Ely Sussman

Down on the farm on Thursday, Triple-A Jacksonville lost, 6-2. INF Otto López scored both runs and has homered twice during his first week in the Marlins organization, matching his total from 84 Triple-A games last season. López has a video game-like .600/.652/1.000 slash line in five games with the Jumbo Shrimp. Double-A Pensacola lost, 6-1. OF Shane Sasaki had the team's only extra-base hit. Low-A Jupiter won, 11-6. Recently demoted from Beloit, INF Johnny Olmstead went 3-for-3 with two walks. OF Mark Coley II hit his third triple, which leads all players in non-Triple-A leagues. Here's more Marlins news and content for you: 🔷 Today marks the start of a stretch in which the Marlins are scheduled to play 26 games in the next 27 days. That stretch contains two series against the Braves and concludes with a trip to Los Angeles to face the Dodgers. Given what we've observed so far, I would project the Marlins to be at least 13 games below .500 (13-26 or worse) once it's over, but that's why they play the games! 🔷 The LoanDepot Park giveaways for this new Marlins homestand will be a 2024 magnet schedule (Saturday) and a reversible bucket hat (Sunday). The annual heritage celebration series kicks off with a South Florida Black legacy celebration on Sunday. Monday is Bark at the Park. 🔷 Elsewhere around baseball, a U.S. investigation has discovered that Shohei Ohtani's former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, assisted Ohtani with setting up a new bank account once he began his major league playing career, and that's where Mizuhara got the funds to use for placing wagers with an illegal sportsbook (without Ohtani's knowledge). Mizuhara is being charged with bank fraud. The Red Sox got swept at Fenway Park by the Orioles. Along with the Marlins, they are the only MLB team that's still winless at home. The Royals extended their winning streak to seven by erupting for nine first-inning runs against the Astros. 🔷 Join us for a new episode of Fish On First LIVE tonight from 6:00-7:00 p.m. ET on YouTube/Twitter/Facebook. Special guest: @Ryan Schlesinger. SuperSubs are encouraged to make series predictions. FOF LIVE is presented by Berger & Hicks. If you’ve been injured as a result of somebody else’s negligence, give them a call at (305) 670-7050. 🔷 Today's MLB game: the Marlins (probable starter LHP Trevor Rogers) host the Braves (LHP Max Fried). First matchup this season against an NL East division for. The Marlins have a 40.0% chance to win, per FanGraphs. 🔷 Today's MiLB schedule: Triple-A Jacksonville vs. Charlotte, 7:05 p.m. ET (Braxton Garrett rehab start) Double-A Pensacola at Montgomery, 7:35 p.m. ET High-A Beloit at Peoria, doubleheader beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET Low-A Jupiter vs. St. Lucie, 6:30 p.m. ET Marlins podcast episodes

On Wednesday, Jake Burger hit a three-run dinger on his birthday. Ryan Weathers persevered through five scoreless innings despite registering only one strikeout. Giancarlo Stanton cranked a solo shot against Bryan Hoeing and has now homered against all 30 MLB teams. Tanner Scott converted his first save of the season. The Marlins won, 5-2. Down on the farm, Triple-A Jacksonville won, 2-1. Edward Cabrera (5.2 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 9 K) stretched out to 82 pitches and looked great doing so in what I expect will be his final rehab start before returning to the majors. INF Otto López stayed hot with a 3-for-4 afternoon. He has OPS'd 1.486 in four games since being claimed off waivers. High-A Beloit won, 2-1. RHP Jacob Miller (5.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K) had success in his High-A debut and INF Yiddi Cappe homered for the first time in 2024. Low-A Jupiter lost, LHP Emmett Olson (5.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K) breezed through the St. Lucie lineup on 53 efficient pitches. Forgettable relief outing for RHP Xavier Meachem, who allowed four runs in the top of the ninth inning. Here's more Marlins news and content for you: 🔷 At 2-11, the Marlins still own Major League Baseball's worst record, but would you believe they're second in the National League East with 47 runs scored? 🔷 Through four series, Fish On First staffer Daniel Rodriguez holds a slim lead atop the 2024 Prediction Time leaderboard. Become a SuperSub to make Prediction Time picks with us throughout the season. 🔷 On the latest Big Fish Small Pod, I share some thoughts on Edward Cabrera, who's entering a critical season in his career. 🔷 On this day in 2023, Luis Arraez hit for the first cycle in Marlins history. The Fish beat the Phillies, and after the game, Arraez announced that his wife was pregnant with the couple's third child. 🔷 Enter to win a ball from the Jupiter Hammerheads that's signed by LHP Thomas White, RHP Noble Meyer and RHP Jacob Miller. 🔷 Elsewhere around baseball, highly touted Orioles prospect Jackson Holliday went 0-for-4 with 1 RBI in his MLB debut. The O's rallied from a 5-0 deficit to beat the Red Sox. The Royals won their sixth straight game to improve to 8-4 overall. What a difference from last season when they didn't pick up their eighth win until May. A federal investigation into the Shohei Ohtani gambling drama is expected to clear Ohtani of any wrongdoing. His former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, will be pleading guilty to charges of stealing from Ohtani's bank account. 🔷 Today's MiLB schedule: Triple-A Jacksonville vs. Charlotte, 7:05 p.m. ET Double-A Pensacola at Peoria, 7:35 p.m. ET High-A Beloit at Peoria, 7:35 p.m. ET Low-Jupiter vs. St. Lucie, 6:30 p.m. ET Marlins podcast episodes

Ely Sussman discusses where things stand with Miami Marlins right-hander Edward Cabrera as he nears his return from the injured list. Do you still hold out hope for Cabrera to develop into a quality starter? Find Big Fish Small Pod on the Fish On First YouTube channel, our new-look Apple Podcasts channel and wherever else you get your pods. FOF's audio programming also includes The Offishial Show, Fish Unfiltered, Swimming Upstream and more. The Fish On First podcast is now being presented by MPT College Consulting! They pride themselves on helping clients navigate the college application process. This includes preparation for standardized testing, guidance through high school, assistance with essays and applications, and choosing the right college. Visit them today at mptcollegeconsulting.com to learn more about their services and schedule a free consultation. On Wednesday, Louis Addeo-Weiss wrote about Cabrera's combination of "wildness and sparse batted ball damage." Cabrera has made three rehab starts with Triple-A Jacksonville on his journey back from a right shoulder impingement. He allowed only one earned run in 12 ⅔ innings pitched with the Jumbo Shrimp, though he issued eight walks, a frequency right on par with his lousy major league career average. I would recommend that the Marlins activate Cabrera from the IL to serve as Monday's starter in place of the struggling A.J. Puk. Follow Ely (@RealEly) and Fish On First (@FishOnFirst) on Twitter. Join the Marlins Discord server! Complete Miami Marlins coverage here at FishOnFirst.com.

Here are the latest Miami Marlins game notes, produced by the Marlins communications department and relayed to our loyal SuperSubs. Got thoughts about this matchup? Head over to Fish On First's Marlins game thread.

On Tuesday, A.J. Puk (4.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 5 BB, 2 K, 1 HR) had his best start of the season, though that is a low bar to clear. Puk now leads the majors with 14 walks after issuing only 13 all of last season! An Anthony Rizzo error gifted the Marlins their best scoring opportunity of the game. Jesús Sánchez and Nick Gordon plated runs with productive outs, but the big hit never materialized. The Marlins lost, 3-2. The Yankees notched their 10th win of the season; the Marlins are on pace for 13.5 total wins this season. Down on the farm, Triple-A Jacksonville won, 4-1. OF Victor Mesa Jr. (FOF #4 prospect) went 1-for-4 with 1 RBI in his Triple-A debut—he had previously been out with an ankle injury. LHP Patrick Monteverde (FOF #14) threw five hitless innings and the Jumbo Shrimp came two outs away from completing a combined no-no. Double-A Pensacola lost, 9-0. High-A Beloit lost, 5-3. Low-A Jupiter won, 9-5. Big production from INF Jesús Hernández (3-for-3, 1 BB, 2 RBI, 2 SB) and recently acquired OF John Cruz (2-for-3, 1 BB, 2 RBI). Here's more Marlins news and content for you: 🔷 Marlins principal owner Bruce Sherman voided Skip Schumaker's 2025 option "as a show of good faith," according to Craig Mish and Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. Schumaker was upset about Kim Ng's departure from the organization following the team's successful 2023 campaign. This transpired before Sherman hired Peter Bendix as Miami's new president of baseball operations. While the break-up is not official yet, all indications are that the Marlins will be searching for yet another manager this coming offseason. No MLB team has had more turnover at the position. 🔷 Fish On First's Noah Berger caught up with old friend Jon Berti, who's embracing this new, beardless chapter of his career. 🔷 Our latest MLB Draft prospect profile from Hector Rodriguez focuses on Arkansas left-hander Hagen Smith. 🔷 Happy birthday to Jake Burger, who turns 28 today. Burger has started every game for the Marlins so far this season and leads the team with 12 RBI. His .435 slugging percentage is tops among Miami's qualified hitters. 🔷 Elsewhere around baseball, the Orioles are calling up Jackson Holliday, who's generally regarded as MLB's No. 1 overall prospect. The Red Sox and Ceddanne Rafaela have agreed to an eight-year, $50M contract extension. Mike Trout and Tyler O'Neill each hit their MLB-leading sixth home run of the season. Athletics catcher Shea Langeliers homered three times, single-handedly carrying his club to a dramatic victory over the Rangers. 🔷 Today's MLB game: the Marlins (probable starter LHP Ryan Weathers) visit the Yankees (RHP Marcus Stroman) to wrap up their first road trip of 2024. No Marlins team has ever lost 12 of their first 13 games, which is where they'll be with another defeat. First pitch at 7:05 p.m. ET. 🔷 Today's MiLB schedule: Triple-A Jacksonville vs. Charlotte, 12:05 p.m. ET (Edward Cabrera rehab start) Double-A Pensacola at Montgomery, 7:35 p.m. ET High-A Beloit at Peoria, 12:05 p.m. ET Low-A Jupiter vs. St. Lucie, 6:30 p.m. ET Marlins podcast episodes

Here are the latest Miami Marlins game notes, produced by the Marlins communications department and relayed to our loyal SuperSubs. Got thoughts about this matchup? Head over to Fish On First's Marlins game thread.

The Miami Marlins will likely be making another managerial change following the 2024 season. You've seen the news by now that the club voided the 2025 option in Skip Schumaker's contract. Craig Mish and Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald put out a new report Tuesday morning clarifying how this happened: "Schumaker was upset about the departure of general manager Kim Ng, who left the team last October after owner Bruce Sherman informed her she would report to a new president of baseball operations. Ng was unhappy about being stripped of her power. "Schumaker, who had a good relationship with Ng, expressed his concerns in a conversation with Sherman before Sherman hired Peter Bendix as the team’s new top baseball executive. "As a show of good faith, Sherman agreed to void the 2025 team option on the manager’s contract. This allows Schumaker to seek another job, if he wishes, next winter." The Herald notes that the Marlins still have interest in keeping Schumaker, but there is zero reason to believe that interest is mutual. Miami's major league payroll remained flat despite Sherman boasting about the franchise's 2023 success on and off the field. After deftly guiding them to a postseason berth, Schumaker was saddled with a mediocre, ill-fitting roster entering the 2024 season, made worse by Peter Bendix's Opening Day eve decision to trade utility man Jon Berti for young prospects. There is also the question of Skip's compensation. This past offseason, Craig Counsell reset the market for managerial contracts, receiving a five-year, $40M deal from the Chicago Cubs as a free agent. It isn't known what Schumaker's current salary is, but for context, his Marlins predecessor, Don Mattingly, was making around $2M per year at the end of his tenure. Counsell's previous team, the mid-market Milwaukee Brewers, balked at his price tag, and the small-market Marlins would certainly do the same if Schumaker receives comparable offers. Schumaker understandably wants to win now, whereas Marlins ownership and the revamped front office are prioritizing the long term. They are not aligned. This relationship will not go on. Which brings me to this pattern that has traversed the history of the Marlins. Mattingly was an anomaly, lasting seven total seasons with two different ownership groups, largely because of his willingness to wait out a rebuild. Aside from him, no other Marlins manager has completed four consecutive seasons on the job. Here in Year 32 of the Marlins' existence, Schumaker is the 14th manager to hold the position for at least half of a full-length regular season (81 games). That's the highest total among MLB franchises—most others are in the single digits during that span. Expect Year 33 to be led by a 15th. The table below omits Cookie Rojas (1996) and Brandon Hyde (2011), who had one-game stints as interim managers. Some of these previous managers unequivocally underperformed and deserved to be replaced. Schumaker obviously does not belong in that group. Rather, I see parallels between him and the likes of Jim Leyland and Joe Girardi, who would have stayed with the Fish much longer if not for ownership repelling them. Who is seriously going to want this job next?

On Monday, I attended the Marlins vs. Yankees game with my dad, and as a die-hard Yankee fan, at least he was entertained! Nestor Cortes dominated for eight innings, Jesús Luzardo held the home team off the scoreboard through three, but Anthony Volpe and Juan Soto tagged him for three-run home runs in the bottom of the fourth to break the game open. It was the first time that Miami has been shut out in 2024. Might've been a no-hitter if not for Bryan De La Cruz's pair of singles. The Marlins lost, 7-0. Here's more Marlins news and content for you: 🔷 Eury Pérez underwent his scheduled Tommy John surgery. "I know it will be a long process, but I promise I will be back better than ever," he said in a statement. 🔷 The Marlins now have a second player on MLB Pipeline's Top 100 prospects list: LHP Thomas White. RHP Noble Meyer is 52nd on the list. Personally, I would have their rankings switched. White's control has been inconsistent so far as a pro, but the quality of his stuff is better than Meyer's at this stage. 🔷 Happy birthday to Luis Arraez. The reigning National League batting champion, Arraez is slashing .346/.389/.460 (129 wRC+) in 158 games played as a Marlin since the start of last season. He's turning 27 today. Coming up on Thursday, it's the anniversary of Arraez becoming the first player in franchise history to hit for the cycle. 🔷 Elsewhere around baseball, the Padres overcame an 8-0 deficit to stun the Cubs. Elly De La Cruz (Reds) hit a 450-foot home run and an inside-the-park homer in the same game. Tyler Anderson (Angels) followed up his seven scoreless innings in Miami with seven more against the Rays. The Astros got 8 ⅔ scoreless innings from their bullpen in a comeback win against the rival Rangers. 🔷 Today's MLB game: the Marlins (probable starter LHP A.J. Puk) visit the Yankees (LHP Carlos Rodón). Quite a bit of pressure on Puk, who likely will get squeezed out of the starting rotation next week unless he has a solid start before Braxton Garrett and/or Edward Cabrera get activated from the injured list. 🔷 Today's MiLB schedule: Triple-A Jacksonville vs. Charlotte, 7:05 p.m. ET Double-A Pensacola at Montgomery, 7:35 p.m. ET High-A Beloit at Peoria, 7:05 p.m. ET Low-A Jupiter vs. St. Lucie, 6:30 p.m. ET Marlins podcast episodes

Here are the latest Miami Marlins game notes, produced by the Marlins communications department and relayed to our loyal SuperSubs. Got thoughts about this matchup? Head over to Fish On First's Marlins game thread.

On Sunday, Max Meyer had the best start of his young MLB career (6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 35 CSW%) while the Marlins offense ambushed Cardinals right-hander Kyle Gibson for six runs in the first inning. Luis Arraez recorded a season-high four hits (he previously had only one multi-hit game in 2024). Jazz Chisholm Jr. was dealing with right shoulder discomfort after attempting a home run robbery. I wouldn't be surprised if he gets a precautionary day off. The Marlins won, 10-3, finally registering their first win of the year. Down on the farm, Triple-A Jacksonville won, 4-2. 2B José Devers and SS Otto López recorded three hits apiece (Devers was a home run shy of the cycle). Braxton Garrett (clip embedded below) stretched out to 66 pitches in his first rehab start (4.1 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 5 K, 1 HR). Probably just one more of those for him before he rejoins Miami's major league rotation. Double-A Pensacola won, 9-1. RHP Paul Campbell (5.1 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K) pitched in a competitive game for the first time in two years. Low-A Jupiter won, 4-3. Excellent season debut for RHP Jake Brooks (5.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K). The Hammerheads scored the go-ahead run in the ninth inning on a balk. bG5MTVZfV0ZRVkV3dEdEUT09X0JWQlNVZ1ZXQlFRQUR3QUVWd0FBQ0ZWWEFGaFhWUU1BQjFZTUFsWlVWRlZRVkF0WA==.mp4 Here's more Marlins news and content for you: 🔷 Skip Schumaker's 2025 club option has been voided. He will be a free agent following this season. Further reporting is needed to get a more coherent story, but my speculation is that a mutual decision was made last winter to part ways once the executive who hired him, Kim Ng, was replaced by Peter Bendix. Schumaker has immediately shown himself to be a well-rounded and effective manager and it would be extremely unfortunate if his tenure with the organization does indeed end after only two years. 🔷 Through the first three series, @Alec Chao and @Daniel Rodriguez are tied atop the Prediction Time leaderboard. Make series predictions with us all season long when you become a Fish On First SuperSub. 🔷 Every Monday (until they are firmly out of contention), I will update the Marlins' playoff odds. Per FanGraphs, those have been cut in half over the last week, from 14.4% to 6.3%. 🔷 Kevin Barral wrote the first of our 2024 weekly Marlins minor league recaps, featuring Tristan Gray and more than a dozen other players who stood out. 🔷 Elsewhere around baseball, Stephen Strasburg reached a settlement with the Washington Nationals and officially retired. Former AL Cy Young award winner Shane Bieber will undergo Tommy John surgery, ending his 2024 season. Spencer Strider (right UCL sprain) and Trevor Story (left shoulder dislocation) are looking at extended absences as well. Tyler O'Neill, who I liked as a trade target for the Marlins this past offseason, leads the majors with a 1.407 OPS. 🔷 Today's MLB game: the Marlins (probable starter LHP Jesús Luzardo) visit the Yankees (LHP Nestor Cortes). It will be Cortes' first time pitching against his hometown team (he was raised in Hialeah). Less than two weeks after trading him away, the Fish will face longtime utility guy Jon Berti. Expect Berti to start at least once during the series considering that all of Miami's scheduled starters are lefties. 🔷 Join us for a new episode of Fish On First LIVE tonight from 5:00-6:00 p.m. ET on YouTube/Twitter/Facebook. I actually will not be producing the show this time as I'll be in attendance at Yankee Stadium. SuperSubs are encouraged to make series predictions. FOF LIVE is presented by Berger & Hicks. If you’ve been injured as a result of somebody else’s negligence, give them a call at (305) 670-7050. Marlins podcast episodes