Offishial news, 7/24/23: Craig Mish analyzes deadline decisions; hot prospects promoted

Today's Marlins news roundup also includes a Jeimer Candelario rumor.

Sunday's Games

Marlins Podcast Episodes

• Sunday's Marlins MiLB Notes: 1B Troy Johnston and LHP Patrick Monteverde have been promoted to Pensacola to Jacksonville, Aram Leighton of Just Baseball reports. Simply put, they both had extraordinary production for the Blue Wahoos and deserved to get bumped up earlier. Johnston leads all of Minor League Baseball with 83 RBI this season. LHP Josh Simpson (Jacksonville) made his return from the injured list (1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K). Making a rare start for the Blue Wahoos in right field, OF Victor Mesa Jr. earned two more outfield assists. OF Osiris Johnson (Beloit) had his best game of the season, going 3-for-3 with two walks, two stolen bases and an outfield assist. INF Ian Lewis (Jupiter) hit his third home run of the week; he had only one in 2023 prior to that.

• The Marlins won a baseball game for the first time in 14 days! Luis Arraez made the difference with the game-tying single in the sixth and the walk-off single in the 10th. Jesús Luzardo established new career highs in strikeouts (13) and pitches (115). However, A.J. Puk's slump continues. He has allowed four home runs in his last seven appearances, all of those in high-leverage situations.

• Craig Mish of SportsGrid generously joined State of the Fish for two-plus hours of Marlins talk. He reports that part of the Athletics' willingness to trade Puk had to do with their concerns about him pitching effectively on back-to-back days. He believes Miami's main objective entering the trade deadline is to acquire a starting pitcher. The Marlins are willing to add payroll at the deadline, Mish says, but they will be reluctant to take on players who have pricey contracts beyond 2023 (ruling out Nolan Arenado in particular). They don't intend to subtract anybody from their active roster, not even pending free agents. He identifies Jake Eder and Karson Milbrandt as prospects who potential trade partners are showing strong interest in, though he clarifies that the Marlins are not openly "shopping" them. The Marlins' Dominican Summer League teams are being scouted closely, according to Mish. The organization's top DSL performers this season include OF Jancory De La Cruz, OF Daniel Gaitor, INF Erick Lara, INF Fabian López and RHP Elian Serrata. Mish believes that the optioning of Eury Pérez had a negative impact on the vibes in the Marlins clubhouse. He confirms that Pérez has been throwing bullpen sessions in Pensacola (though no game action). He expects Xavier Edwards, who leads the Triple-A International League batting race, to get another call-up in the "next week or so." He's also adamant that Sixto Sánchez will not make it back to the major leagues after three seasons of right shoulder issues.

• Fish On First Super Subscribers always get speaking priority on State of the Fish, as they did during the Mish special. Please consider joining the club for as little as $3 per month.

• The Marlins have targeted Jeimer Candelario of the Nationals and see him as a "perfect fit" for their team, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports. Candelario is slashing .254/.333/.474 (116 wRC+) with 2.7 fWAR in 92 games while playing the best third base defense of his career. He's a pending free agent.

• The Marlins have officially inked their 2023 MLB Draft class. Still another day until the draft pick signing deadline, but as Fish On First previously reported, 18th-rounder LHP Tristan Dietrich will not be joining the organization.

• Elsewhere around the majors, Anthony Rizzo snapped the second-longest homerless drought of his career as the Yankees swept a series for the first time since Aaron Judge's toe injury. Scott Rolen and Fred McGriff were inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Skip Schumaker congratulated Rolen on Twitter and expressed thanks for teaching him "how to play the right way" when they were teammates on the Cardinals.

• The Marlins enter this new week with 48.4% playoff odds, per FanGraphs. FCL Marlins (10:00 a.m. ET) and DSL Miami (11:00 a.m. ET) are at home, while DSL Marlins (11:00 a.m. ET) are on the road.

• Since July 6, Nick Fortes has modified his batting stance, opening up slightly more and raising his bat angle more vertically. Sunday was his first multi-hit game with those adjustments.

• Do you have a business or special cause that you're trying to promote? We are seeking a sponsor for our @MarlinsSpaces account! Somebody we can promote before/during/after each of our Marlins Twitter Spaces. Email Ely.Sussman@gmail.com for more information.

• Marlins Jeopardy returns on Thursday! It's a "Young Experts" special, featuring contestants who weren't even born the last time the Marlins won it all. As usual, we're including your audience questions. Please submit them here.

• Congrats to Marlins alum Dontrelle Willis on his selection to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum Hall of Fame.

• Kyle Bland of Pitcher List created Basemon, which translates advanced pitching stats into Pokémon card stats. Sandy Alcantara's closest comp is Pidgeot, Braxton Garrett's is Vileplume, Edward Cabrera's is Persian, A.J Puk's is Mr. Mime, etc.

• Congrats to Jon Berti and his wife Jill, who announced that they're expecting a baby daughter in February.