What stood out from windy, winless Marlins split-squad action

JUPITER, Fla.—After hitting his first home run of the spring the day prior, Jazz Chisholm Jr. came into the first game of the split-squad doubleheader smelling blood in the water. He wasted no time in the top of the first inning against veteran big leaguer Kyle Gibson, sending a ball high and deep into the air and letting the howling wind take it the rest of the way into the right field corner for a two-run home run (106.3 mph, 41-degree launch angle). It had the 8th-highest launch angle among tracked home runs hit league-wide this spring. 

He did it again in his next at-bat, in the third inning. Just a bit harder and a bit lower, but still riding the wind into the corner, this time for three runs. 

He also made a spectacular catch in CF, ranging back and to his left at full speed, then sliding to catch a ball that left Nolan Arenado's bat at 102.7 MPH and started to ride the wind away from Jazz. He reached a sprint speed of 28.3 ft/sec and covered the 87 feet to the ball in just over five seconds.

"He can do things that most people can't do," Skip Schumaker said about Jazz. "He's a freak."

"I know it's just spring," Skip added, "but he's seeing what a real process looks like, and I'm proud that he's doing it. Can he do it for six months? I think that's our challenge for him, and if he does that, then all he talks about is the numbers, and there's a good chance he will accomplish what he wants to accomplish because of the work that he's going to put in."

The Marlins lost the first game of Tuesday's slate 11-10. 

Following the first game, the coaching staff made the 20-minute drive south to CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches to join the squad that had already traveled ahead of the nightcap of the split-squad doubleheader.

A.J. Puk got off to a rough start in his first inning, getting singled into oblivion before being removed with runners on the corners, two outs, and two runs scored. He came back in and allowed a single, but was lights-out from then on, facing the minimum the rest of the way until he reached his planned 80-something pitches in the sixth inning. He struck out eight hitters, including seven in a row, and didn't allow a walk for the first time this spring.

Puk maintained his fastball velocity throughout the outing, which is a great sign as Opening Day draws near. "I'm definitely pacing myself," he said. "It's not that one inning anymore where I'm coming out and just trying to throw as hard as I can."

In regards to how his body is feeling, the reliever-turned-starter said: "I'm feeling great. I feel like I've been bouncing back really well between starts. This will be just another test. It's another 15 extra pitches than my last outing."

A.J. Puk's final line: 5.1 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 8 K, 82/58 P/S.

Bench coach Luis "Pipe" Urueta on Puk's outing: "Solid start, once again. Despite that (first) inning, where we had to take him out. Other than that, those strikeouts. Attacking the zone. He got in a groove with the punchouts. The split was working. His fastball was working, so pretty pleased with his outing."

Other notable performances:

• Dane Myers went 2-for-3 with a double.
• Vidal Brujan went 1-for-3 with a home run.
• Bryan De La Cruz went 2-for-3 with an RBI, a stolen base, and a TOOTBLAN (Thrown Out On The Bases Like A Nincompoop) at third. 
• Jake Burger went 2-for-4 with an RBI.
• Christian Bethancourt went 2-for-3.
• Yiddi Cappe went 1-for-4 with a double and 2 RBIs.
• Andrew Nardi: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K
• George Soriano: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 K
• Tanner Scott: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R
• Anthony Bender: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 K

Noah's Notes

• The Marlins tied a franchise record for ties in a single spring.
• Patrick Monteverde is scheduled to start Wednesday's game against the New York Mets at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium in Jupiter.