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 Texas Rangers. Pregame roster moves: Eury Pérez returned from rehab and reinstated from 10-day injured list; Dax Fulton optioned to Triple-A Jacksonville Starting Lineup 2B Xavier Edwards (S) SS Otto Lopez 1B Kyle Stowers (L) LF Heriberto Hernández DH Griffin Conine (L) CF Jakob Marsee (L) RF Owen Caissie (L) 3B Leo Jiménez C Brian Navarreto P Eury Pérez Click HERE to download the full game notes (preview below)

Sandy Alcantara's fourth strikeout against the Texas Rangers on Tuesday night was also the 1,002nd of his Miami Marlins career, surpassing Ricky Nolasco for the franchise's all-time strikeout record. For his record-breaker, Alcantara got Rangers catcher Kyle Higashioka swinging in the top of the seventh inning. That was the penultimate batter Alcantara faced en route to breaking another record—by earning his 30th career win at loanDepot park, he broke a tie with the late great José Fernández. Here is a career breakdown of Alcantara's Ks by pitch type: 279 with changeups 271 with four-seamers 255 with cutters 156 with sinkers 41 with sliders 10 with sweepers Nolasco originally surpassed Dontrelle Willis for the Marlins strikeout lead on August 23, 2011. Nobody had come close to challenging it since then until Alcantara. It took Alcantara nearly eight years from the day of his Marlins debut to become the record-holder. It won't necessarily require Cy Young Award-caliber talent for somebody to usurp him. but finding common ground with the club on a contract extension that delays free agent eligibility will be crucial. Alcantara, for example, would've been eligible to walk after the 2024 season had he not signed an extension. Alcantara has a firm hold of the record through the end of the decade, at the very least. Current Triple-A arm Braxton Garrett is next closest to him among active Marlins with 325, followed by Eury Pérez at 285, who’ll be returning from an injured list stint on Wednesday. Should Alcantara remain with the Marlins through season's end and avoid lengthy injury absences, he's on track to surpass Nolasco for several other franchise records, including innings pitched (currently 48.2 IP behind), games started (11 behind) and losses (one behind). 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 Texas Rangers. Starting Lineup CF Jakob Marsee (L) SS Otto Lopez LF Kyle Stowers (L) 2B Xavier Edwards (S) RF Owen Caissie (L) DH Heriberto Hernández C Joe Mack (L) 1B Connor Norby 3B Javier Sanoja P Sandy Alcantara 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 Texas Rangers. Pregame roster moves: Zach Brzykcy recalled from Triple-A Jacksonville; Max Meyer placed on the bereavement list Starting Lineup LF Heriberto Hernández SS Otto Lopez 1B Kyle Stowers (L) 2B Xavier Edwards (S) CF Jakob Marsee (L) RF Esteury Ruiz DH Griffin Conine (L) 3B Javier Sanoja C Joe Mack (L) P Tyler Phillips Click HERE to download the full game notes (preview below)

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 Kevin Barral. The following topics were covered: Taking care of business in sweeping the San Francisco Giants The end of Christopher Morel's Marlins tenure How Griffin Conine fits with the current roster Liam Hicks (low back strain) lands on injured list Skip Schumaker and Jake Burger making first visits to loanDepot park since leaving Marlins Scotland's "Tartan Army" buying up all of the tickets to Monday's game Previewing and predicting the next series against the Texas Rangers 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 Wednesday at approximately 7:00 p.m. ET following the Marlins-Rangers series finale. 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 San Francisco Giants. Pregame roster moves: Griffin Conine returned from rehab and reinstated from the 60-day injured list; Brian Navarreto selected from Triple-A Jacksonville; Christopher Morel designated for assignment; Liam Hicks (low back strain) placed on 10-day IL retroactive to June 20; Josh Ekness transferred to 60-day IL Starting Lineup CF Jakob Marsee (L) RF Griffin Conine (L) 2B Xavier Edwards (S) 1B Kyle Stowers (L) SS Otto Lopez DH Owen Caissie (L) LF Esteury Ruiz C Joe Mack (L) 3B Connor Norby P Ryan Gusto Click HERE to download the full game notes (preview below)

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 is currently 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 Tyler Phillips (MIA) vs. LHP Tyler Alexander (TEX) on Monday RHP Kumar Rocker to pitch bulk innings after Alexander RHP Sandy Alcantara (MIA) vs. TBA (TEX) on Tuesday TBA (MIA) vs. RHP Jacob deGrom (TEX) on Wednesday The Marlins rank 19th in MLB with a 97 wRC+ and ninth in MLB with a 3.94 FIP. They are 7-3 in their last 10 games and have a 26-16 record at home this season. The following Marlins players are on the injured list: Josh Ekness (60-day IL), Ronny Henriquez (60-day IL), Liam Hicks (10-day IL), Janson Junk (15-day IL), Adam Mazur (60-day IL), Andrew Nardi (60-day IL), Eury Pérez (15-day IL) and Robby Snelling (60-day IL). The Rangers rank 18th in MLB with a 98 wRC+ and 15th in MLB with a 4.19 FIP. They are 4-6 in their last 10 games and have a 18-22 record on the road this season. The following Rangers players are on the injured list: Carter Baumier (60-day IL), Jalen Beeks (15-day IL), Cody Bradford (60-day IL), Evan Carter (10-day IL), Robert Garcia (60-day IL), Michael Helman (60-day IL), Jack Leiter (15-day IL), Chris Martin (15-day IL), Jordan Montgomery (60-day IL) and Corey Seager (7-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 second game of Miami's home series against the San Francisco Giants. Starting Lineup CF Jakob Marsee (L) SS Otto Lopez 1B Kyle Stowers (L) 2B Xavier Edwards (S) LF Heriberto Hernández DH Owen Caissie (L) 3B Leo Jiménez C Joe Mack (L) RF Esteury Ruiz P Max Meyer Click HERE to download the full game notes (preview below)

There has been plenty of discourse lately about this year's potential Miami Marlins All-Stars. Don't forget that on July 12, two days prior to the Midsummer Classic, there will be another exhibition at Citizens Bank Park, featuring ballplayers who aren't household names yet, but have the talent to become ones. A handful of Marlins minor leaguers are deserving of participating in the 2026 Futures Game, though the most likely scenario is the organization will be limited to two reps. The Futures Game is not solely about rewarding minor league production. With all due respect to the strong statistical first halves that Carter Johnson, Emilio Barreras and Luis Palacios have had, their perceived upside as prospects is not high enough to get them into this conversation. Selections are usually young relative to their current level of competition. Another complicating factor is that MLB orgs themselves have a say in the process. Some have ulterior motives beyond simply sending their top-rated prospects. I'm fairly confident that the Marlins delegation will be a combination of the following names. RHP Karson Milbrandt FOF Top 30 rank: No. 9 2026 MiLB levels: Double-A/Triple-A MLB ETA: early 2027 Milbrandt is the most qualified Futures Game rep that the Marlins have had in a long time. His case begins with having limited opponents to nine earned runs in 12 starts for a jaw-dropping 1.31 ERA. The homegrown right-hander ranks second in the Marlins system in innings pitched (62) and strikeouts (85). Milbrandt entered 2026 with substantial long-term reliever risk. His improvement against left-handed batters, who have gone 13-for-99 off him with 46 Ks this season, now gives him a brighter outlook. SS Aiva Arquette FOF Top 30 rank: No. 6 2026 MiLB levels: High-A/Double-A MLB ETA: mid-2027 Arquette, on the other hand, has the weakest statistical case among my handpicked Futures Game "finalists." He posted an 80 wRC+ through his first 21 games with Double-A Pensacola (100 represents league average). However, he was the Marlins' top draft pick last year, makes plenty of hard contact and looks like a viable defender at shortstop. OF Dillon Lewis FOF Top 30 rank: No. 4 2026 MiLB levels: Double-A MLB ETA: mid-2027 Lewis is a new addition to the Marlins after headlining January's Ryan Weathers trade package. He has fully met expectations thus far with a very consistent campaign in Pensacola. The athletic right-handed hitter paces all Marlins prospects with 15 home runs while slashing .238/.318/.502 and going 14-for-16 on stolen base attempts. His speed and batted ball angles have kept him out of double plays (only 1 GIDP in 258 PA). A yellow flag: his strikeout rate has jumped from 23.5% last year to 30.6% this year. Health permitting, Lewis will get a taste of Triple-A competition before season's end. SS Starlyn Caba FOF Top 30 rank: No. 5 2026 MiLB level: High-A MLB ETA: early 2028 Caba had a lousy debut season in the Marlins org in 2025. Thankfully, he recalibrated during the Arizona Fall League and has sustained that high level of play with the Beloit Sky Carp. Caba is the best fielder in this article, if not the best in Miami's system, period. We already knew that a year ago. The most exciting change has been the 20-year-old's maturation in the power department, slugging .437 after previously owning a career mark below .300. A switch-hitter, he's been dominant against right-handed arms (slashing .300/.462/.527 with 5 HR). Caba's well-rounded game and the obvious step forward he has taken from the previous year make him the most deserving Marlins position player, in my opinion. OF/1B Kemp Alderman FOF Top 30 rank: No. 7 2026 MiLB level: Triple-A MLB ETA: late 2026 Alderman is Miami's reigning Minor League Player of the Year, though he wasn't a 2025 Futures Game selection because his best stretches of production occurred during the second half of the season. His 2026 campaign was interrupted by an elbow injury. He returned from the IL earlier this week. Alderman's power to the opposite field is awe-inspiring, as is his arm strength in the corner outfield spots. He has been learning to play first base on a part-time basis, which should hasten his arrival to the majors. Like Milbrandt, Alderman is doubtful to be eligible for another Futures Game after this one, so that element of urgency may get him the nod. OF Cam Cannarella FOF Top 30 rank: No. 10 2026 MiLB levels: High-A/Double-A MLB ETA: mid-2027 Cannarella has missed the most time due to injury among the serious candidates (limited to 34 games), but he's been elite at the plate while primarily patrolling center field defensively. He leads all full-season Marlins farmhands in batting average (.366) and on-base percentage (.434). 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 1B Liam Hicks (L) RF Owen Caissie (L) DH Heriberto Hernández LF Kyle Stowers (L) SS Otto Lopez CF Jakob Marsee (L) 3B Connor Norby C Joe Mack (L) 2B Javier Sanoja P Lake Bachar (opener) 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 is currently 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 Lake Bachar (MIA) vs. RHP Landen Roupp (SF) on Friday RHP Max Meyer (MIA) vs. RHP Trevor McDonald (SF) on Saturday TBA (MIA) vs. RHP Logan Webb (SF) on Sunday Ryan Gusto likely to pitch bulk innings The Marlins rank 18th in MLB with a 97 wRC+ and 10th in MLB with a 3.99 FIP. They are 7-3 in their last 10 games and have a 23-16 record at home this season. The following Marlins players are on the injured list: Griffin Conine (60-day IL), Josh Ekness (15-day IL), Ronny Henriquez (60-day IL), Janson Junk (15-day IL), Adam Mazur (60-day IL), Andrew Nardi (60-day IL), Eury Pérez (15-day IL) and Robby Snelling (60-day IL). The Giants rank 12th in MLB with a 103 wRC+ and 18th in MLB with a 4.25 FIP. They are 5-5 in their last 10 games and have a 17-23 record on the road this season. The following Giants players are on the injured list: Harrison Bader (10-day IL), Hayden Birdsong (60-day IL), José Buttó (60-day IL), Jason Foley (60-day IL), Tyler Mahle (15-day IL), Jared Oliva (60-day IL), Joel Peguero (60-day IL), Heliot Ramos (10-day IL), Randy Rodriguez (60-day IL), Rowan Wick (60-day IL) and Keaton Winn (15-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 road series against the Philadelphia Phillies. Starting Lineup DH Liam Hicks (L) SS Otto Lopez 1B Kyle Stowers (L) 2B Xavier Edwards (S) 3B Javier Sanoja RF Owen Caissie (L) CF Jakob Marsee (L) C Joe Mack (L) LF Esteury Ruiz P Sandy Alcantara Click HERE to download the full game notes (preview below)

Fish On First LIVE discusses the atrocious production that the Marlins have been getting from Christopher Morel and Leo Jiménez and several of the internal options to take their roster spots. 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 second game of Miami's road series against the Philadelphia Phillies. Pregame roster moves: Recalled Dax Fulton from Triple-A Jacksonville; optioned William Kempner to Jacksonville Starting Lineup 2B Xavier Edwards (S) SS Otto Lopez C Liam Hicks (L) RF Heriberto Hernández 3B Javier Sanoja DH Leo Jiménez LF Esteury Ruiz CF Jakob Marsee (L) 1B Connor Norby P Tyler Phillips Click HERE to download the full game notes (preview below)

What a difference a year makes. Anybody else remember this piece I wrote in mid-June of 2025 about how none of the Miami Marlins merited a spot on the National League All-Star roster? Kyle Stowers took that personally and emerged as one of the NL's best hitters leading into the break to validate his selection, but the larger point stands: that team was thin on individual excellence. In 2026, on the other hand, we have seen a handful of Marlins simultaneously reach peak performance. Despite running it back with many familiar faces from last season's squad, their record entering Tuesday is seven games better than it was through the first 73 games of 2025, largely because seemingly average-quality players have become among the best at their respective positions. There will not be room for all of the following players on the NL roster, in part because the Marlins fanbase is not large enough to get any of them elected as starters regardless of qualifications. Anonymity works against them as well—Sandy Alcantara is the only current Marlin who's been an All-Star before and he's not in the mix this time around. From longshot to near-lock, here is how I rank their likelihood of becoming first-time All-Stars. 5. Tyler Phillips NL All-Star odds: 6% It would be unorthodox to even consider a pitcher who accrued only one win and two saves this deep into the season, but Phillips has simply thrown up too many zeroes to be ignored. He boasts an extraordinary 1.86 ERA through 19 appearances (three starts). He has logged 48 ⅓ innings pitched so far (dwarfing all relief-only candidates), and barring injury, he should rank third on the Marlins in that category come the All-Star break. Phillips should have four starts left before the NL pitching staff is fully locked in. He'll need to accrue 20-plus innings of near-perfection during that span to keep his hopes alive. 4. Xavier Edwards NL All-Star odds: 20% Even the Marlins did not see this kind of production coming from Edwards, who batted as low as the seventh spot in their lineup early in the season. X's uptick in power—particularly from the right side of the plate—has put him in the All-Star conversation. However, he's quietly in the midst of a month-long homerless drought (78 wRC+ during those 24 games). His defense at second base has been good, though not quite on par with what he did last year after switching to the position. Also keep in mind that All-Star selections are not made in a vacuum. Between Brice Turang, Luis Arraez, Brandon Lowe and standout rookie JJ Wetherholt, there's a lot of competition among second basemen this season. Edwards will need another hot streak to secure his trip back to Philadelphia for the Midsummer Classic. 3. Liam Hicks NL All-Star odds: 35% Hicks' improvement as a slugger has been even more pronounced and sustained than Edwards'. It has not come at the expense of his advanced plate approach—he's drawn more walks (28) than strikeouts (24). Just reinstated from the injured list on Monday, Drake Baldwin has a seemingly insurmountable lead in fan balloting among NL catchers. It seems like a forgone conclusion that Hunter Goodman will make the team as a reserve to ensure the Colorado Rockies are represented. Also working against Hicks, he's barely a "catcher" at this point, receiving the vast majority of his reps at first base and designated hitter since the Marlins called up Joe Mack in early May. That being said, Hicks' knack for driving in runs (51 RBI) will merit serious consideration. 2. Max Meyer NL All-Star odds: 75% It's been a stunning breakout season for Meyer from several angles. Let's begin with the fact that he has been a mainstay in the Marlins rotation through 15 starts after never previously making more than 12 straight major league starts without getting injured. The lifetime 5.29 ERA he took into this season has practically been sliced in half, to 2.75. While the old Meyer was so susceptible to home runs, the new Meyer is brilliant at suppressing them. His much-improved sweeper is now a reliable putaway pitch against left-handed batters. Meyer's franchise-record undefeated streak is partially the byproduct of hearty run support, but less so recently. The Marlins have removed his training wheels, sticking with him three full trips through opposing lineups and beyond 100 pitches when needed. He has rewarded them by reliably finishing those outings on a high note. Between the initial selections and replacements named due to injuries and throwing schedule conflicts, there are usually about 15 total starting pitchers who receive NL All-Star nods. Even assuming some regression from Meyer in his remaining first-half starts, he's probably going to be selected. 1. Otto Lopez NL All-Star odds: 85% Friend of the pod Otto Lopez is on pace to make history. The combination of his hitting ability and baserunning is rare for any position, especially shortstop. Lopez's season has been completely slump-free thus far. A testament to both consistency and durability, he has recorded hits during each of the first 23 Marlins series. In addition to leading all MLB players in hits, he ranks first among NL shortstops in both the FanGraphs (3.0 fWAR) and Baseball-Reference (3.1 bWAR) versions of wins above replacement. The only NL SS candidates in Lopez's tier are CJ Abrams and Elly De La Cruz, and there is room for all three on the roster if necessary. As long as the underachieving Mookie Betts does not throw a wrench into process by inexplicably win the fan vote, Lopez's case for a reserve spot is unimpeachable. 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 Philadelphia Phillies. Starting Lineup DH Liam Hicks (L) SS Otto Lopez 1B Kyle Stowers (L) 2B Xavier Edwards (S) LF Heriberto Hernández RF Owen Caissie (L) CF Jakob Marsee (L) C Joe Mack (L) 3B Javier Sanoja P Ryan Gusto Click HERE to download the full game notes (preview below)

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 Kevin Barral. The following topics were covered: Sensational Jakob Marsee catch Max Meyer wins again, bolstering All-Star candidacy Heriberto Hernández raking his way to an expanded role Christopher Morel and Leo Jiménez providing no value Checking in on the crowded National League Wild Card race 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 Wednesday at approximately 7:00 p.m. ET following the Marlins-Phillies series finale. View full article