Offishial News: Marlins finally firing on all cylinders

Before trades, injuries and regression to the mean intervene, savor it: this has been the best two-week stretch of Miami Marlins baseball that we've seen since 2023. The Marlins just swept another road series, this time against a postseason-caliber opponent. They scored 24 runs, establishing a new season-high for any series in 2025. Poor starts like the one Janson Junk had on Thursday have become increasingly rare, and Miami's offense and bullpen were able to pick him up, anyway. Even the fielding has improved as the season's midpoint approaches.

The Marlins' playoff odds flatlined at 0.0% last month. Their recent 9-4 record will do nothing to preclude the front office from flipping veteran players to other teams if the prospect packages being offered are reasonable. On a macro level, though, this season is trending toward being a legitimate stepping stone to contention rather than a dreary repeat of 2024.

Down on the farm, Triple-A Jacksonville lost, 6-2. Joe Mack snapped out of his 40-game homerless streak. Rehabbing from a left wrist sprain, Derek Hill started at designated hitter and went 1-for-4. Expect Hill back with the big league team next week. Double-A Pensacola won, 10-6. Nathan Martorella and Grant Richardson drove in three runs apiece. High-A Beloit lost, 14-5. Low-A Jupiter won, 6-0. Dameivi Tineo was dominant (5.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 9 K, 79 pitches/47 strikes). DSL Marlins lost, 19-3. Anthony Abreu is raking (.260/.439/.600 slash line with 4 HR), but he has already committed seven errors in his first 12 career games at shortstop. DSL Miami won, 7-3. Kevin Defrank (2.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K) had his shortest outing as a pro. Juan Alva (0-2, 2 BB, SB) extended his on-base streak to 15 games.

More Marlins news and content below:

🔷 The Marlins signed 20-year-old right-hander Luis Gómez as an international free agent. He'll begin his minor league career in the Dominican Summer League.

🔷 Marlins director of amateur scouting Frankie Piliere joined the Fish Unfiltered podcast to discuss all things MLB Draft-related (subscribe to Fish On First wherever you get your pods). Additionally, Kevin Barral has updates on every member of the 2024 draft class.

🔷 The Marlins announced a multi-year partnership with Sahlen's to become their official hot dog provider. For one game only on July 18 against the Kansas City Royals, loanDepot park hot dogs will be priced at $1 (they are normally $3 each at 3o5 Menu locations and $6 each at The Press Box).

🔷 Cristian Crespo of Just Baseball believes Dane Myers is the Marlin who's most deserving of being selected to the National League All-Star team. I was briefly on the Dane Train as well, but think Kyle Stowers has done enough lately to steady himself and retake the "lead" in that department. In either case, the challenge is finding room on the roster when the NL is so loaded with productive outfielders.

🔷 The Prediction Time leaderboard has been updated through the first 26 series. Become a SuperSub and we'll keep track of your predictions all season long!

🔷 Elsewhere around baseball, former Tampa Bay Rays star Wander Franco was found guilty of sexual abuse of a minor in the Dominican Republic. Franco was given a suspended two-year prison sentence and remains on MLB's restricted list. Current Rays star Junior Caminero became the youngest MLB player to reach 20 homers since Ronald Acuña Jr. (2019) to reach 20 homers before the All-Star break. Bobby Witt Jr. announced that he will once again play for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic next year. Witt was a lightly used reserve during the 2023 WBC, but figures to be USA's primary shortstop this time around. Clayton Kershaw is now just three strikeouts away from 3,000 in his career. Colorado Rockies president and COO Greg Feasel is stepping down after 30 years in their front office. The team's press release cites the desire for a "fresh, forward-looking perspective"—that is amusing because Feasel is being replaced by the owner's son, Walker Monfort, who has spent his entire adult life in the Rockies organization. The second phase of MLB All-Star voting begins on Monday. Here are the finalists at each position.

🔷 Today's MLB game: the Marlins (probable starter RHP Eury Pérez) begin a new series against the injury-riddled Arizona Diamondbacks (RHP Merrill Kelly). It will be Pérez's first time ever facing the D-backs, who sit fourth in the NL West standings despite entering 2025 with championship aspirations. The Marlins have a 40.0% chance to win, per FanGraphs.

🔷 Prior to the game, Fish On First LIVE will preview the Diamondbacks series beginning at 8:30 p.m. ET. FOF LIVE is presented by About The Fans. Check out our new merchandise collection (coupon code fof10 for 10% off).

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