Ely Sussman

Here are the latest Miami Marlins game notes, produced by the Marlins communications department and relayed to our loyal readers. These notes apply to the third and final game of Miami's home series against the Colorado Rockies. Starting Lineup SS Otto Lopez DH Agustín Ramírez 3B Connor Norby 1B Eric Wagaman LF Heriberto Hernández RF Dane Myers C Nick Fortes CF Javier Sanoja 2B Jack Winkler P Cal Quantrill Click HERE to download the full game notes (preview below) View full article

Took a baby step in the right direction, fortunately

Here are the latest Miami Marlins game notes, produced by the Marlins communications department and relayed to our loyal readers. These notes apply to the second game of Miami's home series against the Colorado Rockies. Starting Lineup 2B Xavier Edwards (S) RF Jesús Sánchez (L) DH Agustín Ramírez LF Kyle Stowers (L) SS Otto Lopez 1B Eric Wagaman CF Dane Myers C Nick Fortes 3B Javier Sanoja P Sandy Alcantara Click HERE to download the full game notes (preview below) View full article

No series outcome should come as a true shock considering how volatile baseball can be in small samples. It was nonetheless baffling to witness the Miami Marlins lose three consecutive games while hosting a historically inept Colorado Rockies club that had previously totaled only nine total victories all season. The Fish brought the tying running to the plate in the bottom of the ninth in each game, but ultimately did not score a single run off the Rockies bullpen at any point during the series. The most redeeming quality about the 2025 Marlins has been a better-than-projected offense. Over the last week, that has regressed as well—no Miami player has hit a home run since May 28. Rookie manager Clayton McCullough struggles to publicly navigate lulls like this. He focuses on the process and barely acknowledges the results. Fans are not asking for much, just some confirmation that getting swept by the league's worst team is unacceptable, but he won't even give them that. Hopefully he finds a better balance from that standpoint as time goes on. Down on the farm, Triple-A Jacksonville won, 7-4. Matt Mervis has homered in each of his first two games since being outrighted to the minors. Maximo Acosta enjoyed his first three-hit game of the season. Double-A Pensacola lost, 3-2. Kemp Alderman had his team-leading sixth home run. Ryan Ignoffo was promoted to the Blue Wahoos, though he didn't appear in this game. High-A Beloit lost, 5-3. Woo-Suk Go (1.2 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K) continues to wobble through his prolonged rehab assignment. I wouldn't be surprised if the Marlins cut their losses soon. Low-A Jupiter lost, 9-6. Hard to overcome four errors and a passed ball. FCL Marlins lost, 2-1. Outstanding .387/.524/.548 slash line for Jancory De La Cruz through his first 10 stateside games. More Marlins news and content below: 🔷 On this day in 2000, the Marlins selected Adrián González with the first overall pick in the MLB Draft. They haven't had the opportunity to pick 1-1 since then. 🔷 Robby Snelling (#79) joined Thomas White (#51), Joe Mack (#61) and Starlyn Caba (#99) on Just Baseball's Top 100 MLB prospects list. 🔷 ESPN's Kiley McDaniel added Andrew Salas, Dax Fulton, Carter Johnson and Jakob Marsee to his top-10 list of Marlins prospects. 🔷 Nick Deeds of MLB Trade Rumors asks whether the Marlins should sell high on Ryan Weathers this season. As of this writing, a slight majority of MLBTR readers voted for "The Marlins should only trade Weathers if they get an exceptional offer." 🔷 Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp broadcaster Scott Kornberg will be Jack McMullen's radio broadcast partner throughout the Marlins' upcoming three-city road trip. 🔷 FOF SuperSub Ron Cox published his thoughts on the state of the Marlins on his View From Left Field blog. 🔷 The Prediction Time leaderboard has been updated through the first 20 series. Become a SuperSub and we'll keep track of your predictions all season long! 🔷 Elsewhere around baseball, old friend Pablo López will be out 8-12 weeks with a Grade 2 strain of the teres major in his throwing shoulder. Another old friend, José Ureña joined the Los Angeles Dodgers, the eighth different MLB team that he has pitched for in 4.5 seasons since his Marlins tenure ended. Kansas City Royals top prospect Jac Caglianone went 0-for-5 in his major league debut. The Athletics have astonishingly lost 20 of their last 21 games—even the 2025 Rockies haven't endured a rut like that. 🔷 The upcoming Tampa Bay Rays series awkwardly begins on Friday afternoon, so Fish On First LIVE will air tonight beginning at 7:00 p.m. ET. FOF LIVE is presented by About The Fans. Check out our new merchandise collection (coupon code fof10 for 10% off). 🔷 Today's MiLB schedule: Triple-A Jacksonville vs. Durham, 7:05 p.m. ET Double-A Pensacola vs. Columbus, 7:05 p.m. ET High-A Beloit vs. Fort Wayne, 7:05 p.m. ET Low-A Jupiter vs. Tampa, 6:30 p.m. ET FCL Marlins at FCL Mets, 12:00 p.m. ET DSL Marlins vs. DSL Cardinals, 11:00 a.m. ET DSL Miami at DSL NYY Yankees, 11:00 a.m. ET Marlins podcast episodes View full article

Here are the latest Miami Marlins game notes, produced by the Marlins communications department and relayed to our loyal readers. These notes apply to the first game of Miami's home series against the Colorado Rockies. Starting Lineup 2B Xavier Edwards (S) RF Jesús Sánchez (L) C Agustín Ramírez LF Kyle Stowers (L) SS Otto Lopez 1B Eric Wagaman 3B Connor Norby DH Liam Hicks (L) CF Dane Myers P Max Meyer Click HERE to download the full game notes (preview below) View full article

The Miami Marlins scored only three runs against the San Francisco Giants, their lowest offensive output over any three-game stretch this season. Just as Xavier Edwards rejoined the lineup, Kyle Stowers finds himself buried in a 2024-like slump. Down on the farm, Triple-A Jacksonville lost, 4-1. Joe Mack has quietly gone more than a month without hitting a home run. Double-A Pensacola won, 6-2, to snap an 11-game losing streak. Kemp Alderman tripled and homered. High-A Beloit lost, 4-1. Another three-hit game for Payton Green, who's up to a .356 BA this season. Low-A Jupiter lost, 12-7. Cam Clayton is slashing .342/.390/.605 through his first 10 games with the Hammerheads this season. Next up, today is Opening Day for the Dominican Summer League. View the DSL Marlins and DSL Miami rosters. They will both be facing Philadelphia Phillies affiliates in their season openers. Baseball America's Ben Badler provides updated scouting reports for most members of the Marlins' 2025 international free agent class. More Marlins news and content below: 🔷 Playing their first career series as big leaguers, Heriberto Hernández and Jack Winkler went a combined 0-for-6 with six strikeouts and a walk. Their lone highlight was a leaping catch by Hernández at the left field wall. wwhg80_1.mp4 🔷 Xavier Edwards and Liam Hicks got their first starts of the season at second base and first base, respectively. Kevin Barral breaks down the realignment of Miami's infield. Happy birthday to Hicks, by the way, who turns 26 today. 🔷 Louis Addeo-Weiss wonders why Sandy Alcantara is throwing so many four-seam fastballs when they're leading to so much hard contact. 🔷 Designated for assignment on Friday, Matt Mervis and Ronny Simon remain in limbo. Being two years younger than Mervis with two additional minor league options remaining, I think Simon is far likelier to be claimed by another team. 🔷 High school third baseman Gavin Fien is the subject of Hector Rodriguez's latest MLB Draft profile. 🔷 Agustín Ramírez spoke with MLB.com's Christina De Nicola about the importance of game-calling. 🔷 Riley Clingman of Marlin Maniac doesn't understand why Troy Johnston got passed over for a call-up once again. 🔷 Former Marlin Joe Dunand announced his retirement from baseball. A second-round pick in 2017, he debuted with Miami in 2022, but appeared in only three games and never made it back to the highest level. The South Florida native is the nephew of baseball great Alex Rodriguez. 🔷 The Prediction Time leaderboard has been updated through the first 19 series. Become a SuperSub and we'll keep track of your predictions all season long! 🔷 Elsewhere around baseball, another NL Rookie of the Year challenger has bitten the bust. Atlanta Braves right-hander AJ Smith-Shawver will undergo season-ending elbow surgery. The Kansas City Royals are calling up top prospect Jac Caglianone. A two-way star in college, Caglianone leads the minor leagues with 56 RBI this season. Cal Raleigh continues to trend toward a historic year for a catcher, leading MLB with 23 homers. The Colorado Rockies have lost a major league-record 22 consecutive series. 🔷 Today's MLB game: those record-setting Rockies (probable starter RHP Germán Márquez) begin a three-game set against the Fish (RHP Max Meyer). The Marlins have a 58.2% chance to win, per FanGraphs. First pitch at 6:40 p.m. ET. 🔷 Prior to the game, Fish On First LIVE will preview the series beginning at 5:30 p.m. ET. FOF LIVE is presented by About The Fans. Check out our new merchandise collection (coupon code fof10 for 10% off). 🔷 Today's MiLB schedule: FCL Marlins vs. FCL Cardinals, 12:00 p.m. ET DSL Marlins vs. DSL Phillies Red, 11:00 a.m. ET DSL Miami at DSL Phillies White, 11:00 a.m. ET Marlins podcast episodes View full article

On Monday episodes of the Small Pod, we will be shining a spotlight on notable Miami Marlins prospects. Ely Sussman switched up the usual format this week to feature the players who are best suited to represent the organization at next month's Futures Game in Atlanta: LHP Robby Snelling (Pensacola), C Joe Mack (Jacksonville) and LHP Thomas White (Beloit). View full video

Here are the latest Miami Marlins game notes, produced by the Marlins communications department and relayed to our loyal readers. These notes apply to the third and final game of Miami's home series against the San Francisco Giants. Starting Lineup 2B Xavier Edwards (S) RF Jesús Sánchez (L) SS Otto Lopez C Agustín Ramírez LF Kyle Stowers (L) DH Eric Wagaman 3B Connor Norby 1B Liam Hicks (L) CF Javier Sanoja P Ryan Weathers Click HERE to download the full game notes (preview below) View full article

Here are the latest Miami Marlins game notes, produced by the Marlins communications department and relayed to our loyal readers. These notes apply to the second game of Miami's home series against the San Francisco Giants. Starting Lineup DH Agustín Ramírez LF Heriberto Hernández SS Otto Lopez 1B Eric Wagaman 3B Connor Norby RF Dane Myers C Nick Fortes CF Javier Sanoja 2B Jack Winkler P Edward Cabrera Click HERE to download the full game notes (preview below) View full article

Here are the latest Miami Marlins game notes, produced by the Marlins communications department and relayed to our loyal readers. These notes apply to the first game of Miami's home series against the San Francisco Giants. Starting Lineup DH Agustín Ramírez LF Heriberto Hernández 1B Eric Wagaman SS Otto Lopez CF Dane Myers 3B Connor Norby RF Kyle Stowers (L) 2B Javier Sanoja C Nick Fortes P Cal Quantrill Click HERE to download the full game notes (preview below) View full article

Today's news roundup also includes an international free agent signing and a Marlins memorabilia sale. When a player sticks on a team's major league roster for an extended period without contributing, fans joke that so-and-so is "stealing money." In the case of Graham Pauley, I actually see him as a victim. Prior to being optioned to Triple-A Jacksonville on Thursday, Pauley had spent essentially the entire season on the Miami Marlins despite clearly being unprepared for the assignment. The Marlins' vision for the 24-year-old infielder seemed logical enough initially. Starting third baseman Connor Norby suffered an oblique strain during the final weekend of spring training, so Pauley was supposed to fill in at the hot corner in the meantime. Pauley was solid defensively through 14 games, but inadequate offensively. When Norby was reinstated on April 17, his understudy had a .191/.235/.277 slash line (38 wRC+) in 52 plate appearances. The Marlins optioned him to Triple-A where he would presumably get regular starting reps to prove himself as a hitter. Plans changed less than 24 hours later. The Marlins determined that Derek Hill's left wrist sprain was continuing to negatively impact his performance. He needed an injured list stint and Pauley was the member of the 40-man roster who made the most sense as a stopgap. They officially recalled him on April 18. Every time it looked like Pauley was finally going to be set free to play consistently in Jacksonville, additional injuries kept him around even though he no longer had a defined role. He remained homerless and ineffective against right-handers. He didn't make sense as a high-leverage pinch-hitter, pinch-runner or defensive replacement. Through 54 team games, he accrued 0.0 fWAR in 89 plate appearances (averaging only one PA per game following Norby's return). Such a strange way to mishandle a player who was acquired by the current Marlins front office at last year's trade deadline. As a reminder, Pauley was one of Minor League Baseball's most productive hitters in 2023! He had a 20-20 season en route to being named the San Diego Padres Minor League Player of the Year. The Marlins should've been using the past month-plus to troubleshoot ways to restore his slugging ability in a low-pressure MiLB environment, rather than keeping with the status quo which clearly wasn't working. This demotion was a necessary step to potentially get Pauley on a path toward a sustainable MLB career. Down on the farm, Triple-A Jacksonville won, 3-1. Embarking on a rehab assignment and beginning his transition back to second base, Xavier Edwards went 0-for-4 with an RBI. Double-A Pensacola lost, 6-1, extending their losing streak to nine games. Josh Ekness had a rare blow-up that put the game out of reach (1.0 IP, 3 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 21 pitches/13 strikes). High-A Beloit won, 10-9. Encouraging to see Noble Meyer attacking the strike zone (5.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K, 69 pitches/44 strikes). Ryan Ignoffo's farm system-leading RBI total is up to 38. Low-A Jupiter won, 4-2. Andrés Valor went 2-for-4 with two doubles, a stolen base and two outfield assists. Four more scoreless innings for Luke Lashutka, who posted a 0.52 ERA in the month of May, making a compelling case to be promoted. FCL Marlins lost, 7-4. It's been a brutal start to Luis León's MiLB career. The $1.5 million signing out of Cuba has only four hits through 15 games with a .415 OPS and 46.8% strikeout rate. Prospects highlighted in this week's minor league report include Valor, Robby Snelling, Payton Green, Cam Clayton and Dub Gleed. More Marlins news and content below: 🔷 By my count, Venezuelan outfielder Edwin Ramírez is the 23rd player to sign with the Marlins during the 2025 international free agent period. Shoutout to CJ Baseball Academy for sharing his emotional reaction to the news. 🔷 Once a Marlins fan growing up in Philadelphia, Matt has switched allegiances to the local Phillies. Now, he's hoping to "find a good home" for his Marlins memorabilia. 🔷 JJ Cooper of Baseball America explores how Marlins minor league affiliates are so much better at base-stealing than anybody else. 🔷 Elsewhere around baseball, MLB has made a "strategic investment" in the new Athletes Unlimited Softball League. Old friend Kim Ng serves as the AUSL's commissioner. The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired former All-Star reliever Alexis Díaz from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for pitching prospect Mike Villani. Jose Altuve has caught fire with five home runs in his last seven games, including a game-tying solo shot against the Tampa Bay Rays. After missing nearly a month with a left knee contusion, Mike Trout is being reinstated from the injured list today. 🔷 Today's MLB game: the Marlins (probable starter RHP Cal Quantrill) host the San Francisco Giants (LHP Kyle Harrison). The Marlins have a 45.2% chance to win, per FanGraphs. First pitch at 7:10 p.m. ET. 🔷 Prior to the game, Fish On First LIVE will preview the series beginning at 6:00 p.m. ET. FOF LIVE is presented by About The Fans. Check out our new merchandise collection (coupon code fof10 for 10% off). 🔷 Today's MiLB schedule: Triple-A Jacksonville at Gwinnett, 7:05 p.m. ET Double-A Pensacola at Montgomery, 7:35 p.m. ET High-A Beloit at Lancaster, 7:05 p.m. ET Low-A Jupiter vs. Daytona, 6:35 p.m. ET FCL Marlins at FCL Nationals, 12:00 p.m. ET Marlins podcast episodes View full article

Even in the most optimistic scenario, I would compare him more closely to Ozuna than Stanton. And that's only considering the bat—they were better fielders as young players than Agustin is. That's what makes it tricky to come up with a fair value for him. Not often do you see big commitments to somebody who's going to spend most of his prime as a DH.