Kevin Barral

Following six seasons with the organization, the Marlins are moving on from the respected pitching coach, even with a guaranteed year remaining on his contract. Just three days after the Miami Marlins announced that they will be parting ways with manager Skip Schumaker, Fish On First has learned that several of the coaches who worked with the former National League Manager of the Year are following him out the door. That includes longtime pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre Jr., sources said. Craig Mish of SportsGrid was first to report regarding Stottlemyre specifically. Stottlemyre, 60, was hired as Miami's major league pitching coach entering the 2019 season when Don Mattingly still served as Marlins skipper. He previously held the same position for the Arizona Diamondbacks and Seattle Mariners. Stepping into a rebuilding situation, the Marlins pitching staff ranked 29th in fWAR (22nd SP/30th RP) during that year. One of the few bright spots was the emergence of young Sandy Alcantara, who posted a 3.88 ERA (110 ERA+) and was second on the team in bWAR that year while earning an All-Star selection. During the craziness of the shortened 2020 season, Pablo López had a breakout of his own, throwing a team-leading 57 ⅓ innings and posting a 3.61 ERA (126 ERA+) and 3.09 FIP. Alcantara, López and others gained their first taste of postseason baseball that October as the Marlins advanced to the NLDS. The overall performance of Stottlemyre's pitching staff trended upwards in 2021 as they would rank 12th in the league in fWAR. This time, it was Trevor Rogers' turn to burst onto the scene and make the NL All-Star team. The homegrown left-hander also finished second in National League Rookie of the Year voting. Cy Young Sandy became a thing in 2022. He led the majors with 228 ⅔ innings pitched and six complete games, with one being a shutout. Alcantara would post a 2.28 ERA, 2.99 FIP, 8.1 K/9 and 2.0 BB/9 en route to becoming the franchise's first-ever Cy Young Award winner. Along with Alcantara, Jesús Luzardo and Braxton Garrett made noticeable improvements. Last year, for the first time since 2003, the Marlins made the playoffs in a full season. Mattingly departed, but Stottlemyre was retained by new manager Skip Schumaker. This would be Stottlemyre's best pitching staff, ranking fifth in the majors in fWAR, largely led by the previously mentioned young arms. Garrett and Luzardo were reliable fixtures in the starting rotation throughout the season while 20-year-old Eury Pérez had immediate success as a rookie. Stottlemyre and the Marlins staff also brought out the best in Tanner Scott, who overcame control issues and from mid-2023 through July 2024 had the most dominant run that any Miami closer has ever had. In 2024, the Marlins were doomed from the start. Alcantara and Pérez were sidelined following Tommy John surgery, while Garrett and Luzardo spent the vast majority of the season on the injured list as well. Through a combination of injuries and trades, Stottlemyre worked with 45 different pitchers, shattering the franchise's single-season record. The Marlins allowed 841 runs, their highest total since moving into loanDepot park. He had his greatest impact on some of the club's inexperienced relievers, particularly Calvin Faucher and Declan Cronin, and in smaller samples, Jesús Tinoco and John McMillon. Schumaker's successor will have the opportunity to decide on his own pitching coach for the 2025 season, though Stottlemyre had one year remaining on his contract and will still be paid by the Marlins. Addressing the media on Tuesday morning, president of baseball operations Peter Bendix would not put a timeline on when he expects to hire a new manager. "There’s a lot of different types of people, different types of ways to do that job really well,” Bendix said. “If you look around the league, there’s a lot of different ways of doing it. And what we need to figure out is what’s the right combination for us.” View full article

Before the offseason activity begins, here's a look at how the 2025 roster could shape up using players currently in the Marlins organization. The Miami Marlins have nearly six more months to decide on their Opening Day roster for the 2025 season. Between now and then, we expect a lot of moves to be made, though last winter, they were very quiet under new president of baseball operations Peter Bendix. Either way, by doing this exercise now, this will give you an idea of how Miami's major league-ready pieces fit together and what areas are most likely to be addressed before the real games begin. Here is a way-too-early projection of what the Marlins' 26-man active roster could be when the Pittsburgh Pirates come to town on March 27. Starting rotation: Sandy Alcantara, Jesús Luzardo, Ryan Weathers, Braxton Garrett and Edward Cabrera If all goes right, Sandy Alcantara will make his fifth career Opening Day start. Alcantara was nearly at full strength last month when he faced Marlins batters in live BP. His recovery from Tommy John surgery has gone smoothly. Luzardo and Garrett missed most of the 2024 season due to their own injuries, but are expected to be ready to go for spring training. The year before, they both showed that they're capable of sticking in the rotation for a full year. The only question is whether the Marlins trade them before Opening Day (Luzardo in particular has previously been included in trade talks). Weathers just had a career year (3.63 ERA and 4.11 FIP in 86.2 IP). He missed several months with a sprained finger, but finished on a high note to make it clear that he is one of Miami's five best starting candidates moving forward. Despite Cabrera's inconsistency, he still has impressive pure stuff and did pretty well during the second half of the season. He also has the advantage of being out of minor league options, so the Marlins might as well see what they have in him. Bullpen: Andrew Nardi, Calvin Faucher, Declan Cronin, Jesús Tinoco, Anthony Bender, Lake Bachar, Xzavion Curry and John McMillon Andrew Nardi and Anthony Bender are the vets of this inexperienced bullpen. They have been with the organization the longest and the expectation is that they will be back with the team in 2025 unless offseason trades are made. Faucher is the leading candidate to be the team's closer come Opening Day. He was one of several under-the-radar Peter Bendix finds that worked out this season, posting a 3.19 ERA, 2.49 FIP, 10.57 K/9, 4.36 BB/9 and six saves through 53 ⅔ innings pitched. Faucher became the closer following the trade deadline, but a right shoulder impingement sidelined him for the remainder of the season. Both claimed off the waiver wire, Cronin had a career year and Tinoco would find a consistent role in his second stint with the Marlins after playing for two other teams in 2024. They should both be used in high leverage. Tinoco specifically was closing out games following Faucher's injury. Filling out the final three bullpen spots is complicated. Bachar got off to a nice start in his Major League career with the exception of a blow-up appearance against the Atlanta Braves. McMillon stood out with an unhittable slider, but his status for 2025 is unclear after ending the year with a right elbow injury. Curry posted a 3.00 ERA with the Marlins and showed the versatility to pitch in a lot of different roles, Even after all the trades and injuries that depleted their bullpen, the Marlins ranked second among MLB teams in fWAR, so there is a lot to be excited about going into 2025 with this group. Starting position players: 1B Deyvison De Los Santos, 2B Otto Lopez, 3B Connor Norby, SS Xavier Edwards, LF Jesús Sánchez, CF Dane Myers, RF Kyle Stowers, C Nick Fortes and DH Jake Burger My boldest pick is Deyvison De Los Santos, who led the Minor Leagues in home runs. Acquired from the Arizona Diamondbacks in July, he ended the season slashing .294/.343/.571/.914 with 40 home runs and 120 RBI. Helping his case for a roster spot, De Los Santos is also the best defensive first baseman battling for playing time. For the moment, the second-ranked Fish On First prospect isn't even on the Marlins 40-man roster, but that is expected to change in November when he gets protected from the Rule 5 Draft. Stowers is another player who could go either way given his struggles in 2024. He posted a 35.4% strikeout rate with the Marlins and some of his swing decisions were questionable. He did have some moments where he showcased impressive power and speed. The only question about Edwards is which position he'll play. Within the Marlins organization, there's confidence in him sticking at shortstop. Edwards will continue to focus on strengthening his throwing arm this offseason in order to become a better overall defender. Otto Lopez was Miami's best fielder in 2024 and his bat heated up late in the season. He led all of their position players with 2.5 fWAR. Jesús Sánchez had a strong second half, slashing .259/.337/.407/.745 with seven home runs and 27 RBI. The Dominican outfielder did see an extended look against left-handed pitching, but struggled, ending the season going 17-for-115 (.148 BA). The expectation is that Sánchez will face right-handed pitching as the large side of a platoon, similar to what the Arizona Diamondbacks have done with Joc Pederson. Dane Myers ended the season on a high note slashing .263/.333/.442/.775 with three home runs, 19 RBI and a 109 OPS+. He missed out on most of the second half after kicking a door in Cincinnati and fracturing his left ankle. Last spring, Myers was blocked from the Opening Day roster by Avisaíl García, but moving forward, he has the inside track among the club's right-handed-hitting outfielders. Bench: C Agustín Ramírez, INF/OF Javier Sanoja, INF Jonah Bride and OF Derek Hill Ramírez made a clear name for himself in the minors this year, slashing .267/.358/.487/.845 with 25 home runs and 93 RBI. His bat is ready, but the issue is his defense behind the plate, especially when it comes to blocking pitches. The Marlins could be shopping for a veteran backup to give Ramírez more time to develop. Bride became an everyday player for Miami throughout August and September, slashing .276/.357/.461/.818 with 11 home runs, 39 RBI and a 121 OPS+. De Los Santos will be the higher priority for the organization moving forward, but Bride can still play a crucial role off the bench. Javier Sanoja was a late-season promotion. He only saw action in 15 games, but showed some flashes of what made him the 2024 Marlins Minor League Player of the Year. Sanoja's bat-to-ball skills, speed and defensive versatility may lead Miami to part ways with Vidal Bruján. As somebody who can play all three outfield spots and hit lefties, Derek Hill earned a chance to stick around. However, he will need to have a strong spring to make the roster. Just missed: Max Meyer, Adam Mazur, Griffin Conine and Will Banfield Conine is the first man out right now. What he did with the Marlins in his 30-game sample size was impressive, but is it sustainable? He is mainly in competition with Stowers entering 2025. Banfield has been with the organization since 2018 and his defense has always been his standout tool. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to build upon his offensive success in 2023. It'd still make sense to bring him to big league camp as a non-roster invitee. Meyer had an opportunity to audition for a rotation spot after the All-Star break and did not take advantage. Over the course of next season, he'll definitely be needed, whether that be as a starter or reliever. Mazur also struggled in limited MLB action in 2024 (while with the San Diego Padres). Like Meyer, it may take several injuries or trades to make room for him on the active roster. View full article

How much did these former Fish players help their new teams during the August/September playoff push? During the week leading up to the MLB trade deadline, the Miami Marlins said goodbye to nine major league players in exchange for prospects. How did these deals pan out for the contending teams that acquired them? Jazz Chisholm Jr. to the New York Yankees Chisholm was having a solid season as Miami's center fielder. At the time of the trade, he was leading the team in stolen bases and walks, and most importantly, playing every day without any injured list stints. After being dealt to the Yankees, Chisholm turned it up a notch slashing .273/.325/.500/.825 with 11 home runs, 23 RBI and a 132 wRC+. This stretch was very comparable to the first half of his 2022 season, which resulted in an All-Star selection. He landed on the IL with a left elbow sprain in August, but only missed the minimum 10 days. Chisholm set new career highs in many categories this season, including 24 homers and 40 steals. Chisholm also went through a position change with the Yankees, becoming their regular third baseman. He had never previously played there in the minors or majors. He held his own for the most part (6 OAA and -2 DRS). The Yankees posted a 94-68 record to clinch the No. 1 playoff seed in the American League. Trevor Rogers to the Baltimore Orioles At the moment, the Marlins look like clear winners of this trade. They acquired third baseman Connor Norby and outfielder Kyle Stowers in exchange for Trevor Rogers. Leading up to the trade, Rogers' best quality was his availability. He had posted a 4.53 ERA and 4.43 FIIP through 105 ⅓ innings pitched. He was very consistent throughout June and July to build up his value. As desperate as the Orioles were for rotation help, Rogers only made it through four starts where he posted a 7.11 ERA and 5.01 FIP, only completing the fifth inning twice. He was demoted to Triple-A Norfolk and wasn't included on their AL Wild Card Series roster. There is still time for Baltimore to get something out of the trade in future seasons as Rogers has two more years of arbitration eligibility. However, they enter Wednesday on the verge of being eliminated, which would be a disappointing outcome for a club that expected to compete for the World Series title. Tanner Scott and Bryan Hoeing to the San Diego Padres Scott was regarded as the best rental reliever on the market. He recovered from March/April struggles to allow only two earned runs in a span of 38 innings pitched, posting a 0.47 ERA. He alongside Bryan Hoeing were traded to the Padres in exchange for four prospects. Unlike in Miami, Scott isn't the primary closer for the Padres who have relied on Robert Suarez. He has still made a positive impact with his new team (2.73 ERA, 2.33 FIP and 4 SV). Hoeing has proven to be an equally important piece for the red-hot Padres. As a Marlin, he was pitching in all sorts of situations, totaling a 2.70 ERA and 3.27 FIP through 30 innings. With the Padres thus far, focusing entirely on being a reliever, Hoeing improved to a 1.52 ERA (274 ERA+) in 23 ⅔ innings. Increased usage of his splitter contributed to that. The Padres earned the NL's top Wild Card spot. Bryan De La Cruz traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates The Pirates would have needed an amazing second half from Bryan De La Cruz to stay in the postseason race. Instead, he struggled with the change of scenery. It took him 17 games to knock in his first extra-base hit and he ended his stint in Pittsburgh slashing .200/.220/.294/.514 with three home runs and 17 RBI. By September, he was only a part-time player. Plate discipline was an issue with both his strikeout and walk rates trending in the wrong direction. DLC had a -1.1 fWAR following the deadline, the second-worst mark of any MLB hitter. Like the Rogers situation, it's too early to reach a final judgement on this trade because of remaining years of club control. Still, the Marlins should be thankful that they got it done while De La Cruz still had some market value. A.J. Puk and Josh Bell to the Arizona Diamondbacks These two players weren't moved in the same trade, but they winded up on the same team. Leading up to the trade, Puk had not allowed an earned run through 16 ⅔ innings pitched (14 appearances). Within that streak, he had allowed four hits and struck out 25 while only walking three. With the Diamondbacks, he continued his scoreless streak for three more games until he allowed a run against the Pirates on August 2. Overall in Arizona, Puk posted a 1.32 ERA through 27 ⅓ innings pitched. The high-leverage reliever is under club control for two additional seasons. Limited to first base/DH and performing below his usual standards, Josh Bell wasn't expected to be moved. With the Marlins, Bell slashed .239/.305/.394/.699 with 14 home runs and 49 RBI. Right before being dealt, Bell was on a hot streak, hitting a home run in four consecutive games. That streak combined with a last-minute injury to Diamondbacks first baseman Christian Walker led to an agreement on a trade that would send Bell to Arizona for cash. It was the third consecutive year that Bell changed teams at the deadline. Bell hit two home runs in his Diamondbacks debut, one from each side of the plate. He was a regular in their lineup until Walker returned from the IL in early September. Similar to what Bell did in 2023 upon arriving in Miami, he slashed .279/.361/.436/.796 with five home runs, 22 RBI and a 121 OPS+ as a D-back. The reigning NL champions fell short of reaching October, finishing with the same 89-73 record as the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets, but losing the tiebreaker to both of them. Huascar Brazoban traded to the New York Mets Brazoban's season got off to a delayed start due to visa issues. In 2024 with Miami, he only pitched in 20 games where he posted a 2.93 ERA, 2.65 FIP and a 3.2 BB/9, though most of that success came in low-leverage situations. The right-hander's walks went up in New York, leading to a 5.14 ERA through 21 innings pitched. He also blew a save against his former team on August 18. Brazoban still made the Mets Wild Card Series roster. He isn't eligible for arbitration until 2026. JT Chargois traded to the Seattle Mariners Like Brazoban, Chargois had a good yet small sample of 2024 production as a low-leverage reliever. In 15 games pitched, there was a big gap between his 1.62 ERA and 5.33 FIP, so it was unclear whether any contenders would go out of their way to get him. With the Mariners, Chargois' ERA went up to 2.75 and the FIP dropped to 4.54. Held back by a bad offense, the Mariners did not clinch a playoff spot. View full article

As a perk of struggling so much on the field this season, the Marlins will be co-favorites to receive the No. 1 pick in the next amateur draft. The Miami Marlins celebrated a clinching on Wednesday night. With their loss to the Minnesota Twins, Miami secured 22.45% odds of winning the 2025 MLB Draft lottery and receiving the top overall pick, which is the highest percentage possible. Under normal circumstances, the MLB teams that finish with the three worst records in a season have equal odds of winning the lottery. However, the league-worst Chicago White Sox are ineligible to win this year due to their previous lottery results and large market size. Instead, those with the two worst records will have better odds than the rest. The Marlins are now guaranteed to have a bottom-two record because they're five games below the Los Angeles Angels with four games left. Whichever team finishes with a worse record between the Angels and Colorado Rockies will also receive 22.45% lottery odds. The team with a better record will have 18.03% odds. Every non-playoff team is entered into the lottery with the exception of the White Sox and Athletics. The only time that the Marlins have held the first overall pick in the MLB Draft was in 2000 when they took Ádrian González. That was after a season where they lost 98 games. González proved to be an excellent pick, ending his career with 43.5 bWAR, winning four Gold Gloves, two Silver Slugger awards and five All-Star selections. None of those numbers came for the Fish because in 2003, he was traded to the Texas Rangers in exchange for reliever Ugueth Urbina. Top prospects in the 2025 MLB Draft include Texas A&M outfielder Jace LaViolette, high school shortstop Ethan Holliday and UC Santa Barbara right-handed pitcher Tyler Bremner. LaViolette was recently named the No. 1 prospect in the class, according to Baseball America, with Holliday coming in right behind him. The draft lottery takes place in December during the Winter Meetings in Dallas, Texas. The draft itself isn't until July 2025. View full article

After a rough return from the IL, Ryan Weathers showed improvement during his five innings of work on Tuesday night. The Marlins bullpen sealed the upset win. The last time Ryan Weathers took the mound, he ran out of gas toward the end of his start, surrendering six runs off of eight hits and three home runs in 4 ⅓ innings against a potent Los Angeles Dodgers lineup. On Tuesday night, Weathers looked more like himself, using his elite secondary stuff with a fastball that topped out at 97.5 mph in a 4-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins. Weathers was enjoying a career year, posting a 3.55 ERA, 3.93 FIP, 8.49 K/9 and 2.54 BB/9 in 71 innings pitched prior to landing on the injured list with a left index finger strain. The 24-year-old spent more than three months on the IL, but was able to rejoin the Miami Marlins rotation in time to enter the offseason with some momentum. In his second outing back from the IL, Weathers faced a Twins team that's in desperation mode after falling behind both the Detroit Tigers and Kansas City Royals in the AL Wild Card race. Their offense has struggled in the second half of the season, though Tuesday's lineup still featured impressive hitters like Carlos Correa, Byron Buxton and Royce Lewis who are all finally healthy at the same time. Weathers went five innings of work, allowing one run off of six hits, two walks and struck out two. What made Weathers so good prior to his injury was the improvement of his secondary stuff and command of the fastball. He only generated four whiffs (three on the changeup and one on the sweeper). dbc88664-108b6cd0-d01e57b8-csvm-diamondgcp-asset-4000K.mp4 Weathers will be on regular rest when the Marlins play their 162nd and final game on Sunday. He could become the first Marlin since Sandy Alcantara (2018/2019) to start the team's regular season finale in consecutive years. The Marlins offense did all of their damage off Twins starter Bailey Ober in the top of the second inning. Jonah Bride hit his ninth home run of the season, marking the longest home run of his Major League career at 409 feet. Nick Fortes' second-half success continued as he drove in Derek Hill on an RBI single. Xavier Edwards increased the lead to 4-0 with a two-run double. Bride also had two singles later on, marking the first thee-hit game of his career. Entering the evening, Bride had been slashing .262/.359/.442/.801 with eight home runs and 25 RBI since the trade deadline. Those numbers got even better on Tuesday. With the win, the Marlins have a 58-99 record while the Minnesota Twins are 81-76, dropping farther away from the 2024 playoffs considering that the Tigers and Royals both won their games. Edward Cabrera will take the mound for the Marlins on Wednesday, and for the Twins, it'll be Simeon Woods Richardson. View full article

Former Marlins outfielder Jorge Soler makes his second return to Miami this season...with his second different team. Following the trade deadline, he's looking to help the Atlanta Braves sneak into the playoffs. MIAMI, FL—One of the first and biggest decisions for Miami Marlins president of baseball operations Peter Bendix following the 2023 season was what to do with slugger Jorge Soler. Soler was coming off a season where he slashed .250/.341/.512/.853 with 36 home runs, 75 RBI and posted a 123 OPS+, his highest since the 2019 season with the Kansas City Royals. He was an All-Star selection that season while living in his offseason home of Miami. Declining his 2024 player option to pursue a multi-year free agent deal was an easy call. Bendix still had the chance to extend a $20.325M qualifying offer to Soler. That would represent a big pay raise for Soler and allow the Marlins to collect a compensatory draft pick if he turned it down. The offer was not made, however. Late in the offseason, he would sign a three-year, $42M deal with the San Francisco Giants. This was a Giants team that looked to compete with the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres, two teams who had big offseasons of their own. With the additions of Soler and Matt Chapman, plus new manager Bob Melvin, expectations were relatively high. It's safe to say the Giants fell short of expectations as they were trade deadline sellers, with one of the players going out the door being Soler himself. He reunited with the Atlanta Braves, who took responsibility for the remainder of his contract. "I honestly didn't think that they were going to trade me," Soler said. "Thankfully, I was given the opportunity to return to Atlanta and I am here and happy." The first time he was traded to the Braves back in 2021, he posted a 131 OPS+ in 55 regular season games and continued to raked in the postseason on the way to being named World Series MVP. This time around, Soler is slashing .238/.356/.492/.848 with eight home runs, 21 RBI and a 134 OPS+ in 40 games. On Thursday night, Soler hit his 20th home run of the season. "I like this organization in general," said Soler in Spanish. "I like the players that we have, the way they play the game and the young talent. We play hard every day and there are always good vibes, which I love." It was worst-case scenario for Atlanta early on as they lost Ronald Acuña Jr. and Spencer Strider for the remainder of the season, similar to 2021. The Braves currently find themselves two games out of a National League Wild Card spot entering a crucial series against Miami. "Without them things have been difficult," said Soler. "But we are going out onto the field every day trying to play the best baseball we can and win games because at the end of the day, that's all that matters." In his limited time with the Giants, Soler did not see a game in the outfield, but with the Braves, things have been reversed because Marcell Ozuna is the team's primary DH. "When I came here, the general manager told me that I would be playing in the outfield every day," said Soler. "That was going to be the only opportunity for me to play and I want to play every day, so I have to do it." Soler and the Braves will face off against Mexican right-handed starter Valente Bellozo on Friday, and for the Braves, Charlie Morton will take the mound. First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 pm. View full article

At 22 years old, Sanoja is already at the Major League level. The versatility and contact hitting he showed as a prospect have immediately translated. MIAMI, FL —It has all happened so fast for Javier Sanoja. The undersized utility man who spent most of his time last year at the Low-A level is now on the field almost every day for the Miami Marlins. The organization has consistently challenged Sanoja and he hasn't backed down. Late in the 2023 season, he earned a promotion to High-A. Those 30 games were impressive enough to get the 5'7" Venezuelan a long look at Marlins big league spring training camp. He began the 2024 season at Double-A where he only stayed for 15 games before getting moved up to Triple-A in place of an injured José Devers. After an initial adjustment period, Sanoja raked against AAA pitching throughout the summer. Shortly after his 22nd birthday, he got his first MLB call-up on the night of September 6. "It was an unforgettable moment for any baseball player," said Sanoja in Spanish. "I think every player wants to make their Major League debut and thankfully that opportunity came to me. I was in [Louisville,] Kentucky on a road trip and the manager called me and asked me why I didn't run hard enough. He then told me that the the organization was sending me to Miami and to run hard and my face changed because I was disappointed it wasn't my best night, but thankfully I was able to debut." Prior to his contract selection, Sanoja was slashing .291/.354/.431/.785 with six home runs, 58 RBI, 14 stolen bases and a 105 wRC+ at the AAA level. Making contact is his best skill. He had the lowest strikeout percentage in the International League despite being five years younger than the average player in the league. It isn't normal to see such rapid movement through the minor leagues, especially in a case like Sanoja's. When signed by the Marlins as an international free agent in 2019, he received a bonus of only $90k, representing less than 2% of the team's overall bonus pool. "I think winter ball has played a fundamental part for me," said Sanoja, who played for Venezuela's Cardenales de Lara after the 2022 and 2023 minor league seasons. "I think that's helped me advance quickly." It's only been 27 plate appearances thus far at the Major League level, but Sanoja has made the transition smoothly so far. His .718 OPS is almost identical to the career .719 OPS he posted in the minors. Entering Friday, he has gone 19 straight plate appearances without striking out, which is among the longest active streaks in MLB. "I can't imagine being in the big leagues at 22 years old," said Marlins manager Skip Schumaker. "I was scuffling in Low-A or High-A and he's trying to hit Major League-caliber pitching." Looking ahead to 2025 and beyond, Sanoja's defense will have a big impact on his role. He gained experience at practically every position during his journey through the minors and winter ball. Schumaker has already used him at second base, shortstop, left field and center field. Whether it be starting or coming off the bench, that versatility has gotten him on the field in 11 out of 12 games since his call-up. "He's going to be the Tommy Edmans, the Daniel Descalsos, and back in the day, the [Chone] Figginses. He's going to be playing everywhere because he can run. He takes really good at-bats...I think if he can play shortstop and be good defensively, he'll be in the league for 15 years." View full article

One of the biggest storylines in all of Major League Baseball is in Miami. Shohei Ohtani finds himself two home runs and two stolen bases shy of a 50/50 season and the Miami Marlins react to the possibility of that occurring at loanDepot park. MIAMI, FL - With the Marlins season set to end next week, one of the biggest storylines in baseball history walked into loanDepot park: Shohei Ohtani. The Japanese sensation entered Tuesday three home runs and two stolen bases shy of a 50/50 season, the first in MLB history. Following the game, Ohtani found himself just two homers and two stolen bases shy. Along with Ohtani taking another step forwards towards this accomplishment, the Miami Marlins offense knocked in 11 runs to win by a final score of 11-9. "Probably the best player I've ever seen play," said Marlins manager Skip Schumaker. "He can do it all and he's rehabbing too. That's just what's so crazy, what he's doing on a rehab year...Not everybody's breaking records. There's only a few guys that can really do what he's doing. Acuña was 40/70, something crazy last year which is really something people really don't talk about. The thing that I still just don't understand is how he's such a good pitcher on rehab assignment doing these crazy things. It just blows my mind. I think he's going to continue to do this throughout his career. I don't think it's a one year type of thing." This past offseason, Ohtani signed a 10-year, $700M contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers after spending six years with the Angles of Anaheim. Going into the series opener against the Marlins, Ohtani was slashing .288/.373/.609/.982. At the moment, Ohtani is the favorite to win the National League MVP. If he wins the award, he would become the second player in MLB history to accomplish the feat. The first to do it was Frank Robinson. Someone who is rooting for Ohtani, especially in this series against the Marlins, is Skip Schumaker's son, Brody. "My son watches Shohei in LA and all his friends can't wait to see what Shohei did that night. There's only a couple guys that you stop and watch when they're hitting: Bryce, Harper, Manny Machado, Shohei, Betts and Freeman...Shohei is definitely a guy that around the league everyone stops to watch, to see what he's going to do. Just a special player and it should be fun for everybody to watch these three games." Amongst big storylines entering Tuesday's series, Sandy Alcantara was certainly one of them. He threw his first live BP since undergoing Tommy John surgery last October. During his scrum following his throwing session, he was asked about Shohei Ohtani, who he has faced three times in his career. Alcantara has kept him hitless in three at-bats. "I think everybody is talking about that," said Alcantara. "I think he's a great player. I don't know how to be proud of this guy because he's been doing great in his long career. I think he just needs to keep doing what he's doing and hopefully he can get to 50/50." Another pitcher who has faced Ohtani is Jesus Luzardo. Unlike Alcantara, Ohtani got to Luzardo once, hitting a home run off of him in 2021 when he was a member of the Oakland Athletics. Overall, Ohtani is 1-for-7 with four strikeouts against Luzardo. "It's cool to watch history," said Luzardo. "Obviously he's a great player on both sides of the ball and we wish him the best, just hopefully we come out on top." After striking out in the top of the first inning, Ohtani took Marlins starter Darren McCaughan deep for a 402 foot home run, his 48th of the season. Aside from his home run at-bat, Ohtani didn't do too much, striking out in the following two at-bats before grounding out to finish his night. When you have to face a top of the order that includes Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman, expectations to win a baseball game are low, but on Tuesday night, the Marlins defied those odds and beat the Dodgers 11-9. "They don't go away," said Schumaker. "That offense is crazy. It just doesn't stop, there's no breaks. Our bullpen was outstanding today. I know Tinoco gave up a couple runs there at the end, but they really kept him at bay for the most part throughout the middle of the game, towards the end, provided some really big innings. I know a couple guys gave up a run, but that's okay, our offense just kept going." Bobby Miller, who was a pillar in the Dodgers rotation last season, has had a sophomore slump that includes a 8.17 ERA through 12 starts. On Tuesday night, despite averaging 97.7 mph on his fastball, the Marlins made him work, knocking him out after two innings of work. Following his start, Millers' ERA increased to 8.52. Of the most notable players for the Marlins was Jesus Sanchez, who went 5-for-5 with three RBI. It marks Sanchez's first career five-hit game and the first by a Marlin in 2024. Including Sanchez, eight of the nine players in the Marlins lineup were able to collect a base hit. Jake Burger, Otto Lopez, Jonah Bride, Jesus Sanchez and Kyle Stowers all had at least one RBI. "He's got real power to the pull side," said Schumaker following the game. "He hit it the other way, took really good takes in high leverage counts and high leverage spots. If he ends up just being a guy that hits righties, it's pretty dang good. It means always over an .800 OPS that I think is only going to get better. As he gets older and understands the league more and the game-planning and what they're trying to do to him, he's a really dangerous bat in the lineup, especially against the righty." Lopez, who has been hitting the ball well as of late, hit his sixth home run of the season in the bottom of the third inning. Burger gave the Marlins an 11-7 lead in the bottom of the eighth inning with his 26th home run of the season. This marked the Marlins sixth time in 2024 scoring double-digit runs. It was also the highest-scoring home game of the season for the Fish. Former Marlin Miguel Rojas had himself a feel-good moment in the top of the fourth inning when he took his former team deep for the first time since being traded back to the Dodgers. It was his sixth home run of the season and first at loanDepot park as a visiting player. With the win, the Marlins move to 56-95 on the season and will look to win a series for the first time since defeating the San Francisco Giants on the road (August 30- September 1). As for the Dodgers, they drop to 89-62. Ryan Weathers is expected to be activated off the 60-day IL on Wednesday as he will take the mound. For the Dodgers, Landon Knack will make his 11th start of the season. First pitch will be at 6:40 pm. View full article

Nearly a year removed from undergoing Tommy John surgery, Miami Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara threw his first live batting practice session at loanDepot park and addressed the media afterward. View full video

Weathers is set to start on Wednesday against the Los Angeles Dodgers, his first big league action since June 7. After spending over three months on the injured list, Miami Marlins lefty Ryan Weathers is expected to be reinstated to start Wednesday's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, a source told Fish On First. The 24-year-old is coming back from a left index finger strain. Entering spring training, Weathers was buried deep on Miami's starting rotation depth chart, projected to begin the 2024 season as a swingman or member of the Triple-A Jacksonville pitching staff. But as camp progressed, he showed improved command and velocity, leading to more swing-and-miss. Injuries to several other starters created room for him to make the Opening Day rotation. Weathers was enjoying a breakout season. After some early struggles, he locked in and posted a 1.91 ERA in the month of May, including eight scoreless innings on May 14 against the Detroit Tigers and 11 strikeouts against the Texas Rangers on June 1. Through 13 starts, he posted a 3.55 ERA, 3.93 FIP, 8.49 K/9 and 2.54 BB/9 in 71 innings pitched. These rate stats are all career highs for the former first-round draft pick. Compared to previous years, Weathers has begun to trust his secondary stuff and rely less on his four-seam fastball. This season, his sweeper has generated an incredible 55.3 whiff% with his changeup at a 39.5 whiff%. His four-seamer is averaging 95.9 mph, which is the best of his career as well. Facing the Cleveland Guardians on June 7, Weathers was removed during the third inning due to the finger injury. It took a long time for it to completely heal, so he did not begin a throwing program until after the All-Star break. During his three minor league rehab starts, Weathers struck out 16 hitters in 10 ⅔ innings pitched. His final start came on September 13 with AAA-Jacksonville, where he went five scoreless innings of work. He used his entire pitch mix with his four-seamer averaging 94.7 mph and topping out at 96.4 mph. If the Marlins use a five-man rotation, Weathers could make three starts before the end of the season: one each against the Dodgers, Minnesota Twins and Toronto Blue Jays. The Blue Jays matchup would be Game 162, just like in 2023 when he also started the club's regular season finale. View full article

The Pirates rookie phenom was just as advertised on Monday, striking out nine Marlins en route to a win. Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Paul Skenes was considered MLB's best pitching prospect at the time of his promotion. Since then, he has done everything possible to live up to that, posting a 2.13 ERA entering Monday's game that was the lowest in the majors during that period. The Marlins got their first look at Skenes on Monday night in Pittsburgh. They were the victims of yet another quality start as the rookie went six innings, allowing one run off of six hits. He also walked one and struck out nine. The Pirates would win by a final score of 3-1 and Skenes improved his record to 10-2. Don't be fooled by their overall numbers or lack of experience: Skenes was facing a solid offense. Prior to the July 30 deadline, the Marlins were averaging only 3.61 runs per game, but since then, they are scoring 4.49 runs per game, slightly above the MLB average. They had also combined for 19 runs over their previous two games against the Philadelphia Phillies. Skenes was overpowering on Monday with a four-seam fastball that averaged 98.8 mph while topping out at 100.6 mph. The "splinker" (which has characteristics of both a sinker and a splitter) has been Skenes' calling card since arriving to MLB. Throwing it 19 times, he generated four swings on it and used it once as a putaway pitch when he struck out Jake Burger swinging in the top of the fourth inning. Eight out of the nine players in Miami's starting lineup (except Otto Lopez) were struck out by Skenes. Connor Norby had a rare hitless game and struck out swinging twice. The only run that the Pirates starter surrendered was in the top of the fourth. Jesús Sánchez doubled off a 98.5 mph fastball and the hot-hitting Lopez got an RBI single off a 99.2 mph fastball. Marlins starter Valente Bellozo continued his Linsanity run, going 5 ⅓ innings pitched, allowing three runs (but only one earned) off of six hits to lower his ERA to 3.57. He also walked one and struck out two. In the bottom of the first inning, Bellozo surrendered a 444-foot home run to newly converted center fielder Oneil Cruz. That was Cruz's 19th home run of the season and it gave the Pirates a 1-0 lead. A throwing error by Xavier Edwards set up a Bryan Reynolds single, which drove in two runs and extended the Pirates lead to 3-0. The Marlins had an impressive ninth-inning rally against flame-throwing reliever Aroldis Chapman. Recent call-up Javier Sanoja drew a four-pitch walk, then two batters later, Cristian Pache followed with an RBI double. It wasn't enough as the Marlins fell by a final score of 3-2, suffering their 90th loss. Adam Oller is expected to start for the Marlins in game two of the three-game set against the Pirates. First pitch on Tuesday will be at 6:40 pm ET. View full article

Claimed off waivers by the Marlins, John McMillon has quickly helped fill the shoes of the veteran relievers who were moved in trade deadline deals. MIAMI—Going up against Zack Wheeler and the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday night, the Miami Marlins were going to be big underdogs no matter what. When scheduled starter Edward Cabrera was scratched on short notice due to migraine-like symptoms, that actually could have worked in Miami's favor. Their relievers have quietly combined for 6.4 fWAR in 2024, the second-best mark in MLB. Although this emergency bullpen game was a disaster—the Marlins lost by a final score of 16-2—the 'pen has stepped up in general despite a constantly changing roster. Earlier this week, Marlins manager Skip Schumaker complimented president of baseball operations Peter Bendix for turning waiver wire acquisitions into potential pieces of the club's 2025 Opening Day roster. "Peter's done a good job in the front office of getting us some arms that we could still compete with." said Schumaker. "A lot of the back-end arms, the guys that were off small trades or waivers—(Jesús) Tinoco, (Calvin) Faucher and (Declan) Cronin—that group has been really successful for us. I don't know where we would be without them, honestly. You take a shot with some of these guys that have real power stuff." Right-handed reliever John McMillon is continuing this trend. The former undrafted free agent spent some time in the Kansas City Royals organization and made his major league debut with them in 2023, only pitching in four games. The Royals designated him for assignment on July 30. In eight Marlins games this season since being claimed off waivers, McMillon has posted a 1.69 ERA, 3.56 FIP, 10.1 K/9 and 4.2 BB/9 through 10 ⅔ innings pitched. He is riding a four-game hitless streak. "Those are guys that you feel like you can take a chance on and work with because you can tweak one or two things, then they become like Faucher or Cronin," said Schumaker. In McMillon's case, the Marlins have tweaked his slider usage. In AAA earlier this season, the majority of his pitches (53.4%) were four-seam fastballs, but since arriving to Miami, the slider has become his primary pitch, being thrown 61.4% of the time. "I feel like it's just been a good rhythm here," said McMillon. "I like the game plan we're getting put together and have been executing efficiently so far. I think that that's what's contributing to that." Opponents are 1-for-25 with 11 strikeouts in at-bats ending with McMillon's slider. "I never want a guy to get away from this fastball," said Schumaker about McMillon, whose heater averages 95.5 mph. "If you don't have a true outlier pitch, then you need to mix and match...The more we see him, the more we look at the data, that might be an outlier pitch as of right now. I think he's a two-pitch pitcher that can get guys out." In Edward Cabrera's place, Austin Kitchen made the start against the Phillies on Friday. The lefty struggled in two innings of work and allowed seven runs (six earned) off of nine hits. Kitchen only managed to strike out one opposing hitter. Meanwhile, Zack Wheeler cruised through six innings, not allowing a hit through 3 ⅓ innings of work. Connor Norby broke up Wheeler's no-hit bid with a base hit right at third baseman Kody Clemens. Although the Marlins were able to score that run, they wouldn't tack on more until the bottom of the ninth inning when the game was already decided. Kitchen and five other Marlins pitchers (not including McMillon) combined to allow 22 hits, the highest single-game total for any team in loanDepot park history. The last time that the Marlins allowed 20 or more hits was earlier this season in a 20-4 loss to the Oakland Athletics on May 4, the same day Luis Arraez was traded. For the Fish on Saturday, Darren McCaughan will take the mound, making his second start of the season in a Marlins uniform. The Phillies will trot out co-ace Aaron Nola. In his last start against the Marlins, Nola went 6 ⅔ innings, striking out nine. With a current record of 52-89, the Marlins will look to avoid their 90th loss of the season. View full article

In advance of his first home game as a Miami Marlin, outfielder Griffin Conine speaks to Fish On First about what his major league experience has been like so far, hitting at loanDepot park and the adjustments that earned him a long-awaited call-up. View full video

Through one week at the Major League level, Griffin Conine has impressed, doing a little bit of everything. He looks to keep it going during his first Marlins homestand. MIAMI, FL—When the Marlins promoted Griffin Conine to the Major Leagues, expectations were relatively low for the 27-year-old, However, through six games, he's hitting .300/.333/.600/.933 with one home run and three RBI. All of a sudden, Conine is attempting to make the case to earn some sort of role for the 2025 season. "He's made some real strides in becoming a complete hitter," said Marlins manager Skip Schumaker before Tuesday's series-opener. "Not just the power, the power is there. He's a big, strong and physical kid. He's going to run into some baseballs, but I think seeing him hit it the other way, the line drive approach, I think has been pleasant. Not surprising, but more than where he was a few years ago. That's not easy to do and shows how athletic he is. To be able to do that. He's a really good defender. He can really throw the baseball as you saw in Colorado, but I think he's a baseball player." The strides that Schumaker noted go back to Spring Training when he was with the Major League team as a non-roster invitee. The big adjustment for him was getting on top of the ball instead of attacking under, something he noted he did the last couple of seasons. The big adjustment that allowed him to get to the top of the ball more was raising his hands "a lot more," something that he did in high school and college. "It's been huge," Conine told Fish On First in an exclusive interview. "I've told people that I think now I am most rewarded by getting a hit on a tough pitch that I feel like I wouldn't have gotten to last year. Not homers, we love homers, but when your swing is in a good spot, I'm gonna hit it out of the yard, but at the same time, you've gotta compete and be able to hit the pitcher's best pitch and I think I've done a lot better of a job at that than last year." After starting his career in two hitter-friendly ballparks, Conine makes his way to loanDepot park, which is regarded as one of the tougher environments to hit in, but the Marlins new rookie isn't too worried about it as he's looking to make more contact that take a pitcher deep. "It's definitely a place that favors pitchers more," said Conine. "That doesn't really change anything from what I am trying to do. Line drives play always. That's kinda been the story this year where I am learning to give up homers in favor of just getting hits. Any way that you can get into the lineup and get on base and get hits, gets walks and whatever that may be. The homers will come when they come so not too concerned about dimensions or anything like that." Usually for any rookie, they will have a veteran to rely on, but in a season where there has been so much turnover, it's hard to find that veteran presence on the Marlins roster. Instead, it's been a lot of name-learning and finding ways to build relationships with players. "It's interesting," said Conine. "We have a lot of new guys here that have come from trades. A lot of us here are on the same boat, just learning the organization. (Jake) Burger obviously is a great guy to have in the clubhouse. He's been showing me the way a good bit." What does help not just Conine, but a lot of his current teammates is having that relationship in AAA. Notable names that were on the Jumbo Shrimp that are on the active roster are Connor Norby, Xavier Edwards, Jhonny Pereda and recently recalled Anthony Maldonado. "We had a great culture in Jacksonville," said Conine. "Great group of guys there and awesome to see everybody coming up now. That's everyone's goal and I think it's cool that we are all on the same boat in that regard." On Tuesday, Conine pinch-hit in the bottom of the eighth inning where he flew out to left field. Conine remained in the game playing right field. "I think just getting in the box for the first time," said Conine pregame when asked the emotions of playing in Miami. "It's going to be a crazy feeling and I think I'll be more comfortable than I would've been if I hadn't spent so much time here. I'm excited to play." The Marlins fell by a final score of 6-2 after a rough start by Max Meyer, who surrendered five runs in 5 ⅔ innings of work. In the top of the third inning, Nationals outfielder Jacob Young took Meyer deep for a solo-homer. Meyer would allow another home run in the top of the fourth inning to Joey Gallo, this time a three-run shot. The first of two Marlins runs were thanks to a Connor Norby RBI double which drove in Nick Fortes. In the inning that followed, Cristian Pache drove in David Hensley on an RBI double. Former Marlins reliever Robert Garcia closed the game out, striking out the side. The Marlins fell to 0-8 against the Nationals and 51-87 overall in 2024. Just a year ago, they won 11 of their 13 contests against the division-rivals Nats. Wednesday's game will have Mexico-native Valente Bellozo take the mound for the Marlins and for the Nationals, it'll be MacKenzie Gore. The Marlins will look to settle for a split. First pitch is at 6:40 pm. View full article