Bats breakthrough to soften blow of Max Meyer's homecoming labors

On the night when they learned they were likely to be without top pitching prospect Robby Snelling , the Marlins were in desperate need of a feel-good game to get back on the winning path. Snelling, currently the club's second-ranked prospect, would be placed on the injured list with a UCL sprain. It is yet to be determined whether he will undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery.

Thanks to a nine-run outburst from the bats and a voluminous outing from Max Meyer, the Marlins got just that in their 9-5 win over the Minnesota Twins, a much-needed reprieve after being two-hit by Bailey Ober in the series opener. 

Making his first career Major League start in his home state and with Byron Buxton at his craw, Meyer gutted it through 5.2 innings of four-run ball in the winning effort. Now 3-0 to begin the season, Meyer has matched his previous career high in wins. 

"He grinded through this one a bit...he's come so far as a starter and now has many weapons in his arsenal," noted manager Clayton McCullough.

On the evening, Meyer generated 22 whiffs on the 46 swings against him (48%), 11 of which came on behalf of his slider. As a result, the former first-round pick netted a season-high nine strikeouts. Four of Meyer's whiffs came on a retooled changeup, a pitch Meyer noted he and pitching coach Daniel Moskos were tinkering with pitch grips.

"Felt like any other game this year, honestly," reflected Meyer on his first start in his home state.

Facing the aforementioned Buxton, the first pitch Meyer threw in his home state landed in the left field stands of Target Field for Buxton's fourteenth home run of the season. Two innings later, again sitting on the first pitch, Buxton doubled up on Meyer for his fifteenth on the year, blasting his second home run in as many trips to the plate. 

At the plate, the Marlins got off to a fast start, with each of the first five Miami hitters reaching base against Simeon Woods-Richardson (3+ IP, 8 R). Of the 91 pitchers to throw at least 40 innings to this point in the season, none have a higher ERA than Woods-Richardson's 7.71, 

Following a two-run top of the first, Owen Caissie would break the game open for Miami when he sent his third home run of the season into the Twins bullpen in left-center in the top of the second. However, it would be the team's four-run fourth inning that proved the difference, as Joe Mack, Xavier Edwards, and Liam Hicks all authored run-scoring hits. Hicks became the fourth player in franchise history to collect at least 38 RBI in his first 40 games of the season.

With the win, the Marlins improve to 20-23, even record-wise with third-place Philadelphia in the NL East.

Notables

- Pete Fairbanks, the club's closer and big-ticket free agent addition for the Marlins, was activated off the injured list (right thumb). 

- Leo Jiménez had three hits in the win on Wednesday, marking the second time in his career he's done so, 

Looking Ahead

The Marlins will bid farewell to the Twins in 2026 in Thursday's season finale. Braxton Garrett (4.03 ERA) will make his first Major League appearance since June 17, 2024. 

First pitch from Target Field is slated for 1:40 EST.