Tag Archive for: Miami Marlins

How do the Marlins get back on track?

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Miami (66-65) hosted the Washington Nationals (61-70) for a three-game set and Washington ended up taking two out of three games from the Fish.

 

The inconsistencies with this Marlins squad continued as they struggled all weekend with putting the bat on the ball and driving in enough runs to win games. 

 

The post All-Star break numbers are abysmal for Miami. They hold the third-lowest record in baseball since the break with a record of 13-26 and are just 8-15 in the month of August. 

Things need to turn around quickly if Miami wants to keep their Wild Card chances alive. 

 

Here are takeaways from the series. 

 

Braxton Garrett’s solid start is not enough

 

Garrett struck-out three in six innings of work. He also gave up seven hits and three earned runs that included a two-run home run. 

 

The home run came off the bat of Nationals third baseman Carter Kieboom in the sixth inning when Garrett threw him a mistake hanging curveball that Kieboom crushed to left field. 

 

But besides that mistake pitch, Garrett pitched very well. At least enough to keep it close for the Marlins to have a chance to win. 

 

“I wanted the shutdown inning there and I just felt like I let the team down a little bit,” Garrett said about the home run he gave up in the sixth inning after the game. “But overall, it was good…I didn’t make a ton of mistakes tonight at all and made really good pitches.”

 

The Marlins had just three hits and no runs against Washington’s starting pitcher Joan Adon. So it was another day where a Miami starting pitcher failed to get run support. 

 

“I think he honestly threw one bad curveball that kind of cost him a couple runs,” Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said about Garrett’s performance after the game. “Otherwise Brax (Garrett) did what he needed to do…to win a game and we just couldn’t get anything going against their starter.”

 

Luis Arraez does not like the month of August

 

Arraez has been dealing with a cold stretch at the plate throughout the month of August. 

 

This month, Arraez is batting 22-for-97 (.227 avg) with his on-base percentage at just .235. 

 

His batting average has also dipped mightily as the season has progressed, sitting at .350 after getting it as high as .402 back on June 23. 

 

During the three-game series, Arraez was just 2-for-12 at the plate which is extremely uncharacteristic for a guy with elite bat-to-ball skills.

 

The Marlins offense relies on the play from Arraez. If he’s playing well, Miami plays well. But if he doesn’t, well, we’ve seen what’s been happening. 

 

Eury Pérez is going to be special

 

Pérez threw six innings and allowed two hits, one run (unearned), one walk and collected seven strikeouts. 

 

Despite Pérez throwing a gem, the Marlins decided to take him out of the game after six innings and 76 pitches to preserve his arm. 

 

“He’s still on innings limits here,” Schumaker said about pulling Pérez out of the game after six innings. “You’ve got to pick and choose when to push and when not to and we’ve got a fresh bullpen and so we were maybe going to get one more inning out of him.”

 

Schumaker went on to say, “Where he’s (Pérez) at in his career and this season, that was going to be it right there no matter what.”

 

In 15 games for the Marlins this season, Pérez has an ERA of 2.68 and is averaging 10.95 strikeouts per nine innings. 

 

“I feel great,” Pérez said after Game 2. “…Feeling great, I’m healthy. Trying to have fun out there and trying to put my team in a good position (to win).”

 

Miami’s scouting department has been doing a fantastic job as they continue to find young and talented pitchers. Guys like Sandy Alcantara, Braxton Garrett and Pérez are going to make this rotation elite for the coming years. 

 

Let me remind you that Pérez is also just 20 years old. 

 

What happened to David Robertson?

 

This is not what Miami had in mind when they traded for a veteran relief pitcher in David Robertson back on July 28 in exchange for a couple of young prospects in Marco Vargas and Ronald Hernandez. 

 

In nine games for the Marlins this year, Robertson has an 8.00 ERA and just three saves in six save opportunities. He’s also given up two home runs and opponents are batting .289 against him.

 

“He’s done it before. That’s why we got him,” Schumaker said about Robertson’s struggles in a Marlins uniform. “He’s been the ninth inning, big spots, postseason tested. And it’s not a lack of effort…All the guys are giving everything they’ve got and I think that’s what makes it even tougher.”

 

Miami was holding onto a 2-1 lead heading into the ninth inning of Game 2 and Robertson came in the game to close it out. 

 

He had some traffic on the bases but eventually found himself with two outs and two strikes against Nationals left fielder Jake Alu. But, Alu would hit a grounder up the middle to tie the game at two a piece. 

 

The next batter, catcher Jacob Stallings was charged with a passed ball which drove in another run for the Nationals and ultimately gave them a 3-2 victory. 

 

“This is just a crappy outing by me,” Robertson said about his blown save after Game 2. “Went out there and blew the game for the guys. It was pathetic. Threw the ball like crap, didn’t get any outs. Just didn’t make any pitches.”

 

It’s not like the Marlins traded for a bad reliever by any means. This guy was lights out with the New York Mets this season. He had a 2.06 ERA with 12 saves in 15 opportunities. Opponents were batting just .207 against him as well. 

 

Miami needs Robertson to somehow get back to his previous form if they want to make a final push for the postseason. 

 

The Marlins will have a day off tomorrow and play the Tampa Bay Rays for a two-game series. Game 1 is on Tuesday, August 29 with the first pitch at 6:40 p.m. ET on Bally Sports Florida. 

 

Kim Ng Marlins

Miami Marlins need to be deadline buyers

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The Marlins find themselves in the midst of one of the most exciting seasons in recent memory. Waking up on Sunday morning with a record of 56-49, they are 0.5 GB of a wild card spot, with a game left in the Detroit series and the most important series of the year coming up against the Philadelphia Phillies.

 

The Fish need reinforcements. As currently constructed, I find it to be a difficult task to reach the postseason. Skip and the coaching staff have managed the team to this point, but now they need help. They already have traded for two relievers in Jorge Lopez in a deal that sent Dylan Floro to the Twins and secured David Robertson in a deal with the Mets for two promising Minor Leaguers. 

 

However, they need more.

 

In this article we will look at names that the Marlins have been linked to.

 

Cody Bellinger, Cubs

 

Cody is in the midst of a bounce back season. He is slashing .315/.368/.540 with an OPS+ of 142. All of this with elite defense in the outfield as he is in the 91st percentile in Outs Above Average. 

 

The Marlins have been linked to Cody for the second trade deadline in a row, there is no secret that they are fans of his. But with the Cubs on an 8 game winning streak and seemingly resurging their season, I find it unlikely that they will deal for him as the Cubs now view the season as salvageable. 

 

Jeimer Candelario, Nationals

 

Candelario is an interesting name as his market in the offseason seemed to be limited. His 2022 campaign with Detroit was not what he had hoped for as he hit .217/.272/.361 with an OPS+ of 82. He signed with the Nationals as a sort of “prove it” deal and he has greatly outperformed the expectations. 

 

Now he sets himself as a prime candidate to be traded due to his .823 OPS so far this season. I can confirm the Marlins are greatly intrigued by what he could bring to the table, and that they have inquired on his services.

 

Paul DeJong, Cardinals

 

The St. Louis Cardinals are an interesting team. They are not normally sellers, they have been one of the model organizations for a long time in this sport. The 2023 season has not treated them nicely as they are greatly underperforming finding themselves in last place of the NL Central with a record of 46-60.

 

DeJong is another candidate that the Marlins have been linked to. Per Andres Bolivar from Con Las Bases Llenas, the Marlins have inquired on him as well as an outfielder. DeJong is an elite defensive shortstop with his bat coming in second in terms of his skillset. 

 

I find him as an interesting name to be linked to as he is not known for his offensive prowess and that is what the Marlins are in dire need of. Slashing .236/.300.417 with an OPS+ at 94 and a Baseball Savant page that looks disenchanting, I would only see him being dealt to Miami in a case where the Marlins cannot get what they want elsewhere.

 

Eloy Jimenez, White Sox

 

Eloy would immediately become the second best bat in the lineup behind Luis Arraez. He is a slugger who will bring power to a lineup that desperately needs it. He is slugging .477 and has an OPS+ of 119. The issue with Eloy is durability. Since 2021, he has only played in 211 of 431 possible games. His talent is unquestionable but for a team who is looking for a late season push it is a risk to take him on, especially when one of the team’s stars is also hurt a lot in Jazz Chisholm Jr. 

 

Another caveat to a potential Eloy deal is the fact that the roster fit is not necessarily the best. He is exclusively a DH. The Marlins already have Jorge Soler, who is having a fine season. Perhaps you can teach him to play 1st Base, but do you want to plug in a player to a new position when they already have an injury history while playing minimal defense? These are all valid questions.

 

Tim Anderson, White Sox

 

Possibly the ultimate buy-low candidate is none other than the shortstop on the Southside of Chicago. Having the worst season of his career by far, Anderson is an interesting name to monitor as we approach the deadline. 

 

Slashing .245/.286/.293 he surely won’t net much of a return for the White Sox unless attached with someone else which might influence the team to keep him, as they have claimed they do not want to undergo another rebuild. 

 

Whatever team trades for him, they must remember that Anderson has a club option for the 2024 season, which if it is picked up, he will be owed $14 Million Dollars.

 

The Rest:

 

While I spoke on some offensive players the Marlins are linked to, below are some pitchers as well.

 

These names include Jordan Montgomery* and Jack Flaherty from the Cardinals as well as Michael Lorenzen from the Detroit Tigers.

 

Montgomery is having the best season of his career, sporting a solid 3.42 ERA with a 108/35 K/BB ratio. Adding him would make an already solid rotation, all the more competitive.

 

*Montgomery was traded to the Texas Rangers, as I was working on this article.

 

Flaherty, while he has dealt with injuries in the past, is finally healthy and is putting up a decent season. 106/54 K/BB with a FIP of 4.23. Perhaps the Marlins believe they can unlock something from the former 1st rounder to make a final .

 

Lorenzen is having a solid year and is garnering a lot of interest around the league, the Marlins being one of them. His 3.58 ERA along with his 83/27 K/BB ratio and his ability to come out of the bullpen, would give the Marlins a swiss army knife as the season winds down. 

 

The Fish have dealt with injuries to their rotation all season. Cueto was out for multiple months and Trevor Rogers has only pitched in 18 innings this season. The Marlins are looking for a starter to come in and provide solid outings and eat innings, especially as the team gears up for Eury Perez’ return.

 

2023 has treated the Marlins nicely and team interest in South Florida is on the rise. Nearly 33 thousand showed up on Saturday afternoon to watch the Marlins take on the TIgers on Venezuelan Heritage day at the park.

 

It would be wise of the team to capitalize on the buzz surrounding the team and prove to the fans they are committed to win by making some win-now moves.

 

5 Takeaways after Marlins Snap 8-Game Losing Streak

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The Miami Marlins (54-47) were hoping to get back on track as they hosted the Colorado Rockies (39-60) for a three-game series at LoanDepot Park. 

 

This was the perfect opportunity for Miami to halt their post-All Star break skid against the worst team in the National League. But, it was still a bumpy ride for the struggling Fish as the Rockies went on to win the series two games to one. 

 

But the Marlins were able to finish the series on a high note, winning Game 3 in walk-off fashion and hope to ignite a little bit of momentum. 

 

Miami is 1-8 since the break and if they don’t turn things around quickly, they might turn into sellers at the trade deadline.  

 

Here are the takeaways from the series.

 

Rocky start from Garrett

It was an outing to forget for left-handed pitcher Braxton Garrett. 

 

Starting Game 1 of the series for the Marlins, Garrett logged just three innings while allowing seven hits and six earned runs. 

 

Garrett gave up three home runs which is something you don’t see too often when the Marlins are playing home at LoanDepot Park. 

 

“Today, I thought the curveball was just getting hit more than usual,” Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said about Garrett’s outing. “A couple home runs off that and I don’t think the sinker had the movement that he was used to.”

 

It’s been a downhill slope for Garrett in his recent outings. In his last start, he went just 4.2 innings and allowed six hits and four earned runs. 

 

“My cutter hasn’t been great,” Garrett said about his recent struggles. “It hasn’t been in good spots and they (Rockies) just had a really good approach. They were aggressive early and I was just leaving balls a little bit too much over the plate.”

 

The Marlins need Garrett to be pitching deeper into games or else it’s going to take a toll on their bullpen.

 

Cueto is here

Johnny Cueto made his first start on the mound for the Marlins since the beginning of April, and he did not show any signs of rust. 

 

In six innings, Cueto allowed just two hits, one earned run and a walk. But what really stood out were his eight strikeouts. 

 

“I thought he elevated his fastball really well,” Shumaker said about what was working for Cueto. “…Not a ton of hard hits either.”

 

Cueto, with just 81 pitches in the seventh inning, still looked like he had plenty of gas left in the tank. But Schumaker decided to make a pitching change and bring in right-handed reliever J.T. Chargois. 

 

Chargois would end up giving up a single which led to a three-run home run by Rockies right fielder Nolan Jones that tied the game 3-3.

 

“We had a really fresh bullpen,” Schumaker said on why he took Cueto out in the seventh inning. “And you like your chances when you’re up three runs…We just didn’t get it done today.”

 

Jesus Luzardo: A strikeout machine

Did Miami find their new ace? 

 

Marlins left-handed pitcher Jesus Luzardo got the start for Game 3 in hopes to avoid the sweep and he absolutely blew everyone away. 

 

Luzardo pitched seven innings and allowed four hits, two walks and one earned run. He also tallied a career-high 13 strikeouts which tied the Marlins record for most strikeouts by a left-handed pitcher. Along with that, Luzardo tied his career-high in innings pitched and set a career-high in total pitches thrown with 115. 

 

Luzardo is now up to 144 strikeouts on the season, placing him second in the National League and fifth in all of baseball in total strikeouts. 

 

Questionable calls by Skip

Since the All Star break, there have been some decisions that some might shake their heads at from Shumaker. These decisions point directly to pitching. 

 

There’s no doubt that Miami’s pitching staff hasn’t been performing at the same level they had been pre-All Star break. Starting pitchers are struggling to go deep into games which, as previously mentioned in the article, can be a burden on the bullpen. 

 

But to take Cueto out after six shutout innings with a reasonable pitch count is really bizarre. It’s easier to say in hindsight after the Rockies ultimately ended up winning the game, but it’s unlike Shumaker. We saw him make great decisions in the first half of the season and all of a sudden, it feels as if he’s making choices that he himself isn’t fully confident with. 

 

Also in Game 2, Shumaker decided to use his closer, A.J. Puk, in the eighth inning instead of the ninth. That left Tanner Scott with the job of taking care of the ninth inning and that decision would backfire, as the Rockies took a 4-3 lead that sealed the game and the series. 

 

“(A.J.) Puk has not lost his closing role,” Shumaker said about reversing the roles of Puk and Scott during Game 2. “It’s just (that) there’s certain pockets that I wanted Tanner (Scott) in.”

 

Schumaker went on to reiterate, “He (Puk) hasn’t lost the (closer) role, it’s just (that) we’ve flipped it as far as where the pockets are.”

 

Of course, these hiccups aren’t particularly unusual for a first-year manager. Hopefully, Shumaker can get through these growing pains and get the Marlins back on track. 

 

Arraez walks it off for the Fish

With the Marlins on the verge of being swept and losing their ninth-straight game, Luis Arraez decided that enough was enough. 

 

With the game tied at 2-2 in the bottom of the 10th inning, Miami had a runner on second base because of the extra-inning rule. The Rockies would intentionally walk Jesus Sanchez to put runners on first and second base. 

 

Marlins outfielder Dane Myers would strike out and catcher Nick Fortes drew a five-pitch walk to load the bases for Arraez. 

 

Even with Colorado positioned in with six infielders (they moved the right fielder to the infield), Arraez still found a way to hit the ball into play. 

 

Arraez hit a curveball into the outfield and hit his first-career walk-off hit for the Marlins. 

 

“I (saw) they’ve got six infielders and I want(ed) to hit the ball into the outfield and I did it,” Arraez said about his walk-off hit after the game. “But I didn’t see anyone in right field and then the pitcher threw a lot of breaking pitches and I said ok.”

 

The Marlins will head to St. Petersburg and face the Tampa Bay Rays (61-42). Game 1 is on Tuesday, July 25 at 6:40 p.m. ET on Bally Sports Florida.

Marlins take 2 of 3 vs. Pirates: 5 Takeaways

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Struggling is an understatement when it comes to the Miami Marlins (45-50).

But after defeating the Pittsburgh Pirates (40-56) in a three-game series, there still might be some hope. 

Before winning Game 1 on Friday, the Marlins were on a four-game losing streak where they were outscored 24-1. 

Yes, you read that correctly. It has been a brutal couple of weeks for the fans and organization, but the series win against the Pirates has to feel good for them. It doesn’t matter who you’re playing. A win is a win and the Marlins will certainly take it. 

Here are five takeaways from the series. 

 

The Scoreless Streak is Over

The Marlins have finally scored a run! They snapped a 37 straight scoreless inning streak in the fourth inning of Game 1 thanks to a double by shortstop Miguel Rojas. 

“It felt great to break out offensively, for everybody to do their part and play the game that we played today,” Rojas said after the game. “It’s a little bit of a relief because we didn’t play good at home…we’re continuing to work hard, get better, and that’s what we’re doing right now.”

What’s crazy is that they not only scored in that game, but they put up a total of eight runs. It came out of nowhere. Once they got a run through, it felt like the gates just opened up. Miami had 13 hits including five going for extra bases.

But that wasn’t the only streak the Marlins ended that night. Miami had a nine-game streak without a home run that was put to an end when right fielder Avisail Garcia hit a solo shot into the seats in right field during the seventh inning. That had to feel good not only for the team but for Garcia as well because he hadn’t hit a home run since June 29th in St. Louis. 

“He’s (Garcia) been swinging the bat actually pretty good”, Marlins manager Don Mattingly said about Garcia’s home run that ended the homerless streak. “It’s good to get that home run out of the way too because it’s another thing that gets written about and all that kind of just comes together.”

 

Braxton Garrett’s Stellar Start

Marlins left-hander Braxton Garrett (2-3) got the start in Game 1 and he pitched a fantastic game.

Garrett pitched through six innings of work and struck out seven Pittsburgh hitters and allowed just one earned run. He gave up two hits that included a solo home run by Pirates catcher Jason Delay that traveled a mere 354 feet into left field. Given the dimensions of PNC Park, that home run wouldn’t have counted in a lot of major league ballparks. Nonetheless, Garrett had a terrific outing. 

The former first-round pick has been playing great in his last couple of starts. In his last game against the Pirates, Garrett racked up 11 strikeouts and allowed only two hits and no earned runs. He has been a nice piece for this young and talented starting rotation.

“He (Garrett) was ahead in the count all night,” Mattingly said about Garrett’s performance. “He was ahead all night I felt like, changed speeds, mixed his locations, and was pretty sharp after that first inning.”

 

Sandy Alcantara Shouldn’t Worry

Marlins right-hander Sandy Alcantara (9-4) was given the start in the third game of the series and he pitched a great game. But for Sandy’s standards, it wasn’t the greatest of starts. 

The All-Star starting pitcher pitched through six innings and gave up two hits and two earned runs. He did however rack up 10 strikeouts but the three walks ended up hurting him. It was an unusual start by Alcantara because he pitched in just six innings. 

“It was a little bit of a battle for him”, Mattingly said after Alcantara’s outing. “He’s had a lot go on since his last start. He flew to L.A. and pitched out there, then came back. There’s a lot going on. But with all that, Sandy is just Sandy and he hangs in there and gives us a chance to win.”

We’re so accustomed to seeing him working through seven, eight, or nine. But, his pitch count just ballooned up 105 at the end of the sixth inning, so Mattingly had no choice but to take him out. 

He was visibly upset with his performance, but he shouldn’t be that hard on himself after a great outing. If it just adds fuel to the fire towards his next start, so be it.

 

Welcome to the Show J.J. Bleday

The day has finally come, Marlins fans. 

Outfielder J.J. Bleday made his Major League debut on Saturday after he was subbed into the late innings of Game 2. Bleday was called up from Triple-A Jacksonville due to a roster move that sent Soler to the IL. 

The former first-round pick and No.4 ranked prospect in the Marlins system showed flashes of what he can potentially become for this team. Someone who not only gets on base, but has some power to his bat.  

Bleday’s first plate appearance in the Major Leagues came in the ninth inning against the Pirate’s All-Star closer, David Bednar. And wouldn’t you know it? Bleday showed patience at the plate and drew a walk. 

In Sunday’s game, Bleday was batting in the fifth spot of the order and went 2-for-4 with a double and a stolen base. In the two games he’s played in so far, he’s been one of the more productive hitters in the Marlins lineup. 

“I’m just blessed to be here,” Bleday said following the victory on Sunday. “Especially to be here in Pittsburgh. I grew up two and a half hours north of here so it’s a little surreal, but I really enjoyed this.”

 

Injuries Are Piling Up

The Marlins have been hit by the injury bug and it has really been hurting the team.

Second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. has been sitting on the IL since the end of June due to a back injury. On Friday, Chisholm was diagnosed with a stress fracture in his back and will be transferred to the 60-day IL. It’s more than likely that the All-Star second baseman’s season has come to an end. 

On Saturday, the Marlins placed left fielder Jorge Soler on the 10-day IL due to back spasms. On that same day during Game 2, rookie right-hander Max Meyer had to exit the game after just 10 pitches due to right elbow discomfort. Also during Game 2, another Marlins All-Star, first baseman Garrett Cooper, was forced to leave the game after getting hit by a pitch in the eighth inning. That pitch hit him in his right wrist and he’s now day-to-day in terms of game status. 

But wait, there’s more. 

Third baseman Brian Anderson was forced to leave the game after making a diving play on the ball in the sixth inning that caused pain in his left shoulder. Anderson was diagnosed with a shoulder sprain on Sunday and was placed on the 10-day IL.

Injuries have clearly hurt this team and it shows on the field. The offense just isn’t there when a lot of the better players on the squad are out. Miami will have to learn how to overcome this obstacle or else their season might be over. 

The Marlins travel to Cincinnati (36-58) for a four-game series from Monday through Thursday. 

 

Photo by Tony Capobianco.

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Max Meyer Marlins

Max Meyer Gets Marlins Promotion

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The Miami Marlins made fans, and perhaps more importantly, one of their top prospects very happy on Thursday night. The team posted a video of Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp manager Daren Brown relaying the news to Max Meyer that he’d received the call to pitch at the MLB level with the Marlins.

 

Meyer recently worked his way back from a ulnar nerve irritation injury before getting this well-desvered call. He will reportedly make the start for the Marlins on Saturday at home versus the Philadelphia Phillies, a team Miami’s chasing the in the Wild Card race.

Marlins (Finally) Call Up Max Meyer

The Marlins find themselves three games back of the final NL Wild Card spot after splitting a four-game series with the Pittsburgh Pirates this week. Miami (43-45) continues to deal with injuries and ineffectiveness among their pitchers outside of Sandy Alcantara and Pablo Lopez, which only added to many Marlins fans clamoring for Meyer’s call. The timing here coincides with a pivotal three-game series with the Phillies before the All-Star break.

Max Meyer finally getting the call from the Marlins puts one of baseball’s top pitching prospects on display. MLB Pipeline lists Meyer as Miami’s No. 2 prospect, behind only 19-year-old phenom Eury Perez. He’s MLB Pipeline’s No. 21 prospect overall.

With Triple-A Jacksonville, Meyer dominated competition for stretches of the season. His first six starts the season, prior to the issues surrounding his injury, saw Meyer post a 1.72 ERA over 31.1 innings pitched. He allowed just six earned runs over those six starts, registering 39 strikeouts along the way. Meyer handled Atlanta Braves slugger Ronald Acuña Jr. during that stretch.

It’s clear that the ulnar nerve irritation, which eventually landed him on the IL, affected his next two starts. Meyer adjusted his approach and mechanics to deal with the discomfort, ultimately to disappointing results. But after a month to heal and recuperate, Meyer found his form once again with Jacksonville.

During his rehab stint in Jupiter, Meyer told MLB.com: “I’ll get my shot, and I’ll be up there for a long time.”

In the four starts before this Marlins promotion, Max Meyer looked ready. He went 18.1 innings with 21 strikeouts and just four earned runs (1.96 ERA). Opponents managed a meager .119 batting average against in those starts.

Meyer’s Path to the Majors

The Marlins selected Max Meyer with the third overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft out of the University of Minnesota. He was the first pitcher off the draft board and started his time in Miami’s system with Double-A Pensacola in 2021. (There was no minor league season in 2020.)

With the Blue Wahoos, Meyer earned the Double-A South Most Outstanding Pitcher award. He did so following a season where he registered a 2.41 ERA and 113 strikeouts over 101 innings.

In 2022, Meyer made 12 starts for Triple-A Jacksonville, posting a 3.72 ERA and 1.00 WHIP with 65 strikeouts over 58 innings. He averaged 10.1 strikeouts-per-nine-innings, registering a 28.4 percent strikeout rate along the way. He induced ground balls at a 50 percent rate this season, and kept his walk rate to just 8.3 percent.

In his 35 minor league starts, Meyer pitched to a 2.77 ERA and 1.11 WHIP, recording 199 strikeouts in those games.

Meyer sports a repertoire of three pitches, including a dominant, wipe-out slider many scouts called the single best pitch in the 2020 draft. His fastball velocity sits in the mid-to-upper-90s and has touched triple digits. This third pitch is a changeup, which the organization wanted to see him develop ahead of his promotion.

There’s been some talk of Meyer ultimately being a bullpen arm, but the Marlins maintain they view him as a rotation piece.

“I see Max as a starting pitcher,” Marlins amateur scouting director DJ Svihlik said on Wednesday. “We knew when we selected Max, there was that reliever-starter conversation. Any starter of that caliber with that kind of two-pitch combination can go into the back of a bullpen.”

Svihlik did note: “I see Max as a playoff starter.”

A spot on Miami’s 40-man roster opened recently when the Baltimore Orioles claimed reliever Louis Head off waivers. The Marlins need to add Meyer to the 40-man prior to his scheduled start on Saturday.

More on Marlins Prospects

5 Takeaways from the Marlins Series Split vs. Angels

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The Miami Marlins (39-41) had their six-game winning streak snapped on Wednesday night as the Los Angeles Angels (38-45) came to play for a cross-league series.

Miami split the two game series, winning Game 1 by a score of 2-1 and losing Game 2 by a score of 5-2. 

The stars were showcased during those two games as a couple of perennial all-stars, Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani, came to town to play against the fish. 

The seats at LoanDepot Park were filled up which was a surprise for a midweek series. But also, how could you not watch these once in a lifetime players in person? There were many Japanese fans that showed out to the park to not only watch Ohtani, but also because the Marlins were celebrating Japanese Heritage Night during Tuesday’s game. 

Although the Marlins didn’t get the series sweep, it was still a very entertaining couple of games to watch from both sides.

Here are five takeaways from the series.

 

Sandy paints another masterpiece

Marlins starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara had another one of his lights out performances.

Alcantara took the mound in the first game of the two-game series and he knew that this wasn’t going to be particularly easy. 

Although Alcantara was facing an Angels offense that suffered the most strikeouts per game in the MLB at 9.66, he still had to get through Trout and Ohtani. 

Of course for Alcantara, that was not a problem. 

Alcantara ended up having arguably his best outing of his career where he pitched through eight innings, gave up just two hits, and struck out 10. Out of those 10 strikeouts, two were to Trout. Ohtani didn’t have a hit as well against Alcantara. 

If you’re fooling those two talents even during the third time through the order, then that’s when you know there’s something special. 

Alcanatra continues to make his case for the National League Cy Young Award and he is pretty much the favorite at this point in time if he keeps putting up these incredible numbers. 

 

Garrett Cooper is slowly becoming one of baseball’s best hitters

Marlins first baseman Garrett Cooper is the definition of consistent. 

Game after game, Cooper has been big for Miami when they needed that big hit or a ball in play.

And the numbers show that he’s been getting better and better as the season progresses. Cooper’s batting average has increased to an incredible .311 which ranks as the 12th-highest in baseball. His on-base percentage of .377 puts him ninth in the National League. 

Although Cooper didn’t have a great two games, only producing one hit, he did come up clutch when the Marlins needed him. 

In the bottom of the third inning during Game 1, Cooper hit a 3-2 pitch just over the left field wall for a home run that gave the Marlins a 1-0 lead. 

During the first inning of Game 2, Cooper hit a sacrifice fly that also gave the Marlins a 1-0 lead. 

It just goes to show that when the Marlins need him, Cooper produces the big hit. 

 

Marlins shutdown Trout

Miami didn’t let Trout get hot during his short stay in Miami. 

The three-time MVP was just 1-for-7 and struck out four times during the two-game series. 

It’s definitely odd to see a player of that caliber struggle that much over those couple of games. It’s like he couldn’t see the ball well at LoanDepot Park, but he did say the same exact thing in Houston during their last series where he struggled to hit the ball as well. 

Maybe it has nothing to do with Miami’s pitchers and has more to do with himself. Miami’s lucky that they got scheduled to play the Angels during a time where Trout is cold because if he was playing like his usual self, I don’t see how the Marlins split the series. 

I’m not discrediting the Marlins pitching staff by any means, but seeing a player like Trout have those struggles at the plate makes you wonder how much of a factor is his mental approach as opposed to the pitcher he’s going up against. 

 

There’s no answers when facing Ohtani

The Marlins offense looked clueless against Angels starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani. I mean CLUELESS.

The only time the batters really got to Ohtani was in the first inning where they racked up a couple of hits and ended the inning with a 1-0 lead.

At that point, many were probably thinking that the offense had a plan against Ohtani and maybe they could get him out of the game before six innings.

Well, the opposite of that ended up happening. 

Ohtani pitched seven innings and struck out 10 batters while allowing just two hits and no earned runs. During that span, Ohtani managed to retire 15 straight Marlins hitters. 

I mean, Ohtani’s tough for a hitter to figure out. He’s got five pitches: fastball, curveball, slider, cutter, and splitter. 

The splitter is his strikeout pitch and is arguably one of the best in baseball. Hitters are batting just .115 against that pitch and it doesn’t help that Ohtani also throws a 100 mph fastball. Having those two combined, along with the curveball and slider, makes it tough for any hitter to have success against this generational talent. 

“He never seems to get rattled”, Marlins manager Don Mattingly said about Ohtani. “Pretty impressive tonight seeing him for the first time.”

 

The winning streak comes to an end 

Miami’s winning streak has sadly come to a close. 

Their six-game winning streak started back when they won against St. Louis, the Washington Nationals for four games, and the Angels during the first game of this series. 

Although their winning streak came to an end, there’s still a ton of positive things that came out of it. 

First, Miami has gained some serious ground in the race for that final Wild Card spot. The Marlins are now just three games back of that spot which is crazy because last week, all people were thinking was to trade our players and start fresh for the next season. 

Will the Marlins actually become buyers at the trade deadline? It’s something that Marlins fans aren’t very used to seeing. 

After the winning streak came to an end, Miami is just two games back of .500. A record they haven’t seen since April. 

But, if the Marlins want to make it to the postseason, they’ll have to start beating teams that are above .500. Because that’s where the real test is at. And they definitely can’t afford losing a series against a poor team. 

Miami’s up for a big test as they head to New York against the Mets (51-31) for a four-game series from Thursday through Sunday. 

 

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5 takeaways from the Marlins’ series loss vs. Mets

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The Miami Marlins have really struggled against the New York Mets this season.

Miami is 2-5 so far against the Mets this season and they are still trying to figure out how to beat them. 

With the sweep against the Colorado Rockies earlier in the week, the Marlins thought that they would have enough momentum to beat the first place Mets on their home turf. But, the Mets are in first place for a reason. Their lineup from top to bottom is as good as anyone in baseball and their pitching staff has really proved that they don’t need Jacob deGrom or Max Scherzer to win games. 

Don’t get me wrong, the Mets are a really good team. But, the Marlins had many opportunities to give themselves wins in Games 1 and 2. Missed spots from pitchers and too many strikeouts from the offense combined with a little bit of bad luck gave the Mets the series victory.

Here are the takeaways from the series.

 

Sandy Alcantara’s rare tough outing

Marlins starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara got the start in Game 1 of the series and immediately from the jump, found himself in some trouble. 

With two outs in the top of the first inning, Alcantara gave up a solo home run to Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor. It’s not too often that you see Alcantara give up a run so early in the game, but it goes to show that no one’s perfect in professional baseball.

Alcantara would start to settle for the next few innings until Mets left fielder Mark Canha hit a home run to left field that gave New York a 2-1 lead. 

In the sixth inning, with runners on first and second and nobody out, Mets right fielder Starling Marte hit a ground ball towards second baseman Willians Astudillo that should’ve been a routine double play. Instead, because Astudillo picked the ball up with his bare hand, when he tagged the runner, the umpire ruled him safe because Astudillo tagged him with his empty glove. Not only that, Astudillo’s throw to the first baseman was late. So at the end of it all, the Marlins found themselves with the bases loaded and nobody out. And to make matters worse, Lindor was up at the plate. 

Alcantara found himself in a 3-1 count against Lindor and threw a fastball right down the middle. As a result, Lindor hit a double that cleared the bases and gave the Mets a 5-2 lead.

“I think he’s (Lindor) hot right now”, Alcantara said about his struggles against Lindor. “I lost my fight tonight and I’ve gotta get better for myself in the next one.”

Alcantara would end the day with seven innings pitched, four strikeouts, six hits, and four earned runs. 

Don’t worry Marlins fans. Alcantara is still an excellent pitcher. This outing was just a case of some bad luck. What’s even more wild is that after this start, Alcantara’s ERA is at 1.95 which is first in the National League and second in all of baseball.

 

Hitters have figured out Trevor Rogers

I’m afraid that we may never see the Trevor Rogers of last year. I know it sounds like I’m overreacting, but given the numbers from his starts this year, it seems like the opposing teams have figured out how to beat him.

Rogers got the start for Game 2, and after he struck out three consecutive hitters in the first inning, there was a glimmer of hope that this would be a great outing for him. 

I was wrong.

In the second inning, Rogers missed his spot and threw a fastball down the heart of the plate to first baseman Pete Alonso that Alonso hit over the right field wall. 

In the fourth inning, with runners on first and second, Mets third baseman Eduardo Escobar hit an RBI-single to give them a 3-0 lead. 

That would end the day for Rogers who had 4.1 innings pitched and gave up seven hits and three earned runs while getting five strikeouts. 

“I made a bad pitch to Alonso so you just tip your cap”, Rogers said after the game. “I made a couple mistakes to Marte and tip your cap there as well, he’s a good hitter. Just little things not going my way.”

So what’s the problem with Rogers? I think that he’s having trouble with his command which is leading to pitches that the hitters can easily hit and has decreased his strikeout percentage. His pitch count is also hurting him and isn’t allowing him to work deep into games.

Rogers’ strikeouts per nine innings this year is 8.29, almost two and a half less than what he had last year which was 10.62. His walks are also up from last year which is also another factor to look at when you’re trying to figure out the struggles that Rogers has dealt with.

 

Anthony Bass continues to be stellar out of the bullpen

Right-handed reliever Anthony Bass has been the best pitcher coming out of the Marlins bullpen this year. After an up-and-down season in 2021 where he logged a 3.82 ERA with zero saves in four opportunities, Bass has really shown another side to him this year. 

Bass’s ERA has gone down to 1.80 and the opponents are batting just .214 against him compared to .241 last year.

Bass was utilized more as a closer last season, especially during the start of that year. It looked like he wasn’t very comfortable in that role and this season, Mattingly noticed that putting Bass in the seventh or eighth inning makes him more effective. A lot of the reason why Bass is having a much better year is because he doesn’t have to deal with the same amount of pressure a closer would have.

In his outing in Game 2, Bass allowed just one hit and got a strikeout in a crucial situation to keep the game tied at three a piece in the seventh inning.

 

Pete Alonso’s two-homer day

Alonso was very effective for the Mets offense, but in Game 2 was when he really propelled them to a win.

The University of Florida alum went 2-for-4 with both of those hits being home runs. Luckily for the Marlins, they were both solo shots. But it still wasn’t enough to contain the scorching Mets lineup.

His first homerun was against Rogers in the second inning and his other was against right-handed reliever Jimmy Yacabonis in the eighth inning to give the Mets a 4-3 lead.

“Thankfully I kind of took a lesson from last night’s at bat (against Yacabonis) and I applied it today”, Alonso said about how he hit his second home run. “I saw the ball a little bit better and I saw the window of where the ball’s coming out of.”

The Marlins did a pretty good job of shutting down Alonso over the series, but his two homeruns in Game 2 was too much for Miami to overcome and win the series. 

Nick Fortes walks it off

After starts in both Games 1 and 2, catcher Jacob Stallings was given a rest day in the series finale which gave way for backup catcher Nick Fortes to get a spot in the lineup.

Fortes has been solid at both catching behind the plate and hitting. 

Over 13 games this season, Fortes has batted .289 with three home runs and seven RBIs. He’s actually been one of the more productive Marlins hitters this season and it showed in Game 3 of this series. 

It’s the bottom of the ninth inning. The score is tied 2-2 with two outs and Fortes is up to bat. The Mets have their right-handed reliever Adam Ottavino on the mound to try and push the game towards extra innings. 

Ottavino throws Fortes a slider that Fortes swings at and misses badly. The next pitch, Ottavino throws another slider and Fortes jumps all over it, sending the ball towards the seats in left field to give the Marlins the win and avoid the sweep.  

Of course, Fortes hits a walk-off home run on the day that his alma mater, Ole Miss, is a win away from winning the College World Series. 

The Marlins head into St. Louis for a three-game series against the Cardinals from Monday to Wednesday.

Marlins sweep the Rockies in three-game series: 5 takeaways

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The Miami Marlins have finally obtained a series sweep against a team not named the Washington Nationals. 

After losing three out of four games against the New York Mets in their previous series, Miami needed to win the series against the Colorado Rockies to regain traction in the standings.

The Marlins would have been happy with a series win against Colorado, but a sweep was the cherry on top. Although Miami managed to win all three games, the series was full of back-and-forth action and wasn’t exactly smooth sailing for the Marlins. 

Here are five takeaways from the series.

 

Pablo Lopez bounces back

It’s been a rocky couple of weeks for starting pitcher Pablo Lopez. 

After a tough outing against the New York Mets last Friday where Lopez allowed eight hits and six earned runs in 5.1 innings of work, he knew that he had to be much better in his next start. 

Lopez started Game 2 of the series and pitched lights out. In seven innings, Lopez struckout six batters and had no earned. He also gave up just four hits to the Colorado hitters. 

It’s no surprise that Lopez played much better than his last start. He’s one of the best pitchers in baseball and given the fact that the Marlins were playing a struggling Rockies team at LoanDepot Park, it was almost a given that Lopez would be locked in. 

His numbers at home are great so far this year. Lopez is 3-1 with a 2.41 ERA at home compared to a 2-2 record with a 2.81 ERA away. His numbers when he pitches away are still phenomenal, but it’s interesting to see how well he pitches in Miami. 

 

The bats erupt

Was this series in Coors Field or Miami? Because it sure felt like they were playing in Denver with all of the home runs and extra-base hits the Marlins were producing. 

Over the three-game series, the Marlins hit five home runs and 12 extra-base hits.

Miami exploded right out of the gates with nine runs in Game 1 and seven in Game 2. In Game 3, the Marlins had just three runs but they did get the win, which is all that matters. 

In Game 1, the Marlins tallied 13 hits with big performances from right fielder Avisail Garcia and center fielder Jesus Sanchez. Both Garcia and Sanchez managed to hit a home run over the center field wall. Garcia went 2-for-5 with three RBIs and Sanchez was 2-for-4 with two RBIs. 

In Game 2, Miami got 13 hits and put together back-to-back home runs from second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. and left fielder Jorge Soler in the bottom of the seventh inning. 

“He (Soler) can hit a ball way further than I can,” Chisholm said about the back-to-back home runs. “It’s just fun playing with these guys and I’m just enjoying it.

Although the Marlins had just three runs in Game 3, they did have nine hits. What does that tell you? They’re still struggling to score with runners in scoring position. They did well in the first two games, but it would be nice to see them have success in that category on a daily basis. 

 

Brendan Rodgers loves to play against Miami

Colorado second baseman Brendan Rodgers has been giving the Marlins fits all season. 

Going back to the last series in Denver where he hit three home runs in a game that included a walk-off to left field, Rodgers was right back to crushing the ball against Miami pitchers.

In the three-game series, Rodgers batted .461 (6-for-13) and had three RBIs. Rodgers also produced three doubles and two triples. 

It felt like Rodgers was the life of Colorado’s offense during the series and he made it difficult for the Marlins pitchers to throw to him. Luckily, guys like first baseman C.J. Cron and right fielder Charlie Blackmon didn’t get going or else Miami would’ve had some problems shutting down the Rockies hitters.

 

Garrett Cooper continues to hit the baseball

First baseman Garrett Cooper has been hot in the month of June. This month, Cooper is batting .386 (27-for-70) with 13 RBIs and an OPS of .962. 

It’s refreshing to see Cooper giving the Marlins much-needed consistency at the plate. It feels like he’s always locked in and rarely swinSet News Imagegs at pitches outside of the zone. As soon as he finds the pitch he likes, he unloads on it and produces hits. 

Over the three-game series, Cooper was 4-for-13 with three RBIs and a home run. Cooper had a hit in each game, extending his hitting streak to eight games and his on-base streak to 15. 

In Game 1, Cooper came up clutch with a tie breaking double in the bottom of the eighth inning that led to a 9-8 Marlins victory. In Game 2, Cooper found his home run swing, as he sent a ball 413 feet over the center field wall in the bottom of the third inning. Game 3 was a bit quieter for the Marlins’ first baseman, but he did get a hit to extend his hitting streak.

 

Jon Berti makes history

Third Baseman Jon Berti has been a base-stealing machine. 

Berti currently leads the MLB in stolen bases with 21 and he is yet to be caught. In the fifth inning of Game 3, Berti stole his 21st base without being caught which broke Emilio Bonifacio’s Marlins record back in 2012.

“He plays with a toughness and an understanding of the game and when to run and when not to run,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said about the benefit of having a player like Berti on the team. “The more guys you have like that, the better off you are.”

And it’s not like the opposing pitchers or catchers aren’t prepared for Berti’s speed. They’re well aware that Berti is an excellent base runner because every time he’s on first base, the pitcher would throw at least three times to the first baseman to keep Berti close and prevent him from getting a big lead and ultimately stealing a base. But of course, Berti still manages to do it successfully.

“We kind of won in different ways every single game,” Berti said following the win. “We came ready to go this series and we’re onto the next one.”

The Marlins look to extend their home winning streak as the New York Mets come to town for a three-game series this weekend. Those games will be played from Friday to Monday.

Marlins Minor Trade

Marlins Make Minor Trade Amid Struggles

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The Miami Marlins completed a minor trade with the San Francisco Giants on their off day. The team acquired 25-year-old utility player Luke Williams in exchange for Double-A second baseman Hayden Cantrelle.

This comes as the Marlins travel to Atlanta ahead of a pivotal three-game set with the Braves. Miami finds itself mired in an extended rough patch and remains in danger of falling too far behind in the Wild Card race if these struggles continue.

Marlins Make Minor Trade

Marlins Minor Trade

The Marlins completed a minor trade deal on Thursday, picking up another super-utility player for the roster. The 25-year-old Williams comes to Miami with a .245/.308/.318 slash line over 120 career plate appearances with the Giants and Philadelphia Phillies. Williams hit .250, with a .583 OPS, over eight games with San Francisco before being designated-for-assignment to create room on their 40-man roster.

Williams becomes just the next in a long line of recent acquisitions and call-ups with positional versatility. With the Phillies in 2021, Williams played seven different positions (everything but pitcher and catcher). The Giants had him man third base and left field this season.

Williams seems cut from a similar cloth as Jon Berti, a light-hitting super-utility player known for his speed. He has just six career extra-base hits, but sports solid plate discipline and bat-to-ball skills. Williams holds a 20.2 percent strikeout rate for his minor league career, and a 22.5 percent rate at the MLB level.

Perhaps most interestingly, Williams comes to the Marlins with all three minor league options intact. The Giants DFA’d him without using an option, which added to his trade value.

The Marlins sent 23-year-old minor league second baseman Hayden Cantrelle to San Francisco to complete this trade. Cantrelle came to the Marlins via trade two months ago, as part of the Alex Jackson deal with the Milwaukee Brewers. Although he started well for Double-A Pensacola, hitting three homers in his first six games, Cantrelle logged just a .185 batting average with the Blue Wahoos this season and a 36.4 percent strikeout rate.

This move reads like an organizational depth play, especially considering the recent spate of injuries in the middle infield. Williams will start with Triple-A Jacksonville and could be called up the next time there’s an MLB fill-in need.

Marlins Recent Struggles

Marlins Minor Trade

The Marlins absorbed a two-game sweep at the hands of the Tampa Bay Rays, dropping yet another one-run game. Their rally fell short, 5-4, saddling the Fish with their league-high 14th one-run loss. Miami’s played in more one-run contests (20) than any other team in MLB.

Over their last 20 games, the Marlins sport a 6-14 record, tied for the worst mark in the league. Miami’s dropped five of their last six series and seem rudderless at the plate of late.

The Marlins have really struggled in Late and Close situations (defined as a game in the seventh inning or later, and the batting team is either leading by one run, tied, or has the potential tying run on base, at bat, or on deck). In that situation, Miami’s hitting a league-worst .182 and has posted a league-worst .491 OPS.

Their metrics with Runners in Scoring Position (RISP) rank only slightly higher. For the season, the Marlins rank 25th hitting with RISP (.223). Their .659 OPS in that spot ranks 24th. With RISP and two outs, Miami’s hitting .205 (22nd). The team strands 3.6 runners in scoring position per game, the third-highest mark in MLB and highest in the NL.

The Marlins averaged just three runs per game over their last six, where they went 1-5 (with four one-run losses).

Marlins Minor Trade

Marlins Roster Shuffle Following Minor Trade

Following the Marlins minor trade for Luke Williams, the team’s 40-man roster page got something of a refresh. 42 players occupy the page, but two of those, Joe Dunand and Erik Gonzalez, likely received their call-up via MLB’s COVID roster exemption. To create space for Williams on the 40-man, the Marlins transferred RHP Paul Campbell from the 10-day injured list to the 60-day injured list.

Miami activated both Richard Bleier and Joey Wendle from the 10-day IL today and optioned Dunand, Gonzalez, and catcher Payton Henry to Triple-A. The Marlins selected the contract of Willians Astudillo from Jacksonville when Anthony Bender landed on the IL this week. Astudillo is another player with positional versatility and MLB experience. He also has experience at catcher.

The Marlins enter a stretch of 10 games in 10 days, which each contest coming against teams ahead of them in the Wild Card race.

Marlins Mariners

5 Takeaways from Marlins Series Win v Mariners

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The Miami Marlins saw their seven-game winning streak snapped on Sunday, but the team still took two-of-three from the Seattle Mariners to win their third-straight series. Miami’s recent run of success included stellar starting pitching and timely hitting, but those elements were notably absent in Sunday’s 7-3 loss.

The Marlins find themselves in second place in the NL East with a 12-9 record. They’ve gone 8-2 against division opponents and 10-8 against all National League opponents thus far. Over their last 10 games overall, Miami’s 8-2, with a .243 team batting average and a 2.93 team ERA. The Marlins have outscored opponents by 10 runs over that span.

Luzardo Impressive in Marlins Win Over Mariners

Entering the season, the frontend of Miami’s starting rotation looked very much like the team’s top strength. And while there are some questions regarding who should be part of the backend of this rotation, Jesus Luzardo continued to make his case in the Marlins series win over the Mariners.

Luzardo tossed a season-high six innings in Miami’s 3-1 victory on Saturday. The 24-year-old lefty lowered his ERA to 3.10 after allowing just two hits and one earned run. He struck out five in the process, surrendering two walks.

 

Luzardo’s strikeout rate now sits at 34.1 percent for the season, putting him squarely in MLB’s top-10 for that metric. Credit for the improved strikeout rate goes in large part to increased velocity from Luzardo. Baseball Savant notes a 1.8 MPH increase in his fastball velocity, which checks in as the seventh-highest gain year-to-year among pitchers.

The biggest key for Luzardo has been locating his pitches and working ahead of hitters in order to get to his breaking ball, which he’s thrown 44.2 percent of the time. He’s registered 20 of his 28 strikeouts on his curveball so far this season.

Soler Starting to Find Success

One of the Miami’s top free agent additions, Jorge Soler, started to find more consistent success during the Marlins series win over the Mariners. The 30-year-old slugger crushed a Matt Brash four-seam fastball an estimated 468 feet on Friday (MLB’s third-longest home run of the season). The hit rocketed off Soler’s bat at 117.6 mph.

 

On Sunday, Soler had his first multi-hit game since April 22nd, and just his third of the season. His RBI single in the seventh inning beat the Mariners’ shift, then he followed that with his second homer of the series in the ninth. Over his past 10 games, Soler is 9-for-39 with three doubles, two home runs and six RBI.

Soler found success for the Marlins connecting on fastball offerings from Mariners pitchers, but he continues to struggle with offspeed pitches. Soler’s hitting just .100 on offspeed stuff. But there’s some bad luck mixed in to those results, because when he makes contact, his expected batting average in those spots is .337.

Marlins’ Garcia Remains Unlucky vs Mariners

Miami’s other major offseason addition, Avisail Garcia, continues to struggle at the plate, but some of those struggles can be attributed to bad luck as well.

On Sunday, Garcia’s liner with two runners on rocketed to right field with an exit velocity of 99.6. Off the bat, it had an expected batting average of .470, but was caught to end the inning. Something similar happened to Garcia in Washington, when a pair of batted balls failed to find the grass. Garcia had a flyout that sported an exit velocity of 98.6 and an expected batting average of .630. Had it dropped, it would have scored Garrett Cooper from second in that game. Earlier in that same contest, Garcia had a  flyout with a 101.4 exit velocity and a .610 expected batting average.

Garica’s average exit velocity sits at 91.3 mph, which would be a career-high for him. That figure puts him in the 80th percentile among MLB hitters, and his 12.2 barrel percentage is nearly double the MLB average at this point.

Although his 1.4 walk-rate stands in the bottom one percent of the league, his .271 batting-average-on-balls-in-play (BABIP) shows additional bad luck, considering his actual batting average sits at .194.

Marlins Still Middling with RISP

Although the Marlins lost to the Mariners 7-3 on Sunday, it wasn’t for a lack of opportunity. Miami stranded 12 runners on base in the loss, and managed to go just 2-for-9 with runners-in-scoring-position. The Marlins were better in that metric in their two wins over the Mariners, going 5-for-10 on Friday and 2-for-7 on Saturday.

Still, the 24 stranded runners continues a worrying trend for the Fish. Although Miami ranks fifth in team on-base percentage in the NL (.325), following Sunday’s loss, the Marlins now check in with the fourth-most stranded runners so far this season (163) and second-most in the NL.

With runners-in-scoring-position, the Marlins rank 22nd in batting average (.223) and 20th in OPS (.696). Miami’s top average in that spot belongs to Joey Wendle (.462, 6-for-13), while Jesus Sanchez (9) and Jazz Chisholm Jr. (9) have driven in the most runs.

Alcantara Struggles for Marlins vs Mariners

The Marlins had their staff ace taking the mound with a chance to secure the team’s second consecutive sweep. But with the loss, Miami saw their season-long winning streak end at seven. They remain the only franchise in MLB history without a 10-game winning streak to its credit.

Marlins MarinersSandy Alcantara took the mound for the Marlins on Sunday, starting opposite the Mariners’ ace Logan Gilbert. But instead of a pitcher’s duel, Alcantara struggled through his worst outing of the season. The 26-year-old righty surrendered a season-high five earned runs, which matched his total for the month of April.

Alcantara gave up two home runs and walked four batters. It was the third time this year he’s walked at least three. Last season, he walked 2.2 batters per nine innings. This season, that figure’s nearly doubled (4.1). Although he’s surrendered three homers already this season, he’s still at 0.9 HR/9, which is equal to his rate over the last two seasons.

Alcantara’s struggles with command have pushed his walk-rate to 11.3 percent, his highest such rate since 2018 (his second year). Last season, Alcantara’s walk-rate finished at a career-low 6.0 percent. The lack of command has also resulted in fewer strikeouts and a lower strike percentage (62.0). His pitches-per-inning (15.3) and pitches-per-plate-appearance (3.83) are both up as well.