Marlins lose series opener behind shaky bullpen

The Miami Marlins bullpen that was largely responsible for the league-best 33-14 record in one-run games last year suddenly looks, well, human.

One day after closer Tanner Scott blew a save in a 9-7 loss to the Atlanta Braves, George Soriano and Andrew Nardi combined to allow three runs in a high-leverage scenario in the seventh inning, blowing Miami's lead. It was a scene that Marlins fans became familiar – and quite frankly comfortable – with in 2023: Nardi enters the game with runners on base while clinging to a small lead. 

On Monday night in the seventh, after Soriano allowed a run to reduce the Marlins lead to 3-2, it was Nick Ahmed and Mike Yastrzemski on first and second base with two out in the seventh when Nardi entered. Nardi, who allowed just five of 40 inherited runners to score last year, allowed two consecutive RBI singles to turn the 3-2 Marlins lead to a 4-3 deficit. 

“We have to obviously get the roles figured out in the bullpen. I'm not doing a good job of putting the guys in the right spot, obviously, because we're not completing the game with a win,” Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said, while noting that a couple of relievers were down for the day after pitching back-to-back games over the weekend (likely referring to Tanner Scott and Anthony Bender). “But that's going to happen, and these guys are going to have to be in roles that maybe they're not used to.”

Prior to the bullpen implosion, Edward Cabrera, who was making his season debut after missing the latter half of spring training with a right shoulder impingement, had about as good of a return as he could hoped for. After struggling with command throughout his young Major League career – and even in some of his rehab starts – the 26-year-old allowed one run with only one walk and five hits in six innings on Monday night. He's just the second pitcher besides Max Meyer to finish six innings for the Marlins this year.

The Dominican right-hander threw 19 first-pitch strikes to the 22 batters he faced, and had 62 strikes to just 29 balls. "If we get that out of Cabbie (Cabrera), we're going to win a lot more games," said Schumaker postgame.

Cabrera notched 10 strikeouts, the first time a Marlins pitcher has hit that mark this season. He used virtually his entire pitch mix to do so: three curveballs, three sliders, two changeups, and two four-seam fastballs. Cabrera using his slider as a put-away pitch is notable, as he only got seven strikeouts on that pitch last year while using it 8.2% of the time.

“I've been working on that pitch for a while already,” Cabrera said through a team translator. “But it feels good once you have success in the real game on the mound. Having control of all your pitches is something very, very exciting for any pitcher.”

The Marlins’ struggles against left-handed pitchers continued, as Giants starting pitcher Kyle Harrison kept Miami at bay aside from a three-run second inning that included an Avisail Garcia solo home run and a two-RBI double from Bryan De La Cruz. The Marlins then couldn’t do anything against the Giants bullpen, getting just two hits and zero runs in three innings against San Francisco relievers.

Schumaker was ejected in the bottom of the eighth inning. Giants left-hander Taylor Rogers began jogging in from the bullpen even though Bob Melvin had actually signaled for right-hander Camilo Doval. Schumaker was upset because Doval was granted additional time to warm up without being issued a pitch-clock violation, umpire Laz Díaz said after the game (per pool reporter Daniel Álvarez-Montes). After repeatedly arguing, Díaz tossed him, with bench coach Luis Urueta serving as acting manager for the rest of the contest.

Miami fell to 3-14, the team's worst 17-game start in franchise history. They will look to earn their fourth win of the year on Tuesday night at loanDepot Park against these same Giants. Ryan Weathers will get the nod against flame-thrower Jordan Hicks.