Ely Sussman

It took seven and a half years, but Giancarlo Stanton finally has some company. On Sunday night, Rafael Devers became the second player in MLB history to be traded in the midst of a $300 million contract. While there are significant differences between these blockbusters, both are rare examples of elite hitters being moved in their primes largely for salary relief and concerns about the long-term fit with their original teams. Back in December 2017, during their first offseason under new ownership, the Miami Marlins shed $270M in sending Stanton to the New York Yankees. They received a package of Starlin Castro, Jorge Guzmán and José Devers (Rafael's cousin, coincidentally). The Boston Red Sox are saving more than $250M and getting Jordan Hicks, Kyle Harrison, James Tibbs and José Bello in return. Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow was hired in October 2023, several months after the Sox extended Devers. As trade assets, I would say Castro was roughly equivalent to Hicks/Harrison, Guzmán to Tibbs and José Devers to Bello. The pre-trade version of Stanton was better than Rafael Devers, though the latter was much more durable, which narrowed the gap in production. Devers also contributed to a World Series title in 2018, whereas none of Stanton's Marlins teams even achieved a winning record. A wide variety of injuries have prevented the Yankees from being fully satisfied with Stanton's tenure, but the Marlins did not capitalize on their side of the transaction, either. Most of the financial savings went back into ownership's pockets—Miami's 2017 payroll remains a franchise record—and the Fish are headed for their sixth season of 90-plus losses since his departure. None of their homegrown hitters have emerged as a worthy successor to Stanton. Likewise, the Red Sox will be judged by how they fill the Devers void and reallocate the quarter-billion dollars that was previously earmarked for him. Down on the farm, Triple-A Jacksonville won, 5-4, completing a series sweep over Rochester. Jakob Marsee stole his 38th base. No other Marlins minor leaguer has more than 25. Double-A Pensacola won, 5-2. Kemp Alderman launched a tape-measure home run. Grant Richardson stays hot since signing with the Marlins as a free agent, slashing .321/.367/.536 in eight games (though with a 40% strikeout rate). Only two runs allowed by Alex Williams in 17 ⅓ innings since being promoted to the Blue Wahoos. High-A Beloit lost, 2-1. Low-A Jupiter lost, 2-1. That's despite an excellent outing from Liomar Martínez (6.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 8 K, 86 pitches/57 strikes). More Marlins news and content below: 🔷 How sweep it is! The Fish won three straight at Nationals Park over the weekend. In Sunday's series finale, they blanked the Nats from the second inning onward despite leaning on low-leverage arms, including emergency closer Freddy Tarnok. This felt like the series that Dane Myers cemented himself as Miami's everyday center fielder and vaulted himself into All-Star consideration. He racked up eight hits and boosted his season slash line to .333/.377/.481. 🔷 The Marlins designated Luarbert Arias for assignment to make room for Tarnok on their 40-man roster. The 24-year-old right-hander pitched poorly out of the big league bullpen in six appearances earlier this season and he's been struggling with his control in Triple-A (13 BB in 14.0 IP since the beginning of May). With two more minor league options left beyond 2025 and a good MiLB track record overall, I could still see him getting claimed by another team. 🔷 The Los Angeles Dodgers "are one of the teams lurking" in the event that the Marlins shop Sandy Alcantara this summer, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports. Let's take this one with a grain of salt because in the very next paragraph, Nightengale added that Shohei Ohtani was not expected to make his Dodgers pitching debut "until after the All-Star break." As it turns out, Ohtani takes the mound tonight. The last trade between the Dodgers and Marlins was the swap of Miguel Rojas for Jacob Amaya in January 2023. 🔷 On this day in 1995, Miami's own Andre Dawson hit his 400th career National League home run. 🔷 The Prediction Time leaderboard has been updated through the first 23 series. Become a SuperSub and we'll keep track of your predictions all season long! 🔷 Elsewhere around baseball, Grant Holmes struck out 15 Colorado Rockies, the highest single-game total for any MLB pitcher this season. The Rockies beat the Atlanta Braves, anyway. Elly De La Cruz homered for the fourth consecutive game. Philadelphia Phillies ace Zack Wheeler told Matt Gelb of The Athletic that he intends to retire once his contract expires at the end of the 2027 season. Since joining the Phillies in 2020, Wheeler leads Major League Baseball in innings pitched. 🔷 Today's MLB game: the Marlins (probable starter RHP Sandy Alcantara) kick off a week-long homestand with their series opener against the Phillies (RHP Mick Abel). The Marlins have a 54.5% chance to win, per FanGraphs. Another victory would mean Miami's longest winning streak of the season. First pitch at 6:40 p.m. ET. 🔷 Prior to the game, Fish On First LIVE will preview the Phillies 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). Marlins podcast episodes View full article

The idea of Jackson Jobe potentially being available would have been absurd entering this season. The 22-year-old Detroit Tigers right-hander was considered a consensus top-10 MLB prospect and slotted to pitch out of the club's starting rotation. He seemed untouchable. However, perhaps the combination of Jobe's shaky rookie performance and the timing of his pending Tommy John surgery has opened the door for a seller like the Miami Marlins to make a blockbuster trade this summer. In 10 starts prior to his injury, Jobe posted a 4.22 ERA, 5.12 FIP and .249 BAA in 49 innings pitched. His 12.4% walk rate ranked in the eighth percentile among MLB pitchers. His fastball velocity was almost as good as advertised, averaging 96.5 mph, but he threw it middle-middle too often. Although his changeup missed bats at a very high rate, it yielded a .600 slugging percentage. There are still adjustments to be made. Meanwhile, the Tigers have been thriving. They went 9-1 with Jobe on the mound despite his pedestrian individual performance and enter Friday with the best record in the American League. Even during their surprising 2024 playoff run, rotation depth was a concern and that is definitely the case again. The Tigers' best opportunity to snap their 40-plus-year championship drought figures to be in 2025 and 2026 before ace Tarik Skubal is eligible to leave via free agency. Jobe is unlikely to throw another pitch for them during that window. The Marlins, on the other hand, aren't seriously eyeing World Series contention for a few more years. They would have to get creative—how about a package containing both Sandy Alcantara and Edward Cabrera? Even if my zany suggestion gets laughed at, these teams ought to be in frequent communication with each other during the month and a half leading up to the deadline. Down on the farm, Triple-A Jacksonville won, 6-4. Matt Mervis was a double shy of the cycle and raised his Jumbo Shrimp OPS to 1.065. Double-A Pensacola lost, 5-4. Kemp Alderman registered a top-of-the-scale 117 mph exit velocity on his RBI single. High-A Beloit lost, 3-1. Garret Forrester's first home run of the season accounted for the only Sky Carp run. Low-A Jupiter won, 5-2. John Cruz's first extra-base hit as a Hammerhead this year came at a convenient time as he doubled in the 10th inning to drive in the go-ahead runs. FCL Marlins won, 5-0. Nate Payne picked up his first professional win (5.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 8 K). DSL Marlins won, 11-1. Only two hits allowed by Bayant Melo, Gerinton Mendez and Albert Ortiz, with one of those being a bunt single. DSL Miami won, 16-2. Five stolen bases for Sandy Presbot. More Marlins news and content below: 🔷 A "rival official" who attended Sandy Alcantara's latest start told Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic that he believes the "Sandy of old" is getting close to returning. Data from Eno Sarris corroborates that the location of Alcantara's pitches was more precise against the Pittsburgh Pirates than it had been in any of his previous outings this season. 🔷 The Prediction Time leaderboard has been updated through the first 22 series. Become a SuperSub and we'll keep track of your predictions all season long! 🔷 Elsewhere around baseball, Tarik Skubal has allowed one total run over his last four starts combined (30.2 IP). Jacob Misiorowski threw five no-hit innings in his major league debut. The Colorado Rockies erased a five-run deficit against the San Francisco Giants to record their very first walk-off win of the season. 🔷 Today's MLB game: the Marlins (probable starter RHP Edward Cabrera) open up a three-game set against the Washington Nationals (LHP Mitchell Parker). The Marlins have a 47.0% chance to win, per FanGraphs. First pitch at 6:45 p.m. ET. Full organizational schedule below. 🔷 Prior to the game, Fish On First LIVE will preview the Nats 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). 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 third and final game of Miami's road series against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Starting Lineup 2B Xavier Edwards (S) DH Agustin Ramírez RF Heriberto Hernández SS Otto Lopez 1B Eric Wagaman 3B Connor Norby CF Dane Myers C Nick Fortes LF Javier Sanoja P Cal Quantrill Click HERE to download the full game notes (preview below) View full article

One of my Miami Marlins midpoint on-pace-for stats is in serious jeopardy. There are still two games to play at Great American Ball Park and Xavier Edwards has been tantalizingly close to his first home run of the season on multiple occasions during this series alone. Edwards' ceiling as a player is limited by his inability to drive the ball in the air, but there's been a noticeable improvement from him in that department recently. Three of the leadoff man's top 10 batted ball distances of the year were recorded over the past week. That does not even include a 337-foot foul ball from the first inning on Tuesday night which had home run distance. It does include his next plate appearance, a 363-foot liner off the right field that plated two runs during the highest-scoring inning of this Marlins season. A fascinating wrinkle: each of those four deep shots (the three balls in play plus the foul ball) occurred in two-strike counts. If Edwards can get off these kind of swings in vulnerable situations, it stands to reason that they're possible anytime. The 25-year-old switch-hitter began 2025 with the goal of establishing himself as Miami's long-term starting shortstop. Due to defensive issues, that bar has been lowered to long-term second baseman. Since the position switch, Edwards has thrived with the glove and surged into eighth place in the National League batting title race. To solidify himself as a good everyday player, there just needs to be a bit more pop to capitalize on opportunities with runners on base. Down on the farm, Triple-A Jacksonville lost, 9-5. Matt Mervis homered in his return from an oblique injury. Jakob Marsee stole his 40th base of the season, joining some special company. Double-A Pensacola lost, 7-5. Michael Snyder (1-2, 3 BB) is up to a .455 OBP through his first 12 Blue Wahoos games. He has walked in more than 20% of his plate appearances this season! High-A Beloit lost, 8-5. Somewhat deceptive final line for Nick Brink (6.2 IP, 6 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, 82 pitches/52 strikes), who allowed only two of those runs prior to the seventh inning and didn't surrender any extra-base hits. Low-A Jupiter lost, 7-6. Dillon Head snapped out of a two-month homerless drought. DSL Marlins won, 8-6. Anthony Abreu extended his on-base streak to 13 games. DSL Miami lost, 4-2. More Marlins news and content below: 🔷 Agustín Ramírez will be sad when the Fish leave Cincinnati because he has thoroughly dominated Reds pitching this season. 🔷 I embedded the full episode at the bottom, but in this segment from Él Big League Show, former Marlins executive Adrian Lorenzo brings up Miguel Andujar as a cautionary tale in regards to Ramírez. Andujar was the 2018 AL Rookie of the Year runner-up, but he's been well below average as a hitter since then mainly due to poor swing decisions. 🔷 Sean McCormack checked in on the outfielders that the Marlins passed on during the 2024 MLB Draft to select PJ Morlando with their first-round pick. 🔷 Elsewhere around baseball, World Baseball Classic Pool D ticket strips have gone on sale exclusively for Marlins Members. With their teams facing each other, MLB home run leaders Cal Raleigh and Aaron Judge both went yard for the 36th time and 34th time, respectively. The San Francisco Giants walked off against the Philadelphia Phillies on a three-run, inside-the-park homer. Jacob Misiorowski bounced back from his worst major league outing by striking out 12 in a win over the Los Angeles Dodgers. In addition to the Reds, the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Angels resorted to position player pitchers in the midst of blowout losses. 🔷 Today's MLB game: the Marlins continue their four-game series against the Reds (probable starters RHP Sandy Alcantara and LHP Andrew Abbott). The Marlins have a 48.4% chance to win, per FanGraphs. First pitch at 7:10 p.m. ET. Full organizational schedule below. 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 second game of Miami's road series against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Starting Lineup 2B Xavier Edwards (S) RF Jesús Sánchez (L) SS Otto Lopez DH Agustin Ramírez LF Kyle Stowers (L) 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

You could see it on his face during the postgame media scrum—Sandy Alcantara was proud of the job he did during Tuesday's Miami Marlins win, and rightfully so. Alcantara worked six scoreless innings against the Pittsburgh Pirates, only getting better as the start progressed. The command of his sinker was especially sharp and he attacked the strike zone with conviction. What a difference from the pitcher who looked completely lost two weeks ago in San Diego. However, I still believe it's premature to say that Alcantara is back to being a reliable starter again. In 2025, we have only seen flashes of excellence from him when facing offensively challenged teams like the Pirates, Chicago White Sox and Colorado Rockies. Even in his best outing to date, he got away with some hittable four-seamers and uncharacteristically induced more fly balls than ground balls, which seemed unintentional. Alcantara's next three starts are likely to come against the deeper lineups of the Philadelphia Phillies, Atlanta Braves and Arizona Diamondbacks. If he navigates that stretch without any blow-up starts, then I'll be convinced that a corner has been turned. Down on the farm, Triple-A Jacksonville won, 18-0. A Josh Simpson-led bullpen game carried a no-hitter through six innings. Jakob Marsee went 4-for-4 with three stolen bases and a walk. Double-A Pensacola won, 6-0. Jacob Miller dominated (6.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 7 K, 85 pitches/48 strikes). High-A Beloit won, 6-1. Low-A Jupiter won, 4-3. Andrés Valor has matched a career-high with his current eight-game hit streak. Julio Mendez set a career-high in strikeouts (6.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 8 K, 86 pitches/57 strikes). FCL Marlins won, 7-6. PJ Morlando continued his rehab assignment by going 0-for-2 with two walks and playing right field. DSL Marlins lost, 2-1. DSL Miami won, 3-2. José Castro, who led the team with five home runs in 2024, had his first career multi-homer game. Thomas White and Josh Ekness were named to MLB Pipeline's Prospect Team of the Week. More Marlins news and content below: 🔷 Lake Bachar was recalled from Triple-A to fill out the Marlins active roster. He was used sparingly with the Jumbo Shrimp, throwing just three innings since being optioned on May 24. 🔷 Kevin Barral discusses potential trade candidates Jesús Sánchez, Edward Cabrera, Anthony Bender and Ronny Henriquez. 🔷 Cade Gibson spoke with Nate Karzmer about embracing high-pressure situations like the one he faced in Saturday's Marlins win. 🔷 On this day in 2005, the Marlins rallied from five runs down against the Texas Rangers. 🔷 Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald examines the progress being made by the players that the Marlins received in exchange for pitchers they've traded away. Only the Kyle Stowers/Connor Norby/Trevor Rogers deal qualifies as a "rousing success" thus far. 🔷 Here is the special-edition cap that the Marlins will be wearing during Fourth of July weekend: 🔷 Elsewhere around baseball, the MLB Draft has historically spanned three days, but it's being condensed to two this year. The Toronto Blue Jays have won 11 of their last 13 games to surge into second place in the AL East. Cincinnati Reds lefty Andrew Abbott threw a shutout against the Cleveland Guardians as he enters NL Cy Young award contention. One of the best arms in the minor leagues, Jacob Misiorowski, will make his major league debut for the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday. 🔷 Today's MLB game: the Marlins (probable starter RHP Cal Quantrill) wrap up their series at PNC Park against the Pittsburgh Pirates (LHP Bailey Falter). The Marlins have a 43.5% chance to win, per FanGraphs. First pitch at 12:35 p.m. ET. Full organizational schedule below. 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 road series against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Starting Lineup 2B Xavier Edwards (S) RF Jesús Sánchez (L) C Agustin Ramírez SS Otto Lopez LF Kyle Stowers (L) 3B Connor Norby 1B Liam Hicks (L) CF Dane Myers DH Heriberto Hernández P Eury Pérez Click HERE to download the full game notes (preview below) View full article

It's sort of like a Jonah Bride profile. Could possibly hit his way to the majors, but would be much more realistic if he was decent defensively. Still has some limitations at catcher and doesn't have a clear backup position if this doesn't work out.

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 road series against the Tampa Bay Rays. Starting Lineup 2B Xavier Edwards (S) RF Jesús Sánchez (L) SS Otto Lopez C Liam Hicks (L) 3B Connor Norby 1B Eric Wagaman CF Dane Myers DH Heriberto Hernández LF Javier Sanoja P Anthony Veneziano Click HERE to download the full game notes (preview below) View full article