Offishial News: 2025 option? Skip it!

On Sunday, Max Meyer had the best start of his young MLB career (6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 35 CSW%) while the Marlins offense ambushed Cardinals right-hander Kyle Gibson for six runs in the first inning. Luis Arraez recorded a season-high four hits (he previously had only one multi-hit game in 2024). Jazz Chisholm Jr. was dealing with right shoulder discomfort after attempting a home run robbery. I wouldn't be surprised if he gets a precautionary day off. The Marlins won, 10-3, finally registering their first win of the year.

Down on the farm, Triple-A Jacksonville won, 4-2. 2B José Devers and SS Otto López recorded three hits apiece (Devers was a home run shy of the cycle). Braxton Garrett (clip embedded below) stretched out to 66 pitches in his first rehab start (4.1 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 5 K, 1 HR). Probably just one more of those for him before he rejoins Miami's major league rotation. Double-A Pensacola won, 9-1. RHP Paul Campbell (5.1 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K) pitched in a competitive game for the first time in two years. Low-A Jupiter won, 4-3. Excellent season debut for RHP Jake Brooks (5.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K). The Hammerheads scored the go-ahead run in the ninth inning on a balk.

Here's more Marlins news and content for you:

🔷 Skip Schumaker's 2025 club option has been voided. He will be a free agent following this season. Further reporting is needed to get a more coherent story, but my speculation is that a mutual decision was made last winter to part ways once the executive who hired him, Kim Ng, was replaced by Peter Bendix. Schumaker has immediately shown himself to be a well-rounded and effective manager and it would be extremely unfortunate if his tenure with the organization does indeed end after only two years.

🔷 Through the first three series, @Alec Chao and @Daniel Rodriguez are tied atop the Prediction Time leaderboard. Make series predictions with us all season long when you become a Fish On First SuperSub.

🔷 Every Monday (until they are firmly out of contention), I will update the Marlins' playoff odds. Per FanGraphs, those have been cut in half over the last week, from 14.4% to 6.3%.

🔷 Kevin Barral wrote the first of our 2024 weekly Marlins minor league recaps, featuring Tristan Gray and more than a dozen other players who stood out.

🔷 Elsewhere around baseball, Stephen Strasburg reached a settlement with the Washington Nationals and officially retired. Former AL Cy Young award winner Shane Bieber will undergo Tommy John surgery, ending his 2024 season. Spencer Strider (right UCL sprain) and Trevor Story (left shoulder dislocation) are looking at extended absences as well. Tyler O'Neill, who I liked as a trade target for the Marlins this past offseason, leads the majors with a 1.407 OPS.

🔷 Today's MLB game: the Marlins (probable starter LHP Jesús Luzardo) visit the Yankees (LHP Nestor Cortes). It will be Cortes' first time pitching against his hometown team (he was raised in Hialeah). Less than two weeks after trading him away, the Fish will face longtime utility guy Jon Berti. Expect Berti to start at least once during the series considering that all of Miami's scheduled starters are lefties.

🔷 Join us for a new episode of Fish On First LIVE tonight from 5:00-6:00 p.m. ET on YouTube/Twitter/Facebook. I actually will not be producing the show this time as I'll be in attendance at Yankee Stadium. SuperSubs are encouraged to make series predictions. FOF LIVE is presented by Berger & Hicks. If you’ve been injured as a result of somebody else’s negligence, give them a call at (305) 670-7050.

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