Noah Berger

After a rough outing on March 6, Marlins ace Jesús Luzardo put some worries to rest with an encouraging start on Tuesday against a tough Astros lineup, which featured four of their All-Stars. JUPITER, FL—"I felt like myself again today," said Jesús Luzardo after his outing against the Astros Tuesday in Jupiter. The stat line told a different story but at this point in spring training, none of that matters when push comes to shove. He started things off with a rough first inning in which he allowed a run to score on three hits and a wild pitch. His only blemish in the next two innings was a hard-hit double down the left field line by Mauricio Dubón. Luzardo came into the fourth inning with four strikeouts and a manageable pitch count. It got out of hand quick as he allowed two runners to reach base on a single, a fielder's choice, and a hit batsman without recording an out. Skip felt it was time to make a change and get Luzardo off the mound so he brought in minor league call-up Lincoln Henzman. Henzman allowed those runners plus a few more to score tacking two earned runs onto Luzardo's line (3.1 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, 1 HB, 1 WP, 67/45 P/S). Having not reached the planned 75 pitches on the mound, Luzardo threw an additional ten pitches in the bullpen before heading to the clubhouse. His offspeed pitches generated a combined eight whiffs on 19 swings while his fastball didn't generate a single whiff. He said of his pitches, "[This was] probably the first or second time this spring that I started feeling my offspeed pitches really do what they're supposed to do. Had a really good feel for the slider, thankfully again, so we got that back. The changeup felt good. The fastball was getting to the right spots. So all in all I felt like it was a step in the right direction, especially after the last star which was frustrating." He said that his focus going into his last two spring starts before Opening Day is to improve his pitch efficiency and get back into counts on a consistent basis. Skip on Luzardo's outing: "I thought he did a lot better than last time. Velo was way up today. I thought the slider was good. I thought the changeup was good. I thought overall it was much closer to where it needs to be with opening day coming up." 55e519ed-a8a54e8f-cd0ee286-csvm-diamondx64-asset_1280x720_59_16000K.mp4 JT Chargois gave up a run on two hits in an inning of relief while recording one strikeout in his first appearance of the spring after a delayed start to his progression caused by neck spasms. Concerningly, the velocity and spin rate on both his sinker and slider were down a significant amount. When asked about Chargois, Skip said, "We'll have to see how he's feeling to make sure everything's okay. The velo was a little bit down so maybe [it is just because it was his] first time out." Nick Gordon made his first start at second base of the spring and reminded everyone that he can play pretty much anywhere, and he can play it well. Not only did he make an almost-spectacular diving stop and glove flip behind the bag, he also racked up two hits to the opposite field: a leadoff single in the bottom of the first, and a leadoff double in the bottom of the third. Skip on Nick Gordon: "It's not surprising to me because he's such a good athlete. I know it can play second base. I know he can play all three outfield positions. He's got a good arm. [His] baseball IQ is as good as there is. As far as the hit tool, other than a couple of lefties that he's faced, he's had a really nice spring at the plate. I think he's going to be extremely valuable for us this year." Noah's Notes Eury Pérez is scheduled to start Wednesday's game against the Washington Nationals and is expected to go 5 innings and between 65 and 70 pitches. Other pitchers scheduled to pitch in that game: Sixto Sánchez (2 innings), Roddery Muñoz (3 innings) and Bryan Hoeing (1 inning). View full article

There were positive signs all around as the Marlins cruised to a 1-0 victory over the Mets off the backs of Trevor Rogers, Max Meyer, Tim Anderson, and the rest of the pitching staff. PORT ST. LUCIE, FL—It was a beautiful evening for baseball as Trevor Rogers power outage at Clover Park in the first inning rendered Statcast inoperable for the first half of the game, meaning we could not glean any data from Trevor Rogers' pitches. We did ask Trevor about a few of his pitches, namely the back-to-back strikeouts in the first inning against Pete Alonso and Francisco Alvarez, which came on a changeup and a two-seam fastball, respectively. Trevor told us after the game that this is the best his body has bounced back between starts in a very long time and that he's feeling fully recovered from his injuries. Trevor's final line: 3.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K, 45/33 P/S Skip on Trevor Rogers: "I thought Rogers was great. I thought his fastball command was there, and I thought the split was really, really good tonight. He commanded all his pitches and threw a lot of strikes." 0xkp2j_1.mp4 Max Meyer relieved Rogers just as Statcast came back to life in the middle of the fourth inning, wearing goggles over his eyes that he has been seen using lately. He told us that he has been wearing them because his eyes get dry quickly, and any dust or debris makes it harder for him to see, so he wears the goggles as protection. When asked if he was trying to look more like Jesús Luzardo, Max said, "He's a good guy to copy." Meyer's fastball velo averaged 93.9 MPH over the 17 times he threw it, generating one whiff, while his changeup generated two whiffs with an average velocity of 85.5 MPH in the five times he threw it. Max's final line: 3.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K, 39/23 P/S Notable Nuggets Tim Anderson silenced the crowd chanting "overrated" at him during his first plate appearance by crushing an opposite-field home run directly into a stiff breeze on the first pitch of his at-bat. Tim said of the homer, "I just try to go out, play hard, play my game, and try not to pay them any mind. They weren't chanting it when I came to the plate the second time, so I think I made my point." Anderson also added that, "I'm at my best when I'm [hitting the ball] to the right field." Jazz Chisholm Jr. showed off his wheels in the bottom of the fourth, getting a perfect read on a 108.5 MPH ball off the bat of Starling Marte. Jazz reached a sprint speed of 26.3 ft/sec as he traveled the 92 feet straight back to run down the ball in the air on the track. Skip said of the play, "For him, it's more about the first step, the pre-pitch. He's as good as anybody on the first step. You can see it. It's natural to him now. He's a special talent. You need to be strong up the middle to win, and having him, especially in our park, is a huge advantage for us." Edwin Díaz made his return to the mound for the Mets for the first time since suffering a leg injury while celebrating after recording the final out of Puerto Rico's win over the Dominican Republic in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. The moment the bullpen gate opened and "Narco" started playing over the loudspeakers, the entire Mets dugout was hanging over the railing while the crowd erupted to greet him as he made his way to the mound. He struck out the side just to top it all off—Jesús Sánchez, Avisaíl García and Jon Berti each went down swinging. Skip on Edwin: "Just as a fan of baseball, you like to see him come back. That was a tough injury during the WBC which was so much fun for baseball. For that to happen to him. He's in our division and you don't want to face him. Ever. But as a fan, you want the best players on the field. He's one of the best closers. You never want to see an injury like that happen. So it was just really good to see him back on the mound and hopefully he throws three [games] in a row before we get into town so we don't have to face him multiple times." Noah's Notes Jake Burger made his first appearance of the spring at first base. Andrew Nardi, Anthony Bender, and Anthony Maldonado pitched scoreless innings in relief. Bender and Maldonado each recorded two strikeouts. The Marlins pitching staff recorded their fourth shutout of the spring. Jesús Luzardo starts Tuesday against the Houston Astros at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. View full article

On a cloudy and breezy Sunday in West Palm Beach, Ryan Weathers again reinforced his case to crack the Marlins' starting rotation. WEST PALM BEACH, FL—Ryan Weathers racked up seven strikeouts over five scoreless innings in the road game of Sunday's split-squad slate against the Astros at CACTI Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. According to the scoreboard radar gun, his fastball velocity touched 98 mph on multiple occasions as he carved through the Astros lineup. Weathers on his outing: "I felt really good. I felt like I was in control today. Controlling the counts. 0-0's were really good and then I won a lot of 1-1's and got to a 1-2 a lot. Stuff felt great. I was really heavy split, four-seams, and two-seams today, mixing in the changeup, mixing in the breaking ball when needed. I just faced these guys about a week ago and did really well with the breaking ball against them. So today early, they were seeing it down a little bit. So I put it in the back pocket until later on in the outing." With Edward Cabrera getting scratched from his start in the home game of the split-squad slate due to right shoulder tightness and Braxton Garrett already sidelined as he recovers from a shoulder issue, Weathers is now a near-lock to make Miami's Opening Day rotation along with A.J. Puk. As of mid-Sunday afternoon, Weathers leads all MLB pitchers with 17 spring training strikeouts. Weathers on possibly making the rotation: "Anytime you get mentioned as possibly being on a big league team, it's obviously an incentive. I'm a Marlin and I'm here to do whatever I can to help the team win. Whether that's filling up water cups, throwing out of the bullpen, or starting, I have the same goal in mind." Final line for Ryan Weathers: 5.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 7 K, 68/47 pitches/strikes (individual pitches were tracked manually by yours truly, so those totals are unofficial.) Other notable performances Trey Mancini had a two-hit game. In the second inning, he sneaked a home run off the top of the wall, and he smashed a ground-rule double to RF in the sixth inning. Nick Gordon had two hits, drove in two runs, stole two bases, and made a leaping catch at the wall in left field. Declan Cronin pitched a scoreless inning in relief, allowing only one baserunner on a hit by pitch. Yonny Chirinos pitched three scoreless innings and recorded a save with just one strikeout. Manager's musings Bench Coach Luis Urueta (managing the road game while Skip Schumaker stayed in Jupiter) on Ryan Weathers: "He's been doing a pretty good job throughout spring. Today no different than the other outings where he attacked early, commanded all his pitches, threw first-pitch strikes. We love to see that from him. He's on a good path and we are excited to see more from him." Noah's Notes With much of the Marlins' major league staff coaching the other split-squad game, manager of the FCL Marlins, Luis Dorante Sr., assumed the role of bench coach this afternoon. Dorante is the father of Marlins team interpreter Luis Dorante Jr. The two of them shared a moment together on the field prior to the game. This game was finished in just two hours and five minutes, finishing before the home squad completed the fifth inning in Jupiter. Trevor Rogers and Max Meyer are scheduled to pitch Monday night against the New York Mets at Clover Park in Port St. Lucie. View full article

Nearly a full year removed from pitching in a game, Rogers took the mound in West Palm Beach on Tuesday and held a full-strength Houston Astros lineup scoreless. WEST PALM BEACH, FL—Trevor Rogers came into Tuesday's game with two objectives: to fill up the zone and have his body feel good at the end. He checked both boxes in his two innings of work against the Houston Astros, saying afterward, "I was just really happy to get out there and compete again." His fastball velo touched 95 mph on multiple occasions, including a called third strike in the first inning on Yordan Alvarez, about which Trevor said, "I'm really glad he didn't take it 420 [feet] off me. To get Alvarez like that was a huge confidence-booster for me." Regarding his other two pitches, "I think my slider was really good. It was getting some good swings and misses. My split was really good. I made one bad pitch and left a split up and they hit it off the wall." In addition to his three usual pitches, Trevor spoke about throwing a two-seam fastball (sinker), "being able to use that two-seam to get out of some counts was really beneficial today." Trevor started throwing the sinker a lot more last season prior to his injuries, using it 18.8% of the time compared to 0.3% the year prior. 40c48126-73306323-cd15581a-csvm-diamondx64-asset_1280x720_59_4000K.mp4 He got some help from his defense in the form of a diving catch by Nick Gordon to rob Kyle Tucker of extra bases in the second inning. Trevor said of the play, "Yeah, that was huge. The way he was able just to run that ball down it just seems like he had it the whole way. That was really impressive to see. It's gonna be fun watching that all year." 20f0d683-a198acd7-9cff75a0-csvm-diamondx64-asset_1280x720_59_16000K.mp4 So what's next for Trevor? "It's pretty much just the same objectives plus one more inning." Manager's Musings Skip Schumaker on Trevor: "Trevor was good. First time out in a long time. He felt good coming out, which is great. His command was good. 95 [mph] four-seam, 92 mph sinkers, a good change, a good slider. I think overall, just a really good day." On getting as many guys as possible as many innings as possible: "There's split squads and piggybacks and then there's guys that, you know, we're gonna have to make some moves. So you're getting to that time of year where there's gonna be limited innings and at-bats. But guys are making it tough, and that's what you want." On Ryan Weathers' four scoreless innings: "He's really maturing, really progressing. Proud of the work that he put in the offseason and it's cool to see your work pay off for you. I know it's spring training and all that, but the offspeed is really working—the characteristics are different than they were last year. And he's one of the guys that can hold his velo and he's been 95-97 for four innings. It shows you what kind of condition he is in. He's been opening some eyes in camp, no doubt." On Nick Gordon's performance so far: "Good to see for him. He had a tough year last year. So for him to be able to make plays like that after a broken leg and having stolen bases. The whole thing, the whole package is exciting. So again, another dynamic player that you can have on your roster that can come off the bench, start, and play multiple positions. Really good fit in the clubhouse." Additional Notes Jonah Bride hit a HR in the top of the 8th inning to break the 0-0 tie. Javier Sanoja drove in another run in the top of the ninth with an RBI single. George Soriano and Bryan Hoeing each pitched a scoreless inning. The Marlins beat the Astros 2-0 in a crisp two hours and seven minutes. Vladimir Gutierrez secured a save in his first appearance as a Marlin, with a scoreless bottom of the ninth. Jesús Luzardo is scheduled to start Wednesday's game against the Nationals. He is expected to throw four innings. Max Meyer is expected to throw 2-3 innings in relief of Luzardo. View full article

Due to an early spring shoulder issue, Garrett won't be able to stretch out for a full starter's workload in time for the start of the season. WEST PALM BEACH, FL—Following the best season of his MLB career, in which he pitched to a 3.66 ERA in 159.2 IP, Braxton Garrett was almost guaranteed to break camp as a member of the Marlins' starting rotation. That no longer seems realistic. The first sign of trouble came on February 16 when Braxton had originally been scheduled to throw his first bullpen but ended up being removed from the list on short notice. Skip Schumaker informed the media the following day that Brax was dealing with "minor soreness in his throwing shoulder." Braxton mentioned that this was the first time in his career that he had ever dealt with any kind of shoulder issue. Braxton then threw a light bullpen on February 21 and what Skip called his first "real" bullpen on February 26. When he spoke to the media following that bullpen session, Skip alluded to the possibility of the lefty not being ready for the March 28 Opening Day roster, noting that he would still need to throw a few more bullpens and live BPs before getting into any game action. The final nail in the coffin came Tuesday morning when Skip said, "I don't think you're gonna be seeing him to start the season. Opening Day is gonna be tough for him. I'm not going to push somebody that has a bit of a shoulder thing going on. He feels great now, but he needs to ramp up." Following his latest bullpen session, Braxton told the media about his recovery and progression: "Bullpen felt good. Starting to feel back to normal. My shoulder is bouncing back really well. Feel like I'm in a much better spot than when I showed up." He also said of dealing with the mental aspect of recovery, "It was tougher early on in the offseason when I couldn't just kick it. But now I feel really good. It just feels nice to go and throw a bullpen and feel great. So I'm just focusing on that and just trying to continue feeling good." Braxton's temporary absence creates a clear path for converted reliever A.J. Puk to slot into the rotation to begin the season. Puk has looked very good so far in his spring appearances, striking out nine of 19 total batters faced (47.4%) without allowing a run. Once Garrett's ramp-up is complete, the Marlins will have a fascinating decision to make. View full article

Marlins players give their takes on the new uniforms introduced by Nike and Fanatics this season. One of the hottest topics surrounding spring training this season is the controversy over the new MLB uniforms from Nike and Fanatics. Whether it be the smaller names on the back, the transparency of the pants, or how they feel, it's hard to walk around a big league camp without hearing someone talking about the uniforms. Most quotes come from observers and people outside the locker rooms and off the field, so I went around the Marlins' clubhouse and asked the players for their takes on the new uniforms. "I really don't care that much. I'm not gonna lie. I just feel like I look good in everything I wear. You can put me in something and everybody might think it looks bad, but I look in the mirror and I'm like, 'I might have a little something going here.' I think I look good in the uniforms. I saw some pictures yesterday. I thought I looked really good in the uniforms. They might just fit me that way. You know, I mean, my body structure and all that stuff." —Jazz Chisholm Jr. "The only problem I have is the pants don't fit me, but that happens every year when we get to camp and start trying on new pants. Other than that, everything is good." —Luis Arraez "I think it's definitely different, but realistically, things change over time. You're gonna try things out; some things work, some things don't. Me as a player, the lighter, the better, especially playing in Florida. Those guys up north, maybe in Minnesota, might want some heavier jerseys. Me, I'm just happy that they're Nike jerseys, and they fit well, and they stretch well. I don't have too many controversial thoughts about it. It's up to the fans, really. They're the ones that buy the jerseys." —Troy Johnston "I would say I'm with the rest of the crowd, honestly. [The uniform] feels good so far. I think the material of it feels great—it's light, so it's not too hot when you're out in the sun. I guess the only critique I would have is the size of the name on the back, which is a little bit small compared to the number, but I actually don't have anything wrong with it." —Bryan Hoeing "I'm okay with them. I think our jerseys turned out a little better than a lot of other teams. Like, I saw the Cardinals, and it just looks really plain, and I think the color of ours helps it out a little bit, but they're comfy. The pants are cool. I've never been a guy that has really paid too much attention to uniforms, so I don't mind them too much." —Dane Myers "The feel is fine. Just knowing that people can see through them is a little uncomfortable. So I just layer up and hopefully wear black so that no one can notice. But yeah, that's all I'm thinking about." —Tristan Gray "I didn't really notice anything until the word started getting around, and the first thing I noticed was the letters seemed smaller. I guess they're going for a lighter fit. The one thing I've noticed is the pants are pretty see-through. If you're wearing some 'lucky undershorts' or something like that, and they got a bunch of colors on there, I think you're gonna be able to see those pretty well. Other than that, I mean, I wear an undershirt, so I don't really notice the whole feel of the jersey, but they feel lighter." —Anthony Bender "I don't think the feel is terrible. With the pants, they're definitely pretty see-through. I think the vents are a little different. I feel like it's a little bit tighter. Other than that I mean I think the pants are okay. My biggest thing with the jerseys is they just don't look as nice as the old ones. You know, hand-stitching them on and bigger letters and everything I think just looks more professional. I feel like we had nicer jerseys in travel ball growing up." —Devin Smeltzer "I like the jerseys a lot. I think they're a lot lighter than last year's version, which is nice, especially right now, being so hot. I think maybe if it's colder, I'll feel a little different about them, but right now, I like the tops a lot more than last year's." —Xavier Edwards "We're all like pretty used to it now. I think at first everyone was like, 'Woah, these are so different.' Then you were like five times. I don't think anyone's really thinking about the jerseys right now." —Declan Cronin View full article

Used exclusively in relief during his first Marlins season, Puk retired six of the seven batters he faced on Tuesday. PORT ST. LUCIE, FL—In a stark reminder that final scores don't matter in spring training, the Marlins drew more positives than negatives from a 7-1 loss to the Mets. A.J. Puk makes his first rotation audition On the same day that his good friend was named the Opening Day starter, A.J. Puk shined in his first spring appearance as he builds towards a possible spot in the starting rotation going into the regular season. He pitched two solid innings, racking up three strikeouts and just one walk without allowing a hit on 26 pitches. Puk mixed in five different pitches: a 4-seam fastball, a sinker, a slider, a sweeper, and a new-grip changeup. During his time in college, Puk threw a traditional circle-change, but it appears from both Statcast and Puk referring to the changeup as a "splitter" that he is now going with a split-fingered grip on his offspeed pitch. Puk said of the preparation for today's game, "It's nice to get that routine going again—just go out there and make sure my body is ready to go and make that start." Tristan Gray lives in Jorge López's nightmares The Marlins have only hit two home runs so far this spring. Both of them have come off the bat of NRI Tristan Gray. Gray spent last season in the Rays' organization, where he hit his first major league home run off of former Marlin Jorge López in a game against the Orioles in September. With López on the mound for the Mets today, Gray smelled blood in the water and sent the first pitch he saw over the center-field wall. f6945a2d-2d5ec7ef-4f00bc3c-csvm-diamondx64-asset_1280x720_59_16000K.mp4 Tristan said of seeing López on the mound, "I was wondering who was coming in. I saw it was him, which gave me a little calmness going up there. I was like, alright, I know exactly what he's got. I've faced him up there before, so I knew what he was going to throw." Manager's Musings Skip Schumaker was very impressed with how A.J. Puk looked out there and is excited to see the guys fighting for rotation spots going forward. He preached patience when it comes to Josh Simpson's struggles in his first two outings, reminding us that it's not even March yet. On Simpson specifically: "He's got to throw strikes. I mean, you cannot play at this level and not throw strikes. You're playing with fire. He knows that. It's nothing new and he's going to learn from every outing that he has up here. He still has his stuff. His curveball has always been his pitch; he just hasn't gotten the feeling for it yet. Once he gets a feel for that pitch, he'll be okay." Noah's Notes Edward Cabrera will start Wednesday's game in Jupiter against the Houston Astros. George Soriano is scheduled to pitch in relief. Sixto Sánchez is tentatively scheduled to pitch against the Phillies in Clearwater on Friday. Tim Anderson took live BP today against Vladimir Gutierrez. View full article

With a spot in the Marlins bullpen open for another left-handed pitcher, this 2019 Marlins draft selection out of Columbia University is gunning for a chance to break camp with the big league club. JUPITER, FL—With Steven Okert being traded to the Twins and A.J. Puk gunning for a spot in the starting rotation, that seemingly leaves an open slot for another left-handed pitcher in the Marlins bullpen going into 2024. Andrew Nardi and Tanner Scott will most likely spend most of their time pitching in high-leverage innings for Skip Schumaker, leaving space for a lefty setup/long reliever. Marlins' 2019 amateur draft selection out of Columbia University, Josh Simpson, seems poised to snatch that spot up as Spring Training games get closer and closer. The 26-year-old out of Stafford, CT, got a sniff of the big leagues last season, getting called up by the Marlins on September 12, 2023, while the team was in Milwaukee to face the Brewers. He never got the chance to make his debut on the mound before being optioned back to Jacksonville on September 17th. He then was given the chance to experience playoff baseball as he was called up to join the Marlins for the wild card series against the Philadelphia Phillies. He again was not given a chance to pitch. He said of the playoff atmosphere, "You kind of crave that atmosphere and just see those guys perform every day and in that environment. It was something I thought about every night during this offseason." He stole the show today during Live BP this morning in Jupiter, showing off some nasty sinkers and an off-speed pitch that froze Nick Gordon. He threw 20 pitches in today's session, mixing in all of his pitches. He mentioned he wants to work his changeup in a little more this year and said it's been a project he's been working on this offseason. Pitching Coach Mel Stottlemyre Jr. has talked with him a lot about trusting his fastball more and allowing that to give him more opportunities to throw guys off their rhythm with the off-speed and the breaking balls. He said of the fastball, "I know if I have that in the zone with confidence and conviction, then I think I can definitely compete and help the team win." When asked about the potential openings in the Marlins bullpen and how it changes his approach to spring training this year, Simpson responded, "I try to keep the same mindset. Every camp is me trying to go about my business the right way and taking care of what I can control." View full article

Here are the Caribbean Series All-Stars, as elected by the accredited media in Miami. Following the first semifinal game between Panamá and the Dominican Republic, the Caribbean Professional Baseball Confederation announced the results of the media vote for the tournament's All-Star team. One player was chosen per position plus a designated hitter, starting pitcher, reliever and manager. The Tiburones de La Guaira (Venezuela) and Tigres del Licey (Dominican Republic) led the way with three All-Stars each. Federales de Chiriquí (Panamá) and Criollos de Caguas (Puerto Rico) had two apiece, while the Naranjeros de Hermosillo (México) and Curacao Suns (Curacao) both had one. The selection included the votes of more than 200 journalists. Ballots were cast prior to the start of the semifinals. Before we get to the winners, here are the ballots Kevin Barral and I cast on behalf of Fish on First. Kevin Barral C: Iván Herrera DH: Nelson Velázquez 1B: Raudy Read 2B: Robinson Canó 3B: Dawel Lugo SS: Jack Lopez LF: Aaron Altherr CF: Alexi Amarista RF: Heliot Ramos SP: Ricardo Pinto RP: Chavez Fernander Manager: Ozzie Guillén (Venezuela) Noah Berger C: Iván Herrera DH: Nelson Velázquez 1B: Hernán Pérez 2B: Robinson Canó 3B: Dawel Lugo SS: Jack López LF: Aaron Altherr RF: Wladimir Balentien CF: Johnny Santos SP: Ángel Padrón RP: Chavez Fernander Manager: Hainley Statia (Curacao) Now for the winners (with the percentage of votes they each received in parentheses)... C: Iván Herrera, Panama (66.7%) Round Robin Stats: .400 AVG, 20 AB, 27 PA, 3 R, 8 H, 1 2B, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 5 BB, 1 SB, 1.306 OPS DH: Nelson Velázquez, Puerto Rico (53.9%) Round Robin Stats: .368 AVG, 19 AB, 22 PA, 3 R, 7 H, 1 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 3 BB, 2 SB, 1.139 OPS 1B: Hernán Pérez, Venezuela (71.1%) Round Robin Stats: .381 AVG, 21 AB, 26 PA, 2 R, 8 H, 2 2B, 4 RBI, 5 BB, 4 SB, .976 OPS 2B: Robinson Canó, Dominican Republic (53.4%) Round Robin Stats: .333 AVG, 21 AB, 26 PA, 2 R, 7 H, 1 2B, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 2 BB, .870 OPS 3B: Dawel Lugo, Dominican Republic (42.6%) Round Robin Stats: .455 AVG, 22 AB, 23 PA, 1 R, 10 H, 2 2B, 3 RBI, 1 BB, 1.023 OPS SS: Jack Lopez, Puerto Rico (39.2%) Round Robin Stats: .385 AVG, 13 AB, 18 PA, 1 R, 5H, 1 2B, 1 3B, 3 RBI, 1 BB, 2 SB, 1.027 OPS LF: Aaron Altherr, México (53.4%) Round Robin Stats: .316 AVG, 19 AB, 27 PA, 6 R, 6 H, 1 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 7 BB, 1.308 OPS RF: Wladimir Balentien, Curaçao (38.2%) Round Robin Stats: .391 AVG, 23 AB, 24 PA, 5 R, 9 H, 2 HR, 2 RBI, 1.069 OPS CF: Alexi Amarista, Venezuela (39.7%) Round Robin Stats: .474 AVG, 19 AB, 23 PA, 3 R, 9 H, 3 RBI, 2 BB, 1 SB, .996 OPS SP: Angel Padron, Venezuela (57.4%) Round Robin Stats: 1-0 W/L, 1.46 ERA, 3 G, 1 GS, 1 CG, 12.1 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 6 K, 0.57 WHIP RP: Jairo Asencio, Dominican Republic (50.5%) Round Robin Stats: 0.00 ERA, 3 G, 3 SV, 3.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0.67 WHIP Manager: Jose Mayorga, Panamá (44.1%) View full article

Final score: CW 2, PUR 0 In a win-or-go-home game Wednesday morning, Curacao held Puerto Rico scoreless in a semifinal-clinching victory. MIAMI, FL—The Puerto Rican hitters had nothing against the Curacao pitching staff, going quiet at the worst time. And even when Puerto Rico came close to breaking through, the Curacao defense slammed the door firmly shut in their faces. Curacao vs. Puerto Rico box score and play-by-play Curacao needed only a single run to come out on top and advance to the semifinals. Puerto Rico gifted them a second run in the top of the ninth after throwing that ball all over the field. Puerto Rico committed three errors in the late innings of the game as it became apparent that their spot in the semifinals was quickly slipping away. Yadier Molina was forced to use eight pitchers in the game, making multiple pitching changes in the same inning on multiple occasions. Curacao starting pitcher Juan Carlos Sulbarán didn't allow a hit until the third inning and faced only one batter above the minimum in his five innings of work. Wendell Floranus and Shea Spitzbarth combined for just three hits and three strikeouts in three innings in relief, and with a 2-0 lead and a chance to send Curacao to their first semifinal berth in the history of their participation in the Caribbean Series, Anthony Herrera slammed the door with a five-pitch ninth inning. Neither team recorded a hit with runners in scoring position, combining to go 0-for-12. Curacao advances to the semifinals with a record of 3-3 and a tiebreaker over Puerto Rico. They will play a yet-to-be-decided opponent on Thursday. Puerto Rico heads home. Time of game: 2 hours, 44 minutes Attendance: 6,870 Notable Performances: The Curacao pitching staff: 0 BB Jurickson Profar (CW): 2-for-4, BB Jonathan Schoop (CW): 2-for-4, 2B Juremi Profar (CW): 2-for-3, RBI View full article

Final score: VEN 5, PAN 4 With the top spot in the semifinals on the line for Panamá and a spot in the semis ripe for the taking for Venezuela, the two teams faced off in a back-and-forth thriller. Panamá wasted no time to begin Tuesday's primetime game, with Allen Córdoba and Iván Herrera smacking two home runs into the Venezuelan bullpen on back-to-back pitches in the first inning. Venezuela responded in the bottom of the second, plating a run on a double off the wall by Hernán Pérez that drove home Wilson Ramos and moved Yasiel Puig to third. Puig was thrown out at the plate trying to score on a flyout to the right fielder Luis Tello, who made a 93.9 MPH throw to the plate to nab him. In the top of the third Panamá, there was quite a rally, forcing Venezuela to go to the bullpen early, but they only came out of it with a single run, making the score 3-1. By the time we reached the fourth inning, two plays had already been reviewed, four walks, two mound visits, and four runs scored. We were in for a long night for a game that started at 8:34 p.m. without a pitch clock. Three combined walks and a pitching change in the fifth inning were paired with yet another lengthy review, adding more and more time to the game. Venezuela stormed back to take the lead with three runs in the sixth on yet another RBI double by Hernán Pérez, clearing the bases that had been loaded with three walks, giving Venezuela a 4-3 lead. A home run from Alcides Escobar in the bottom of the seventh further extended Venezuela's lead to 5-3 and sent the Venezuelan fans into an absolute frenzy. Panamá rallied in the ninth, but could only score a single run, coming up just short. Venezuela and Panamá have now both secured spots in the semifinals on Thursday. Their final tune-ups for that will come on Wednesday, with Panamá hosting the Dominican Republic (3:30 p.m.) and Venezuela hosting Nicaragua (8:30 p.m.). Attendance: 11,801 Time of game: 3 hours, 1 minute Christian Bethancourt went 0-for-4 with an RBI on a fielder's choice. Notable performances: Allen Córdoba (PAN): 3-for-5, HR, RBI Iván Herrera (PAN): 1-for-2, HR, RBI Hernán Pérez (VEN): 2-for-2, 2 2B, 4 RBI, 2 BB Alcides Escobar (VEN): 2-for-3, HR, RBI Anthony Castro (VEN): 2.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K Noah's Notes (I'm allowed this time cause it's my birthday!): I turned 24 while writing this article! View full article

Longtime Marlins shortstop Miguel Rojas played for Tiburones de La Guaira in the Venezuelan Winter League. Fish On First caught up with him at LoanDepot Park to discuss the Caribbean Series and the enthusiasm of Venezuelan fans. View full video