Diamondbacks run all over Edward Cabrera to complete sweep of Marlins

[Kevin Barral]

For the first time this season, the Miami Marlins were swept. The D-backs stole five bases off of Edward Cabrera and Miami's offense couldn't take advantage of their many scoring opportunities.

MIAMI, FL—The series finale between the Miami Marlins and the Arizona Diamondbacks produced one of the weirdest box scores you'll see this season. Despite out-hitting Arizona, 13-5, the Marlins fell by a final score of 6-4 and were swept for the first time in 2025.

After a nice season debut, Edward Cabrera regressed to his career norms on Thursday afternoon. Cabrera surrendered five runs on four hits, walked three and struck out six.

In the top of the first inning, Corbin Carroll manufactured the first run of the ballgame by stealing second and third, then scoring on a sacrifice fly. Jupiter native Pavin Smith made it 2-0 when he took a Cabrera four-seam fastball deep for his third home run of the season. Smith had an incredible series overall, going 6-for-11 with three walks.

In his previous start, Cabrera's fastball averaged 97.9 mph, topping out at 99.5 mph. On Thursday, his fastball velocity saw a significant dip, averaging 95.6 mph (a 2.3 mph decrease) and topping out at 96.8 mph.

"They started running some deep counts," said manager Clayton McCullough. "When he got ahead, they tightened up there when he had count leverage and was a lot of foul balls and then they ran the pitch count up along with some of the walks and it just got up on there. Overall for how it went, he did a good job of just keeping it in there and doing his best to continue to go as long as he could. The pitch count got to him there, especially in his second start coming back."

The Diamondbacks stole five bases while Cabrera was on the mound. He noted postgame that he needs to be more unpredictable.

"We're always discussing ways, varying times or holding the ball," said McCullough. "They have some guys very capable on their roster. Unfortunately, the ones that do get on base, they have that ability and days like this happen will. We need to try to do our best to just vary up the timing."

Third baseman Connor Norby made his season debut following a stint on the injured list due to a left oblique strain. He played third base and hit second in the lineup and went 1-for-5. In the bottom of the sixth inning, Norby got to reliever Ryan Thompson, knocking his first base hit of the season and moving Rob Brantly to second.

"I think the first at-bat was a little antsy," said McCullough. "I think he was really aggressive, and to be expected. For him this is kind of like Opening Day this season. The last couple of at-bats, he started to settle, to slow things down a little bit, let the action come to him which I think that's just very normal for anyone that missed the start and now is just getting back into it."

When catcher Nick Fortes landed on the IL last week, the Marlins called up Rob Brantly from Triple-A Jacksonville. On Thursday, he made his second start of the season and went 3-for-3 with three singles. It marked his first multi-hit game since September 28, 2017 when he was with the Chicago White Sox and first three-hit game since June 8, 2013. He became the second-oldest catcher in franchise history to record a three-hit game. Mike Mordecai was 36 in 2004 when he did so as an emergency catcher.

The Marlins put runners on base in all nine innings, but also struck out 16 times. Brantly was the only starting position player without any Ks.

The Marlins are 8-10 on the season and will now take on the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Sandy Alcantara will take the mound for the Marlins on Friday and go up against Zack Wheeler. First pitch is at 6:45 pm.

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[One Regend]

I said this before, and I'll say it again. Edward Cabrera should be thankful he's being given every opportunity to compete even with his chronic underachieving and inability to stay healthy. He's easily waiver wire material at this point in his career. It's one thing to constantly have blisters, but it's another thing entirely to come out and drop 2.3 mph and raise even more injury concerns.

At some point, you have to wonder how much longer of a leash the Marlins can afford to have on him. Adam Mazur is knocking on the door.

[Guest]

At this point the Marlins should trade both Sandy and Cabrera. Cabrera might become an Ace someday; he has great stuff, but it doesn't look like it's going to happen here. Maybe a change of scenery or some other pitching coach can straighten him out. At any rate, the way the market is right now for starting pitchers, the Fish could probably get something valuable in return from the Cubs, or Yankees; just don't trade him WITHIN THE DIVISION like they did with Luzardo. Sandy is another one they should dump. For whatever reason, he is not throwing that 99 MPH fastball anymore, and when he does throw fastballs they are cookies, right down the middle. I hate to say these things, I really liked both of these players and hoped they would be Marlins longer, but the fact is that NOBODY on this team is going to be around very long. We suck, despite having some really good players. We have a s***** owner and a stupid manager who pinch hit Sanoja for Conine with a runner on base and the Fish losing. Why? Because the opposing pitcher was a lefty, that's why. Except Conine has been hitting lefties and he has HR power that Sanoja lacks. That's just one crazy move by Clayton, don't even get me started on Mervis, Wagaman, etc. We are a s*** show and I will be shocked if we ever get back to .500 this year. And that's all I wanted from this team, just be a .500 team and don't be out of it by Memorial Day.

[Ely Sussman]

1 hour ago, Alex Ligero said:

At this point the Marlins should trade both Sandy and Cabrera. Cabrera might become an Ace someday; he has great stuff, but it doesn't look like it's going to happen here. Maybe a change of scenery or some other pitching coach can straighten him out.

He has just begun working with a new pitching coach (Moskos) after previously spending his whole career with Mel and failing to progress. I have been pessimistic about Cabrera for years, but understand why he's getting a bit of a runway to turn a corner right now. Once Weathers and Eury are healthy, that's when you have to seriously consider a trade.