Offishial news, 6/29/23: Perfect game; hot hitters; Cueto crushed again

Today's Marlins news roundup also includes a final reminder to support Luis Arraez in MLB All-Star voting.

Wednesday's Games

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• Wednesday's Marlins MiLB notes: Johnny Cueto (Jacksonville) got pulverized again. In five minor league rehab starts this season, he owns a 11.50 ERA with 11 home runs allowed in 18 innings pitched. Although Cueto got stretched out to 90 pitches, there's simply zero evidence that he'd be a better rotation option than any of the lesser-known Triple-A alternatives. By the way, the Jumbo Shrimp erased a 8-2 deficit over the final two innings for a miraculous comeback win. RHP Karson Milbrandt was promoted from Jupiter to Beloit. He'll become the youngest prospect to play for the Sky Carp so far this season. It's curious timing for a promotion considering Milbrandt's 5.33 ERA in the pitcher-friendly Florida State League, though two of his last three starts with the Hammerheads were scoreless.

• The latest Marlins minor league signing is LHP José Salvador. He posted a 3.81 ERA and 29.5% strikeout rate as a starter in Low-A/High-A last season, but just got released by the Angels anyway. The 23-year-old will make his organizational debut with Jupiter.

• Braxton Garrett gave the Fish five good innings (5.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 HR) on an efficient 66 pitches. He would've stayed in longer if not for a rain delay. Joey Wendle has had multi-hit games in three straight starts and he's up to a .283 batting average for the season. Jazz Chisholm Jr.'s 2023 slash line (.243/.305/.434) is now almost precisely in line with his career norms (.243/.305/.446). Dating back to before his IL stint, Chisholm has homered in three of his last four games. Garrett Cooper homered for the 10th time in 2023, his highest total in any season since 2019.

• Elsewhere around the majors, Yankees right-hander Domingo Germán (a former Marlins prospect, by the way), threw a perfect game against the Athletics. It's the 24th perfecto in MLB history and first since Félix Hernández in 2012. To say that Germán was an improbable candidate to do this would be an understatement. He has averaged only 5.2 innings per start during his MLB career and got blown up in each of his two previous outings. The Braves shut out the Twins for their 13th win in the last 14 games. They're off today before hosting Miami this weekend. Overall, 10 of the 15 MLB games played on Wednesday were won by the road teams.

• The Marlins have a 48.2% chance to win their series finale against the Red Sox, per FanGraphs. Triple-A Jacksonville (7:05 p.m. ET), High-A Beloit (7:35 p.m. ET) and DSL Marlins (11:00 a.m. ET) are at home, while Double-A Pensacola (7:35 p.m. ET), Low-A Jupiter (4:00 p.m. ET resumption of suspended game followed by regularly schedule game), FCL Marlins (12:00 p.m. ET) and DSL Miami (11:00 a.m. ET) are on the road.

• Daily Luis Arraez batting average update: he enters today at .396. He went 1-for-2 with a walk in his only previous matchup with Boston's Bryan Bello. Additionally, Arraez is hitting .360 in road games this season and .392 in night games.

• Phase 2 of MLB All-Star voting concludes today at noon ET. Arraez's teammates spread awareness about it by wearing "Arraez up and vote" t-shirts during batting practice.

• Unpacking Sandy Alcantara's frustrating first half, Ben Clemens of FanGraphs finds that "the core of what he does is the same. But erosion around the edges matters a lot more for someone with Alcantara’s skill set."

• Glenn Geffner's View from the Bleachers continues to break down fans' main reasons for not attending Marlins games at LoanDepot Park.

• On this day 30 years ago, the Marlins grounds crew made it onto the blooper reel by struggling to place the tarp over the wet infield.

• Happy birthday to former Marlins right-hander Tom Koehler. The 37-year-old ranks in the top 10 in most of the franchise's counting stats for his contributions during the 2012-2017 seasons.

Graphic courtesy of Miami Marlins