Kevin Barral

Marlins starter Adam Oller provided six shutout innings and set a career-high in strikeouts on Friday. However, Miami's bullpen could not hold on to a 1-0 lead. The Miami Marlins had a tough task on Friday, facing two-time Cy Young award winner Blake Snell, who already thrown a no-hitter in 2024 and has been one of MLB's best pitchers throughout the last two months combined. Snell was his useful self, but surprisingly, right-hander Adam Oller was equally successful in shutting down the San Francisco Giants lineup. Between both pitchers, they struck out 16 hitters. A depleted Marlins bullpen blew a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the eighth inning, giving the Giants a 3-1 win. Oller, 29, was originally a 20th-round pick by the Pittsburgh Pirates and had a long journey just to reach the majors. Released by the Pirates after the 2018 season, he pitched in the Frontier League in 2019 and was later signed that same year by the Giants. The Mets picked him in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 Draft, eventually trading him in 2022 as part of a package to acquire Chris Bassitt. He posted a 7.09 ERA in his 94 MLB innings with Oakland. Oller tried to earn his way back up with the Triple-A affiliates of the Seattle Mariners and the Cleveland Guardians, but wasn't effective enough to get a second chance. He signed a minor league deal with the Marlins earlier this summer after being cut by Cleveland. In Triple-A Jacksonville this season, Oller appeared in six games (three starts), posting a 2.88 ERA, 3.50 FIP, 8.64 K/9 and 2.52 BB/9 through 25 innings pitched. With lack of starting pitching at the Major League level, the Marlins selected the contract of Oller. He struggled in his first start after the promotion, but Oller settled in and thrived in next outing against the Chicago Cubs. On Friday, Oller was excellent, providing six shutout innings while striking out a career-high eight opposing hitters. After going fastball-heavy against the Cubs, his secondary pitches stood out more in San Francisco. Seven of Oller's 12 whiffs came with his slurve. His command was also on point, rarely leaving pitches in the heart of the strike zone. 0471c8b1-f74fe5e2-8ae33144-csvm-diamondgcp-asset_1280x720_59_4000K.mp4 With Roddery Muñoz being removed from the Marlins rotation earlier this week, Oller's spot looks to be completely secure. On the other side, Giants starter Blake Snell ended up surrendering one run off of four hits, but kept the Marlins at bay throughout most of his outing, going seven innings, striking out eight and walking one. Snell's curveball made the difference despite it being his least-used pitch on the night. Snell's changeup generated 11 of the 19 whiffs followed by the curveball, which generated six whiffs. In the top of the seventh inning, former Giant Derek Hill smacked a base hit, which was followed by his sixth stolen base of the season. After Otto Lopez flew out, Hill moved to third. David Hensley was able to drive in Hill with an opposite-field single to give the Marlins a 1-0 lead. Recently acquired Mike Baumann was the first man out of the Marlins bullpen. After a clean bottom of the seventh, Baumann was kept in for another inning and loaded the bases. George Soriano was brought in to escape the jam with two outs in the bottom of the eighth. However, he surrendered a bases-clearing double to Matt Chapman to give the Giants a 3-1 lead. With the loss, the Marlins dropped to a 49-86 record. The Giants climbed back to an even .500 record at 68-68. On Saturday, Edward Cabrera will take the mound. First pitch will be at 9:05 pm ET. View full article

The Miami Marlins are calling up the son of Jeff Conine, a 27-year-old outfielder who had been raking lately for their Triple-A affiliate. Griffin will debut with the same franchise that his father won two World Series titles with. Following the conclusion of Sunday's game against the Chicago Cubs, the Miami Marlins announced that outfielder Griffin Conine has been called up. The son of former Marlins legend and current advisor Jeff Conine will have his contract selected from Triple-A Jacksonville to make his Major League debut on Monday in Denver against the Colorado Rockies. Craig Mish of SportsGrid broke the news first. Shortstop Xavier Edwards (lower back discomfort) will be going on the 10-day injured list to make room for Griffin on the active roster, per MLB.com's Christina De Nicola. With this promotion, the Conines will become the second father/son duo to play for the Marlins organization. David and Ryan Weathers were the first. Griffin, 27, was drafted by the Marlins in the 31st round of the 2015 MLB Draft, but did not sign as he went to play baseball at Duke. After three collegiate seasons, he would be drafted in the second round of the 2018 draft by the Toronto Blue Jays. Conine made it up to the Low-A level with the Blue Jays organization. In 2020, when there was no Minor League Baseball being played, the Marlins traded infielder Jonathan Villar to the Blue Jays in exchange for a PTBNL, which ended up being Conine. Throughout his time in the the Marlins system, Conine has been a great power hitter. He ranked second among all minor leaguers with 36 home runs in 2021. The following season, he set the Pensacola Blue Wahoos record for most home runs in a single season at 24. On the other hand, strikeouts have been the main issue holding him back. Conine's strikeout rate across parts of six MiLB seasons is 34.8%. He has lowered that to 29.5% in 2024, but that is still higher than all but six qualified MLB hitters. He isn't ranked on the latest Fish On First Top 30 prospects list. Conine has been streaky this season. Overall, he is slashing .268/.350/.475/.825 with 19 home runs, 68 RBIs and a 113 wRC+ in Jacksonville. He really turned it on over his last 10 games with a .414/.514/.586/1.101 slash line. His production is far better against righties (.890 OPS) than lefties (.653 OPS). Defensively, Conine's strong arm profiles best in right field. He can also play left if the Marlins plan to continue using Jesús Sánchez as their main right fielder. The Marlins begin a week-long road trip on Monday, including four games against the Rockies and three against the San Francisco Giants. Conine could play his first home game on September 3 when they host the Washington Nationals. View full article

Updated details about how the Marlins intend to spend their international bonus pool when the next signing period begins on January 15. Fish On First originally published this look-ahead to the 2025 international signing period back in August. With the official opening of the signing period now just days away, we're publishing one final update to this preview article. Beginning on January 15, the Marlins will have a bonus pool of $7,555,500, the largest pool they have had under MLB's current amateur free agent rules. We can confirm that $3.7 million—nearly half of that total—will go toward signing Venezuelan center fielder/shortstop Andrew Salas, as first reported by Beisbol FR's Francys Romero. Salas' bonus is expected to be the third-highest of all the international amateurs who are slated to sign with MLB teams in 2025 (behind only Japanese sensation RHP Roki Sasaki and SS Elian Peña). Salas, 16, is a lean switch-hitter listed at 6'0" who has the ability to play two premium positions. His two older brothers, José and Ethan, currently play in the minor leagues and signed their own multi-million dollar deals in 2019 and 2023, respectively. Andrew has already begun his professional career in Liga Mayor de Béisbol Profesional. He played for Marineros de Carabobo this past summer, facing much more experienced competition such as longtime MLB reliever Fernando Rodney, who's literally old enough to be Salas' father. In 33 LVBP games, Salas slashed .185/.327/.228 with 11 RBIs and 14 stolen bases on 15 attempts. He got off to a hot start, posting an OPS of 1.079 with six steals through his first six games, but he struggled offensively after that as opponents adjusted. His primary position was center field with a handful of starts at shortstop. Salas is already a plus runner with a smooth left-handed swing. As he gets more game reps from the right side and fills out his frame to generate power, he could quickly emerge as the top position player prospect in the entire Marlins organization. FILE 2024-08-25 21:43:50.mp4 This is where things get complicated. Per Francys Romero, the Marlins and third baseman Juan Tomás (Dominican Republic) had reached a verbal agreement worth approximately $950,000. A switch-hitter like Salas, Tomás turned 17 in November. The organization was excited about his projectability and the rhythm and balance he has from both sides of the plate as well. Defensively, Tomás will initially play on the left side of the infield, but there is a chance he eventually moves to the outfield. FILE 2024-08-25 21:43:46.mp4 However, Tomás will not be signing with Miami after all. In August, the Marlins parted ways with assistant general manager Oz Ocampo and international scouting director Roman Ocumarez as well as Angel Izquierdo, who had personally scouted Tomás. He is now committed to the Chicago Cubs. The Marlins "have already started looking for ways to use that available pool space," a team source tells Fish On First. An "electric" arm and more prospects to monitor Exclusively for FOF SuperSubs, we have video and scouting notes on other members of Miami's 2025 class. View full article

Meyer dialed back the usage of his signature slider on Friday, limiting his swing-and-miss, but improving his efficiency. MIAMI, FL—Friday night's start against the Chicago Cubs felt like an improvement for Max Meyer. The Miami Marlins fell behind 3-1 at one point in the game, but tied it up while Meyer was still on the mound. He would receive a no-decision for his six innings of work. In the top of the eighth inning, the Cubs took a 4-3 lead, then they added insurance in the ninth when catcher Miguel Amaya took reliever Kent Emanuel deep, winning the series opener by a final score of 6-3. Throughout this season, Meyer has been heavily reliant on his slider, making him very predictable. Entering Friday's game, Meyer had used it 42.8% of the time with his four-seam fastball following not too far behind. On Friday, his primary pitch was the fastball. Meyer used his slider 29% of the time, marking the lowest usage of his MLB career (excluding his final injury-shortened 2022 start). Meanwhile, his 26% changeup usage was the highest of his career. "First couple innings were good," said Marlins manager Skip Schumaker. "Then he gave up some hard hits in the third and fourth inning. After that, it was a quality start." "We wanted to see him throw that a lot more in general," added Schumaker regarding Meyer's changeup. "Not just against this lineup, but we feel like that's going to be a really good pitch for him in the future and we wanted to see him continue to develop that pitch and we think it can be a real weapon. I'm proud of him to throw it and throw it with confidence." Meyer would end the night going six innings, surrendering three runs off of six hits. He also walked two and struck out two. All three runs came off home runs. The first was a Pete Crow-Armstrong inside-the-park home run and then Ian Happ took Meyer deep for a two-run homer. Meyer's results since being recalled from the minors have not been good with three or more earned runs allowed in every outing, but the experience has been valuable regardless. "I've definitely got a lot more information than what I've had," said Meyer. "I think I'm going in the right direction. Once I can get all my mechanical stuff, I've really liked how I've been gameplanning with Nick (Fortes) and Mel (Stottlemyre Jr.). We've been doing a good job and getting my all my pitches involved where I want to put them in the location. I've really made some strides forward on that." Meyer also noted in his postgame that he would like to work on his posture—he mentioned that he has been "swinging out" a little bit too much. Meyer does not hide his frustration. He knows he can be a lot better and he knows that this Max Meyer that has pitched in his return to the Major Leagues isn't the best version of himself. "I know I could pitch a lot better," said Meyer. "That wasn't great. That wasn't a great outing, but yeah, quality start I guess. I'm comfortable with throwing my pitches. I know I have to tune up my mechanics a little bit and then hopefully I can start clicking the rest of the season." Connor Norby, who made his Marlins debut on Monday, has recorded a hit in each game he's played in since then. Along with hitting his fourth double of the season (Orioles and Marlins games combined), Norby stole his first career base in the bottom of the second inning. Leadoff hitter Xavier Edwards was removed prior to the third inning due to lower back discomfort. Vidal Bruján took his place and had a two-hit night. Game two in this three-game set will take place on Saturday at 4:10 pm. It'll be Valente Bellozo taking the mound for Miami and Shota Imanaga for the Cubs. View full article

The Marlins parted with several of their best offensive players in trade deadline deals, but the replacements for them have filled their shoes well. MIAMI, FL—After trading away Jazz Chisholm Jr., Josh Bell and Bryan De La Cruz last month, who would've thought that the Miami Marlins offense would actually improve? With that trio getting dealt to contenders, Xavier Edwards, Jake Burger and Jonah Bride have found themselves starting regularly at the top of the batting order, and it's gone well for them so far. Edwards, Burger and Bride have played in each of Miami's 22 games since the deadline passed. The team's record is only 7-15, but entering Friday, their wRC+ during that span has been 115, 207 and 154, respectively (100 represents league average). "We needed it from somewhere," said Marlins manager Skip Schumaker. "We didn't know where we were going to get it from. We knew Burger was going to provide some pop. I didn't know he's going to be on this crazy run...So he's still in a really good spot. X has provided incredible offense at the top. What we didn't know—or I at least didn't know—was what Jonah Bride was going to provide. He's been excellent, and he's been really good defensively as well, so that's been great." Edwards has moved into the leadoff spot previously occupied by Chisholm where he's slashed .319/.404/.436/.840 with one home run, nine RBIs and 15 stolen bases. "I've been comfortable there," said Edwards. "It helps when I've been there for most of my career." Burger, the "veteran" of the group, has been on a tear since the All-Star break. Entering Friday's game, Burger has an OPS of 1.132 with 15 home runs and 22 RBIs. Burger spoke to how fun it's been hitting up there with Edwards and Bride, giving them praise for how productive they've been. "X takes really good at-bats and gets on base and steals a bag," said Burger. "We always have a chance to get a guy in, so having him up top, then obviously, what Jonah Bride is doing has been awesome to see. He rakes and he's finally getting a full run at it. So it's been incredible to kind of have him behind me." As for Bride, he made the Marlins Opening Day roster in wake of the trade that sent Jon Berti to the New York Yankees, but he ultimately spent most of the season's first half with Triple-A Jacksonville. Since his return to the Major Leagues in July, Bride has been on a heater, slashing .276/.376/.459/.835 with five home runs and 18 RBIs. He's putting himself strongly in consideration for a Opening Day spot in 2025. "In this league, when you're playing every single day, it's a grind," said Bride. "You're gonna have some bad days and you're gonna have some good ones. When you're having the good ones, you definitely got to ride that wave. You're always playing for your job, especially with guys like me. Gotta go out there every day and earn every opportunity." Bride has been a sponge, just soaking up as much knowledge as he can, primarily from Burger. He attributes his success to the help that Burger and Edwards have provided him. "I think I just got some confidence," said Bride. "Talking every day with Burger and Edwards, just trying to have that positive energy and going about it in that way that they've told me. I think every day, Burger seems like he's faced all these pitchers, so he's definitely helping give me some intel on what to look for." Prior to the trade deadline, the Marlins offense averaged 3.61 runs per game. Despite losing experienced and talented bats, their average has increased to 4.14 per game post-deadline. On Friday night, Edwards led the game off with a base hit, which he then followed up with his 22nd stolen base of the season. He exited a short time later with lower back discomfort. Bride drove in the Marlins' second run of the ballgame on an RBI single and reached base safely three times overall. Burger went 1-for-5 with a run scored. View full article

In this Flipped Fish interview, Arizona Diamondbacks reliever A.J. Puk reflects on his Marlins tenure and reacts to pitching against his former teammates. View full video

Although no longer on the same team, Bell and Burger maintain a close friendship. MIAMI, FL—In the middle of the 2023 playoff race, the Miami Marlins decided to fully buy at the trade deadline and two of the pieces they acquired were Josh Bell and Jake Burger. They became very close, both on and off the field. A year later, the Marlins were far out of contention and in a position where they had to sell off pieces, with one of those being Bell going to the Arizona Diamondbacks. On Tuesday, the ex-teammates spoke to how that relationship has impacted their careers. "I think the moment we both walked into this clubhouse right after the trade deadline last year, we instantly clicked," said Burger. "Felt like a big brother to me in a sense. Our families are great friends. Now our wives are always texting each other. [My son] Brooks is really good friends with his daughters and loves playing. From the baseball aspect, he's pivotal in my career. Just to show me the ropes of how to go about it every single day and be a professional. He really took me under his wing and it's a relationship that'll transcend the sport for the rest of our lives." When Bell was acquired last season, he was struggling with the Cleveland Guardians. Following the trade deadline, when he joined the Marlins, he flipped the switch slashing .270/.338/.480/.818 with 11 home runs, 26 RBIs and a 115 OPS+. As for Burger, he had already smacked 25 home runs with the White Sox, but strikeouts were an issue. With the Marlins, Burger lowered his strikeout percentage to 21.7%, the lowest of his career. Although it was a short stint for Bell, it was an impactful one with the numbers he had in 2023 and being a key part in the Marlins playoff run. "When you're tasting champagne at the end of the season, they're memories that you are not going to forget," said Bell. "Made some good friends, with Xavier (Edwards), (Jake) Burger and the rest of the guys. Trades are part of the game. I was talking about it when (Luis) Arraez and (A.J.) Puk left and now I am on a different team, so it's just a part of it and you just have to keep grinding and keep showing up every day." Prior to the trade deadline, Bell told Fish On First in an exclusive interview that he didn't see himself getting traded two weeks before the deadline due to poor production. However, after his hot streak and an injury that sidelined regular Diamondbacks first baseman Christian Walker, he had a feeling he would be going out west. Bell is used to midseason moves after being traded at the 2022 and 2023 deadlines as well. Still, it helps that he would be rejoining A.J. Puk, who was dealt to the D-backs separately just a couple days earlier. "That was cool," said Bell. "Just getting a text from him as soon as I got traded was cool. A familiar face in the clubhouse always goes a long way during the trade deadline, so definitely happy to be teammates with him again." Looking to salvage the series finale against the Diamondbacks on Wednesday, the Marlins did plenty of damage against veteran lefty Jordan Montgomery. Burger hit his 25th home run of the season while Cristian Pache hit his first home run of the season. Coincidentally, Pache's last homer came more than a year ago in Miami (when he was still on the Philadelphia Phillies). The Marlins took a 6-3 lead into the seventh inning. However, Arizona rallied back in the top of the seventh led by Bell's RBI single and Lourdes Gurriel Jr.'s pinch-hit, three-run double. In the process, they snapped Jesús Tinoco's scoreless streak as a Marlin. The Diamondbacks padded the lead thanks to Geraldo Perdomo's second home run of the season, which made it 8-6. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Marlins manager Skip Schumaker was ejected for the eighth time in his Marlins tenure. It came after Xavier Edwards argued a called third strike. The Marlins kept fighting until the end, loading the bases in the bottom of the ninth inning and bringing the potential winning run to the plate, but it wouldn't be enough, The Diamondbacks held on to defeat them by a final score of 10-8. Josh Bell would finish Wednesday's game going 1-for-2 with an RBI, two walks and a hit-by-pitch. David Hensley, who started for the Marlins, notched a three-hit game, his first with the Marlins and second of his career. The Marlins will have themselves on off-day before beginning their three-game set against the Chicago Cubs on Friday night. The Marlins have yet to announce a starter, but it is projected to be Max Meyer. First pitch will be at 7:10 pm. View full article

In this Flipped Fish interview, Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Zac Gallen reflects on being traded to the Marlins, only to be dealt again two years later, and how the D-backs have changed their culture since he's been there. View full video

Tinoco has quietly been on a 10-inning scoreless streak since rejoining the Marlins. MIAMI, FL—Once upon a time, Jesús Tinoco was a member of the 2020 Marlins. Four years later, after making many stops with different teams, he's back in Miami and pitching better than ever. There were no expectations on Tinoco this time around as he was just designated for assignment by the Chicago Cubs. The Marlins were just looking for him to fill out their bullpen following a series of trade deadline deals. Since making his return to the organization, Tinoco has been surprisingly dominant, posting a 0.00 ERA, allowing three hits and one walk while striking out 12 batters. He entered Tuesday's game with a 1.38 FIP which dropped even lower following a clean inning of work. Pitching the top of the ninth against a tough Arizona Diamondbacks lineup, Tinoco induced a flyout and a groundout, then he struck out Eugenio Suárez with an elevated four-seam fastball to generate the whiff. "I am very happy to be here with the team," said Tinoco in Spanish prior to his latest scoreless appearance. "Just trying to help the team as much as I can and trying to attack the hitters more and just be ready for any situation." OGdZcnlfWGw0TUFRPT1fQmdaWUJ3RUdCUW9BRFFCUkFnQUFWVk5mQUFCUVcxUUFDbFpUQWdvSFVBZFVWVlFI.mp4 Despite possessing impressive stuff, Tinoco hasn't been able to stick with one team for any extended period. In 2024 alone, he has moved from the Texas Rangers to the Kansas City Royals to the Cubs to the Marlins. Miami pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre Jr. and bullpen coach Wellington Cepeda have helped the right-hander use his 96 mph fastball in a different way. "He's attacking on the first pitch," said Cepeda, "and when you have to throw inside with the sinker, he'll do it and he'll also hit you with the slider. Good combination between both pitches. Something new that he has been doing is using that four-seamer up against lefties. He's doing a great job of locating those pitches up that are an extra tool to do what he's doing." Tinoco has held left-handed opponents hitless in his second stint with the Fish. "It's not 92; it's 97-98 miles per hour and he can really spin it," said Marlins manager Skip Schumaker. "He's been put in high-leverage situations and been really successful. Provided multiple innings, gets the ground ball when he needs it, gets the strikeout when he needs it. He's really been a pleasant surprise for us." Tinoco, 29, has grown a lot as a pitcher since his 2020 stint with Miami. "Last year, I was in Japan and I learned new things and I have been implementing them here in the Major Leagues and they have been working for me." That includes adjustments that he made to his slider when overseas, which have added to its effectiveness. His plus-4 run value and 37.2 Whiff% on the pitch are both on track to be new career highs. Spread across five separate seasons, Tinoco has barely gained one year of MLB service time. He's still pre-arbitration eligible and under club control through the 2029 season. Without looking too far ahead, he is giving himself a legit chance to be part of the 2025 Marlins Opening Day roster. Game Notes It was a weird start for Edward Cabrera against Arizona: striking out three, but walking three and generating two whiffs. He posted a very high 79.2% first-pitch strike rate. In the top of the first inning, Cabrera permitted an RBI to Joc Pederson and allowed solo home runs to both Corbin Carroll and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. The only run that the Marlins were able to score came on an Xavier Edwards RBI single in the bottom of the fifth. In his second game with the Marlins, Connor Norby went 2-for-4 with two doubles. That marked Norby's second career multi-hit game and first with the Marlins. His last multi-hit game occurred in Miami as a member of the Baltimore Orioles. The Marlins suffered their 80th loss of the season by a final score of 3-1. The Marlins will look to avoid the sweep on Wednesday as Roddery Muñoz takes the mound for the Marlins. Struggling veteran Jordan Montgomery starts for the Diamondbacks. View full article

Swimming Upstream—Episode #62 Hear from two of the top 10 Miami Marlins prospects on the latest episode of Swimming Upstream! Prior to making his Marlins debut on Monday, INF Connor Norby (FOF #2 prospect) spoke to the media at loanDepot park about his development as a player, transitioning to a new organization and embracing third base. Then, Triple-A Jacksonville RHP Adam Mazur (FOF #9 prospect) gave an exclusive interview to Isaac Azout and Kevin Barral regarding his baseball background. Find Swimming Upstream 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, Fish Unfiltered, Big Fish Small Pod and more. The Fish On First podcast is 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. Both players were acquired by the Marlins on trade deadline day (July 30)—Norby in exchange for Trevor Rogers and Mazur in exchange for Tanner Scott/Bryan Hoeing. They were originally second-round MLB Draft picks in 2021 and 2022, respectively. In 387 career minor league games, Norby has slashed .286/.368/.498 (124 wRC+) with 70 home runs and 45 stolen bases. He primarily played second base, but also got acclimated to left field, right field and most recently third base. Mazur has a 3.67 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 23.0 K% in 164.1 IP (38 G/32 GS). Norby and Mazur each had cups of coffee in the majors with their previous organizations. They'll be under club control through at least the 2030 season. Follow Connor (@norby_connor), Adam (@AdamMazur21), Kevin (@kevin_barral), Isaac (@IsaacAzout) and Fish On First (@FishOnFirst) on Twitter. Join the Marlins Discord server! Complete Miami Marlins coverage here at FishOnFirst.com. View full article

The former first-round pick has found consistent playing time in a depleted outfield, driving in 10 runs through his first 10 Marlins games. Following the trade deadline, the Miami Marlins looked to the waiver wire to fill out their active roster, just to patch things together for the rest of 2024. One of those additions was outfielder Derek Hill, a former first-round draft pick who had been with five other MLB organizations over the previous couple years. Since arriving, Hill isn't warming the bench: he's being used as an everyday player and even in a small sample, his solid production is worth noting. Hill was activated on August 5. He has played in ten games and started nine in a row, slashing .257/.270/.429/.699 with one home run and 10 RBIs. The 28-year-old has mainly played center field, including on Friday night against the New York Mets. He is appreciative of the consistent playing time. "It always helps," said Hill. "(Marlins manager) Skip (Schumaker) was straightforward with me: 'You're gonna go out there and if you succeed, we're gonna continue to give you an opportunity.' That's kind of where my headspace is." Four years removed from his MLB debut with only 0.7 fWAR to show for his career, Hill had been considered a Quad-A player. Right now with the Marlins, he will have his best chance to change that narrative. One thing that pops out is Hill's success against left-handed pitching, a career .841 OPS entering Friday. He came inches away from homering off of Mets lefty Sean Manaea. Hill noted that early on in his career, he was actually better against right-handed pitching, but since going to AAA, he's been hitting lefties better, something that the Marlins as a team have struggled with the past couple of years. Looking ahead to 2025, Jesús Sánchez is expected to be Miami's starting right fielder. The other outfield spots are up for grabs with Dane Myers, Victor Mesa Jr. and Kyle Stowers (among others) being in the mix for Opening Day jobs. Hill's RBI double was not nearly enough to overcome struggles by Marlins pitchers Roddery Muñoz and George Soriano as the Mets scored six in the bottom of the fourth inning, ultimately winning by a final score of 7-3. The series continues on Saturday at 4:10 p.m. ET. View full article

Miami Marlins manager Skip Schumaker addresses the assembled media following Sunday's dramatic win over the San Diego Padres. The Marlins went 2-5 during this past homestand against the Padres and Cincinnati Reds, including three extra-inning losses. View full video

Fish Unfiltered—Episode #62 Special guest: Xavier Edwards Miami Marlins starting shortstop Xavier Edwards sits down with Fish Unfiltered for an exclusive interview! Topics covered during our conversation: Trade from Rays to Marlins Foot infection earlier this season Hitting for the cycle How he became a switch-hitter Toughest pitchers he's faced Top Triple-A call-up candidates Friendships with Josh Bell and Troy Johnston 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 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. Our partners are FOCO are creating a limited-edition bobblehead honoring Edwards' performance on July 28 when he became the second player in Marlins history to hit for the cycle. Pre-order yours here. Speaking with Fish On First the day before his 25th birthday, Edwards has been exceeding all expectations. Since taking over as Miami's everyday shortstop on July 2, the speedy switch-hitter has accumulated 1.5 fWAR while slashing .387/.449/.471, putting up comparable numbers from both sides of the plate. His 46 hits during that span rank second in Major League Baseball behind only Bobby Witt Jr. A crucial question for the Marlins moving forward is whether Edwards can stick at shortstop or whether he'll ultimately shift over to second base. He explains the differences between the positions: "I think it starts with your feet, just getting going towards the ball faster and just getting your feet moving forward. At second, you can sorta wait back, catch the ball and the guy should be out...Really enjoying it again, remembering how much I loved playing short as an amateur and at the beginning of my pro career." N1ozUGtfVjBZQUhRPT1fVWdsVEFsWlJYMUFBQ0FNQ1VRQUFVbFVDQUZnTlZGWUFDbEZUQXdVTUJ3RUVDUVZR.mp4 Edwards currently wears No. 63 for the Marlins, but expect a change in 2025. "I am gonna try to get No. 9 next year," Edwards says. "That's my favorite number, my mom's favorite number and the number I've worn my whole baseball career." Follow Xavier (@xavierjedwards), Isaac (@IsaacAzout), Kevin ( @kevin_barral ) and Fish On First (@FishOnFirst) on Twitter. Join the Marlins Discord server! Complete Miami Marlins coverage here at FishOnFirst.com. View full article