yet to break out (1-for-15), he’s demonstrating good patience at the plate. He sees 4.2 pitches-per-plate-appearance and has drawn four walks. He’s only struck out five times thus far, 26 percent of his plate appearances. Harrison, who Sanchez replaced in the lineup, has a strikeout rate of 54 percent.

Bullpen Needs Reinforcements

While the lineup has started to see players return, the bullpen remains threadbare. The Marlins bullpen has the 10th-worst ERA in MLB (5.09) and a negative-1.1 WAR (29th). Since the team’s restart after the outbreak, the bullpen’s ERA is 5.13 (8th-highest).

The biggest problem for the bullpen has been walks. Since August 4th, Miami’s bullpen issues walks at a rate of 4.5 BB/9. They’ve also allowed 1.67 HR/9, 19 in total this season. Justin Shafer has allowed the most runs out of the ‘pen (8), with Stephen Tarpley and Sharp trailing right behind (7).

Brandon Kintzler, though, has been solid as the closer, converting all six of his save opportunities.

With the starters pitching well, it’s important that the bullpen maintain leads moving forward. Kintzler has stabilized the back end, but the bridges from starter to closer need to be sturdier. Nick Vincent, Brad Boxberger and James Hoyt have all had a measure of success, and that will need to continue, especially with Tarpley landing on the IL.

The Marlins expect Yimi Garcia, Ryne Stanek, Vesia and others back soon.

Roster Shuffle Continues

With those bullpen arms waiting in the wings, many of those players lost to the IL due to COVID are near their return. Sandy Alcantara nearly made the trip to Washington, and Jose Urena and Caleb Smith are both readying themselves as well.

The Marlins designated Sharp for assignment after the young reliever’s recent troubles. His Rule-5 designation means he’ll be returned to the Nationals. Richard Bleier returned from the IL, but several other relievers remain unavailable.

Miami elected to recall Lewin Diaz for this week’s series versus the New York Mets, as well as relievers Guzman and Jesús Tinoco. The team reinstated Alvarez from Paternity List and optioned him to the Alternate Training Site in Jupiter. Leibrandt was also optioned after a successful MLB debut.

These moves have been made to prepare the Marlins for a key series versus the Mets. With four games in three days, the Marlins are looking to maintain their hold on a playoff spot while they await the return of the other players on the IL.

Sixto Sanchez

Meet the Marlins: Sixto Sanchez

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The Miami Marlins, coming off a five-game losing skid, shuffled their roster ahead of a five-game, four-day series versus the Washington Nationals. This roster shuffle included the return of two players from the COVID-19 IL, as well as the promotion of two of Miami’s top prospects, OF Jesus Sanchez and RHP Sixto Sanchez.

For the Marlins, despite losing three-fifths of the rotation, the starters have not been the problem. Pablo Lopez and Elieser Hernandez have stabilized the starting group, posting a combined 2.35 ERA and 49 strikeouts in 42 IP.

After a rough first outing, Daniel Castano held the Braves to just one run on four hits over six innings. The real problem spot in the rotation came with Jordan Yamamoto’s turns. Yams, who was recently optioned to Jupiter, surrendered 11 earned runs and four homers over 8.2 IP in three starts. Sanchez would slot into his place in the rotation.

Prospect: Sixto Sanchez

Sixto Sanchez came to the Marlins as the centerpiece of the deal with Philadelphia for J.T. Realmuto. Considered No. 16 overall prospect by Baseball America and No. 22 by MLB.com, his arrival put him at the top of Miami’s system. In 2019 Sanchez posted a combined 2.76 ERA with 8.1 K/9 against 1.7 BB/9 in 114 IP between Class-A Advanced and Double-A.

In Double-A Jacksonville, the 21-year-old threw 103 innings with a 2.53 ERA across 18 outings. Over his final six starts, he posted a 0.53 ERA, .161 batting-average-against and .405 OPS, with 28 strikeouts and only five walks in 34 IP. In his Minor League career, Sanchez has a 23-18 record with a 2.58 ERA in 68 games (59 starts), registering 294 strikeouts and 64 walks in 335.1 IP. He only surrendered nine home runs over that span.

Sanchez relies on a two-seam sinking fastball and a four-seam fastball that can touch triple digits. He pairs those pitches with a devastating changeup and an above-average slider.

Marlins manager Don Mattingly praised Sanchez’s stuff and his ability to throw strikes.

“I can tell you he has a good arm, and he’s been throwing the ball good,” Mattingly said.

Marlins shortstop Miguel Rojas, recently reinstated from the IL after his COVID-19 stint, spent time in Jupiter rehabbing and faced Sanchez. Rojas likened Sanchez to MLB veteran Johnny Cueto.

“For a guy that young, he already knows what he’s doing on that mound,” Rojas said. “He can mix up some fastballs. He’s got a cutter, and he’s got a really good changeup. He kind of reminds me of a really good Dominican pitcher, Johnny Cueto.”

Fan expectations for Sanchez are through the roof, but he could very well be the Marlins’ future ace.

Jesus Sanchez

Meet the Marlins: Jesus Sanchez

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The Miami Marlins, coming off a five-game losing skid, shuffled their roster ahead of a five-game, four-day series versus the Washington Nationals. This roster shuffle included the return of two players from the COVID-19 IL, as well as the promotion of two of Miami’s top prospects, OF Jesus Sanchez and RHP Sixto Sanchez.

The Marlins have started seven different right fielders through 18 games and those seven players have combined for the worst production at that position (.167/.254/.167) in MLB. Among the players to start in RF this season: Jon Berti, Lewis Brinson and Harold Ramirez.

The struggles haven’t been limited to right field, though, as the entire outfield has struggled to consistently produce at the plate. Top-10 prospect Monte Harrison’s arrival earlier this season sparked excitement within the fan base, but he proceeded to struggle mightily in his first turn with the big club. Harrison was sent back to Jupiter after looking overmatched more often than not. He struck out in 54.5 percent of plate appearances (18 Ks, 33 PA).

Prospect: Jesus Sanchez

The 22-year-old Sanchez came to the Marlins with Ryne Stanek in a deal with the Tampa Bay Rays last season. That trade saw relievers Nick Anderson and Trevor Richards sent to the Rays.

Sanchez clocks in as a Top-100 prospect (No. 88) as a right fielder. He’s known for exceptional bat speed, power and just a feel for hitting. While he’s played come centerfield during his career, Sanchez profiles best as a right fielder or designated hitter.

Last season, Sanchez split time between Double-A Jacksonville and Triple-A New Orleans. He slashed .260/.325/.398, with 14 doubles, 13 home runs and 63 RBI. He struck out 100 times in 465 plate appearances.

Sanchez signed with the Rays out of the Dominican Republic in 2014. In Rookie-level Dominican Summer League, he hit .335/.382/.498. Sanchez rose quickly through the Rays system, winning team MVP awards in each of his first four pro seasons and starting in the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game in 2018.

As a hitter, Sanchez uses the entire field and handles lefties and righties equally well. His tools are considered above-average almost across the board (hit, power, arm and field). The only tool he’s lacking is speed.

Sanchez has a chance to earn regular playing time in right field for the Marlins if he can consistently produce at the plate.

“I’m here because I think the team needs me. I believe I can help the team win,” Jesus Sanchez said prior to Friday night’s game in Washington. “I’m going to give all I have on the field and a good bat.”

Marlins Braves

5 Takeaways from Marlins Series Loss to Braves

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The Miami Marlins entered their weekend series against the Atlanta Braves with an opportunity to extend their unlikely lead in the NL East. Despite having 20 players on the IL, Miami sat atop the division in August for the first time in franchise history. The Braves rolled into town down one game in the standings, but they’ve owned the Marlins of late. In 2019, Miami dropped 15 of 19 games to the Braves. The Marlins haven’t taken a series from Atlanta since 2017.

Here’s a look at five takeaways from the Marlins series loss to the Braves.

Marlins Loss to Braves: A Missed Opportunity

The Marlins hosted their home opener with control of the NL East. This unexpected development came despite losing more than half of the Opening Day roster to COVID-19. Miami welcomed in the Braves, who’ve won the division for the last two seasons.

Atlanta arrived minus keys players, with Ronald Acuna Jr. and Ozzie Albies missing from the lineup and three-fifths of their starting rotation out. Despite that, the Marlins were unable to extend their lead in the division.

Ahead of the homestand, Miami’s schedule featured 15 straight games versus NL East opponents. After going 1-2 versus Atlanta, the Marlins will face the Mets for four games before a five-game weekend series in Washington. They’ll finish their 15-game NL East stretch in New York with three more against the Mets.

If the Marlins are serious about making a playoff push in 2020, they’ll need to win these series.

Bats Went Silent

On Friday night, the Marlins piled up eight runs on 10 hits, but eight of those 10 hits were singles. Miami used speed to pressure the Braves, including stealing home for the second straight game. Eight of the 10 hits on Friday were singles, and most of those came from the bottom of the order.

After a rousing 8-2 win on Friday, the Marlins proceeded to score just one run over the next 18 innings.

Between Saturday and Sunday, the Marlins went 0-for-6 with runners-in-scoring-position. On Sunday, they saw just two pitches with a runner in scoring position. For the series, Miami managed three extra base hits, and one of those came thanks to aggressive baserunning from Magneuris Sierra, who stretched a soft single to right into a double.

Over their last three losses, the Marlins are a combined 1-for-14 with runners-in-scoring-position and a grand total of two extra-base hits.

Starting Pitching Solid

The Marlins wasted a pair of excellent starting pitching performances over the weekend. On Saturday, Daniel Castano tossed a career-high six innings, allowing just four hits and one earned run. He lowered his ERA to 4.35 with the outing.

Castano threw 80 pitches and made just one mistake. To start the seventh inning, he surrendered a home run to Marcel Ozuna on a changeup left out over the plate. Otherwise, he was sharp in what was his second career MLB start.

On Sunday, Elieser Hernandez continued his solid stretch to start the season. He went five scoreless innings, allowing just three hits and tying a career-high nine strikeouts. 57 of his 81 pitches went for strikes and he lowered his ERA to 1.84. In three starts this season, Hernandez has pitched 14.2 innings and has allowed runs in just one of those. He’s posted 19 Ks and only two walks thus far.

On Friday night, Pablo Lopez went a season-high six innings, surrendered two earned runs on seven hits and piled up eight strikeouts. He remained sharp throughout. His ERA in 2020 stands at 2.25.

Mattingly Finally Fed Up

Marlins manager Don Mattingly lost it with home plate umpire James Hoye in the fifth inning of Sunday’s game. Mattingly argued vehemently about the strike zone and was ejected. His profanity-laced tirade was caught by the Braves TV broadcast.

After the game, Mattingly did not address the altercation, saying the discussion about umpiring was “not worth getting into.” He revealed there had been many complaints from players regarding the zone, but shrugged and said: “It is what it is.”

The Marlins had the same umpiring crew for the last three series (Hoye, Roberto Ortiz, Mike Estabrook and Mark Carlson). Before Friday’s game, Mattingly admitted they “do get frustrated with the zone,” particularly the inconsistencies from day-to-day.

“I think the biggest thing you look for is that consistency of the zone. That’s one thing that seems to be missing,” Mattingly said on Friday. He also admitted that there’s not much to do about it.

Reinforcements Needed, And Potentially on the Way

After having their roster decimated by COVID-19, the Marlins scrambled to assemble a competitive roster. To their credit, the team emerged from quarantine and ran off five wins in a row. But since that streak, the team is 2-5. While most assumed the difficulties would come from a makeshift bullpen, it’s actually been inconsistencies in the lineup that have hurt the most.

Versus the Braves, Miami’s best hitters failed to come through. Brian Anderson did not record a hit during the three-game series. Jesus Aguilar went 2-for-11 and Jonathan Villar went 3-for-12. Those two combined to drive in four runs no Friday, but nothing on Saturday and Sunday.

One day after coming through with big hits, both Monte Harrison and Lewis Brinson were hitless Sunday. Harrison’s game-tying home run on Saturday proved to be a wonderful moment for the young man, but he followed that with a 0-for-3 performance with two strikeouts. Brinson tallied two hits on Saturday but went 0-for-2 with two Ks Sunday.

Word came out of Marlins camp yesterday that all 18 players affected by COVID-19 have been approved for reinstatement by the joint MLB/MLBPA committee. The players have reported to Jupiter for training and rehab. This lineup needs an injection of life, and that could come from Jorge Alfaro, Garrett Cooper, Harold Ramirez and Miguel Rojas.

The pitching staff could have Sandy Alcantara back as early as next weekend. Craig Mish reported Alcantara has thrown a bullpen session already and will progress to a sim game this week.