Louis Addeo-Weiss

Weathers awes in season debut while Stowers, Ramírez power offense to a getaway win at Wrigley Field. What's the best next-day remedy for blowing a two-run lead in the bottom of the ninth? The return of your best inning-for-inning pitcher from a year ago and a multi-homer effort from a burgeoning middle-of-the-order bat. That's what propelled the Marlins past the NL Central-leading Chicago Cubs on Wednesday night. In his season debut on a foggy and cold Wrigley Field night, Ryan Weathers flashed the overpowering stuff that reminded fans of his 122 ERA+ a season ago. He limited the Cubs to one run and just a pair of hits in his five innings of work in Miami's 3-1 victory to leave the Windy City on a high note. Topping out at 99 mph with a fastball up nearly two ticks from a year ago, Weathers' strong effort couldn't have come at a better time for a Marlins rotation that entered the day with the second-worst ERA in the majors (6.17). With the win, Weathers became the first Marlins starter to earn a win since Cal Quantrill back on April 25. "To get through five with the number of pitches he had...The stuff, I just thought he threw great," said manager Clayton McCullough. In 17 starts since the start of 2024, Weathers owns a 3.53 ERA. The bullpen, in relief of Weathers, held Chicago scoreless in their four innings of work, an effort highlighted by a moment for Jesús Tinoco, who authored the blown save in Tuesday's 5-4 defeat. In the batter's box, Kyle Stowers continued his ascension on the list of feared sluggers, hitting a pair of home runs—one to each side of the field—in his third multi-homer game of the season. In doing so, he became just the fourth Marlin since the start of 2018 with three such games in a single season. Stowers continued endearing himself to fans when he became just the third player in franchise history to triple and have a multi-homer effort in the same game, joining Juan Encarnación (9/24/02) and Gary Sheffield (4/10/94). After a .915 OPS in April, Stowers owns a 1.032 OPS in the month of May. "It's all about sticking to my plan...I know it sounds simple, but that's the secret sauce," said Stowers after his third multi-homer effort in 13 days. And in keeping with the theme of home runs, a conversation of this nature is not complete without mentioning Agustín Ramírez, who went back-to-back with Stowers in the fourth. Through 20 career games, Ramírez's 14 extra-base hits are the most to begin a career in Marlins history since Miguel Cabrera had 10 in 2003. Otherwise effective when you exclude the trio of home runs, Jameson Taillon allowed just four hits in his six innings of work, striking out seven and walking none. After allowing seven home runs over his past two starts, Taillon now leads the Major Leagues with 13 home runs allowed. Looking Ahead Miami will travel home where they'll spend their off day awaiting the arrival of the in-state rival Tampa Bay Rays in what will be the latest edition of the Citrus Series. Max Meyer (2-4, 4.37 ERA) will look to get back to his early-season ways in the series opener, having allowed five runs in each of his last three starts. Taj Bradley (3-2, 4.24 ERA) will oppose him in what will be his second career start against Miami. He took the loss against them after allowing four runs over five innings back on July 31 last season. First pitch from loanDepot park is slated for 6:40 EST. View full article

One center-cut curveball spoils Alcantara's potential get-right game, hands Marlins series loss on South Side. Sandy Alcantara could almost taste it. Having pitched to an ERA north of 8.00 entering Sunday, this felt like that get-right game he needed to reverse course on what had inarguably been the roughest stretch of his career. Through 5 ⅓ innings, the former Cy Young Award winner had limited the White Sox to just one run. And then, Tim Elko authored one of the more memorable first career hits that a player could possibly have. Elko sent a curveball over the left field wall of Rate Field for a go-ahead three-run homer that ignited the South Side crowd, while simultaneously souring the afternoon for an ace still searching for answers. "I thought Sandy made some really outstanding pitches late in the count," noted manager Clayton McCullough. "Didn't end well, but there were some positives to take away from this...He's definitely trending," continued McCullough. Working around a trio of walks in his 5 ⅔ innings of work, Alcantara struck out a season-high eight hitters, even registering his fastest pitch of the season at 99.9 mph in Miami's 4-2 loss to the White Sox. Despite this, Alcantara will enter his ninth start with an ERA of 8.10. In doing so, he becomes just the fourth pitcher in franchise history to struggle with run prevention to that magnitude through his first eight starts of a season and the first Marlin to lose five consecutive decisions since Trevor Richards back in 2019.. Dating back to 2023, Alcantara has now walked two or more hitters in each of his last 11 starts. He is averaging 5.2 BB/9 this year, the third-highest among pitchers with at least 35 innings pitched. Preordained as the premier asset on the market at this year's MLB trade deadline, needless to say he will have to perform better before contending teams come calling. It wasn't all doom and gloom for the Fish on Sunday, as the bullpen authored 2 ⅓ perfect innings in relief of Alcantara. Shortstop Xavier Edwards reached base three times, collecting a pair of hits, a stolen base, and his first RBI since May 3. Miami also exuded patience at the plate, drawing six walks against just three strikeouts in the loss. Chicago starter Sean Burke, who threw more balls than strikes on the afternoon, was responsible for five of those free passes, though he only coughed up one run in his four innings of work. Now 15-24 following their seventh loss in their last ten games, Miami falls to 5-12 on the road this season, third-worst in the National League. Looking Ahead The Marlins will venture up to the north side of Chicago, where they'll begin a three-game series against the NL Central-leading Cubs. Cal Quantrill (2-3, 7.11 ERA) will start the series opener against one-time Marlin Colin Rea (2-0, 2.43 ERA). Outfielder Derek Hill is expected to make his return from a left wrist sprain, Fish On First's Kevin Barral reports. First pitch from Wrigley Field is slated for 7:40 EST. View full article

Marlins drop finale despite strong effort from Edward Cabrera. MIAMI, FL—The Marlins pitching over the last week has been bad. How bad, you may ask? Dating back to April 26, here are the earned run totals allowed by each of their starting pitchers: 7, 5, 5, 7, 4, 5, 5, with the club's collective 9.71 ERA and negative-1.2 fWAR in that span both Major League worsts. So, when Edward Cabrera worked 5 ⅔ innings of two-run ball on Sunday against the Athletics, it almost felt as if the metaphoric rock that had been crushing the Marlins' necks had slowly begun to be lifted. "It was a really good version of Eddie, especially with the strike throwing," noted manager Clayton McCullough following the 3-2 loss. After surrendering a pair of runs in the top of the second, Cabrera pitched scoreless ball from there on out, retiring 11 of the final 15 batters faced. Flashing pitch-to-contact meets command approach, Cabrera threw first-pitch strikes to 15 of the 23 hitters he faced, not walking his first (and only) batter of the day until there were two outs in the top of the sixth. The right-hander's four strikeouts were his fewest in a game of 5 or more innings pitched since the three he registered against the Giants back on August 31 last season. Unfortunately for Cabrera and the Marlins' sake, JP Sears was merely a tad bit better, limiting Miami to two runs over his 6 ⅓ innings of work. The 29-year-old owns a 2.93 ERA over his seven starts this season, a mark that would have been noticeably lower had Dane Myers not tagged him for a two-run double in the bottom of the fourth. Over his 10 plate appearances during the weekend set, Myers notched a pair of hits, including a home run in Friday's loss, before stealing a pair of bases in Saturday's walk-off victory. Though only getting limited playing time, Myers has made the most of it, hitting .351 with a .922 OPS over 69 plate appearances. With the loss, Miami, now 13-20, is 2-8 over their last 10 games. They currently sport a minus-54 run differential. Only the Rockies, who entered Sunday at minus-83, have been outscored by more runs thus far in 2025 among National League clubs. Of Note - The club announced before Sunday's game that Otto Lopez had been placed on the 10-day injured list with a right ankle sprain. He tells Daniel Álvarez-Montes of El Extrabase that he expects to miss 2-3 weeks. - Catcher Nick Fortes, activated to fill the aforementioned Lopez's roster spot, went 1-for-3 in his first game since April 9. - After allowing seven runs (four earned) over his first five outings, Calvin Faucher has now gone seven consecutive appearances without allowing an earned run, lowering his season ERA to 3.18. Looking Ahead The Marlins will continue their hosting duties Monday when they welcome the Los Angeles Dodgers for the first of a three-game series. Sandy Alcantara (2-3, 8.31 ERA) will look to avenge his most recent start against the Dodgers on April 29, when he allowed seven runs over 2 ⅔ innings. Alcantara's lifetime 9.66 ERA is the worst mark among the 843 pitchers to make at least seven starts against Los Angeles. First pitch from loanDepot park is slated for 6:40 EST. View full article

Athletics outfielder JJ Bleday speaks with Fish On First about being traded by the Miami Marlins, terrorizing his former team and trying to establish himself as an everyday big leaguer. View full video

A pair of Agustín Ramírez home runs and a huge, late blast from Connor Norby were not quite enough to erase the deficit. Agustín Ramírez hit not one, but two home runs in a game started by Max Meyer, the Marlins' best pitcher to this point of the season. Sounds like a recipe for success, right? Alas, Meyer was outdueled by Seattle Mariners right-hander Logan Evans (5 IP 2 R), who was making his Major League debut on Sunday. Interrupting a streak of four consecutive quality starts, Meyer lasted just four innings, surrendering five runs and striking out six in Miami's 7-6 loss to Seattle. "Uncharacteristic for him to get behind in counts," said manager Clayton McCullough about Meyer, who tied a career-worst with four walks allowed. Seattle catcher Cal Raleigh tagged Meyer for a first-inning home run to put him into a tie with former teammate Eugenio Suárez for the MLB lead with 10. A pair of two-out walks came back to haunt Meyer in the second frame. The Mariners took a 4-1 lead following a Julio Rodríguez single and Jorge Polanco double. Polanco ultimately compiled five extra-base hits over the course of the series. Trailing by four in the top of the eighth, Connor Norby capped off his second three-hit game of the season with a three-run home run to cut the deficit to one. In nine games since returning from injury, Norby has hit .303 with an .828 OPS. "He's just getting back into the flow of things, and today was a good sign of things," noted McCullough. Ramírez Continues Torrid Start After his latest display of excellence in the batter's box, Agustín Ramírez now finds himself the owner of a 1.682 OPS through his first five career games. No Marlin had ever posted an OPS that high through their first five games with the franchise. Nick Fortes' 1.615 OPS in 2021 was the previous best mark, and that consisted of only 13 plate appearances (Ramírez is at 21). Despite serving as the designated hitter Sunday, Ramírez became the first Marlins catcher with a multi-homer effort since Fortes back on August 16, 2022. In a way that only baseball could make possible, Ramírez would prove Miami's final chance to keep the game going. He ultimately grounded out at the hands of Andrés Muñoz, who collected his sport-leading 10th save to end the contest. The Marlins head to Los Angeles with a 12-15 record and tied with Atlanta for last place in the NL East. Looking Ahead The west coast trek continues on Monday with the first of a three-game series at Dodger Stadium. Game one starter Edward Cabrera (0-1, 6.14 ERA) will look to get both his season and numbers against the Dodgers on track—in four career appearances, Cabrera owns a 10.93 ERA against Los Angeles. Opposite of Cabrera, Dustin May (1-1, 3.68 ERA) will look to resume his dominance against Miami, having posted a 1.08 ERA in three starts. First pitch from Chavez Ravine is slated for 10:10 EST. View full article

Many teams will be vying for Sandy Alcantara's services as the 2025 trade deadline approaches. Here's why the Cubs may be the perfect fit. At the outset of 2025, it was never a question of if the Miami Marlins would entertain offers for staff ace Sandy Alcantara, but when they would reel off what has the potential to be the most impactful trade of this baseball season. Sources within the Marlins organization were playing it cool amidst a couple of thrilling series wins. Reality began setting in last week, with only an improbable home run standing in the way of six consecutive losses. Much like last year, the front office will be looking for opportunities to swap veterans for young players in anticipation of returning to contender status a few years down the road. What makes the former NL Cy Young award winner and workhorse an intriguing trade candidate? He is owed “just” $34.6M combined over this and next season, along with a $21M club option for 2027. For context, between 2021 and 2023, only Zack Wheeler (16.5 bWAR) produced more pitching value than Alcantara (16.0 bWAR), and Wheeler's annual salary is $42M through 2027. Alcantara is a bargain and very much in the prime of his career at age 29. Needless to say, every team could use Sandy Alcantara. Which one could provide Miami with the most satisfying return to soften the blow of what would be a depressing departure? As things currently stand, the Chicago Cubs feel to be the best fit, both for Alcantara and for a Marlins team dedicated to stacking its pipeline with potential impact players. Pros for Chicago The Cubs have already lost their ace, Justin Steele, to season-ending surgery on his left elbow. Among the 41 pitchers to throw at least 425 innings between 2022 and 2024, Steele ranked sixth with a 3.10 ERA and nearly identical 3.14 FIP, a period that saw him finish fifth in 2023 NL Cy Young voting. A rotation now headlined by Shota Imanaga has managed a 3.05 ERA in 11 games played post-Steele. Even so, the addition of Alcantara would greatly boost the group's upside for both this season and beyond. They are currently leaning on the likes of Colin Rea, Jameson Taillon, and Matthew Boyd, each of whom are set to hit free agency after 2025 or 2026. The deep-pocketed Cubs wouldn't hesitate to pick up Alcantara's $21M option for 2027 if he's productive. In three career appearances (two starts) at Wrigley Field, Alcantara owns a 3.14 ERA and .699 opponent’s OPS. Most notably, though, Alcantara shined in his first career postseason start, tossing 6 ⅔ innings of 1-run ball in Chicago during Game 1 of the 2020 NL Wild Card Series. There’s also the Kyle Tucker of it all. Acquired from the Astros this past December, Tucker, one of the most well-rounded players in baseball, is set to cash in big once he enters free agency at season's end. Since becoming a full-time player in September 2019, Tucker has been the 10th-most valuable position player in baseball, according to fWAR (22.6). He is the only player with at least 100 HR, 90 stolen bases, and 30 runs on defense (Rfield) since the start of 2020. Tucker has continued his excellent play with the Cubs, hitting .302/.404/.615/1.018 through his first 24 games. The Cubs are hoping to retain Tucker long term. Acquiring Alcantara would be a sign of good faith in their effort to persuade him to re-sign with the organization. Divisional perspective matters, too. The complacency of the Cardinals and Pirates, the questions surrounding the Reds and if their core of young players will click simultaneously, along with the year-to-year enigma of, “How will the Brewers get it done this time given their limitations?” should only motivate Chicago more to acquire marquee talent. Pros for Miami As previously noted, the winner of the Sandy Alcantara sweepstakes ought to be the one who can supply the Marlins with the best potential return. Pitchers like Alcantara don’t grow on trees, but the prospect of two, three, or possibly even four players who could play pivotal roles on your organization’s next competitive club is an alluring potential outcome. The eighth-ranked MLB farm system ahead of the 2025 season includes a lot of potential trade chips who are practically major league-ready. One such player, 3B Matt Shaw, has already gotten a taste of the highest level. Shaw cracked the Cubs Opening Day roster and sported a .535 OPS in 18 games before being demoted to Triple-A. A change of scenery similar to what Connor Norby experienced going from the Orioles to Marlins last season could pay big dividends when you consider his career .900 minor league OPS. Chicago's highest-ranked pitcher, RHP Cade Horton, has shown an ability to miss bats, striking out 175 in his 135 innings in pro ball. Sporting two potential 60-grade pitches in his slider and changeup, Horton is off to a fast start, sporting a 1.46 ERA through his first three starts at AAA Iowa. Command issues may limit his ceiling, but Horton has mid-rotation starter written all over him. Cons for Chicago Regardless of his résumé, Alcantara’s player profile isn’t without its own warts. After logging 228-plus innings of a 2.28 ERA in his Cy Young award-winning 2022, Alcantara did experience a bit of a hangover in 2023, pitching to a 4.14 ERA (113 ERA+) over 28 starts, though still amassing 3.9 bWAR in the process. Pitching through most of that season with lingering biceps tendinitis, he ultimately developed a UCL sprain that required Tommy John surgery. In his absence in 2024, the Marlins rotation ranked 29th in ERA at 5.24 and last with 1.6 fWAR. Through four post-TJ starts, the 29-year-old has pitched to an ugly 7.27 ERA and with a tick less velocity on his four-seam and sinker in the early going. Encouraging, though, are Alcantara’s 4.73 FIP along with a 91st percentile ground ball rate, right in line with his previous campaigns. Alcantara's best asset used to be the volume of his workload. It's been more than 19 months since we've seen him make a quality start. Cons for Miami The Marlins' recent history of trading superstar-caliber players hasn’t worked out in their favor. Fans are still reeling over the Giancarlo Stanton trade after the 2017 season, a salary dump for a reigning NL MVP and just three years after signing a then-record $325M extension. The Christian Yelich trade to Milwaukee was a mere month later. He succeeded Stanton as NL MVP in 2018, has been the main protagonist of the most successful era in Brewers history, and still bats in the heart of their lineup to this day. The players acquired by Miami in both transactions failed to pan out. A very notable exception was the deal sending Marcell Ozuna to the Cardinals. The headliner of that prospect package? Sandy Alcantara. Standing pat with Alcantara is not the easy answer, either. The Marlins lose leverage as his years of club control dwindle. Alcantara's current slump is more than the simple product of bad luck. He has made mechanical changes and still has the prove he can succeed with them. While pivoting to build around Alcantara would be celebrated by fans, it'd be a risky proposition as he enters his 30s. The length of Alcantara's contract gives the Marlins enough runway to rebuff offers at the deadline if they feel he needs the months of August and September to remind the rest of the league of his awesome upside. The Marlins and Cubs most recently collaborated on a deal in December, swapping Vidal Bruján for Matt Mervis. The early returns of that favor the Fish—Mervis is their leading power hitter and run producer. Sandy Alcantara for Matt Shaw and Cade Horton: Which side would say no if that offer was on the table right now? View full article

Javier Sanoja drove in a career-best five runs to help the Marlins salvage the final game of their series against Philadelphia. On Easter Sunday, the Marlins bore witness to the return of a familiar-faced Jesus: Philadelphia Phillies left-hander Jesús Luzardo. Acquired in a trade with the Athletics for Starling Marte in 2021, Luzardo made 74 starts over parts of four seasons with Miami, winning 21 games and averaging nearly 10 strikeouts per nine. After an injury-plagued 2024, Miami pulled the trigger on a four-player trade to send the Broward County product to Philadelphia. Fortunately for the left-hander's new employer, Luzardo did just as he had done in each of his first four starts since coming over to the City of Brotherly Love, throwing 7 innings of two-run ball (one earned) against his former club. Luzardo's ERA now sits at 2.08. And yet, it was the Marlins who had the last laugh in their 7-5 extra-innings win, snapping their five-game losing streak in the process to improve to 9-12. The Marlins trailed 4-2 in the top of the eighth, but had finally gotten into a Phillies bullpen that entered play with a 5.54 ERA. Javier Sanoja—playing left field and using Griffin Conine's glove the day he was played on the 60-day injured list with a dislocated shoulder—saved his first career home run for the perfect moment. The 22-year-old deposited a hanging Orion Kerkering breaking ball into the left field seats for a three-run shot to give the Marlins a 5-4 lead. "One of the greatest moments of my life," noted Sanoja in Spanish postgame, reflecting on the homer. Sanoja would add on in the top of 10th with an RBI single, becoming the fourth-youngest Marlin to drive in five runs in a game. Gillispie Guts Through 5 After allowing four of the first five batters he faced to reach, Connor Gillispie fought his way through five innings, allowing four runs on seven hits. "He took a hit early, but he settled in and kept the game close," said manager Clayton McCullough. Miami's 5.74 ERA from their starters is 28th among 30 clubs through Sunday. Gillispie isn't helping the cause with a 6.75 ERA this season. 1.mp4 As they had in the first two games of this series, the Phillies took advantage of a Marlins team that entered the day having allowed a league-leading 34 stolen bases, swiping a pair off Gillispie in a three-run bottom of the first. Baserunners are now a perfect six-for-six on stolen base attempts against the right-hander this season. In the three-game set, Philadelphia went seven-for-seven on steal attempts. A(nother) Day to Remember Making his Major League debut, the recently recalled Cade Gibson, 27, fired 2 ⅓ scoreless frames, picking up a pair of strikeouts and touching 95 mph with his sinker in the process. "For making your Major League debut on the road, he showed no fear and a lot of composure," noted McCullough on Gibson, who 22 of his 34 pitches for strikes. Of Note - Veteran catcher Rob Brantly exited Sunday's game with reported right shoulder discomfort. - Sanoja became the first Marlin to drive in 5 or more runs against the Phillies since Starlin Castro did on August 23, 2019. - With his first inning, two-run double, Bryce Harper became just the fifth different player to collect 90 extra-base hits against the Marlins, and third with 50 doubles (along with David Wright and Jimmy Rollins). Looking Ahead The Marlins will fly south for a brief homestand, hosting a three-game series against the Cincinnati Reds that begins on Monday. Max Meyer (1-2, 2.63 ERA) will look to continue his strong start of the season in what will be his second career outing against Cincinnati. In his lone start against them back on August 6 last season, Meyer surrendered six runs over four innings. Nick Lodolo (2-1, 2.31 ERA) will oppose him for the Reds. First pitch from loanDepot park is slated for 6:40 EST. View full article

Miami was set to conclude their three-game set at Truist Park with Sandy Alcantara on the mound. The 2025 Miami Marlins (5-4) will have to wait for their second series win of the year as the finale of their three-game set against the Atlanta Braves (1-8) that had been scheduled for Sunday afternoon was called due to inclement weather. Georgia is on a partial tornado watch until 6 pm CDT. After falling victim to a dominant Spencer Schwellenbach start and a 10-run Atlanta barrage on Friday, Miami bounced back to claim the Saturday affair on the backs of Cal Quantrill's 5 shutout innings as he earned his first win in a Marlins uniform. Miami had returning ace Sandy Alcantara (1-0, 3.72 ERA) slated to start the rubber game, fresh off his first win of the season when he tossed 5 innings of 2-run ball against the Mets on April 1. The former Cy Young Award winner has mostly had his way with the Atlanta lineup, pitching to a 2.94 ERA in 13 prior starts. Among active pitchers to make at least 10 starts against the Braves, only Jacob deGrom and Clayton Kershaw have lower ERA's. Atlanta's scheduled starter, Grant Holmes (0-1, 7.20 ERA) was looking to not only get his 2025 on track but also figure out the Miami bats. In two starts against them in 2024, Holmes pitched to an 8.10 ERA over 8 ⅔ innings. The Marlins make another trip to Atlanta from August 7-10. That will now turn into a five-game series with a split doubleheader scheduled for Saturday, August 9. The Marlins' road trip continues with three games against the New York Mets, but Alcantara will be returning to Miami and go on the paternity list—he and his wife are expecting a baby girl, per Craig Mish. He will rejoin the club for the next homestand. Monday's series opener figures to be a bullpen game for the Fish with an additional arm to be recalled from the minors to take Alcantara's roster spot. Connor Gillispie (0-1, 3.60 ERA) and Max Meyer (0-1, 3.09 ERA) are the probables for Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively. The Braves will welcome the Phillies on Tuesday with Chris Sale (0-1, 5.40 ERA) set for his third start of the season. View full article

Call it a fluke, or call it early-season magic. Either way, the Miami Marlins are off to a 3-1 start after their third consecutive walk-off win. MIAMI—Baseball always seems to have a way to perfectly align with time and space to help create moments one could otherwise only dream of. For the Conine family and the Marlins themselves, one of those moments came Sunday at loanDepot park. On the day when Mr. Marlin, Jeff Conine, became the inaugural member of the team's Hall of Fame, outfielder Griffin Conine gave his father and the fans of Miami another memento from an already unforgettable day. With his Marlins trailing 2-1 in the bottom of the 7th, the younger Conine—0-for-2 to this point—sent a 97 mph fastball from Pirates reliever Colin Holderman 404 feet over the left-center wall for a game-tying home run. "It's up there," said Conine postgame when asked where that home run ranks among moments in his baseball-playing life. As for those Marlins, the flair for the dramatic would accompany them into the bottom of the 9th. Facing Pirates closer David Bednar—already victim to one of Miami's two prior walk-off victories through their first three games to begin the 2025 season—Derek Hill would lead off with a single. He then stole second and advanced to third on an errant throw from Pittsburgh catcher Endy Rodríguez that found its way into center field. Two pitches later and with Conine looming in the on-deck circle, Bednar uncorked a wild pitch that brought Hill home to seal Miami's third walk-off win to begin the season, a 3-2 triumph over the Pirates and second in as many days to give the Marlins their first 3-1 start to a season since 2020. "If every series is going to be like this, it's going to be a very fun season," noted smiling, first-year manager Clayton McCullough. Mad Max In his first start of the season, Max Meyer put forth not only one of the best starts of his young career, but inarguably the best from a Marlins rotation four games into 2025. Miami's first-round pick in the 2020 draft matched another one-time Marlins farmhand, Andrew Heaney (5 IP, 1 R), pitch-for-pitch, striking out a career-high 7 and allowing two runs (one earned) in 5 ⅔ innings of work in Miami's latest winning effort, though Meyer had to settle for a no-decision. In four career March/April starts, he now owns a 2.02 ERA. "The ability to throw breaking balls, some of them in the low-90s, and you have to respect the velocity on the fastball," noted McCullough. The 26-year-old, who authored 65.2 percent first-pitch strikes, also threw the three hardest pitches of his career Sunday, topping out at 97.6 mph. Of his seven strikeouts on the day, all of them came on his slider, a pitch that generated a 52-percent whiff rate. Of Note - Father knows best: In 80 career games against the Pirates, Jeff Conine hit .295/.353/.445/.798 with 7 home runs. - The Marlins achieved their sixth different 3-1 start to a season and first since the COVID-shortened 2020 season. Excluding 2014, the team has finished above .500 in every prior season. For what it's worth, FanGraphs currently projects these Fish to go 71-91. - After 3 ⅓ scoreless innings on Sunday, Miami's bullpen owns a 1.40 ERA through the first four games and 19 ⅓ innings pitched. That's despite high-leverage arm Jesús Tinoco (left low back strain) landing on the 15-day injured list prior to the game. Looking Ahead Miami will continue its season-opening homestand Monday when it welcomes Juan Soto and the New York Mets. Cal Quantrill will make both his loanDepot park and Marlins debuts as he squares off against David Peterson in the series opener. First pitch from loanDepot is slated for 6:40 EST. View full article

Separate four-run and five-run innings were more than enough for the Marlins to put away St. Louis on Sunday. JUPITER, Fla.—While spring training results aren't exactly everything, one may find comfort in established players looking more like themselves as the regular season approaches. Some 11 days away from league-wide Opening Day, the Marlins had one of those kinds of days here at Roger Dean in their 11-5 victory over their shared tenant, the St. Louis Cardinals. Making his third spring start, Cal Quantrill, the most notable offseason addition for the club and the owner of an ERA north of 17 through his first two outings, authored three scoreless innings. "I think the first two innings were very good. The third inning, just a long wait between innings, I didn't come out with the urgency I needed to. I really can't afford to be walking too many eight and nine hitters, so I got a little lucky. The command felt better, and for the most part, we're trending in the right direction," noted Quantrill. Quantrill only registered strikes on 23 of his 43 offerings (53.3%), helping himself out via a pair of successful pickoff attempts in his final inning of work to erase his pair of previously issued free passes. The now-30-year-old led the National League with 69 walks allowed last season, his lone in Colorado. The aforementioned long inning in question came when the Marlins, having recently plated four runs in the bottom of the second, followed it up with a five-run bottom of the third. Eight of the nine starters tallied hits in the win, including Xavier Edwards, who continued a torrid spring with a two-hit, four-RBI performance, upping his average to .333. The Marlins shortstop has reached base safely in 12 of his 13 games this spring. Maybe most encouraging, though, was the rounding-into-form performance of Jonah Bride, who highlighted the day with a two-run home run off St. Louis ace Sonny Gray, capping a 2-for-3 day at the plate. While one would describe him as being off to a slow start by way of his .138 batting average entering play, Bride—the owner of a 121 OPS+ in 272 plate appearances last season—had begun spring walking in nearly 17 percent of his plate appearances. "The big thing, having some barrels mixed, but didn't get the results," commented Bride postgame. "I just need to be more consistent and continue to control the strike zone." Spring Training Notes - Spring training quirk: Cardinals starter Sonny Gray left and re-entered the game three times on Sunday. The Cardinals' scheduled Opening Day starter's final line read as follows: 3.0 IP, 6 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 5 BB, 5 K. - In addition to a stellar defensive play earlier in the game, Otto Lopez added a pair of hits to his spring ledger, driving in a run in the process. The Marlins 2B has hit .324 with a .890 OPS in 41 PA this spring. - Good impression: Heriberto Hernández, a 25-year-old minor league outfielder signed after previously playing in the Rays minor league system during Peter Bendix's tenure there, has made the most of spring invite, hitting .286 with a .768 OPS across 32 plate appearances. Looking Ahead The Marlins will commence the work week when they host the New York Mets on Monday. Ryan Weathers (1-0, 1.23 ERA) looks to continue his stellar spring as he makes his fourth start. Paul Blackburn (1-1, 6.23 ERA) will oppose him for New York. First pitch from Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium is slated for 1:10 EST. View full article

Curry continues to impress in latest spring training outing; Wagaman, Norby lead offense on Sunday. WEST PALM BEACH, FL—Less than a month ago, when the club designated him for assignment, it looked like Xzavion Curry's brief tenure with the Miami Marlins had come and gone. His response postgame was the epitome of the zen mindset needed to persevere in a game that—no pun intended—tends to throw its fair share of curveballs at you: "In life, when you go through trials and tribulations, it's about how you respond. You have a choice about whether or not you want to lay down and mope in it." Now, after out-dueling Astros ace Framber Valdez to the tune of three scoreless innings in Sunday's 10-6 victory over Houston, the 26-year-old will enter his next spring outing with a perfect 0.00 ERA across six innings of work. Coming over from Cleveland at the end of August, Curry pitched to a 3.00 ERA and 4.22 FIP, limiting hitters to a .145 opponent's average for Miami. "I definitely feel like I'm a different pitcher now than I was last season," noted Curry, who's added a splitter and sweeper to his arsenal this spring. Curry told reporters he collectively threw four total of the aforementioned pitches in his latest spring outing. Getting hits from six of the nine starters, Miami's offense was highlighted by back-to-back home runs from Derek Hill and Eric Wagaman. "Wagaman can really hit," noted manager Clayton McCullough. "He's taken some really good swings in games and controls the zone well." Wagaman, who signed a split deal as the club's inaugural move this past offseason, has hit .263/.391/.421 in 23 plate appearances this spring. Connor Norby continued to add to his strong spring, going 2-for-5 with an RBI to raise his Grapefruit League average to .292. Despite a bullpen that allowed six runs in the six innings following Curry, Miami picked up a rare win in a game in which they allowed three or more home runs. Spring Training Notes - Liam Hicks (1-for1, BB, 2 HBP, RBI) now owns a .471 OBP this spring. Miami's Rule 5 Draft pick has hit .250/.471/.250/.721 across 17 Grapefruit League plate appearances. - Jesús Tinoco allowed a home run to Jeremy Peña Sunday on an 0-2 count. In 51 career (regular season) plate appearances ending on an 0-2 count, Tinoco has limited hitters to a .100/.098/.140 slash line. Looking Ahead The Marlins return to their spring training home on Monday when they take on the Nationals at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Sandy Alcantara will make his fourth start of the spring and second in five days against Washington, going 2 ⅔ scoreless against them on March 5. Mitchell Parker will face off against him for Washington. First pitch is slated for 1:10 EST. View full article

Edward Cabrera continued to pound the strike zone in his second spring outing, getting help from Jared Serna in the process. JUPITER, FL—The first start of the spring training for Edward Cabrera on February 25 proved a mixed bag. Looking at the glass half full, Nationals' hitters only had an average exit velocity of 85.4 mph in his one inning of work that day. On the other hand, that outing still saw him tagged for three runs and four hits. Fast forward to Sunday, March 2, and Cabrera found himself far more lucky in his second tune-up of camp. Though only allowing one run and two hits in his two innings of work in the Marlins' 5-3 Grapefruit League victory over the Cardinals, St. Louis hitters averaged 94.4 mph off the bat against the 26-year-old. "We just believe and trust in the quality of his stuff," noted manager Clayton McCullough. Encouraging was the quality of Cabrera's stuff, as his sinker topped out at 99, and the right-hander's seemingly improved command. Throwing strikes to six of the eight hitters faced on Sunday, Cabrera has yet to walk a hitter through his first two outings. Cabrera had some help behind him courtesy of Jared Serna when the second baseman robbed Nolan Arenado of extra bases with a leaping catch to end the top of the first. Acquired in the trade that sent Jazz Chisholm Jr. to the Yankees last July, Serna has impressed early, hitting .600 with a stolen base and no strikeouts in 8 plate appearances this spring. Serna also homered off 10-year veteran Steven Matz in his first at-bat of the day. Miami was aided in the winning effort by additional contributions from the likes of Connor Norby, slated to open the season as the team's everyday third baseman in 2025. Spring Training Notes - Catcher Nick Fortes, scratched from Saturday's game with back spasms, is expected to return to the lineup on Monday, per Clayton McCullough. - Jonah Bride went 2-for-3, including lacing the team's first triple of the spring in the bottom of the first. - Jesús Sánchez made his 2025 debut in center field recording two putouts and driving in a run at the plate on Sunday. McCullough recently noted Sánchez would see some time there during the season. Looking Ahead The Marlins (3-4-1) will continue their Grapefruit League schedule on Monday with a split-squad day. They host the Astros at Roger Dean with Max Meyer on the mound at 1:10 EST. Then, a separate group of players will meet the Mets for the third time in 2025. Connor Gillispie (0.00 ERA in 2.0 IP) will make his first start of camp for Miami as he faces off against Kodai Senga. First pitch from Clover Park in Port St. Lucie is set for 6:10. View full article