Ely Sussman

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The Miami Marlins got shut out on August 31. Sure, they beat the Washington Nationals, 6-1, but off the field, they were denied in their attempt to supplement their team with waiver-wire veterans on the last day that they could be postseason-eligible for their new teams. The Marlins had interest in Los Angeles Angels pitchers Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo López and Matt Moore. All three became Cleveland Guardians instead because the Guardians had the lower winning percentage, putting them ahead of the Marlins in the waiver claim order. The infusion of experienced arms did little to help Cleveland's slim AL Central title chances. On Sunday (with those odds down to 0.1%, per FanGraphs), the Guardians placed Moore back on waivers, inviting any team to take responsibility for what remained of his $7.55 million salary (approx. $528k). The Marlins nibbled again and were awarded the claim on Tuesday when no inferior teams got in their way. https://sporty-clips.mlb.com/789f1918-674f-43c4-82d5-114ce32a8028.mp4In his second campaign as a full-time reliever, the 34-year-old lefty has been great: 2.77 ERA, 3.77 FIP, 1.15 WHIP, 1.27 WPA in 48.2 IP. Moore's changeup is currently his best weapon, leading to extreme reverse splits—right-handed batters have slashed .214/.268/.336 with a 32.2% strikeout rate. Moore's 2023 Statcast percentile rankings | Baseball SavantMoore has struggled recently. The batting average against him over the last 30 days (min. 8.0 IP) is among the highest in the majors. He has allowed baserunners in 12 of his last 13 appearances despite all but one of those appearances being a single inning or less. The upside of this claim isn't particularly high even if Moore snaps out of this slump because, as mentioned in the opening paragraph, players who change organizations in September don't have postseason eligibility. That being said, Moore's arm is fresh after pitching only one inning during his final week on the Guardians roster. Combining that with his strong track record when working back-to-back days, there is nothing stopping Moore from appearing in at least five of the 10 remaining Marlins regular season games from Wednesday onward (he is not available for Tuesday's game against the Mets). With so much of his slump attributable to an inflated BABIP, it is entirely possible that he'll straighten himself out in a hurry. With Chi Chi González occupying a bullpen spot based on necessity rather than merit, Steven Okert struggling even more than Moore and Tanner Scott potentially missing games down the stretch while on the paternity list (his first child is due soon), claiming Moore was a no-brainer move for Miami. Photo by Ron Schwane/Getty Images

Monday's Gameshttps://fishonfirst.com/at-the-ballpark/marlins-mets-9-18-23/https://mlb-cuts-diamond.mlb.com/FORGE/2023/2023-09/18/bf65ba49-08777eaf-faad790e-csvm-diamondx64-asset_1280x720_59_16000K.mp4Marlins Podcast Episodes Monday's Marlins MiLB notes: RHP Jonathan Bermudez (Pensacola) won Southern League Pitcher of the Week for the final week of the league's regular season.The Marlins suffered a rare one-run loss. Tanner Scott's seven-week streak without allowing an earned run was snapped by Jeff McNeil's game-deciding homer. However, the far bigger culprit was Miami's offense, which couldn't muster any extra-base hits. Jorge Soler came extremely close to blasting a two-run shot off the left-field scoreboard in the bottom of the sixth. A crew chief review concluded that it twisted foul.Luis Arraez became the first Marlins player since 2017 to reach 200 hits in a single season. Arraez is doubtful to set the franchise single-season hits record, currently held by Juan Pierre (221), but he's on track to finish second on that list if he starts all of the club's remaining games.https://fishonfirst.com/news/luis-arraez-reaches-200-hits-but-is-still-chasing-more/Sandy Alcantara (right UCL sprain) threw his second bullpen session since landing on the injured list. No determination yet on whether he needs additional bullpen work or can progress to facing live hitters. It's clear that Alcantara will not have time to be fully stretched out as a starter again, but he remains hopeful about returning to game action in 2023. Personally, I can only see that happening if the Fish make the playoffs.https://fishonfirst.com/news/tracking-miami-marlins-injury-rehab-updates/NL Wild Card race updates: the Phillies and Reds won. The Reds designated Hunter Renfroe for assignment and placed Harrison Bader on the injured list with a right groin strain. Those newsworthy waiver claims turned out to be very inconsequential after all. The Marlins are a half-game back of the third Wild Card spot.Elsewhere around the majors, the Rays are set to announce the details of a new domed ballpark located near Tropicana Field. It's expected to be ready for the 2028 season. Adam Wainwright pitched his best game of the season (7.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 K) and earned his 200th career win.The latest episode covered Alcantara's progress and key players on the Mets. With chiropractic care and functional health, La Pop takes a preventative approach that optimizes wellness and quality of life for all ages. Find out more here! https://fishonfirst.com/la-pop/The Marlins have a 52.2% chance to win their next game against the Mets, per FanGraphs. Triple-A Jacksonville (7:35 p.m. ET) is on the road. Double-A Pensacola (7:35 p.m. ET) is playing Game 1 of the Southern League Division Series and Single-A Jupiter (6:30 p.m. ET) is playing Game 2 of the Florida State League Championship Series, a win away from clinching the title.The majority of Fish On First Twitter followers (59.1%) believe the Marlins can average an announced attendance of at least 20,000 fans during this final week of regular season home games. Not off to an encouraging start—only 14,577 showed up on Monday.This month, we began posting for notable Marlins prospects. Another one will go up tonight! Subscribe to the Fish On First YouTube channel.Xavier Edwards is Baseball America's choice for 2023 Marlins Minor League Player of the Year. Edwards is almost assured of winning the International League batting title while playing four different defensive positions and stealing 32 bases.Photo by Alie Skowronski/Miami Herald

Sunday's Gameshttps://fishonfirst.com/game-coverage/marlins-braves-9-17-23/https://mlb-cuts-diamond.mlb.com/FORGE/2023/2023-09/17/dee786f1-27915fc8-7da604c7-csvm-diamondx64-asset_1280x720_59_16000K.mp4Marlins Podcast Episodes Sunday's Marlins MiLB Notes: Sixto Sánchez was scratched from his scheduled start with Pensacola. There was "no specific reason given" for the change, per Blue Wahoos broadcaster Erik Bremer, "but we have not been given any reason that there would be any concern." Sánchez is not listed as the probable starter for any of next week's Southern League Division Series games. The Jupiter Hammerheads are one win away from the Florida State League championship. They beat the Clearwater Threshers (Phillies affiliate) with a five-run, two-out rally in the sixth inning, featuring a grand slam by INF Carlos Santiago. LHP Dale Stanavich shined in relief, retiring eight of the nine batters he faced.For the first time in eight years, the Marlins swept a series against the Braves. They did so by averaging 12 runs per game. The Friday and Saturday victories were in doubt until the later innings, but the series finale was lopsided enough for Jacob Stallings to close it out on the mound.Jazz Chisholm Jr. stuffed the stat sheet over the weekend with two grand slams, five walks, three stolen bases and six runs scored.Jorge Soler made his return from the injured list by going 3-for-4 with a walk and his 36th home run of the season.Listen back to Sunday's State of the Fish Twitter Space hosted by Grant Kiefer. It's also available on the Fish On First podcast feed.NL Wild Card race updates: the Diamondbacks and Giants won, while the Cubs, Phillies and Reds lost. The Marlins are tied with the Cubs for the third Wild Card spot. Owning the head-to-head tiebreaker over Chicago, they truly control their own destiny.Elsewhere around the majors, the Orioles clinched their first postseason berth since 2016. The Angels lost for the 82nd time, ensuring a losing season. The Dodgers gave Freddie Freeman a day off, leaving Matt Olson (Braves) and Marcus Semien (Rangers) as the only MLB players with a chance to start all 162 regular season games.We’ve got a new episode of Fish On First LIVE streaming tonight at 5:30 p.m. ET on /Twitch/Twitter. Super Subscribers, submit your series predictions before first pitch. With chiropractic care and functional health, La Pop takes a preventative approach that optimizes wellness and quality of life for all ages. Find out more here! https://fishonfirst.com/la-pop/The Marlins have a 52.2% chance to win their series opener against the Mets, per FanGraphs. Edward Cabrera gets a traditional start for the first time since July 31. Luis Arraez's next hit will his 200th of the season.Three Marlins players describe the significance of the Braves sweep to Alex Krutchik. https://fishonfirst.com/at-the-ballpark/marlins-sweep-braves-clubhouse-reaction/Receive a free ticket to any game of the Marlins/Mets series when you bring new/unused toiletries or baby care products to Gate 9 at LoanDepot Park as a donation to Lotus House.On this day 25 years ago, the Marlins stunned the Mets with a three-run rally in the ninth inning.Photo by Danis Sosa/Fish On First

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With two early home runs from improbable power sources and two late ones from more established sluggers, the Miami Marlins defeated the mighty Atlanta Braves again on Saturday. A Marlins team that needs to convert every close game into a victory from here on out in pursuit of a postseason berth has played with the necessary urgency this weekend. It took approximately three minutes for the Braves to bash Bryan Hoeing for three runs. Michael Harris II led off with a double, then Ozzie Albies and Austin Riley both homered. When a Mel Stottlemyre Jr. mound visit was followed by a five-pitch walk to Matt Olson, it was only natural to fear that this game was careening toward a blowout. However, Hoeing thrived the rest of the way. He retired 13 of the final 14 Braves hitters he faced. After paying the price for a few elevated pitches down the middle of the plate, he began locating more precisely along the edges of the zone. Hoeing's final line: 4.1 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 2 HR (64 pitches/38 strikes). Bryan Hoeing's pitch chart vs. Braves | Baseball SavantThe Marlins offense this season has made a habit of awakening in the later innings, but for the second straight game, they uncharacteristically saw immediate results. Recently recalled Jared Shuster gave up a four-spot in the bottom of the first. Luis Arraez hit a solo homer. Facing unconventional cleanup hitter Yuli Gurriel with two runners aboard, Shuster tried to steal a strike with a first-pitch slider. Gurriel saw it coming all the way. The Marlins stretched their advantage to 5-3 in the third. Garrett Hampson singled home Jake Burger (the Braves challenged the play at the plate, but the call was upheld). That's not okaySteven Okert had allowed only one home run to a left-handed batter all season entering this game. Well, Harris and Olson are no ordinary lefties. They launched solo shots off of Okert in the fifth and sixth innings, respectively. The latter tied the score at 5-5 and also established a new Braves record for home runs by a player in a single season. Okert's September is shaping up to be arguably the worst month of his three-season Marlins tenure. Opposing hitters are 10-for-24 (.417 BA) against him since the calendar flipped. Both teams threatened to take the lead over the next couple innings, but couldn't quite break through. In the bottom of the sixth, Arraez ran into an out when attempting to go first to third on a Josh Bell single. Had he conservatively stayed at second, the subsequent single by Burger almost certainly would've driven him in. Andrew Nardi struggled in the top of the eighth. Relying heavily on his fastball despite having lower velocity than usual, he loaded the bases on a single, walk and hit-by-pitch. Skip Schumaker called upon the incredible Tanner Scott with two outs and he escaped the jam by getting Orlando Arcia to ground out. Well done, BurgerAtlanta's Kirby Yates sat down the first two batters he faced in the bottom of the eighth before yielding a walk to Bell. Dane Myers entered to pinch-run for Bell, which looked to be a hugely consequential move when Burger smoked a line drive to center field. Would Myers be able to score from first for the go-ahead run?! Well yeah, because the 113 mph bullet off of Burger's bat landed on the other side of the fence. https://bdata-producedclips.mlb.com/416d6e35-14f6-4546-a645-fb2bb08e1967.mp4As if 7-5 was not a sufficient cushion for Scott in the ninth, Jazz Chisholm Jr. put the nail in Atlanta's coffin with a grand slam against Michael Tonkin. Additional InfoFor the first time this season, Ronald Acuña Jr. sat out a game for the Braves after experiencing right calf tightness on Friday. For Miami, the durable Bryan De La Cruz was sidelined with right ankle discomfort.Luis Arraez became the third player in Marlins history to hit leadoff home runs in back-to-back games, according to Marlins Communications, joining Hanley Ramírez (2006) and Miguel Rojas (2019).Chisholm stuffed the box score by going 2-for-3 with two walks and three stolen bases. The Marlins entered the day as the only MLB team this season that still hadn't hit a grand slam. Jazz now finds himself in the company of Mike Cameron (2002) as the only players of the modern era to record a GS and 3 SB in the same game (per ESPN Stats & Info). Poor Josh Simpson has been available out of the Marlins bullpen for the last five games, but still hasn't debuted. You could've made the case for him to get his feet wet in The Show by handling the ninth with a six-run advantage.No doubt helped by LoanDepot Park's annual Dominican heritage celebration, the Marlins drew an announced crowd of 24,329.Saturday's win probability chart | Baseball SavantThe season series between these clubs concludes on Sunday at 1:40 p.m. Probable starters are Jesús Luzardo and Charlie Morton. It'll be Morton's 24th career start against the Fish. The Marlins are seeking to sweep a three-game series from the Braves for the first time in eight years (Sept. 25-27, 2015). Photo by Danis Sosa/Fish On First

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Enjoy top plays from Miami Marlins outfielder/infielder Javier Sanoja! Sanoja spent his age-20 season with the Single-A Jupiter Hammerheads and High-A Beloit Sky Carp. In 132 games played, he slashed .298/.348/.388 (103 wRC+) with 4 HR and 37 SB. His main defensive position was center field, but he also played plenty of shortstop and second base as well. This was Sanoja's third minor league campaign. The Marlins signed the Venezuelan native as an international free agent in 2019. He has been a terrific contact hitter every step of the way, striking out in only 8.1% of his plate appearances despite facing older competition. He's likely to repeat the High-A level next year. Where would you rank Sanoja among the top prospects in the Marlins organization?

Thursday's Gameshttps://fishonfirst.com/game-coverage/marlins-brewers-9-14-23/https://mlb-cuts-diamond.mlb.com/FORGE/2023/2023-09/14/4789089e-5cd9d91a-0fa45b12-csvm-diamondx64-asset_1280x720_59_16000K.mp4Marlins Podcast Episodes Thursday's Marlins MiLB Notes: Charles Leblanc (Jacksonville) homered and drew two walks. He's quietly flirting with a .400 on-base percentage this season. LHP Patrick Monteverde (Pensacola) concluded his productive 2023 regular season on a sour note (2.0 IP, 2 H, 5 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, 2 HR). Monteverde allowed home runs in each of his last eight starts after giving up only four total homers in his first 15. The Jupiter Hammerheads clinched the Florida State League East Division Series with an 11-inning victory. OF Kemp Alderman reached base safely four times. The FSL Championship Series begins Sunday. Marlins hitters slugged only .222 during the four-game series in Milwaukee.NL Wild Card race updates: the Diamondbacks and Reds lost by a combined score of 19-3. The Marlins are still only a half-game back of the third Wild Card spot.Elsewhere around the majors, the Red Sox fired chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom. The most notable transaction of his tenure was trading Mookie Betts to the Dodgers in February 2020. Boston finished last place in the AL East during two of Bloom's first three seasons on the job and they're in danger of doing so again this year. Yet another highly touted Orioles prospect has made it to The Show. The O's called up outfielder/first baseman Heston Kjerstad, who was the second overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft. The Rangers swept the Blue Jays and have won six straight games overall.We’ve got a new episode of Fish On First LIVE streaming tonight at 5:30 p.m. ET on /Twitch/Twitter. Super Subscribers, submit your series predictions before first pitch. With chiropractic care and functional health, La Pop takes a preventative approach that optimizes wellness and quality of life for all ages. Find out more here! https://fishonfirst.com/la-pop/The Marlins have a 40.7% chance to win their series opener against the Braves, per FanGraphs. Tony Pérez and Cookie Rojas are on hand for the Flashback Friday festivities, and the first 10,000 fans in attendance receive a Marlins-themed Flanigan's cup. This marks the beginning of the team's final regular season homestand. Check here daily for Rooster Race results. Triple-A Jacksonville (7:05 p.m. ET) and Double-A Pensacola (7:35 p.m. ET) are at home.Kevin Barral selects award winners for the 2023 Marlins minor league season.https://fishonfirst.com/farm/2023-marlins-minor-league-awards/Throughout September and October, we'll be posting . This week's uploads feature INF Yiddi Cappe and UTIL Javier Sanoja. Please subscribe to the FOF YouTube channel!Christina De Nicola of MLB.com writes about Xavier Edwards receiving valuable everyday reps in the midst of a playoff chase and his aspirations to play shortstop in the future (the Marlins have only used him at 2B and CF).Remember to vote for 2023 Roberto Clemente Award nominee Jorge Soler.You may have noticed a slight change to the font that appears on this site! We were previously using "Raleway;" this new one is called "Commissioner." I found it hard to discern punctuation marks with the old font, especially commas. Also, it was awkward how the font didn't completely align numbers with letters. Your feedback on this matter is greatly appreciated as always.