Edward Cabrera may have turned a corner

MIAMI, FL—Skip Schumaker told the media before Friday’s loss to the San Diego Padres that part of the challenge of running a bullpen is changing the game plan based on what happened the night before.

Of course, most baseball fans already know that to be the case. But, aside from the trade deadline, Friday afternoon's roster moves may have been the biggest shakeup the Marlins have seen in a single day this season. And that bled over into Friday night’s loss.

After the Marlins extra-innings loss to the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday, the Marlins designated starting pitcher Kyle Tyler for assignment. They also optioned Darren McCaughan and Emmanuel Ramirez to Triple-A Jacksonville. Declan Cronin, Calvin Faucher, and Andrew Nardi were all down after pitching in back-to-back games, and Anthony Bender was dealing with undisclosed issues.

So, when Edward Cabrera stepped off the mound after a masterful performance in which he threw seven shutout innings, Schumaker handed the ball to George Soriano to get the final six outs, up 2-0.

Soriano, who came in with a 7.36 ERA in 12 outings this year, allowed two doubles and a run in the eighth. Jackson Merrill then tied the game with a leadoff home run to center field in the ninth inning.

Brett de Geus, who was one of the three newly recalled relievers, gave up four runs (one unearned) in the tenth. Manny Machado's two-run double to right-center broke the game open.

Pitching at loanDepot park for the first time since the Marlins traded him away, Tanner Scott pitched a scoreless bottom of the tenth. 

Schumaker confirmed after the game that Soriano and de Geus, along with fellow call-ups John McMillon and Kent Emanuel, were the only relievers available.

“I felt like Soriano has been there before and given us some leverage innings, especially last year,” Schumaker said. “And he's looked pretty good since he's been back up and given us some pretty good innings. He had 14 pitches after the first inning, he's had four days off, he was by far the freshest arm and it felt like he can get righties and lefties out. He just kind of threw a hanging slider to Merrill. Merrill, lately, has been doing that, unfortunately for us.”

What made the ending more frustrating was the wasting of a great start by Cabrera.

He pitched seven scoreless innings and gave up four hits and three walks. It was the deepest he had gone into a game since he completed eight innings against the Oakland Athletics on August 22, 2022.

Schumaker walked toward the mound with two outs in the seventh inning after Cabrera had just allowed an infield single to Ha-Seong Kim with his 99th pitch of the game. With two runners on base and Soriano fully warmed up in the bullpen, it seemed like Cabrera’s night was done.

But instead of taking the ball from Cabrera, Schumaker only made the 100-foot walk to the mound to deliver a quick message for him that took all of about five seconds.

“He just came and said this is my game,” Cabrera said. “And I just went and told him ‘yes.’” Cabrera proceeded to strike out Luis Campusano on his patented 94 mph changeup, high and tight.

“I was just super proud of the way he attacked it,” Schumaker said. “And you could see in his eyes that he wasn't sure if I was gonna give it to him or not. But I felt like this was his time to go, and maybe a pivotal moment in his career, because I think it just gave him confidence against a really good team. We needed him to give us length. He provided it, maybe for the first time in his career. We've lost a few games in a row, and we have zero bullpen, we need you right now.”

The 26-year-old right-hander has allowed just six earned runs over his last five starts combined (2.00 ERA in 27.0 IP). Each of those opponents have winning records this season.

The Marlins scored their runs on back-to-back solo home runs by Jake Burger and Jonah Bride. It was the third time since the trade deadline that both have homered in the same game.