Kevin Barral

Before turning our full attention to the 2024 draft, let's revisit what each member of last year's Marlins draft class has done so far in their professional careers. The Marlins are approaching the MLB Draft process differently in 2024 under first-time president of baseball operations Peter Bendix and first-time director of amateur scouting Frankie Piliere. Before they begin making selections this Sunday, it's a convenient time to check in on how the 2023 draft class has progressed. Through half of their first full season in pro ball, which Marlins picks have impressed and which ones have struggled with the transition? First, here is an overview of the 2023 class, including their signing bonuses and schools: Round 1 (pick #10 overall): RHP Noble Meyer 2024 stats: 12 GS, 3.22 ERA, 10.9 K/9 and 5.5 BB/9 through 50.1 IP The Meyer selection was shocking at the time given the impressive college bats who were also available to the Marlins in the first round, but the previous regime leaned into the organization's strength of pitching development and it's worked thus far. The right-hander's elevated fastball certainly has stood out along with the slider. The changeup is still a work in progress, but it's a pitch that the Marlins have developed well throughout the system. Recently promoted to High-A Beloit, Meyer was selected to represent the Marlins at the upcoming Futures Game. He is widely considered a Top 100 MLB prospect, ranking 40th on MLB Pipeline and 63rd on Baseball America. Competitive Balance Round A (pick #35): LHP Thomas White 2024 stats: 14 GS, 3.10 ERA, 12.0 K/9 and 4.3 BB/9 through 61.0 IP Currently ranked as our Fish On First #1 prospect, White was regarded as the top left-handed high school pitcher in 2023. The Marlins had to pay him an overslot bonus to sign him. White's funky delivery has made opposing hitters swing-and-miss at a consistent rate and his fastball velocity has been even higher than Meyer's so far. He leads all Marlins minor leaguers in 2024 with 81 strikeouts. Meyer and White were promoted to High-A together and they'll participate in the Futures Game together as well. Round 2 (pick #47): OF Kemp Alderman 2024 stats: .197/.262/.250/.512, 50 wRC+, 0 HR, 2 SB in 22 G Alderman received some Pete Alonso comparisons coming out of the draft for his size and power, but that hasn't translated to minor league action yet. He has homered only once through 56 MiLB games. His plate approach has been poor as well. Alderman is expected to spend the rest of this season at Low-A Jupiter. Round 3 (pick #78): 1B Brock Vradenburg 2024 stats: .202/.338/.308/.646, 95 wRC+, 4 HR, 13 SB in 78 games The 6'7" Vradenburg recently received the promotion to High-A Beloit after a month of June where he slashed .238/.356/.464/.821 with four home runs and 18 RBIs. The consistency with which he draws walks is encouraging, but he is defensively limited to first base. Round 4 (pick #110): LHP Emmett Olson 2024 stats: 13 GS, 2.57 ERA, 8.3 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9 through 63.0 IP Olson dominated with Low-A Jupiter in April, posting a 0.00 ERA, 1.98 FIP and only walking 2.25 hitters per nine. Now at the High-A level, the numbers have inflated a bit, but they're still solid at a 3.45 ERA with a 3.47 FIP. After pitching 82 innings in college last year, he's on track to go past the 100 mark. Round 5 (pick #146): RHP Andrew Lindsey 2024 stats: 2 G, 3.38 ERA, 5.24 FIP, 10.13 K/9 and 6.75 BB/9 through 8.0 IP Lindsey only made two appearances for the Marlins organization before being dealt last offseason alongside Erick Lara in exchange for Vidal Bruján and Calvin Faucher. Round six (pick #173): OF Jake DeLeo 2024 stats: .225/.298/.320/.618, 80 wRC+, 3 HR, 7 SB in 61 G DeLeo was impressive throughout spring training, but has been well below the league average offensively since going up to High-A. Defensively, he's being used in the corner outfield spots. Round 7 (pick #203): LHP Justin Storm 2024 stats: 16 G, 1.40 ERA, 2.90 FIP, 12.27 K/9, 4.21 BB/9 and 2 SV through 25.2 IP Low-A opponents are hitting only .148 against Storm this season. He is being developed as a reliever. Round 8 (pick #233): RHP Nick Maldonado 2023 stats (has not pitched in 2024): 2 G, 7.71 ERA, 9.09 FIP, 7.71 K/9 and 3.86 BB/9 through 2.1 IP Assigned to the FCL Marlins, Maldonado is on the injured list. Round 9 (pick #263): OF Colby Shade 2024 stats: .274/.361/.387/.748, 120 wRC+, 3 HR, 31 SB in 65 G Shade is one of the few very few bright spots among Jupiter Hammerheads position players. Although striking out at nearly a 30% rate, he's been productive overall. Turning 23 next month, he should soon be playing against age-appropriate competition at the High-A level. Round 10 (pick #293): RHP Xavier Meachem 2024 stats: 25 G, 2.20 ERA, 12.9 K/9, 5.5 BB/9 and 6 SV through 32.2 IP Meachem's fastball/slider combo has made him a successful pro reliever right away. He is especially effective against right-handed batters. Meachem is one of several bullpen arms from this class who could get a taste of Double-A by the end of the season. Round 11 (pick #323): RHP Jake Brooks 2024 stats: 14 G (12 GS), 1.64 ERA, 3.46 FIP, 6.10 K/9 and 1.64 BB/9 through 76.2 IP If it wasn't for the amount of talented starting pitching at the High-A level, Brooks would already be there. A lot of his success has come on inducing weak contact early in counts and limiting the walks. Brooks was named Florida State League Pitcher of the Week on June 17. Round 12 (pick #353): RHP Josh Ekness 2024 stats: 29 G, 1.42 ERA, 11.1 K/9, 3.6 BB/9 and 5 SV through 38.0 IP Ekness falls into the same category as Meachem: a hard-thrower who should be a fast mover through this farm system. Good find on Day 3 of the draft. Round 13 (pick #383): RHP Colson Lawrence 2024 stats: 14 G, 2.25 ERA, 11.7 K/9 and 5.0 BB/9 through 20.0 IP Lawrence had been a two-way player at South Alabama (reliever and outfielder). Focusing full time on pitching in 2024, he's done well in the FCL and should join Jupiter's staff soon. Round 14 (pick #413): LHP Jack Sellinger 2024 stats: 18 G, 4.43 ERA, 3.82 FIP, 11.28 K/9 and 3.22 BB/9 through 22.1 IP The 24-year-old Sellinger has allowed eight hit by pitches in limited action this season, most of them coming against his slider. With better control of that pitch, there's hope for him as a reliever. Round 15 (pick #443): RHP Nigel Belgrave 2024 stats: 26 G, 1.85 ERA, 10.4 K/9, 3.9 BB/9 and 9 SV through 39.0 IP Belgrave has been lights out, including in high-leverage situations. Round 16 (pick #473): LHP Kevin Vaupel Vaupel is rehabbing from Tommy John surgery and will miss the entire 2024 season. Round 17 (pick #503): OF Mark Coley 2024 stats: .210/.338/.371/.709, 107 wRC+, 6 HR, 15 SB in 68 G Coley stands out for his athleticism. After a hot start to the season, he was promoted to High-A Beloit. However, since missing time with a minor injury, he's hitting .166 over the last 53 games. There is a lot of swing-and-miss to his game. Round 18 (pick #533): LHP Tristan Dietrich Dietrich was the only player in this class who did not sign with the Marlins despite being offered close to $1M from their bonus pool. He would honor his commitment to Florida International University, but struggled through his first season. Only seeing action in five games, Dietrich posted a 27.00 ERA in 2 ⅓ innings pitched. If he sticks around with FIU, he should see opportunities to start midweek games in 2025. Round 19 (pick #563): INF Johnny Olmstead 2024 stats: .249/.336/.404/.739, 111 wRC+, 7 HR, 7 SB in 75 G Olmstead has shown that he can fake it at shortstop along with some nice production, though keep in mind, he turns 24 on Wednesday. AA-Pensacola will be a better test for his bat. Round 20 (pick #593): TWP Ryan Ignoffo 2024 stats: .324/.398/.460/.858, 147 wRC+, 4 HR, 15 SB in 61 G The Marlins are converting Ignoffo to catcher. He's been a hitting machine against Low-A pitching while getting adjusted to his new position. View full article

On Sunday, Major League Baseball announced that reliever Tanner Scott will represent the Miami Marlins in the 2024 All-Star Game. MIAMI, FL—Following the conclusion of Sunday's series finale between the Miami Marlins and the Chicago White Sox, MLB announced the 2024 All-Star rosters. As expected, representing the Marlins will be Tanner Scott. "It was awesome," said Scott about his reaction to getting the news. "Skip (Schumaker) called me and my wife, but all the guys were great. It was awesome to hear it and everyone come up to me. It was pretty special." Scott, 29, was acquired from the Baltimore Orioles in a trade days before 2022 Opening Day. He wasn't considered the main piece of this deal. The Marlins viewed right-hander Cole Sulser as a likely high-leverage relievers, with Scott being more of a throw-in. While Sulser lasted only one season in Miami, Scott has exceeded all expectations. He entered Sunday's game with a 2.82 ERA, 2.97 FIP, 157 ERA+, 11.9 K/9, 4.7 BB/9 and 45 saves through 178 ⅔ innings pitched. During that span, he ranks fourth among MLB pitchers in appearances. He is tenth on the Marlins all-time saves list. "The first year was a little rough," said Scott. "Now it's been a great process and it's awesome to see what it's turned into." 91150404-89abf67b-6559b102-csvm-diamondx64-asset_1280x720_59_4000K.mp4 "Since I've been here, he's been an All-Star," said Marlins manager Skip Schumaker following Sunday's win. "Since I have been here, he's been an All-Star and that's what I've seen on and off the field. He's been a leader in that bullpen. In the past, you heard not reliable and didn't know if he was a high-leverage guy. Now, he's the most high-leverage guy on our team, and in my opinion, at the very least, a top-five reliever in the game. I'm really proud of him." Entering this season, the pending free agent struggled in spring training, posting a 12.71 ERA through eight appearances. Marlins manager Skip Schumaker never expressed concern, even when some of those troubles carried over to regular season. Scott allowed more than a walk per inning during March/April and blew a save to the Atlanta Braves in devastating fashion on April 14, allowing a ninth-inning home run to Marcell Ozuna. However, Scott has recovered since the Braves blow-up to post excellent first-half numbers: a 1.42 ERA, 3.46 FIP, 311 ERA+, 9.9 K/9, 5.4 BB/9 and 13 saves through 38 innings pitched. He holds the seventh-lowest ERA amongst all qualified relievers in 2024. Even if MLB did not require each team to have an All-Star representative, he would have a very strong case to be selected. Scott credited the Marlins coaching staff and specifically Schumaker for giving him his first extended opportunity to close games. "It's really helped my confidence. Just going out there and attacking." Just the day prior, Schumaker put Scott up with some of the greats that he's been able to play and work with during his baseball career such as Aroldis Chapman, Kenley Jansen and Jason Motte. "He's awesome ever since day one," said Scott about Schumaker. "He's been a great manager and its been awesome to play for him. Everyone wants to play for the guy." Scott was prepared to fly back home for the All-Star break after the Marlins wrapped up their series against the Cincinnati Reds, but those plans have now changed. Scott's family—including his nine-month-old son, Bo—will be there and he's just excited for it all. Scott becomes the first reliever since Fernando Rodney and AJ Ramos in 2016 to be named a Marlins All-Star representative. Overall, Scott is the fifth Marlins reliever to make the All-Star Game, joining Rodney, Ramos, Bryan Harvey (1993) and Armando Benitez (2004). Luis Arraez and Jorge Soler repped the Marlins during the 2023 Midsummer Classic. Now playing for the San Diego Padres, Arraez was named a National League reserve. Soler (San Francisco Giants) was not selected this year. Scott and the National League team will take on the American League team on Tuesday, July 16 at 8:00 pm ET at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. View full article

If he gets dealt this July, Chisholm is expected to bring back the biggest return of any Miami Marlins trade chip. These next few weeks will be active for the Miami Marlins leading up to the July 30 MLB trade deadline. They are prepared to trade established veterans in exchange for prospects who can help them in the future. Jazz Chisholm Jr. is the team's top all-around position player. Entering Monday. Chisholm is slashing .255/.326/.407 this season with 10 home runs, 40 RBIs and a 105 wRC+. Those numbers line up very closely with the 26-year-old's career averages. Chisholm is still 2.5 seasons away from free agency, which takes away the urgency for the Marlins to move him now, but as Craig Mish has reported for the Miami Herald, "there is a growing belief Chisholm will be traded...this is the first time there has been genuine interest in Chisholm as injuries, and his personality have kept other clubs wondering what they would be getting in return. It looks like Miami is very much listening." Let's take a complete look at Chisholm as a trade candidate. Positives Unlike past seasons, Chisholm has not spent any time on the injured list in 2024. He has seen action in 87 of the first 90 Marlins games, well on pace to set a career high in that category. That availability has allowed him to put up 1.4 fWAR, the highest total for any Marlins player. Chisholm's combination of offensive tools are hard to find elsewhere. As long as he is on the field, he is a fast and valuable baserunner. He has also above-average raw power. One of the biggest improvements that Chisholm has made throughout his career is hitting against left-handed pitching. He rarely started against lefties during his 2022 All-Star season and struggled when he got the opportunity. In 2024, he is slashing a career-best .277/.342/.393/.734 with two home runs and 16 RBIs. Chisholm does not get intimidated in high-leverage situations. His production under those conditions has been excellent this season, slashing .357/.439/.557/.996 with three home runs and 23 RBIs. It's been a similar story with runners in scoring position where he ranks 10th among MLB qualifiers in wRC+, according to FanGraphs. Defensively, Chisholm was regarded as a future shortstop when he first reached the majors. Second base then became his main position. Despite no previous experience in the outfield, he learned to play center field entering 2023. The versatility to contribute at each of those spots is valuable and makes it easier for him to fit in with a contending team's roster. Negatives Chisholm's counting stats are impressive, but he is not hitting for as much power as he did in the past. The adjustments to his two-strike approach that have improved his strikeout rate also involve swinging for the fences less often. Last season, for example, Chisholm homered six times in two-strike counts; he has done so only once in 2024. Chisholm's hard-hit percentage has fallen to the lowest of his career at 36.8%. That has impacted his average exit velocity, which ranks in the 40th percentile among MLB qualifiers, according to Baseball Savant. Also, Chisholm's efficiency as a base-stealer is not ideal. He's gone from a 88% success rate in 2023 to only 68% this season (25 attempts in both years). dk1BSzNfWGw0TUFRPT1fQmxSU1hGTlNYZ0lBQ1ZBS1ZBQUFBVklDQUFCV1VRQUFBVkpSQ0ZJRkJBdGRVUUlD.mp4 Defensive metrics had a mixed opinion of Chisholm's center field defense in 2023: plus-four outs above average, but minus-nine DRS. There has not been clear improvement in 2024 (0 OAA and -6 DRS). Although Chisholm has plenty of experience in the infield, the Marlins have used him exclusively in CF since his conversion. That makes it difficult for interested teams to know what quality of defense to expect from him if they move him back. Finally, just because Chisholm has avoided the IL this season does not guarantee that he will stay healthy moving forward. During his Marlins tenure, he's been sidelined by foot, hamstring, back, oblique and shoulder issues. Potential Landing Spots Right away, the Los Angeles Dodgers stand out. The Dodgers have gotten terrible production at the plate from their center fielders this season. They are motivated to chase a World Series title right now and have a top-tier farm system that allows them to make a fair offer to the Marlins for Chisholm's services. The Seattle Mariners desperately need offense just to make it to the postseason. Their weakest position is second base, so Chisholm fits there as well. Seattle's farm system has a lot to offer, particularly on the hitting side in terms of prospects who aren't ready to help their 2024 team, but would be highly useful as part of Miami's rebuild. As of this writing, Chisholm has $40.1M of surplus value as a trade asset, per Baseball Trade Values. View full article

A Marlins offense that normally struggles against left-handed starters stunningly scored six runs off of Ranger Suárez. However, Miami's bullpen just wasn't able to hold onto the lead. PHILADELPHIA, PA—The Miami Marlins finally got to a left-handed starter. Not just any left-hander, but one of MLB's best. In Sunday's series finale against the Philadelphia Phillies, they tagged Ranger Suárez for six runs through 4 ⅔ innings pitched to take a 6-2 lead. Unfortunately, the bullpen that had been so effective on Saturday couldn't do it again with a crucial error making their task more difficult. The Marlins lost by a final score of 7-6, splitting the series against the Phillies. "Everybody felt good," said Marlins manager Skip Schumaker about his relievers. "You always have conversations and make sure that guys are feeling good before they go into the game. Walks and extra outs cost you against a really good team. We gotta provide more length out of the rotation. There's no doubt." Entering Sunday, the Marlins bullpen ranked seventh in baseball according to fWAR. The night prior, relievers Andrew Nardi, A.J. Puk, Calvin Faucher and Tanner Scott didn't allow a single hit and struck out six. On Sunday, Huascar Brazoban, Puk, Nardi and Anthony Bender allowed four runs (two earned) off of five hits and three walks. The bottom of the sixth inning was a turning point in the game. The Marlins went with Brazoban, who allowed a walk to Rafael Marchán and a base hit to Bryson Stott, but then got Alec Bohm to hit an easy grounder to shortstop Tim Anderson. Anderson could not secure the ball in his glove, missing the opportunity to start an inning-ending double play. It was his ninth error of 2024. "He made an error," said Schumaker. "That's what everyone else saw. Unfortunately, it happened at the wrong time." On a day that the Phillies defense committed five errors of their own, Anderson's would prove to be the most problematic. Brazoban was taken out of the game and replaced by A.J. Puk, one of his best relievers in the past couple of weeks. He had posted a 2.77 ERA and 3.38 FIP in the month of June. After Puk struck out Brandon Marsh, he surrendered a two-out single to Nick Castellanos. The ball went past a diving Anderson to drive in two runs. That brought the Phillies within one of the lead. In the bottom of the seventh, the Marlins ran into some more trouble with Andrew Nardi on the mound. After he allowed back-to-back walks (Nardi had not allowed any walks in his previous 13 appearances), he was able to induce two flyouts, but with Trea Turner up, Schumaker made the change to go with right-hander Anthony Bender. Bender left a 97 mph sinker over the middle of the plate that Turner grounded for a two-run single. "I never truly know when my last batter is just for my sake," said Nardi. "I made the mess. I want to get out of my own mess. I do wish I stayed in for Trea Turner, but oh well." All of this overshadowed a good performance by the Marlins lineup. In 2024, left-handed pitching has been their achilles heel. It was a much different story against Ranger Suárez, who has been in the NL Cy Young conversation. In the top of the first inning, Josh Bell, who entering Sunday's game was 2-for-19 in his career against Suárez, knocked in an RBI double to give Miami an early 1-0 lead. He would get to the Phillies starter again in the fifth for a base hit. The Marlin with the most successful history against Suárez was Bryan De La Cruz with an .810 OPS. In the top of the third, De La Cruz tied the game at two apiece with a solo home run. It was his 15th of the season. Emmanuel Rivera previously saw Suárez in the regular season and the playoffs, but had never dominated him like this. Rivera collected a walk, RBI single and RBI double in his first three plate appearances. Suárez had arguably the worst start of any lefty to face Miami this season, allowing six runs off of nine hits and two walks. He was unable to record a strikeout. In his third start of the season, Marlins right-hander Yonny Chirinos allowed three runs off of nine hits, one walk and struck out four. It's the most amount of hits and runs he's allowed since being brought up from Triple-A. Chirinos posted a 58.3% first-pitch strike percentage, the highest of any Marlins starter this series. He generated 12 whiffs with five coming on his slider. Similar to Roddery Muñoz on Saturday, a lot of the contact that Chirinos allowed led to flyouts and lineouts. Only one of them left the yard, an Alec Bohm two-run homer in the bottom of the first inning. The last run Chirinos allowed came in the bottom of the fifth on a Nick Castellanos RBI double. With the loss, the Marlins are now 30-54 on the season. The Marlins will head back home for a three-game set against the Boston Red Sox. Valente Bellozo will start Tuesday against the Red Sox, the second outing of his major league career and his debut at loanDepot park. First pitch will be at 6:40 pm. View full article

The Marlins took an early lead against Aaron Nola, then went ahead for good during a two-out rally in the seventh inning. The Phillies offense went hitless vs. Miami's relievers. PHILADELPHIA, PA—Aaron Nola ended the 2023 Marlins season with a scoreless start in Game 2 of the NL Wild Card Series. Facing them again on Saturday, Nola had another strong outing, but Miami's offense knocked him out of the game in the seventh inning with unlikely hero Nick Fortes delivering the game-tying RBI. That set up Jazz Chisholm Jr.'s go-ahead RBI single in a 3-2 win for the Marlins. After being swept at Citizens Bank Park last October, they have secured at least a series split this time around. Overall, Nola allowed three runs off of six hits. He didn't walk anyone and struck out nine. The game was tied 2-2 when he was removed with two outs in the top of the seventh inning. Left-hander Matt Strahm allowed the inherited runner to score on Chisholm's single. Nick Gordon entered Saturday's contest riding a six-game hit streak. Gordon, who had never faced Nola before, took him deep on the second pitch of the at-bat to take an early 1-0 lead. The ball left the bat at 93.8 mph and went 350 feet to right field, landing in the first row for his eighth home run of the season. Gordon ended the night going 2-for-4. "When he gets too pull-happy, that becomes an issue," said Marlins manager Skip Schumaker. "When he uses the middle or the other way...he's a good hitter. When he tries to go one way, it becomes an easier and easier out. Really good at-bats today." Nick Fortes was previously 1-for-13 in his career against Nola when he doubled down the left field line to tie the game in the seventh. He took advantage of Nola's sinker right down the middle and a hit-and-run with Otto Lopez at second also helped. "The first couple of at-bats, I was just getting on top of that sinker, fouling it off. Same with the curveball," said Fortes. "That third at-bat, I really just wanted to get the ball in the air. That was my main focus. I knew he was going to throw the sinker...so I got under that one a little bit better and ended up squaring it up for a double." The Phillies brought in Strahm to face Chisholm, who has historically struggled to hit lefties, but he entered Saturday slashing a career-best .267/.333/.396/.729 against them this season. Those numbers will go up after his clutch hit. "I feel like it was work in the offseason," said Chisholm after the game. "I don't feel like anything changes during the season. You get into the season and you are who you are." Strahm also struggled in the first game of this series, allowing two runs in Thursday's Phillies loss after entering for Zack Wheeler. Right-hander Roddery Muñoz went 4 ⅔ innings, allowing two runs off of five hits, two walks and struck out four. Muñoz relied on his four-seam more than any pitch, which averaged 96.0 mph and topped out at 96.9 mph. Every Marlins starter in this series has struggled with throwing first-pitch strikes. Muñoz's first-pitch strike percentage was at 52.4%, which is actually an improvement compared to Trevor Rogers and Kyle Tyler. The MLB average this season is 62.0%. Muñoz surrendered a home run to catcher Garrett Stubbs in the bottom of the third inning to tie the game at one apiece. It was Stubbs' first home run of 2024 and the 15th allowed by Muñoz. In the bottom of the fifth inning, Muñoz ran into some trouble, allowing a walk to Johan Rojas and then a base hit to Bryson Stott, which moved Rojas to third. Alec Bohm drove in Rojas on a sac fly. Skip Schumaker took him out after allowing his second run. The Phillies were constantly putting the ball in air off of Muñoz, including six flyouts and two lineouts compared to only one groundout. "Roddery did enough to keep us in the game," said Schumaker. "Not a ton on the ground. Not a lot of punchouts. We got to figure out a way to keep the ball in the yard." A Marlins bullpen unit of Andrew Nardi, A.J. Puk, Calvin Faucher and Tanner Scott kept the Phillies offense at bay, not allowing a single hit and only one walk. As a whole, they struck out six. It marked the fourth time this season that Calvin Faucher was used on back-to-back days and he struck out two, lowering his ERA to 3.34. A.J. Puk has now gone 5 ⅓ innings without allowing a run. He's allowed one hit through that scoreless streak. "I sound like a broken record, but when you have a really good bullpen, it keeps you in the game and allows you to make comebacks," said Schumaker. "We were down and Nardi had the huge inning and a third. Puk was really good, obviously. He's been on a roll lately and it's been as good as anybody in the league. Faucher went through the middle of that order, but no issues and then obviously, Scott is Scott. In my opinion, top two or three reliever in the league. Just a really good job overall." With the win, the Marlins earned their 30th win of the season. Yonny Chirinos will take the mound on Sunday as the Marlins look to take the series against the Phillies. The starter for Philadelphia will be star left-hander Ranger Suárez. First pitch is scheduled for 1:35 pm (there's a chance of rain in the forecast). View full article

The Miami Marlins did the unthinkable last year and made the playoffs for the first time in a full season since 2003. While the club visits Philadelphia for an NL Wild Card Series rematch, key parts of that roster are now playing elsewhere. PHILADELPHIA, PA—The last time that the Marlins made a trip to Philadelphia in October 2023, they were competing in the National League playoffs. Miami lost back-to-back games at Citizens Bank Park while being swept, but that team is still remembered fondly by Marlins fans. They exceeded expectations and led the majors in one-run wins. It was the first time in 20 years that the franchise had qualified for the playoffs following a full-length season. The 2024 season has been a step back, not only due to injuries and regression, but also in part because some of last year's Marlins are now playing elsewhere. Let's take a look at what happened to each of the players from the NL Wild Card Series roster who are no longer with the Marlins organization. Jorge Soler Left via free agency, signed with the San Francisco Giants One of the most clutch players in baseball last year, Jorge Soler took advantage of an all-star season where he clubbed 36 home runs and signed a three-year $42M deal with the Giants. There was never communication between the Marlins and Soler to work on a deal that would bring him back and he wasn't issued a qualifying offer either. This season, Soler has struggled slashing .222/.304/.381/.685 with nine home runs, 29 RBIs and a 99 wRC+. His numbers are very similar to 2022, his first year in Miami. Soler landed on the IL this season due to a right shoulder strain, but has played in 70 games this season, all as the designated hitter. Garrett Hampson Non-tendered, signed as a free agent with the Kansas City Royals Hampson signed a minor league deal with the Marlins expecting to compete for an Opening Day roster spot. Hampson wouldn't make the initial 26-man roster, but ended up playing 98 games, the third-highest mark of his career and posted a 101 wRC+, his best in a single season (min. 100 PA). His strong season with the Marlins garnered him a major league contract with the Kansas City Royals for one-year, $2M. Through 60 games this season, Hampson has slashed .275/.319/.349/.688 with seven RBIs and an 87 wRC+ while playing six different positions (mainly center feidl). Yuli Gurriel Left via free agency, signed with the Atlanta Braves Gurriel got off to a great start with the Marlins despite signing late into spring training. Through the first half of the season, he slashed .268/.332/.397/.729 with three home runs and 18 RBIs. It was following the All-Star break where Gurriel really began to struggle, slashing .202/.250/.288/.538 with one home run and nine RBIs. His role on the club was limited by the time that the playoffs came around. At 40 years old, there was no interest in the former Gold Glove winner and American League batting champ. He settled for a minor league deal with the Atlanta Braves on April 16 and since then has slashed .244/.323/.375/.698 with four home runs, 24 RBIs and an 81 wRC+. Its unlikely that Gurriel reaches the major leagues again and he may end up retiring at the end of this season. Jacob Stallings Non-tendered, signed as a free agent with the Colorado Rockies When Jacob Stallings was acquired from the Pittsburgh Pirates, he was coming off of a Gold Glove season and was supposed to be Miami's starting catcher for several years. However, he declined on both sides of the ball, posting a 68 wRC+ in 2022 and 57 wRC+ in 2023 with below-average defense behind the plate. Stallings went on to sign a major league deal with the Colorado Rockies as a backup and is having a bounce-back season at age 34. He's slashing .279/.360/.443/.802 with four home runs, 19 RBIs and a 114 wRC+. Many would say that it's the Coors Field effect, but he's slashing .297/.384/.453/.837 with two home runs and 11 RBIs in away games. He's been getting more playing time than expected due to an injury to All-Star Elias Díaz and he's taken advantage of it. Joey Wendle Left via free agency, signed with the New York Mets, then the Atlanta Braves Also in the category of disappointing tenures with the Marlins, utility man Joey Wendle didn't play up to his career norms in Miami. Limited by injuries in 2022, Wendle entered last season projected to be the team's primary shortstop. The veteran was solid defensively, but he was benched during the playoff push due to his 47 wRC+. Wendle signed a deal with the New York Mets in the offseason, but didn't last long in a bench role. He then signed a deal with the Atlanta Braves were he was once again released. He is currently a free agent. Jon Berti Traded to the New York Yankees Berti was one of the longest-tenured Marlins of the Bruce Sherman era, debuting with Miami in 2019 and contributing at whatever position the team needed him to play. He got hot at the plate in late 2023 and took over shortstop from the struggling Wendle. In his Marlins career, Berti ended up slashing .258/.338/.367/.705 with 23 home runs, 118 RBIs and a 92 OPS+. The day before 2024 Opening Day, Berti was sent to the New York Yankees in a three-team trade. He has only totaled 17 games this season while missing time with groin and calf injuries. Luis Arraez Traded to the San Diego Padres In 2023, Arraez won his second consecutive batting title, but this time in the National League. He became the first player in MLB history to win back-to-back batting titles in different leagues while leading all Marlins hitters in WAR. Arraez kicked off the 2024 season with the Marlins, but on May 4, he was dealt to the Padres. With San Diego, he is slashing .319/.346/.391/.737 with two home runs, 17 RBIs and a 115 wRC+. His new team has mostly used him at first base. Steven Okert Traded to the Minnesota Twins During his time with the Marlins, Okert was a serviceable reliever. The lefty posted a 3.51 ERA, 4.25 FIP, 10.8 K/9 and 4.0 BB/9 through 146 innings pitched. He never closed games, but often pitched in high-leverage situations. In the offseason, the Marlins felt they had enough left-handed bullpen options and Okert was traded to the Minnesota Twins in a straight swap for outfielder Nick Gordon. In 28 games, Okert has posted a 3.33 ERA, 4.10 FIP, 8.5 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9 through 24 ⅓ innings pitched. He also recorded his first career save with the Twins. David Robertson Left via free agency, signed with the Texas Rangers It was a short and rough tenure for David Robertson. When the Marlins needed to fortify the back end of the bullpen last July, Robertson was considered one of the best arms on the trade market. However, in his time with the Marlins, he posted a 5.06 ERA, 3.49 FIP, 12.7 K/9, 5.1 BB/9 and recorded four saves. Robertson signed a one-year deal with the Texas Rangers where he's been a lot better. The 39-year-old is posting a 3.38 ERA, 2.46 FIP, 14.0 K/9 (career high), 3.1 BB/9 and one save through 34 ⅔ innings pitched. View full article

Cristopher Sánchez took his breakout season to a new level on Friday, limiting the Marlins to three singles while completing the game himself. PHILADELPHIA, PA—On Thursday, the Miami Marlins did a lot of damage against the Philadelphia Phillies bullpen in a comeback win. On Friday, the Marlins weren't even able to get into their bullpen. Phillies starter Cristopher Sánchez tossed a complete game to defeat the Fish by a final score of 2-0. The Marlins are now 4-25 against left handed pitchers—the worst record in the majors. Sánchez posted an incredible 78.6% first-pitch strike percentage and ended up generating 16 whiffs. He only allowed only three hits (all singles), no walks and struck out nine, his second-highest strikeout total this season. It also marks the second time in 2024 that Sánchez hasn't allowed a walk, the last time coming on May 18 against the Washington Nationals. "Sinker was outstanding at 96 miles an hour," said Marlins manager Skip Schumaker following the game. "Changeup was really effective and then the slider was real. When you have three pitches working like that, it feels like he and [catcher Garrett] Stubbs were on the same page all night long. Really good defense behind him. Just couldn't get maybe four or five balls in the outfield. It was just a really strong outing by him." Sánchez's sinker was averaging 95.3 mph and topped out at 96.9 mph; his average velocity on that pitch this year has been 94.4 mph. The Marlins were a bit too aggressive chasing his second pitches. Averaging 11 pitches per inning gave Sánchez the efficiency he needed to finish the game himself. In two starts since signing a long-term contract extension, Sánchez has thrown 16 straight scoreless innings. That has lowered his ERA to 2.41, second-best among National League qualifiers only behind his Phillies teammate, Ranger Suárez. After a solid start against a struggling Seattle Mariners offense, Kyle Tyler limited the Phillies to one run through 4 ⅔ innings pitched. Although he posted a 47.4% first-pitch strikeout percentage, he was able to bounce back into a couple favorable counts and generally did a good job limiting hard contact (only one hit with exit velo over 100 mph). Tyler induced four groundouts and was able to generate nine whiffs, with seven coming on his curveball. The only run he surrendered came on a Bryson Stott force out, which drove in the runner from third. "I thought he did good," said Schumaker. "He kept us in the game...It's tough to win when you don't score, but he did a really good job changing eye levels. Two-seam was better. Thought he threw at the top of the zone a lot better tonight and the curveball was effective. You gave up one run against a really good offense. Can't really ask anything more than that." A bullpen crop comprised of Declan Cronin, Calvin Faucher and JT Chargois only allowed three hits and one run, which came against Faucher in the bottom of the eighth inning on a Bryson Stott sac fly. With the loss, the Marlins are now 29-53 on the season while the Phillies improve to 54-28. The Marlins will search for their 30th win of the season on Saturday night with Roddery Muñoz taking the mound. Aaron Nola will start for the Phillies. First pitch will be at 4:05 pm. View full article

Trailing 3-0 when Zack Wheeler exited the game, the Marlins offense came to life against Philadelphia's bullpen. PHILADELPHIA, PA—The Marlins just needed to see a new face on the mound. Held scoreless by Zack Wheeler through the first 6 ⅔ innings, their offense scored against three different Phillies relievers, with Jake Burger homering in the top of the eighth to score the game-winning run in an eventual 7-4 win in front of a sold-out crowd on Thursday night. The last time Wheeler faced the Marlins (May 12 in Miami), he surrendered six runs, marking the second-worst start of his season. Up until he was taken out of the game, he was mowing down the Marlins, striking out five and allowing only four hard-hit balls. Wheeler generated 18 whiffs, including 12 on his four-seam fastball. "He was running through our guys," said manager Skip Schumaker following the game. "98 miles an hour with sink and this really good sweeper with the split working tonight. That guy is one of the better guys in the league, so to be able to win against him was pretty nice." The Phillies bullpen entered Thursday's game ranked at the top of the major leagues, but this was one of their worst performances of the season as they failed to protect Wheeler's 3-0 lead. With two outs and the bases loaded in the seventh inning, Bryan De La Cruz smacked an RBI double against left-handed reliever Matt Strahm which cleared the bases, tying the game at three apiece. On the first pitch of the next at-bat, Josh Bell drove in De La Cruz on an RBI double to take a 4-3 lead. "Guys battled through," said Schumaker. "That [Jesus] Sánchez at-bat to get Jazz [Chisholm Jr.] up right there was really a long at-bat to get Wheeler out of the game...(Bell) was kind of frustrated during the game with some calls that could have gone the other way. Just shows you what kind of pro he is to battle back and get a big RBI double." In the bottom of the seventh, Trea Turner hit a lead-off double and advanced to third on a throw that got away. Alec Bohm drove him in on a sac fly. That tied the game at 4-4. Entering Thursday's game, Phillies reliever Jeff Hoffman had posted a 1.08 ERA, 1.84 FIP and had only surrendered one home run. In four previous plate appearances against Hoffman, Jake Burger was 0-for-4. However, on the first pitch of the top of the eighth inning, Burger took him deep for his seventh home run of the season to reclaim the lead for Miami. "One of the best relievers in the game," said Burger. "He's got an electric fastball and really good slider. It's just one of those at-bats that you hope he makes a mistake and fortunately for me, I got that mistake." The Marlins would extend their lead in the eighth inning. Nick Gordon hit a double and later moved up to third base on a wild pitch. An Otto Lopez fielder's choice drove in the sixth run of the ballgame. Burger added another insurance run in the ninth inning. Meanwhile, Marlins starting pitcher Trevor Rogers went six innings, allowing three runs off of six hits and four walks. He also struck out four. It was a good outing considering the quality of the opponent. Rogers struggled with his control early, but improved as the game went along. His velocity also climbed throughout the night, topping out at 94.7 mph with his four-seamer in the fifth inning. "Other than the four walks, he was outstanding," said Schumaker. "Some of the first pitches I think he probably wants back, but just to start to get ahead of them more, but to get through six innings against a really good lineup in a tough environment I couldn't ask for anything more...Credit to him on all the hard work he's had in between starts." During the month of June, Rogers averaged more than six innings per start. With the win, the Marlins improve to 29-52 while the Phillies drop to 53-28. Kyle Tyler will take the mound for the Marlins and for the Phillies, it'll be recently extended Cristopher Sánchez. First pitch will once again be at 6:20 pm. The expectation is that it'll be a sellout in Citizens Bank Park. View full article

From Fish Unfiltered, Kevin Barral and Aram Leighton discuss which Cubs prospects the Marlins may be able to acquire in a Tanner Scott trade. View full video

Roddery Muñoz surrendered three home runs. That was more than enough support for Cole Ragans, who struck out 11 Marlins batters. Cole Ragans has been one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball. On Monday, when the Marlins took an early 1-0 lead and had the Royals hitless through three innings, Ragans turned it up a notch and recorded his second-highest strikeout total of the season in route to a 4-1 victory over the Marlins. Entering the game, Ragans had posted a 3.13 ERA, 2.63 FIP, 10.7 K/9 and 2.9 BB/9 through 16 starts in 2024. Against the Marlins, Ragans struck out 11, limiting the Marlins to one run off of four hits and three walks. The Royals starter generated 26 whiffs, with the most coming on his changeup. His fastball averaged 96.2 mph and he generated seven whiffs with. In the top of the third inning, Jazz Chisholm Jr. worked a full-count walk and it was followed by a Bryan De La Cruz RBI double, scoring Chisholm scored all the way from first base. Overall, though, the Marlins struggled to get much quality contact off of the left-handed pitcher. Only five hard-hit balls against Ragans. After keeping the Royals offense hitless through three innings, Roddery Muñoz allowed Vinnie Pasquantino and Salvador Perez to hit back-to-back home runs to take a 2-1 lead. Hunter Renfroe's sixth-inning solo shot was the longest of them all, traveling 434 feet. Monday marked the fifth time in 2024 that Muñoz has allowed multiple home runs in a start. Only Logan Allen of the Guardians has had more of those games this season. Muñoz used his entire five-pitch mix, but did not record more than three whiffs with any of them (10 total whiffs). His final line was 6.0 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, 4 BB, 4 K (93 pitches). The Marlins continue to get dominated by left-handers. They're now 4-24 when their opponents use a lefty starter. Ragans and three Kansas City relievers combined for 15 strikeouts, the second-highest total for the Marlins offense this season (17 K on June 15 vs. WSH). With the loss, the Miami Marlins drop to 27-51 while the Royals improve to 43-37. Yonny Chirinos will toe the rubber against Brady Singer on Tuesday. First pitch is at 8:10 pm. View full article

Acquired cheaply by the Marlins this past offseason, relievers Declan Cronin and Calvin Faucher could have significant value to contenders as the 2024 trade deadline approaches. Sitting at 27-51, it's fair to assume that the Miami Marlins will be selling off pieces of their major league roster to contenders. Pending free agent closer Tanner Scott is the hottest name on the market, and maybe some aggressive teams will attempt to bid on Jazz Chisholm Jr., who would bring back a huge haul if dealt. Beyond that, Peter Bendix has made a couple wise pick-ups since taking over Miami's baseball operations department, turning unknown right-handed relievers Declan Cronin and Calvin Faucher into real assets. In February, the Marlins claimed Cronin off waivers from the Houston Astros. Cronin had made his MLB debut with the White Sox last season where he pitched in nine games, but posted a 9.00 ERA, 7.80 FIP and just walked too many guys through 11 innings pitched. He was thought to have barely any value. In a pleasant surprise, Cronin leads all Marlins relievers with 36 ⅔ innings pitched this season. He's posting a 2.95 ERA, 2.57 FIP, 8.8 K/9, 3.4 BB/9 and a 148 ERA+. In high-leverage situations, opposing hitters are slashing .167/.286/.167/.452. Cronin is a versatile reliever who reliably gets ground balls (57.7 GB%) and still hasn't allowed a homer for Miami. He has accumulated 1.1 bWAR and 0.6 fWAR in 2024. Cronin relies on his slider and sinker, which have both produced a plus-two run value this season, per Baseball Savant. He has also used his four-seam fastball more regularly in recent appearances. Cronin's velocity maxes out at 96 mph. Of his 36 strikeouts, 25 have come on the slider. Bendix's first trade with the Marlins was to acquire Vidal Bruján from the Tampa Bay Rays in November. Faucher was included in that package, but was seen as the secondary piece. Then in spring training, the righty made a name for himself. After beginning the regular season on the injured list, Faucher was called up on April 13 and has been in the Marlins bullpen ever since. Through 27 innings pitched, Faucher has posted a 3.33 ERA, 2.48 FIP, 10.0 K/9, 4.3 BB/9 and a 132 ERA+. Like Cronin, he has not allowed a home run all season. He has inherited eight baserunners and only one has come around to score. Important to note, neither of these pitchers have track records of major league success prior to 2024. In his time with the Rays, Faucher posted a 6.32 ERA and 4.98 FIP through 47 innings pitched. On the other hand, their lack of experience could also be seen as a positive—both entered this season with less than a full year of MLB service time, so they can be controlled through the 2029 season. On the most recent episode of Fish Unfiltered, Aram Leighton of Just Baseball mentioned the case of Scott Effross. In 2022, the Chicago Cubs sold high on the right-hander during his first full MLB season, sending him to the New York Yankees at the trade deadline in exchange for the eighth-ranked prospect in the Yankees system, Hayden Wesneski. Prior to his departure from Chicago, Effross posted a 2.66 ERA, 2.18 FIP, 10.2 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9 through 44 innings pitched. He is currently out due to Tommy John surgery. Wesneski debuted with the Cubs later that season and has posted a 3.80 ERA in his three years with the club. The following contending teams currently are in need of help in the bullpen: Chicago Cubs, Kansas City Royals, Pittsburgh Pirates and Houston Astros. Mock Trade #1 MIA receives: INF Cristian Hernández CHC receives: Declan Cronin The Cubs bullpen currently ranks 27th in fWAR and the addition of Cronin would certainly be big. Shortstop/second baseman Cristian Hernández would become one of the top position player prospects in the Marlins system. In 2024, the 20-year-old Hernández is slashing .287/.407/.430/837 with four home runs, 27 RBIs and a 148 wRC+. He's playing at Low-A now, but would likely move up to High-A in the Marlins system if acquired. Mock Trade #2 MIA receives: C Carter Jensen KC receives: Calvin Faucher The Royals bullpen currently ranks 24th in bullpen fWAR. Faucher could potentially become a setup man for them. Carter Jensen, a lefty-hitting catcher, is slashing .278/.396/.444/.840 with seven home runs, 28 RBIs and a 139 wRC+. His power tool shows more promise than his hit tool, but he's doing well on both fronts this season. Jensen turns 21 years old next week. View full article

Fish Unfiltered—Episode #60 With the MLB trade deadline only five weeks away, Fish On First's Kevin Barral, Isaac Azout and Ely Sussman take turns pitching Miami Marlins trade ideas to Aram Leighton of Just Baseball, all of them geared toward flipping big league pieces for impactful prospects. Find Fish Unfiltered on the Fish On First YouTube channel, our new-look Apple Podcasts channel and wherever else you get your pods. FOF's audio programming also includes The Offishial Show, Swimming Upstream, Big Fish Small Pod and more. The Fish On First podcast is now being presented by MPT College Consulting! They pride themselves on helping clients navigate the college application process. This includes preparation for standardized testing, guidance through high school, assistance with essays and applications, and choosing the right college. Visit them today at mptcollegeconsulting.com to learn more about their services and schedule a free consultation. Marlins trade Tanner Scott and Andrew Nardi to Yankees for prospect INF Roderick Arias (Isaac) Marlins trade Andrew Nardi and prospect LHP Emmett Olson to Royals for prospect C Blake Mitchell (Ely) Marlins trade Tanner Scott to Cubs for prospect OF Kevin Alcántara (Kevin) Marlins trade Jazz Chisholm Jr. to Pirates for prospects INF Termarr Johnson and INF Mitch Jebb (Isaac) Marlins trade Bryan De La Cruz to Mariners for prospects INF Ben Williamson and INF Tai Peete or INF Dawel Joseph (Ely) Marlins trade Bryan De La Cruz to Pirates for prospects INF Mitch Jebb and RHP Jun-Seok Shim (Kevin) Follow Aram (@AramLeighton8), Isaac (@IsaacAzout), Kevin (@kevin_barral), Ely (@RealEly) and Fish On First (@FishOnFirst) on Twitter. Join the Marlins Discord server! Complete Miami Marlins coverage here at FishOnFirst.com. View full article

Rotation depth looked like it would be the strength of the Miami Marlins this season, but injuries have completely changed that. MIAMI, FL—Dating back to spring training, the Miami Marlins have struggled to keep their starting pitchers healthy. That pattern continued on Saturday when they placed Jesús Luzardo on the 15-day IL due to a lumbar stress reaction and announced that Braxton Garrett was scratched from his scheduled start on Sunday due to left elbow discomfort. Last season, Luzardo and Garrett were the two consistent members of the Marlins rotation, making 32 and 30 starts, respectively. However, it has been a completely different story in 2024. As we near the halfway mark of the regular season, they have combined for only 19 starts. Luzardo's last start came against the Washington Nationals where he went five innings, surrendering two runs off of five hits and ended his outing with more walks (three) than strikeouts (two). The Venezuelan's average fastball velocity dipped to 92.1 mph, a huge drop-off from his season average of 95.2 mph. "He's been feeling it for the last couple of weeks and then really felt discomfort the last start," said Marlins manager Skip Schumaker. "It was time to get the imaging and figure out what's going on back there. It shows you what kind of competitor he is because he did not feel good at all. Still went five, wanted to go six. Probably had no business even starting that day." Luzardo's previous IL stint for left elbow tightness was a short one (barely over the 15-day minimum), but Schumaker noted that this injury will keep him out for 4-6 weeks. That means he could remain sidelined through the July 30 trade deadline, so most likely, he'll be staying in Miami through the remainder of the season despite the constant rumors that have surrounded him. Braxton Garrett has struggled for the most part this season. Aside from the shutout he tossed in Arizona, he's been averaging less than five innings per outing. Overall, he is posting a 5.35 ERA, 3.79 FIP, 8.3 K/9 and 1.0 BB/9 through 37 innings pitched. Garrett felt discomfort in his left elbow during his bullpen session on Friday and will undergo further testing. Sandy Alcantara, Eury Pérez, Ryan Weathers, Edward Cabrera, Sixto Sánchez and Jesús Luzardo are now all on the injured list, with only Cabrera having a chance to return by the All-Star break. "It's cliché, the 'next man up' type situation," said Schumaker. "I felt like I've said it maybe too many already this year, but it's kind of part of our story and our year and we got to figure out a way to win and different ways to win. We have (Shaun) Anderson going today, figure out who's going out on the mound tomorrow. Those guys out there in the bullpen are getting really, really good. I don't want to abuse them. They have a career as well that you have to be concerned with and worry about and making sure that they feel good as well. I've never seen a rotation this decimated before this early in the season." The Marlins big league rotation currently consists of Trevor Rogers, Roddery Muñoz, Yonny Chirinos, Anderson and whoever Sunday's spot starter will be. View full article