Like father, like son, Fish win by one

[Louis Addeo-Weiss]

Bats mount a ninth-inning rally to win in Griffin Conine's memorable first MLB start. 

Throughout his 16-year career, Jeff Conine—like many a hitter past and present—enjoyed hitting in Colorado. In 156 career plate appearances between Mile High Stadium and Coors Field, Mr. Marlin hit an unfathomable .418 with a 1.260 OPS. On Tuesday night, Conine was back in the building to watch his son, Griffin Conine, make his first career Major League start. 

This game would go on to generate storylines aplenty: Kyle Stowers' first Marlins home run, Roddery Muñoz again being plagued by the long ball, Mike Baumann becoming just the second pitcher in MLB history to appear with five teams in a single season, and an exhilarating, ninth-inning comeback.

However, let's turn our focus first to the junior Conine.

Like his father—a 58th-round pick who came to the Marlins in the 1992 expansion draft—Griffin's road to the big leagues was anything but smooth.

Originally drafted by Miami in the 31st round back in 2015, Conine opted instead to attend Duke, hitting 31 home runs between his sophomore and junior seasons before receiving a $1.35M signing bonus after being selected in the second round by the Blue Jays. What should've been his first full professional season in 2019 was abbreviated by a 50-game suspension after testing positive for a banned substance. Then in 2020, minor league ball was canceled due to the COVID pandemic. Conine would find himself coming home when the Marlins acquired him at that season's trade deadline.

Now, four years and 448 minor league games later, Conine's dream was fully realized at age 27 when he struck out in his big league debut in Miami's 3-2 loss to Colorado Monday.

But when the time came for his first Major League start the following night—a 9-8 win for Miami (48-84)—you would think he was a seasoned veteran. Batting in the top of the sixth, Conine saw a hanging curveball from Cal Quantrill (5.2 IP, 4 R) and sent it into the right-center gap, ultimately ending up with a triple for his first career hit. 

Per Statcast, Conine's 415-foot hit would have cleared the fences in any other MLB venue. 

Conine would put a bow on a night he and his family would never forget with a leadoff double in the top of the ninth, ending the evening 2-for-3. 

Conine also had a walk and an outfield assist earlier in the game.

"It was good to have a full day, full routine," he noted. 

 

Notes from Across the Diamond

Lasting just 1 ⅔ innings, Roddery Muñoz continued to fall victim to the home run, surrendering three more while facing only 13 total batters. His 26 home runs are the most allowed by any Marlins pitcher in their first 18 career games, with no one else allowing more than 16. 

Fortunately, the Marlins offense had access to the Coors effect, highlighted by five unanswered runs in the top of the ninth that played out as such:

• Griffin Conine doubles
• David Hensley singles; Conine to third
• Connor Norby walks
• Jake Burger doubles; Conine and Hensley score
• Pitching change
• Jesús Sánchez homers; Norby, Burger, Sánchez score

Of note, too, was Kyle Stowers, who broke a 79-plate appearance homerless streak to begin his Marlins tenure when he led off the fourth inning with a blast for Miami's second run. Stowers, who later added a triple, is hitting .348 (8-for-23) since August 19, including back-to-back multi-hit games.

Including left-hander Jonathan Bermúdez and right-hander Mike Baumann, who both pitched in relief of Muñoz, the Marlins have now used 64 different players in 2024, continuing to build upon their single-season franchise record.

 

Looking Ahead

The Marlins continue their four-game series in Colorado on Wednesday when they send Max Meyer (3-3, 5.44 ERA) to make his first career start against the Rockies. Kyle Freeland (3-6, 5.76 ERA) will meet the Marlins for the seventh time in his career, owning a 3.60 ERA in six prior appearances.

First pitch from Coors Field is slated for 8:40 EST. 

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