Edward Cabrera snaps slump, bullpen walks tightrope in series opener

MIAMI, Fla.—Edward Cabrera’s slumps are getting shorter, and outings like he had on Monday are becoming the norm.

After giving up a total of nine earned runs and 18 hits combined over 9 ⅔ innings against the Cleveland Guardians and St. Louis Cardinals, it would have been easy for fans to get anxious that the old, inconsistent Cabrera was peeking through.

He settled those nerves with a performance against the Atlanta Braves on Monday that rivals any start he’s had this year. The 27-year-old right-hander tossed seven scoreless innings, striking out 10 and allowing one hit and two walks. 

Cabrera told reporters after his most recent start against St. Louis that his breaking balls—his curveball and slider—weren’t landing properly. He had to throw more fastballs, which the Cardinals took advantage of.

He seemed to have a better handle on his curveball, along with his changeup Monday. Seven of his strikeouts came on those two pitches, with six swings-and-misses on each of them.

“Throw every pitch one at a time with no fear, and just trust yourself,” Cabrera said through interpreter Luis Dorante Jr. “Once you start feeling that fear that you cannot throw or you’re not going to land a strike, no matter the count, no matter the situation of the game, it starts to affect you.”

Perhaps the greatest piece of evidence that we are witnessing a new version of Cabrera is his ability to avoid spiraling. In the past, Cabrera would allow a leadoff baserunner—usually by way of a walk—and melt down from there. He allowed four leadoff runners on Monday. In each instance, he came back with three consecutive outs.

As good as Cabrera was, he was only a couple of pitches better than his counterpart, Spencer Strider. The only run the Marlins could get across in Strider's seven innings of work was a Troy Johnston RBI double in the fifth inning that scored Otto Lopez. Johnston has gone 7-for-19 at the plate (.368 BA) during this prolonged homestand.

With a pair of the club's most trustworthy relievers, Ronny Henriquez and Tyler Phillips, both down after pitching back-to-back days, the Marlins needed Tyler Zuber and Josh Simpson to get them through the eighth with a 1-0 cushion.

For Zuber, it was the second time since 2021 that he had pitched while his team was ahead, with the other instance coming earlier this month in Cleveland when the Marlins were up by nine. The 30-year-old right-hander got the first two outs before allowing a double to Jurickson Profar and getting pulled for Simpson.

The rookie southpaw hit Matt Olson with a pitch and then responded by getting Ronald Acuna Jr. to ground out to third base. It was the first time Simpson had pitched in a high-leverage spot since he loaded the bases in a tied game in the ninth inning against the Boston Red Sox. He was pulled for Calvin Faucher after failing to record an out, and Faucher wound up allowing the winning run.

“A lot of these experiences, we hope, are going to be beneficial for a number of players that are in our clubhouse right now, moving forward,” Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said after Monday’s win. “You just have to get back on the horse sometimes when it doesn't go your way...It’s one thing to be thrust into one of those moments. To come out and have some success plays a big part in filling up that confidence bank in guys.”

Maximo Acosta gave Miami some insurance in the eighth with a home run to center field. He has three hits since making his major league debut on August 18 and all three are home runs.

The run came in handy. Calvin Faucher allowed a solo home run to Drake Baldwin in the ninth, but still closed the door on a 2-1 win. In just nine games against the Fish, Baldwin has 16 RBI.