Kevin Barral

We are fast approaching one of the most exciting milestones on the calendar: Major League Baseball’s trade deadline. This season, MLB teams have until Monday at 6:00 pm ET to make deals involving their big leaguers. The Miami Marlins are in a complicated position, as we will explain below. Where the team stands The Marlins started the second half of the season on a bad note, being swept by the Milwaukee Brewers, Houston Astros and San Diego Padres coming out of the All-Star break. They have bounced back since then with a sweep of the Philadelphia Phillies. If the season were to end today, the Chicago Cubs, Phillies and Arizona Diamondbacks would make the postseason as National League Wild Card teams over them. They are 8.5 games back of the Atlanta Braves for the NL East lead. Marlins Chairman, Principal Owner & Control Person Bruce Sherman recently told Fish On First that Marlins president of baseball operations Peter Bendix has the green light to go ahead and add to the current roster if they are clear contenders. That no longer applies to 2026. FanGraphs projects that the Marlins have only a 16.7% chance of reaching the playoffs as of Thursday morning. Craig Mish of Marlins.TV said on Monday's pregame show that the Marlins will not be buyers at the trade deadline. They will not acquire players on expiring contracts for this season. That said, the Marlins also do not plan to be sellers and intend to keep core players such as Sandy Alcantara, Eury Pérez, Max Meyer, and Joe Mack. What we are hearing - Fish On First can report that the Marlins are expected to hold onto Sandy Alcantara. Regardless of where the team is in the standings, the organization wants to keep what it considers the face of the franchise. A clear favorite of Bruce Sherman, Alcantara is expected to remain in Miami and serve as the club's Opening Day starter in 2027—whenever that may be. -Based on conversations Fish On First has had with team brass, it appears unlikely that outfielder Heriberto Hernández will be traded. After a dreadful start to the season, the Marlins optioned Hernández to Triple-A. Since being recalled, he has arguably been Miami's best hitter, posting an .894 OPS in 56 games. A fixture in the No. 3 spot of the lineup, Hernández is highly valued by the organization, and it would likely take a significant offer for the Marlins to part with the talented right-handed hitter. - The Marlins are open to moving on from Liam Hicks. The driving factor behind this is the emergence of Joe Mack and the belief that Agustín Ramírez can still be a viable catcher at the big-league level. Hicks is slashing .279/.358/.435/.793 with14 home runs, 60 RBI and a 118 wRC+. Other teams may value Hicks more than the Marlins because he can provide help behind the plate. The catching market is led by Minnesota Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers, but beyond him, it is quite barren assuming that the Colorado Rockies retain Hunter Goodman. The Marlins have fielded many calls regarding Hicks, and if the price is right, Miami could be willing to sell high on the Canadian backstop. - Pete Fairbanks, the Marlins' marquee free agent signing this past offseason, has struggled this year. In 34 appearances, the right-hander owns a 6.75 ERA, 5.06 FIP, 12.15 K/9, 3.78 BB/9, and 15 saves—all career-worst marks for the $13 million reliever. The expectation is that the Marlins will move Fairbanks at the trade deadline, even if the return is minimal. Left-hander John King has another year of arbitration eligibility left, but could also be on the move before the deadline as Bendix tends to see the deadline as the best time to maximize value on his relievers. - Sources tell Fish On First that the Marlins are searching for a "Tyler Phillips replacement"—meaning a pitcher capable of both starting games and pitching out of the bullpen. The expectation is that Phillips will remain in the rotation, but if Miami acquires a veteran starter, a move back to the bullpen could become a possibility for him. - The Marlins will look to trade Braxton Garrett at this trade deadline. In 15 appearances (14 starts) in the minor leagues, Garrett has a 2.32 ERA, 3.86 FIP, 9.77 K/9 and 3.42 BB/9. Garrett was called up earlier in the season, but in his two starts, he allowed a combined seven earned runs and eight walks. The Marlins believe that if he remains in Triple-A continuing to succeed, then they can garner something in return. - Although described as a long shot, the Marlins plan to listen on Xavier Edwards at the deadline, multiple sources have told Fish On First. Teams have shown interest in the switch-hitting second baseman in previous years, but the Marlins have been unwilling to part with him. Under Bendix, the Marlins have shown that they will move players for the right price. That could be the case with Edwards if an offer presents itself. In 109 games, Edwards is slashing .291/.373/.402/.775 with six home runs, 39 RBI, 18 stolen bases and a 114 wRC+. - While third base has been an area of concern, the Marlins appear content with Javier Sanoja and Leo Jiménez sharing time at the position for now. The organization's hope is that 2025 first-round pick Aiva Arquette will be ready for the major leagues in 2027 and can solidify the hot corner sooner rather than later. - Speaking of prospects, Miami is ultra-high on outfielder Cam Cannerella. The organization views him as a top 100 prospect in the sport and should Marsee’s struggles continue, the Marlins may have his replacement waiting in the wings. View full article

MIAMI, FL — The Miami Marlins announced on Wednesday that August 23 will be "Thank You Tommy Day" at loanDepot park. Prior to that afternoon game against the Washington Nationals, there will be a special pregame ceremony for broadcaster Tommy Hutton. "The day will recognize his extraordinary contributions to the organization and the South Florida community as he wraps up his final season in the booth," the Marlins said in their press release. The "Thank You Tommy" celebration will begin with an on-field pre-game recognition featuring a tribute video highlighting some of Hutton's most memorable moments and signature calls. He will then be joined by his family on the field, and his three granddaughters will throw out the ceremonial first pitch to him. Additional festivities and tributes will take place throughout the game. Hutton started his tenure with the Marlins organization in 1997, when the organization won its first World Series. Since then, Hutton has been with the organization for parts of 28 seasons, 23 of which were on television. He has been partnered with a handful of Marlins play-by-play announcers, beginning with Joe Angel and currently Kyle Sielaff. He developed particularly good chemistry with Rich Waltz when they were partnered together from 2005-2015. Unfortunately, they didn't cover any postseason-caliber teams during that period. Hutton was fired by the Marlins after the 2015 season, but brought back in June 2018 and has worked in a part-time capacity ever since. Apart from the Fish, Hutton had previous stints with the Montreal Expos, New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays and appeared on national telecasts for ESPN, ABC and NBC. The former first baseman/outfielder played 12 major league seasons from 1966-1981. Overall, he has spent more than six decades in professional baseball. Hutton announced during spring training that this would be his final season, saying that "calling Marlins games and being part of this community has been one of the greatest honors of my life." Hutton has exclusively worked home games on Marlins.TV this season. The team's other TV analysts are Jeff Nelson and Gaby Sanchez. First pitch on August 23 is scheduled for 1:40 pm. Fans are encouraged to be in their seats early for the pregame ceremony and help celebrate one of the most influential figures in Marlins history. View full article

MIAMI, FL - This time one year ago, it was assumed that the Miami Marlins would be trading franchise icon Sandy Alcantara at the trade deadline. Alcantara remained a Marlin through the trade deadline and offseason. One year later, he is setting franchise records. First, most strikeouts in franchise history, and on Tuesday night against the Philadelphia Phillies, he set the record for most quality starts in franchise history (111). On top of that, the Marlins are now winners of back-to-back games, getting back to .500 with a 1-0 win. "When I was a little kid, I wanted to play baseball, this was my dream," Alcantara said. "I'm here and I try to enjoy the moment and the opportunity. When I'm out there, I just want to go more than seven. That's what I always need to do, trying to give the team a chance to win the game. You guys can see every time I take the mound, it doesn't matter situation, if I am having bad day or good day, I just always compete out there." Alcantara gave the Marlins seven shutout innings, taking a no-hitter into the fifth inning. He also struck out five. Alcantara now has a 3.82 ERA, 3.97 FIP, 6.87 K/9 and 2.33 BB/9 in 23 starts this season. The no-hitter for Alcantara was lost with two outs in the fifth inning when former Marlins Bryan De La Cruz knocked an infield base hit. It came down to a foot race between him and Alcantara to see who would reach the base first. De La Cruz just beat him out. Marlins manager Clayton McCullough and first baseman Kyle Stowers both sensed a different Alcantara coming into Tuesday's affair. McCullough said that he had "a real edge to him" while Stowers noted that his "breaking balls just looked like another level." "It was a little different right out of the first inning with how he came out," McCullough said. "Other than the (Alec) Bohm walk on the three-two pitch, he was in and around the zone. Every pitch felt like it was competitive where they had to make a decision and how he moved the ball around through some really good sweepers. The cutter was a good pitch tonight, and certainly his fastball." The biggest difference in 2026 is that Alcantara will very likely remain a Miami Marlin, not having to deal with the trade rumors. Marlins chairman and principal owner Bruce Sherman told Fish On First that he is not getting traded. Alcantara has a $21 million club option for the 2027 season, though there's been no confirmation yet about whether that will be exercised. On top of Alcantara's strong outing, Calvin Faucher and Pete Fairbanks, both of the team's struggling relievers, came out and handled Philadelphia six up and six down. Faucher entered the game for the eighth inning, inducing three straight groundouts. For Faucher, this is now his fourth straight appearance where he has not allowed a run. Within that span, he's faced the Houston Astros, San Diego Padres and now back-to-back outings against the Phillies. On the season, he has a 4.57 ERA, but a 3.27 FIP. Fairbanks —the team's big free agent signing—has struggled this season, calling it "the most trying three-month stretch I've ever had in the game of baseball." On Tuesday, he worked a 1-2-3 top of the ninth, striking out both Bohm and Edmundo Sosa to notch his 14th save of the season. "You're betting on the the talent, the track record and we need Pete to to be good and he knows that too." McCullough said. "Great for him to go out there and just have a really clean inning and move the ball around like he did. Drop his curveball in there and utilize the fastball well." The lone run of the game came thanks to Kyle Stowers in the bottom of the first inning, hitting his 14th home run of the season off Phillies starter Aaron Nola. This marked Stowers' second home run of the homestand and is now slashing .235/.318/.450/.768 with 14 home runs, 46 RBI and a 107 wRC+. With the win, the Marlins are back at an even .500, with a 54-54 record. They trail the Arizona Diamondbacks by two games for the third National League wild-card spot. Ryan Gusto will be the Marlins starting pitcher for the series finale Wednesday at 12:10 pm EST. View full article

For the 2026 season, Fish On First will provide weekly reports on the Miami Marlins farm system, covering all levels. The busiest stretch of the minor league calendar is behind us now that the Florida Complex League season has ended. However, we are on the verge of seeing new draftees take the field and it is increasingly likely that the Marlins will add more prospects from outside the organization in trade deadline deals. This report covers the games played from July 21-27. Triple-A Jacksonville The Marlins recently set a franchise record for most consecutive losses at 12. Amazingly, at the exact same time, the Jumbo Shrimp lost 12 straight games themselves, most recently being swept in Worcester. Since arriving to the Triple-A level, outfielder Cam Cannarella continues to hit, slashing .290/.405/.516/.922 with one home run, two RBI and a 146 wRC+. Cannarella, who started the 2026 season in High-A Beloit, played 19 games at that level before a promotion to Double-A, then after a 34-game stint (posting a 1.060 OPS), he received the promotion to Jacksonville. The most impressive part of his game so far has been the power, hitting 13 home runs this season; last year in 83 total games between college and the minors, he hit only five. The majority of them have been to the opposite field. Cannarella should be playing Major League Baseball come 2027, and it shouldn't take very long into next season for that to happen. One name to keep an eye out for in terms of potentially receiving an opportunity in the second half of this season is Kemp Alderman. He is slashing .289/.366/.498/.864 with 14 home runs, 41 RBI and a 127 wRC+. The main concern with Alderman continues to be the high strikeout rate, now at 30.8%. That is seven percent higher than 2025, where it was down to 23.1% across Double-A and Triple-A. Mainly an outfielder, Alderman has played a lot of first base in 2026, where he can help the team if they end up parting with Liam Hicks at the trade deadline. Former first-round pick Jacob Berry has been placed on the development list. Berry has played in 72 games this season, posting a 103 wRC+. He has homered only twice in 50 games since the beginning of May. Struggling since reaching Triple-A is Karson Milbrandt. In eight games (seven starts), he has posted a 6.39 ERA, 5.40 FIP, 7.55 K/9 and 7.84 BB/9. After such a strong performance in Double-A, where he was striking out opposing hitters left and right, the jump to a new level has certainly hurt him. Braxton Garrett may be seeing his final week of action as a member of the Marlins organization. Per Craig Mish, the Marlins are "getting a ton of calls and interest on him." In 15 appearances (14 starts), Garrett has a 2.32 ERA, 3.87 FIP, 9.77 K/9 and 3.42 BB/9. The downside is that in his most recent start, he allowed seven runs on eight hits in 2 ⅔ innings pitched against Worcester. A good reference point for a potential Garrett trade can be what the Pittsburgh Pirates got in return for José Urquidy, who like Garrett, was in Triple-A as depth. Double-A Pensacola The Wahoos continued to slug their way to success against the Columbus Clingstones this past week en route to winning five of six games. They hit six home runs, bringing their season total to 127, tops in the Southern League. Pensacola also received quality production from their pitching staff as they held the opposition to just nine total runs. All around, this was one of their best series of the season so far. The rocket emoji was created in this man’s likeness. Brandon Compton’s incredible power surge continued as he pumped out another three home runs against Columbus. In his first 20 games with Pensacola, the 22-year-old has hit 11 home runs. Since the start of June, Compton has hit 21 homers. That is not only the most in Minor League Baseball, it is the most in all of professional baseball. Compton is the first Marlins draft pick to hit 20 homers in their first full season in the organization since Peyton Burdick in 2021. This is exactly what the Marlins hoped they were getting when they drafted Compton shortly after he set MLB Draft Combine records for exit velocities. Always his calling card since his collegiate days at Arizona State, it isn’t surprising that Compton is clearing fences, but it is staggering the pace at which he is doing it and under the circumstances in which he is doing it. Famously, the jump to the Double-A level is the hardest for a young player to make, much less one participating in their first full pro season. Compton has handled it with ease, not skipping a beat. If anything, he’s been even better in Pensacola where he is slashing .342/.407/.822 over the 20-game sample. Another recent change for Compton has been the switch to a different bat handle, an axe-handle grip, which is evidently working to his advantage. As is common for this style of hitter, Compton will need to find a way to make his K rates more manageable as he fully matures. Thus far in his MiLB career, he strikes out 36% of the time. His selectivity will be a primary focus as he rounds out the season with the Wahoos. Defensively, Compton owns a strong arm even after undergoing Tommy John before his freshman year of college. His ability to stick in the outfield will be reliant on his ability to improve as a route runner. Overall, this 6’1”, 225-pounder is reminiscent of the aforementioned former top prospect Burdick and current Marlins outfielder Griffin Conine. The Marlins would be very pleased with Compton winding up on the positive side of that equation. He will likely finish the year at Double-A before a probable spring training invite in 2027 (CBA permitting). There’s no sugar-coating it: it’s been a rough year overall for Nigel Belgrave, part of the Marlins’ 2023 draft class. Coming off a spectacular 2025 campaign in which he dominated Double-A competition and even had a cup of coffee at the Triple-A level, the 24-year-old righty has seen his ERA balloon up to an uncharacteristic 5.24 through 28 appearances. The hope is, though, that he has started to have been cured of what ailed him. July has been much kinder to Belgrave. Including two appearances in this series against the Clingstones, he has allowed just three runs in 12 innings. Belgrave’s most recent appearance really stood out—tossing a career high 3 ⅓ innings, he struck out five and didn’t allow a baserunner. Belgrave’s struggles this season were certainly surprising from an arm which consistently held down an ERA under 3 for two straight seasons and who was among candidates to make his MLB debut at some point this season. Through 44.2 IP, he’s already allowed a career-high in hits (48) and is eight walks shy of his career high in that department. The possible culprit for Belgrave’s struggles is some tinkering he did with pitch shapes that have limited his command and the movement he had over his fastball a slider which forced him to be in the zone more. Previously a two-pitch guy, Belgrave now has four usable pitches (both varieties of fastball, cutter, sweeper and mix-in change), so there is room for optimism. Hopefully back to his roots, Belgrave will look to build on his recent strong performance and get back on track as a possible late inning relief option that can also go multiple innings if needed as early as next season. High-A Beloit The Sky Carp returned home after a road series and a half on the road and despite losing the run differential battle to Cedar Rapids, were able to take five of six games to get back to within one game of .500 on the season. Solid starting pitching was present for Beloit during half of the series: three Carp starters threw five or more innings while allowing just one run or less. Offensively, the Sky Carp did enough in this series and look to improve in that regard in pretty short order. The Marlins are expected to assign their 2026 draft class to affiliates shortly, a few of which may head straight to Beloit. Most picks will go to Jupiter. In corresponding roster moves, prospects that have been performing well for the Hammerheads (Andrés Valor and Max Williams, among others) may receive promotions to High-A. Quietly, Aiden May has consistently improved as the season has gone on. Now it seems as though he may be ready to start really garnering attention and boosting his stock as a prospect. Participating in his first full MiLB season after appearing in just nine games in 2025 due to arthroscopic surgery, May parlayed some early season growing pains into a great June in which he held down a 1.93 ERA. Building up to pitching deeper into games more often, he has lasted into the the 6th inning in four of his last five starts, including this week in which the righty tossed a career-high 6 ⅔ innings. He allowed just four hits and one walk while striking out four. The biggest catalyst for May as he’s navigated the season has been the improvement of his command and ability to limit damage. When too far in the zone as he was frequently earlier this season, May struggled particularly later in counts putting hitters away and keeping the ball out of play. Finding more corners and having a better frame of mind for his still-evolving pitch mix, May has solved for that gap while keeping his walk rate under control. He is now only allowing hits at a .239 clip and his BABIP against has normalized to .293. A zone-pounding righty with a deep arsenal, May is honing his craft advantageously. Because there is little room for error in his game and because he doesn’t have wipeout or blow-it-by-you stuff, there’s reliever risk to him, but with the ability to work multiple innings and put up zeroes, he has a high floor as a future bullpen option. If everything works out for him, he will be a back-end rotational option. May could be a candidate to get the call to Double-A before this season is over. There, we will learn a bit more about how close he can get to his ceiling. After a great first month at the High-A level, the league adjusted a bit to Emilio Barreras. Although opponents still were unable to get him to whiff much, Barreras went just 7-for-33 to start July. In this series against Quad Cities, though, the 22-year-old infielder was able to adjust back to his new competition level advantageously. Appearing in five games, Barreras went 5-for-15 with an RBI and two walks. He boosted his yearly batting average back up to .280 and his overall OPS rose to .733. With Beloit, Barreras is slashing .246/.340/.358. Any new level is going to present challenges to players who are going through their development. Handling the mental side of the game is an integral part of the growth process for young athletes. Barreras is beginning to show he can handle the ups and downs of failure and success that baseball throws at players in a positive manner. While his exit velocities don’t jump off the screen nor has his ability to record extra bases, his penchant for getting on base has even admits his start-of-July dip in production. Back on the positive side of the bounces against the River Bandits, he’s a pesky at-bat who shows great plate discipline and knowledge of the strike zone. The one thing that has fallen off for Barreras as he’s matriculated to Beloit is his ability to use the entire field. He is going to his opposite field just 23.5% of the time. Without much power, regaining the ability to cover the entire plate will be paramount for Barreras as he continues to develop. The ability for the mostly-singles bat to become more of a base-stealing threat would also be a major plus. Expect Barreras to remain with Beloit for the remainder of the season. Low-A Jupiter After a dreadful start to the season, Andrés Valor is finally a league-average hitter player per wRC+ at exactly 100. He is slashing .217/.345/.384/.729 with 10 home runs, 36 RBI and 44 stolen bases (by far the most in the Marlins org). Still only 20 years old, there is still time to bounce back and begin looking like the prospect that he did before. Max Williams has been torching the Low-A level since returning from shoulder surgery. In 12 games, he is slashing .390/.519/.585/1.105 with one home run, six RBI and a 198 wRC+. It is still early in Williams' career and these numbers should be taken with a grain of salt, but they're still impressive nonetheless. He is currently being used only as a designated hitter while his shoulder returns to full strength. Left-hander Dameivi Tineo threw five hitless innings in his start on Saturday. He became just the fourth Marlins minor league pitcher this season to reach the 100-strikeout mark. Right-hander Eiver Mosquera has been suspended 80 games for violating Minor League Baseball’s drug program after testing positive for the performance-enhancing substance boldenone. FCL Marlins The FCL Marlins had their share of ups and downs this season, finishing last in the Florida Complex League East with a 20-32 record and a run differential of -94. While the record wasn't pretty, the offense wasn't necessarily the problem. The club hit .260 as a team, fifth-best among the 15 FCL teams, while also ranking fifth in slugging percentage, sixth in OPS, and finishing in the top third of the league with 42 home runs. The biggest issue all season long was the pitching staff. The FCL Marlins finished last in the league with a 7.57 ERA, while the next closest club posted a 7.01 ERA. Despite allowing just a .244 batting average against—the fifth-lowest mark in the league—they surrendered a league-high 337 walks while finishing in the middle of the pack with 438 strikeouts. The stuff was there all season, but the command simply wasn't. The command issues showed up in just about every category. The Marlins led the FCL with 115 wild pitches and tied for the league lead with 39 balks. What's surprising is they also finished second in the league in GO/AO, meaning they were one of the more ground-ball-heavy staffs in the league. Even with that, they turned just 10 double plays all season, the fewest in the FCL. The next-lowest team turned 20. Offensively, the Marlins showed flashes throughout the year but lacked consistent extra-base production. They finished 12th in doubles with 68 and second-to-last in triples with just nine. The FCL season is only 52 games, so the sample size is small, but when looking back at the year, many of these numbers line up with what was visible on the field. DSL Marlins & DSL Miami José Camacho has quietly put together a solid season for DSL Miami. In July, he is hitting .258 (16-for-62) with two home runs, including one on Monday afternoon. Camacho has struck out just 18.5% of the time this season, but his .270 BABIP suggests he has been on the wrong side of some poor luck. He has also hit too many balls on the ground, posting a 1.21 GO/AO ratio, but with two home runs over the last few days, maybe some of that luck is finally starting to turn. José Rosal put together a statement outing on Monday after struggling over the last few weeks. In three innings, he struck out eight while walking three. The walks continue to be the biggest issue, but when Rosal is around the strike zone, his stuff can be nearly unhittable. Opponents hit just .184 against him in June before that number climbed to .304 in July. Monday's outing was another reminder of what Rosal is capable of when he throws strikes consistently. Carlos Martinez has been back from a two-week absence for about three weeks now. While the numbers don't necessarily jump off the page, he continues to show some of the best bat-to-ball skills in the organization. In just 38 at-bats, he has struck out only three times, good for an 8% strikeout rate, while walking at an incredible 37% clip. Despite having more than 50 fewer at-bats than he did last season, he has already surpassed his walk total from 2025. Martinez has primarily caught this season but has also logged six innings in right field, showing some defensive versatility. The DSL Marlins currently sit at 21-18 with a plus-52 run differential, largely because of what has arguably become the best top three in the entire DSL. Johan Machado, Raunny Figueredo, and Santiago Solarte have fueled the offense all season long. Even more impressive is that Figueredo and Solarte are in their first professional seasons, while Machado is in just his second. Since Solarte moved to third base after struggling defensively at shortstop, Machado has become the club's primary shortstop. Johan Machado Machado has been the DSL Marlins' leadoff hitter in 33 of the team's 36 games this season, and he has done exactly what you want from a leadoff hitter. On the year, he is hitting .302 with a .400 OBP while stealing 25 bases. He has also shown much more power this season, with all five of his career home runs coming this year. He has been even better in July, batting .358 (24-for-67) with three home runs, 20 RBIs, and 10 stolen bases. During this hot stretch, he has struck out at a lower rate than his season average (19% vs. 23%). Pitchers don't get much of a break after Machado reaches base. Raunny Figueredo, who turned just 17 three months ago, has exceeded expectations. Since June 18, he is hitting .306 with four home runs and 22 RBIs. During this stretch, he has also struck out less frequently than he has throughout the season. In July, he owns matching 15% walk and strikeout rates, an impressive combination for someone his age. Defensively, he has spent most of the season in right field, recording two assists in 230 innings. Considering he turned 17 only three months ago, what Figueredo has done this season has been impressive. The Marlins have had their share of disappointing high-profile international signings over the years, so seeing Santiago Solarte produce right away is something the organization has been waiting on for quite some time. Since moving from shortstop to third base, everything has seemed to click. In July, Solarte is hitting .364 (20-for-55) with four home runs, 17 RBIs, more walks than strikeouts, and 17 stolen bases. On the season, he is batting .315 with six home runs, 31 RBIs, and 33 stolen bases, ranking fourth in the DSL. He also owns an outstanding .441 OBP and a .973 OPS. The move off shortstop has allowed Solarte to settle in, and the offensive production has followed. For a player making his professional debut, he couldn't have asked for a much better start to his career. This week's schedule Triple-A Jacksonville vs. Memphis Double-A Pensacola at Knoxville High-A Beloit at West Michigan Low-A Jupiter vs. Clearwater DSL Marlins and DSL Miami against various opponents View full article

MIAMI, FL - "I think we all just want to shake hands after a game, not turnaround and walk back in there," is what Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said before the series opener against the Philadelphia Phillies. On Monday night, McCullough and his team weren't exactly able to shake hands, but for a good reason. In the bottom of the ninth inning down two runs, the Marlins were able to crawl back and walk-off the Phillies, defeating them by a final score of 8-7. It marked the Marlins first win since July 9th when they caped off a series sweep of the Seattle Mariners and it snapped a 12-game losing streak, the worst in franchise history. "It's no lie that everyone in the building's been been grinding hard now for a couple of weeks and frustrated with things," McCullough said following the game. "It feels great to get a win and I think in the fashion that we did. It'd be hard to ever question this group's toughness and willingness to compete in situations where it had been easy to were we were out in front, but have the game flip like it did and then you're facing one of the elite closers in baseball in the ninth, we put together great at-bats. It just speaks to the group of guys we have in that clubhouse that they don't ever stop playing till it's over." All odds were stacked against the Marlins going into the game. They had to face their division rivals with Zack Wheeler on the mound. To make matters worse, Bryce Harper took Marlins starter Tyler Phillips deep for a two-run shot in the top of the first inning, already putting the Marlins in a hole that they would have to climb out of. The Marlins not only tied the game right away in the bottom of the frame, but took a lead in the bottom of the second inning thanks to Griffin Conine's eighth home run of the season and RBIs from both Jakob Marsee and Otto Lopez. Momentum started shifting towards the Marlins as they built up a 5-2 lead. The Marlins certainly made Wheeler work. The former All-Star was limited to just three innings, allowing five runs on six hits (two home runs) while striking out six. In the bottom of the second inning, he almost allowed a cycle between Conine's homer, a double from Marsee, and a Lopez triple. Wheeler did allow that elusive single in the next inning during a scoreless third, but was done for the night. "We took advantage of it," McCullough said. "Not as sharp maybe tonight, especially command-wise. I think we just put together again good at-bats...We've seen our guys do that this year against some really terrific starting pitchers, so good approach there. I think they were ready to go after what they were looking for. Able to lay off enough pitches out of the zone to stay in good counts. So good start." It marked the second time that the Marlins have scored that many runs off the Phillies starter. On top of that, Monday's start is tied for the shortest against the Marlins in his career. The last time he went three innings in a start against Miami was back in 2022, where he allowed seven earned runs. Fast forward to the top of the sixth inning, the Marlins decided to deploy lefty Cade Gibson, who surrendered an RBI single to Alec Bohm. With runners on, McCullough turned to Tyler Zuber, who allowed a ground rule RBI double to Realmuto and an RBI single to Justin Crawford, scoring two more runs and giving the Phillies a 6-5 lead. They added on further in the eighth with a sac fly, giving them a 7-5 lead. It was the bottom of the ninth inning and with Phillies closer Johan Duran taking the mound, it all seemed like it was over. Going into his appearance, Duran had a 1.29 ERA and 1.05 FIP along with 24 saves against only one blown save. This was also coming off the Marlins having to face San Diego Padres closer Mason Miller in the previous series, who has been better than Duran. The first half Miami Marlins had long at-bats and made opposing pitchers work. That's the team that we saw in the ninth inning. Jakob Marsee and Otto Lopez knocked in back-to-back base hits and Kyle Stowers was hit by a pitch, loading the bases for Heriberto Hernandez. After hitting his 15th home run of the season in the first inning, Hernandez struck out in three straight at-bats. But with a full count, Hernandez got to Duran's 101.5 mph fastball for a two-run RBI single, tying the game, 7-7. An Xavier Edwards bunt single loaded the bases again and Liam Hicks grounded into a force out, with Harper throwing out pinch runner Esteury Ruiz at home. That set the stage for Griffin Conine. It's been quite the eventful season for Conine, who wasn't expected to make the Opening Day roster, but made the team after late injuries in spring training to both Kyle Stowers and Esteury Ruiz. After just 11 games, Conine landed on the IL himself due to a torn hamstring. That kept him out until June 21. Up until Monday's series opener, Conine was slashing .256/.351/.488/.839 with five home runs and 12 RBI. Coming out of the All-Star break and throughout this losing streak, Conine has been one of the Marlins' bright spots, having hit .240/.321/.520/.841 with two home runs and four RBI in that stretch. Conine fell behind 1-2 to the Phillies flamethrower, but on the fourth pitch of the at-bat, his swing ended the misery of all Marlins fans, walking it off and snapping the 12-game losing streak. "After the stretch we've been on, it felt like a September-type game with the playoffs looming," Conine said. "Obviously, that wasn't what it was, but I think just for what we needed right now, that was big. Hats off to everyone that came up in the ninth inning, because I think with one of the best closers in baseball on the mound, down two after not scoring since the second, that's a pretty daunting place to be. Everyone just taking care of their at-bats was really fun to watch and be a part of." In the month of July, Conine is slashing .250/.338/.533/.871 with five home runs and eight RBI. Monday's walk-off against the Phillies was the first of his career. A combination of finally being healthy and consistent playing time are a big factor in his July success. "It's first time I've eclipsed 100 at-bats in a year, which sounds crazy to say," Conine said. "I feel like I knew it was always in there, but it was just getting a consistent opportunity and tweaking some things. Always trying to cut down on swing-and-miss, but I know it's going to be in there." With the win, the Marlins became the first team since the 2002 Devil Rays to snap a 12+ game losing streak after trailing by multiple runs entering the 9th inning. The Marlins do remain a game below .500, at 53-54, but are now two games out of the final National League Wild Card spot. With Sandy Alcantara on the mound, the Marlins will go for their first series win since that sweep of the Mariners back in early July. First pitch is at 6:40 pm EST. View full article

Outfielder Griffin Conine will always have a home in South Florida, where he was born and raised and where his father serves as a special assistant to Miami Marlins owner Bruce Sherman. However, he is among many potential trade candidates for the Marlins over the next week. The team enters Monday at 52-54, needing to jump over five other National League wild-card contenders to get back into postseason position. In order to maximize their chances of winning in 2027 and beyond, they may have to be sellers at this deadline. It's also a bit too soon for the Arizona Diamondbacks to decide on their deadline approach, but they have been trending in the opposite direction as winners of 10 of their last 14 games. Adding outfield depth around All-Star Corbin Carroll would give them a great chance of returning to October for the first time since 2023. Mock trade proposal Diamondbacks receive: OF Griffin Conine Marlins receive: 3B/1B LuJames Groover and RHP Anderson Cardenas Conine has been limited to 39 games this season due to a hamstring injury. When healthy, he has played the best baseball of his career, slashing .260/.353/.510/.863 with seven home runs, 16 RBI and a 135 wRC+. The 29-year-old is best utilized in the corner outfield spots and also can contribute at first base in emergencies. Defensive metrics are split on his glovework—for his career, Conine has plus-four defensive runs saved and minus-two outs above average. With that being said, there is reason to believe Conine may be expendable to the Marlins. His spot on the Opening Day roster was in doubt until last-minute injuries to Kyle Stowers and Esteury Ruiz. He has been in the lineup consistently against right-handed pitchers since returning from the IL, but fellow lefty corner outfielder Owen Caissie is nearing a return from his own injury. Caissie is five years younger than Conine. It's also worth noting that 16 of the 20 position players on Miami's 40-man roster have been acquired by president of baseball operations Peter Bendix. Conine is one of the few holdovers inherited from the previous front office. Even with Carroll, the Diamondbacks rank 24th among MLB teams in outfield wRC+ (91). Conine would specifically serve as an upgrade over struggling veteran Max Kepler (66 wRC+ in 21 games). Very importantly, Conine is not yet eligible for arbitration and would be under club control through the 2030 season. Going back to Miami in this proposal would be LuJames Groover, the fifth-ranked Dbacks prospect, per Baseball America. Groover, a 24-year-old infielder, was a 2025 Futures Game selection. He reached the big leagues this season, but struggled in 15 games. In Triple-A, where he has played 70 games, he is slashing .327/.418/.487/.905 with six home runs, 51 RBI and a 119 wRC+. Groover could be a key piece of the Marlins offense moving forward as they have lacked right-handed production at first base and third base. Along with Groover, the Marlins acquire right-handed pitcher Anderson Cardenas in the trade. In 52 ⅔ innings this season between the complex league and Low-A, he has a 3.25 ERA, 3.97 FIP, 11.96 K/9 and 4.27 BB/9. Cardenas will likely wind up as a full-time reliever moving forward in his career. Although it would disappoint fans to move on from a second-generation Marlin who has succeeded in his limited MLB reps, this is a good opportunity to balance the club's offense and sell high on Conine before strikeout issues potentially catch up to him. View full article

Following Saturday's loss to the San Diego Padres, Clayton McCullough speaks with the media about navigating the rough seas of an 11-game losing streak. His team has matched the franchise record for most consecutive losses. View full video