Ely Sussman

With the Miami Marlins active roster set to expand in two weeks and a glaring hole already present at first base, here is a factor that I frankly had not been considering, via Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald: "If the Marlins do not believe that a prospect can significantly contribute to help them win this year, they’re not going to promote them to the majors simply for a few weeks of September at-bats if they’re not already on the 40-man roster. "The reason: "Players who are on the 40-man roster can have no contact with coaches or a team’s medical staff, or use team facilities, after an MLB lockout — which appears inevitable — begins Dec. 1. Conversely, players who aren’t on the 40-man roster can have that type of contact this winter — including working with coaches — and also can attend minor-league spring training and play in minor-league games next season." Non-40-man hitters who have performed well for Triple-A Jacksonville this season include Cam Cannarella, Kemp Alderman and recently acquired Jonathon Long. As Fish On First's Isaac Azout discussed during Sunday's livestream, Alderman's promotion to the majors was believed to be "imminent" prior to suffering an elbow injury on May 17. With only a small portion of the 2026 season remaining, it is now a more complicated decision—with less time for him to adjust to MLB competition, he might not provide any positive value down the stretch, and the trade-off is losing direct contact with him for what figures to be a months-long work stoppage. One correction to Jackson's reporting...He mentions that "the same thinking" applies to right-hander Jace Beck, but he will be selected to the 40-man roster prior to the lockout regardless. The 26-year-old is a pending minor league free agent who is eligible to leave in November if not selected. The Marlins will surely get out in front of that given Beck's 35% strikeout rate this season and intriguing upside. Here is a refresher on the current composition of Miami's 40-man: To be clear, most of the Marlins prospects in this predicament already have relationships with reputable third-party training facilities. They will still have access to professional-grade workout equipment and development tools during the 2026-27 offseason. On the other hand, the team does not want to temporarily lose oversight of their medicals and strength and conditioning regimen during the lockout. View full rumor

This podcast is brought to you by Jet Ski Rentals of South Florida—offering Miami’s best jet ski and boat adventures. With six jet ski locations and over 120 boats, there’s something for every style and every budget. They’re reservation-based only. To inquire, call 305-990-2192, or check them out online at SFJetskiRentals.com. Make sure to use promo code FISHONFIRST to receive 10% off your next booking. Fish On First staffers react to the latest Miami Marlins series and prepare you for what lies ahead. Sunday's show was hosted by Ely Sussman and featured panelist Isaac Azout. The following topics were covered: A standout defensive performance by Brian Navarreto on Sunday Eury Pérez's mind-boggling homerless streak and value to the Marlins Heriberto Hernández's offense easily making up for his fielding gaffe on Friday Exclusive reporting on what the Marlins think of their Triple-A first base options Previewing and predicting the next series against the Philadelphia Phillies You can find Fish Unfiltered and Fish On First LIVE on the Fish On First YouTube channel, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever else you get your pods. Our next FOF LIVE episode will be on Thursday at approximately 6:30 p.m. ET on the off day following the Marlins-Phillies series finale. View full article

Alderman chose a bad time to slump. There was a lot to like about his season until the All-Star break. Has not looked MLB ready since then.

That's why the treatment of Gus still confuses me, because everybody agrees he can't be trusted, yet they continue to insist on him as a catcher. Even with 1B so open right now, McCullough made it clear he isn't in the mix for that. Marlins are not even trying to set him up for success or restore trade value, just using him in a smaller version of the role he originally had to begin the season.

My theory on that is being careful with Mack's workload. He has already set a new career high for innings caught in a season with still another 6 weeks left. Navarreto plays sparingly, but maybe just enough to make a difference in the team's mind, and significantly better defense from him than what they'd get with Gus as the only other catching option. I disagree with them regardless.

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 Cincinnati Reds. Starting Lineup SS Otto Lopez LF Heriberto Hernández DH Agustín Ramírez 2B Xavier Edwards (S) 3B Javier Sanoja 1B Leo Jiménez RF Esteury Ruiz CF Jakob Marsee (L) C Brian Navarreto P Eury Pérez Click HERE to download the full game notes (preview below)

SuperSubs, comment below with your Prediction Time picks: 1. How many games will the Marlins win in this series? (three-game series) 2. Who will be the Series MVP? (determined by win probability added) Once again in 2026, I will be monitoring Miami Marlins predictions from our valued SuperSubs, Fish On First staffers and livestream guests. Individual article pages like this one will be created prior to every Marlins series and featured prominently on the FOF site. Consistent participation is key if you want to win this annual contest. Submissions only take a few seconds. Scoring system A "perfect" series is worth three points: Earn one point for predicting which team will win the upcoming series Earn one point for predicting the precise number of victories for each team Earn one point for predicting the “Series MVP” who accumulated the highest win probability added (WPA) during the series as calculated by FanGraphs (could pick a player from either team) FOF staffer Jeremiah Geiger and SuperSub David Fernandez are currently tied atop the 2026 season leaderboard, which will be updated between every Marlins series. If you are a SuperSub, leave a comment with your Prediction Time picks on this page, or join the Marlins Discord Server and submit there. We'll feature them on the upcoming Fish On First LIVE episode and track your points throughout the season! Any picks submitted prior to the first pitch of the series opener will be counted. If you are not a SuperSub, please consider signing up here to support the FOF staff. Series preview notes Probable starting pitchers: RHP Janson Junk (MIA) vs. LHP Cristopher Sánchez (PHI) on Monday TBA (MIA) vs. RHP Zack Wheeler (PHI) on Tuesday Tyler Phillps' turn in the rotation RHP Sandy Alcantara (MIA) vs. RHP Aaron Nola (PHI) on Wednesday The Marlins rank 14th in MLB with a 100 wRC+ and 10th in MLB with a 3.98 FIP. They are 6-4 in their last 10 games and have a 26-36 record on the road this season. The following Marlins players are on the injured list: Anthony Bender (15-day IL), Ronny Henriquez (60-day IL), William Kempner (15-day IL), Adam Mazur (60-day IL), Andrew Nardi (60-day IL), Robby Snelling (60-day IL) and Kyle Stowers (10-day IL). The Phillies rank 25th in MLB with a 94 wRC+ and fourth in MLB with a 3.75 FIP. They are 6-4 in their last 10 games and have a 32-30 record at home this season. The following Phillies players are on the injured list: Tanner Banks (60-day IL), Adolis García (60-day IL), Brad Keller (60-day IL), Caleb Killian (15-day IL), Rafael Marchán (10-day IL) and Johan Rojas (60-day IL). View full article

When Deyvison De Los Santos joined the Miami Marlins organization in July 2024, he was mashing in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League and on his way to leading Minor League Baseball in home runs. There was, quite understandably, speculation that he could be a regular in the Marlins major league lineup by the end of that season. Instead, fast-forward more than two full years later, De Los Santos has played a grand total of three MLB games. How is that possible? No question, De Los Santos should be looking in the mirror before pointing fingers at anybody else. His overall production has plummeted compared to what he achieved at age 21, with a drop-off in game power and a troubling tendency to chase pitches out of the strike zone, which opponents have exploited. He arrived with some potential defensive versatility to play either first base or third base, but has failed to become a viable option at the latter. Peaking at No. 3 on the Fish On First Top 30 prospects list, he's no longer ranked at all. De Los Santos has been an afterthought for months since a couple brief stints on Miami's active roster in March/April. However, he's gradually shown legitimate signs of development. In 92 Triple-A games this season, De Los Santos is slashing .276/.339/.480 with 17 home runs and 17 stolen bases. His wRC+ with the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp from 2024-25 was merely 86 (with 100 representing league average), but that has surged to a 113 wRC+ in 2026. His current 19.6% strikeout rate is the lowest that he has ever posted in a minor league campaign. June 21 is a key date to circle for De Los Santos. It was coincidentally his 23rd birthday, but more relevant from a baseball career perspective, that was when the Marlins designated Christopher Morel for assignment. A veteran right-handed hitter with a similar offensive profile, Morel was essentially blocking him. Removing that obstacle has brought out the best in De Los Santos—in 37 games since then, his slash line has risen to .295/.370/.550, including nine homers. The Marlins are currently in desperate need of De Los Santos' skill set. While Kyle Stowers recuperates from a hamstring strain, they have a void at first base. The position primarily belongs to Griffin Conine in the meantime, who certainly has the bat to fit there, but lacks the defensive experience and instincts. Leo Jiménez and Graham Pauley—with a combined slugging percentage below .300 in the majors—are getting the rest of the reps. Respectfully, none of those guys are consistently making picks like this: I won't make the case that De Los Santos should play every day, but he should be a featured piece of their offense against left-handed pitching. This article actually evolved from what was originally a grim analysis of Jiménez, who has produced -0.6 fWAR for the Marlins with an absymal 57 wRC+ vs. LHP despite holding the platoon advantage. De Los Santos is more qualified for a roster spot than either him or honorary assistant coach Brian Navarreto, who has taken a grand total of 23 plate appearances over the last two months. MLB rosters expand on September 1, at which point the Marlins will be calling up an extra position player. De Los Santos is a leading candidate to be promoted then, but they're playing games now with direct NL Wild Card ramifications, following Sunday's series finale in Cincinnati with a three-game set hosting the Philadelphia Phillies. For whatever reason, they're taking the field for these critical matchups without maximizing the talent on their roster. 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 Cincinnati Reds. Starting Lineup CF Jakob Marsee (L) 2B Xavier Edwards (S) LF Heriberto Hernández 1B Griffin Conine (L) SS Otto Lopez DH Owen Caissie (L) C Joe Mack (L) 3B Graham Pauley (L) RF Esteury Ruiz P Ryan Gusto Click HERE to download the full game notes (preview below)

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 Cincinnati Reds. Starting Lineup CF Jakob Marsee (L) 2B Xavier Edwards (S) SS Otto Lopez DH Griffin Conine (L) LF Heriberto Hernández 3B Javier Sanoja RF Owen Caissie (L) C Joe Mack (L) 1B Graham Pauley (L) P Sandy Alcantara Click HERE to download the full game notes (preview below)

Fish On First LIVE discusses how Griffin Conine stacks up to some of the very best hitters in baseball in terms of both his recent production and under-the-hood data. View full video

This podcast is brought to you by Jet Ski Rentals of South Florida—offering Miami’s best jet ski and boat adventures. With six jet ski locations and over 120 boats, there’s something for every style and every budget. They’re reservation-based only. To inquire, call 305-990-2192, or check them out online at SFJetskiRentals.com. Make sure to use promo code FISHONFIRST to receive 10% off your next booking. Fish On First staffers react to the latest Miami Marlins series and prepare you for what lies ahead. Thursday's show was hosted by Ely Sussman and featured panelists Nate Karzmer and Sean Millerick. The following topics were covered: Eury Pérez continues excellent stretch, outduels Paul Skenes Griffin Conine establishing himself as premier power hitter Revolving door at first base for the near future Injury updates on Anthony Bender, Max Meyer and William Kempner Esteury Ruiz has been a clear upgrade in the Dane Myers role Previewing and predicting the next series against the Cincinnati Reds You can find Fish Unfiltered and Fish On First LIVE on the Fish On First YouTube channel, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever else you get your pods. Our next FOF LIVE episode will be on Sunday at approximately 6:30 p.m. ET following the Marlins-Reds series finale. View full article

SuperSubs, comment below with your Prediction Time picks: 1. How many games will the Marlins win in this series? (three-game series) 2. Who will be the Series MVP? (determined by win probability added) Once again in 2026, I will be monitoring Miami Marlins predictions from our valued SuperSubs, Fish On First staffers and livestream guests. Individual article pages like this one will be created prior to every Marlins series and featured prominently on the FOF site. Consistent participation is key if you want to win this annual contest. Submissions only take a few seconds. Scoring system A "perfect" series is worth three points: Earn one point for predicting which team will win the upcoming series Earn one point for predicting the precise number of victories for each team Earn one point for predicting the “Series MVP” who accumulated the highest win probability added (WPA) during the series as calculated by FanGraphs (could pick a player from either team) FOF staffer Jeremiah Geiger and SuperSub David Fernandez are currently tied atop the 2026 season leaderboard, which will be updated between every Marlins series. If you are a SuperSub, leave a comment with your Prediction Time picks on this page, or join the Marlins Discord Server and submit there. We'll feature them on the upcoming Fish On First LIVE episode and track your points throughout the season! Any picks submitted prior to the first pitch of the series opener will be counted. If you are not a SuperSub, please consider signing up here to support the FOF staff. Series preview notes Probable starting pitchers: RHP Sandy Alcantara (MIA) vs. RHP Chase Burns (CIN) on Friday RHP Ryan Gusto (MIA) vs. RHP Brady Singer (CIN) on Saturday RHP Eury Pérez (MIA) vs. LHP Nick Lodolo (CIN) on Sunday The Marlins rank 15th in MLB with a 101 wRC+ and eighth in MLB with a 3.95 FIP. They are 5-5 in their last 10 games and have a 24-35 record on the road this season. The following Marlins players are on the injured list: Anthony Bender (15-day IL), Ronny Henriquez (60-day IL), William Kempner (15-day IL), Adam Mazur (60-day IL), Andrew Nardi (60-day IL), Robby Snelling (60-day IL) and Kyle Stowers (10-day IL). The Reds rank 30th in MLB with a 88 wRC+ and 26th in MLB with a 4.69 FIP. They are 3-7 in their last 10 games and have a 29-31 record at home this season. The following Reds players are on the injured list: Graham Ashcraft (60-day IL), Blake Dunn (60-day IL), Hunter Greene (60-day IL), Tony Santillan (15-day IL), Spencer Steer (10-day IL) and Brandon Williamson (60-day IL). 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 home series against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Starting Lineup CF Jakob Marsee (L) 2B Xavier Edwards (S) SS Otto Lopez DH Griffin Conine (L) C Agustín Ramírez 1B Leo Jiménez RF Owen Caissie (L) 3B Javier Sanoja LF Esteury Ruiz P Tyler Phillips Click HERE to download the full game notes (preview below)

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 Pittsburgh Pirates. Starting Lineup 2B Xavier Edwards (S) SS Otto Lopez 1B Griffin Conine (L) LF Heriberto Hernández CF Jakob Marsee (L) DH Agustín Ramírez RF Owen Caissie (L) 3B Leo Jiménez C Joe Mack (L) P Janson Junk Click HERE to download the full game notes (preview below)

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 Pittsburgh Pirates. Pregame roster moves: Graham Pauley recalled from Triple-A Jacksonville; Kyle Stowers (left hamstring strain) placed on 10-day injured list Starting Lineup 2B Xavier Edwards (S) SS Otto Lopez 1B Griffin Conine (L) LF Heriberto Hernández CF Jakob Marsee (L) 3B Javier Sanoja DH Owen Caissie (L) C Joe Mack (L) RF Esteury Ruiz P Eury Perez Click HERE to download the full game notes (preview below)

SuperSubs, comment below with your Prediction Time picks: 1. How many games will the Marlins win in this series? (three-game series) 2. Who will be the Series MVP? (determined by win probability added) Once again in 2026, I will be monitoring Miami Marlins predictions from our valued SuperSubs, Fish On First staffers and livestream guests. Individual article pages like this one will be created prior to every Marlins series and featured prominently on the FOF site. Consistent participation is key if you want to win this annual contest. Submissions only take a few seconds. Scoring system A "perfect" series is worth three points: Earn one point for predicting which team will win the upcoming series Earn one point for predicting the precise number of victories for each team Earn one point for predicting the “Series MVP” who accumulated the highest win probability added (WPA) during the series as calculated by FanGraphs (could pick a player from either team) FOF staffer Jeremiah Geiger and SuperSub David Fernandez are currently tied atop the 2026 season leaderboard, which will be updated between every Marlins series. If you are a SuperSub, leave a comment with your Prediction Time picks on this page, or join the Marlins Discord Server and submit there. We'll feature them on the upcoming Fish On First LIVE episode and track your points throughout the season! Any picks submitted prior to the first pitch of the series opener will be counted. If you are not a SuperSub, please consider signing up here to support the FOF staff. Series preview notes Probable starting pitchers: RHP Eury Pérez (MIA) vs. RHP Paul Skenes (PIT) on Tuesday RHP Janson Junk (MIA) vs. TBA (PIT) on Wednesday RHP Tyler Phillips (MIA) vs. RHP Braxton Ashcraft (PIT) on Thursday The Marlins rank 15th in MLB with a 100 wRC+ and 11th in MLB with a 3.99 FIP. They are 5-5 in their last 10 games and have a 36-24 record at home this season. The following Marlins players are on the injured list: Anthony Bender (15-day IL), Ronny Henriquez (60-day IL), William Kempner (15-day IL), Adam Mazur (60-day IL), Andrew Nardi (60-day IL) and Robby Snelling (60-day IL), though Kyle Stowers (left hamstring discomfort) could be joining them shortly. The Pirates rank fifth in MLB with a 106 wRC+ and eighth in MLB with a 3.91 FIP. They are 3-7 in their last 10 games and have a 28-32 record on the road this season. The following Pirates players are on the injured list: Oneil Cruz (60-day IL), Konnor Griffin (60-day IL), Mitch Keller (60-day IL) and Ryan O'Hearn (10-day IL). View full article