Erratic Eury sets tone for a Marlins series loss

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — Eury Pérez is an enigma on the mound.

At 23 years old, Pérez has some of the best pure stuff in the sport, boasting a fastball that routinely touches triple digits and secondary stuff that, when working, looks almost impossible to square up.

The problem, however, is that Pérez is much more of a thrower than a pitcher at this stage of his career. Sunday's latest outing against the Tampa Bay Rays echoed the same sentiments.

Topping out at 100.5 mph with his four-seam fastball, Pérez threw first-pitch strikes to 74 percent of hitters faced. And yet, when he needed said command the most, it abandoned him like a thief at the sound of sirens. He walked four across five innings in the Marlins' 6-3 loss.

In four starts to begin the month of May, Pérez has walked a total of 14 batters. Overall, his 28 free passes this season nearly match last season's total of 32 even though he's only made half as many starts.

When asked about these control issues, Pérez—speaking through interpreter Luis Dorante—seems unable to find a reason for said crux.

"I think it's a mix of things—good at-bats that they've been taking, a lot of foul balls...and sitting down in a long inning, getting a little cold."

"Inconsistency with the strike-throwing. He worked hard for 15 outs today...Right now, it's the start where there is one inning that gets going a bit, and a crooked number goes up," stated Marlins manager Clayton McCullough.

Another bug in the Dominican's game has been limiting the long ball. Pérez seemingly got Junior Caminero to loose his balance swinging at a 2-2 sweeper in the bottom of the first, but the All-Star third baseman was strong enough to convert it into his twelfth home run of the season.

The Marlins evened the score and eventually took the lead in a two-run second inning, thanks to run-scoring hits from Xavier Edwards and Otto Lopez. With another multi-hit performance on Sunday, Lopez extends his MLB lead with 64 hits.

Four innings later, and now facing Yandy Díaz, Pérez left a changeup low and inside that wound up 426 feet from home plate for Díaz's seventh home run. In 239 career innings, Pérez owns a HR/9 of 1.4. 

Beyond the pair of long balls surrendered, the most crushing blow to Pérez and the Marlins' fortunes came when Taylor Walls, the light-hitting, slick-fielding shortstop, put the Rays up for good with a bases-clearing, three-run triple.

Miami's bats did attempt a comeback, highlighted by an eighth-inning rally that saw the
team have bases loaded with one out. Leo Jiménez would strike out for out number two. Heriberto Hernández, whose pinch-hit, solo home run started a 10-run outburst for the Marlins on Saturday, lined out to the aforementioned Walls for the third out.

With the loss, the Marlins fall to 21-26. They have not won a series in Tampa since 2018 despite visiting there annually.

The New York Mets are only half a game behind Miami for last place in the NL East.

Looking Ahead

The Marlins return home, where they are set to begin a four-game series against the division-leading Atlanta Braves. Max Meyer (3-0, 3.21 ERA) will make his second career start versus Atlanta in Monday's series opener. Opposing Meyer, JR Ritchie (1-0, 3.32), will make his first career start against Miami, and just the fifth of his major league career.

First pitch from loanDepot park is slated for 6:40 EST.