Kevin Barral

With five days to go until the MLB trade deadline, the Miami Marlins dealt one of their most valuable assets. On Thursday evening, the Miami Marlins and Arizona Diamondbacks agreed to a trade exchanging left-handed reliever A.J. Puk for corner infielder Deyvison De Los Santos and outfielder Andrew Pintar. De Los Santos would have ranked eighth and Pintar would have ranked 21st on Baseball America's upcoming D-backs Top 30 prospects list. The deal is official. Puk, 29, began the season as a starting pitcher for the Marlins. When that experiment failed, he went back to being a reliever and has been dominant, posting a 2.08 ERA and a 2.42 FIP. Currently, Puk is riding a streak of 16 ⅔ innings (14 appearances) without allowing an earned run. The Diamondbacks will have him under club control for two additional seasons via arbitration, which played a major role in the quality of the prospects coming to Miami. The main piece of the package is Deyvison De Los Santos. Between Double-A and Triple-A, De Los Santos has slashed .325/.376/.635/1.011 this season with 28 home runs (most in Minor League Baseball) and 84 RBIs. He has homered 14 times at each level while being among the youngest players in those leagues. De Los Santos just turned 21 in June. The Cleveland Guardians selected De Los Santos in the Rule 5 Draft last offseason, but returned him to Arizona. He isn't currently on the 40-man roster. De Los Santos' offensive profile is power over hit, showing a maximum exit velocity of 116.0 mph. Despite his excellent 2024 production, there are concerns about his low walk rate and high groundball rate. He's likely to report to AAA-Jacksonville. Along with De Los Santos, the Marlins acquired Andrew Pintar. At 23 years old, Pintar has seen action primarily at High-A where he's slashed .304/.403/.516/.919 with nine home runs, 32 RBIs and a 160 wRC+. He recently earned the promotion to AA where he's struggled through ten games (.184/.289/.234/.526). Overall, he has stolen 19 bases in 20 attempts. Defensively, Pintar has split time between the outfield and middle infield positions during his career. He will likely report to Pensacola, a very pitcher-friendly environment, and will be challenged more than he was with the Diamondbacks. This trade is the first deadline deal completed between the Marlins and Diamondbacks since 2020 when the Marlins acquired Starling Marte in exchange for Caleb Smith, Humberto Mejía and Julio Frias. The year before that, they famously swapped Jazz Chisholm Jr. for Zac Gallen. The 2024 deadline is on July 30. Expect the Marlins to swing a couple more deals by then. View full article

Josh Bell's 2024 struggles make it likely he will stick with the Marlins through the trade deadline, but could one of these contenders be desperate enough to give him a shot? The Miami Marlins are busy leading up to the MLB trade deadline, trying to work out deals for Jazz Chisholm Jr. and many of their relievers. They are also shopping Josh Bell, their highest-paid player who is a pending free agent. However, Bell isn't performing anywhere close to his usual standards this season, slashing .228/.293/.358/.651 with 10 home runs, 42 RBIs and struggles on defense for a total of -0.8 fWAR. That being said, Bell has a long major league track record of solid power and good plate discipline. He was a big factor helping the Marlins reach the postseason in 2023 (.270/.338/.480/.818, 11 HR, 26 RBI in 53 G). If Miami eats almost everything that's left of his $16.5M salary, maybe there will be interest in the veteran switch-hitter as a part-time player? Packaging Bell with one of their relievers could be a creative possibility. If dealt, this would mark the third straight trade deadline that Bell has changed teams. In 2022, he went from Washington to San Diego in the Juan Soto trade, and then last year, he moved from Cleveland to Miami. Being familiar with the process could put him in a position to be successful in a new environment right away. The Kansas City Royals stand out as a realistic landing spot. They have already shown that they are buyers and could go after additional relievers like Tanner Scott or A.J. Puk to help a bullpen that ranks 25th in baseball according to fWAR. Bringing over Bell in the same deal would gave them a new designated hitter option. So far in 2024, the DH spot has been a revolving door with Nelson Velázquez leading the team with 38 starts there. Velázquez was sent down to the minors a month ago. Recently, the Seattle Mariners placed Ty France on waivers. They recalled prospect Tyler Locklear to play first base for the time being. New injuries to Julio Rodríguez and J.P. Crawford make them even more desperate for offense. If the Mariners don't want to surrender the big prospect package it would take to bring in Jazz Chisholm Jr., Bell could be had for a fraction of the price. The Mariners have by far the worst strikeout rate in MLB this season, while Bell ranks in the 56th percentile among qualified hitters, per Baseball Savant. It's not as clear if the Cincinnati Reds will be buyers, but they could use help at both first base and DH: their 69 wRC+ from those positions combined ranks last in MLB. Bell has a career .855 OPS at their hitter-friendly ballpark and hit home runs from both sides of the plate in a game against Cincinnati last year. Also, he is very familiar with the National League Central in general having begun his career with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Another interesting fit would be the Boston Red Sox, who are firmly in the AL Wild Card race. Tristan Casas has dealt with setbacks in his recovery from a rib strain and it's unclear when he'll be ready to play. The Red Sox have Dominic Smith at first base and Masataka Yoshida at DH against right-handed pitching, but there's room for Bell to contribute vs. lefties (93 wRC+ vs. LHP this season). View full article

After exploding for six runs the night before against a left-handed starter, the Marlins were limited to four hits and held scoreless against Mets right-handers. MIAMI, FL—The Miami Marlins looked to make it back-to-back wins against the New York Mets on Saturday afternoon. Roddery Muñoz gave them a solid chance by delivering his best start in more than a month. Unfortunately, the lone run that Muñoz gave up would wind up being the difference as the New York Mets pitching staff dominated the Marlins. For the first time this season, the Marlins lost by a final score of 1-0. This also marks the 11th time that they have been shut out in 2024. Making his third start against Miami this season, Luis Severino went six shutout innings, striking out seven, walking three and allowing two hits. "99 (mph) at the top is pretty tough to hit along with a really good sweeper," said Marlins manager Skip Schumaker following the game. "You had a combination of the really good sinker at times and you can go four-seam at the top and the backdoor sweeper to the lefties. Really good strike-to-ball pitch against the righties that gave our righties a lot of trouble. He's a good pitcher." Severino generated 12 whiffs on the afternoon. Seven came on the four-seam fastball, which he elevated up in the zone. The veteran right-hander frequently fell behind in the count, throwing first-pitch strikes to only 40% of batters, but the Marlins could not take advantage. a581c2f8-8d9a6e2f-81145d30-csvm-diamondx64-asset_1280x720_59_4000K.mp4 On the Marlins side, Roddery Muñoz went five innings of one-run ball, striking our five and walking three. Much of the rookie's struggles have come because of home runs (15 HR in 56.0 IP), but this was his third straight appearance without allowing one. The longest batted ball against Muñoz was a 360-foot Francisco Alvarez flyout. It would have been a homer in 12 of 30 MLB ballparks, according to Statcast. T1Fka1JfWGw0TUFRPT1fVkZKWkFRRldWd0VBQVZwUlZRQUFWd1FFQUZoV1ZRVUFCbEVDQndRSEFnUUVBZ1pR.mp4 Alvarez came up again in the top of the fourth inning and drove in what proved to be the only run of the game. Muñoz loaded the bases by surrendering a double to Pete Alonso, hitting Mark Vientos with a pitch and walking DJ Stewart. New York's young catcher grounded into a force out to bring Alonso home. Like Severino, Muñoz generated 12 whiffs, spreading out his arsenal well with his top two pitches being the four-seam and slider. The cutter was his third-most used pitch, but still generated five whiffs. Left-handed batters had an OPS of 1.093 off of Muñoz entering the game. That improved a little bit on Saturday as Mets lefties went 2-for-7 with two strikeouts, though also three walks. "He was at the top and I thought the slider was good," said Schumaker. "Backdoored it and then he could wipe it out underneath down and in...It was just a really good job by him." The Marlins bullpen did "a really good job" themselves. Bryan Hoeing, Andrew Nardi, Huascar Brazoban and JT Chargois combined to allow only two hits, two walks and struck out four. Entering Saturday's game, the bullpen ranked fifth in MLB in fWAR (3.7). The Marlins had an opportunity in the bottom of the eighth inning to tie the game after back-to-back base hits from Jesús Sánchez and Otto Lopez. Right-hander Dedniel Núñez struck out Nick Gordon swinging on three straight pitches to end the inning. The Mets clinch their 50th win of the season as the Marlins suffer loss number 64. The third game of the series will be on Sunday at 1:40 pm with Trevor Rogers taking the mound for Miami and Christian Scott for the Mets. View full article

Rumors are unavoidable as the deadline approaches, but with so much of the process outside of their control, the Marlins continue to block out the noise. MIAMI, FL—MLB teams have until July 30 to decide on their direction in advance of the trade deadline. The Miami Marlins made that decision long ago: they'll be selling off pieces of their major league roster. Prior to Saturday's game, Marlins manager Skip Schumaker gave some perspective on how to handle those rumors, coming from a former player who was traded during his career. "There's nothing we can do," said Schumaker. "We've talked about it. There's nothing that they can control. They can't control a trade or anything like that unless they request one, which to my knowledge, that has not happened. Unless it happens, you come to the ballpark ready to play." "You can talk all you want or they can read all they want and they're rumors until it happens," continued Schumaker. "I'm sure there's conversations about a number of players from all 29 other teams. It's hard to make trades and to line up with prospects and money and all that stuff. So to try to figure out exactly what the teams are doing, it'll drive you crazy." The one time Schumaker was traded, it was going from the St. Louis Cardinals to the Los Angeles Dodgers during the 2012-13 offseason. He didn't have to experience changing teams in the middle of a season, but as an established big leaguer at the time, he can relate to guys in the current Marlins clubhouse who are drawing interest from contenders. The names Tanner Scott and Jazz Chisholm Jr. are understandably getting most of the headlines. However, almost anybody on Miami's roster could be dealt as the Marlins organization focuses on reloading their farm system. Right-handed reliever Declan Cronin, who was claimed off of waivers from the Houston Astros in the offseason, has been great this season. His versatility in different spots and consistent ability to generate ground balls has made him very valuable. Cronin's 2.34 FIP leads all pitchers who've thrown at least 10 innings for the Marlins. "I'm pretty much comfortable wherever they put me in," said Cronin. "I think obviously the situation of the game and also where we are in the week, in the series and that sort of thing generally dictates how I'm used. I just remain flexible and always good to go in whenever." The Miami Herald has reported multiple times that Cronin is a potential trade candidate. He becomes arbitration-eligible in 2027 and remains under club control through at least 2029, so there isn't any rush to move him, but his trade value is certainly higher now than it had been entering the year. "Realistically, whatever will happen, will happen," said Cronin. "It'll be 10-11 days from now and there will have been moves or won't be. Nothing that we can control as players. I think every guy just comes in every day with a goal of going to war with whoever's on the roster today and against whoever's in that other dugout." Marlins president of baseball operations Peter Bendix was also responsible for acquiring Calvin Faucher, a right-handed reliever he knew from his Tampa Bay Rays tenure. "The connection I have with Bendix is cool," said Faucher. "He traded for me and he was just telling me to be ready because you'll have an opportunity with the Marlins." Faucher has taken this opportunity and found success, posting a 3.38 ERA, 2.82 FIP, 9.35 K/9 and 4.67 BB/9 through 34 ⅔ innings pitched. In a similar sample during the previous two seasons, Faucher struggled (6.32 ERA, 4.98 FIP, 4.2 BB/9, 8.8 K/9 in 47.0 IP). A lot of his improvements have come through finding a new "mental approach." He also believes that going more to his sinker has been a reason for his success. It's been his second-most used pitch behind the cutter and opponents have hit only .185 against it with zero home runs. Faucher said that "it's hard" to deal with the rumors so soon after finding a good environment for himself. "We have MLB Network playing in the clubhouse every day, so you see a lot of it, but we just kind of stay connected as a group and go out there and do what we have to do and kind of keep our mind off of it that way." The Marlins have only eight games remaining until the trade deadline arrives: two at home against the Mets, three at home against the Orioles and three on the road against the Brewers. On deadline day itself, they will be visiting the Rays, beginning a two-game set on the night of July 30. Fish On First will have continued coverage leading up to the deadline. View full article

MLB's worst team against left-handed starters during the first half of the season, the Marlins scored five runs off of Sean Manaea in their victory over the Mets. MIAMI, FL—The Miami Marlins' offensive struggles have been particularly bad against left-handed pitching (.605 OPS). Entering Friday's game, they held a 6-28 record when their opponents started a lefty, but that trend did not carry into their first game coming out of the All-Star break. The Marlins got on track and tacked five runs off of New York Mets starter Sean Manaea en route to a 6-4 win. Miami's lineup got to Manaea early. In the bottom of the second inning, Otto Lopez smacked a double which was followed by a Jesús Sánchez base hit, marking Sánchez's seventh hit this season against a left-hander. Xavier Edwards drove in Lopez on an RBI single to give Miami a 1-0 lead. Edwards has hits in 12 out of 13 games since being recalled from Triple-A Jacksonville. Marlins manager Skip Schumaker noted that Sánchez will get an extended look against left-handed pitching in the second half of the season after being platooned for much of the first half. Jake Burger, who had also slumped against lefties entering Friday's game (.476 OPS vs. LHP), was able to drive in the third Marlins run of the ballgame with a 114.9 mph RBI double. That was his hardest hit of the season. Then in the bottom of the fifth inning, Burger took Manaea deep to AutoNation Alley for his 11th home run. It was also his second home run off of a left-handed pitcher (compared to 11 last season). "We talked about it a little bit before the break. We felt like his second half was going to be really good," said Schumaker. "Just felt like he was getting closer. It was one of the best BP sessions I've seen him take and that carried over into the game. That doesn't always happen, but it did today. He's worked hard and he wants it, so I'm hoping that he gets a big second half because he deserves it." In the bottom of the eighth inning, with the Marlins leading 5-4, Nick Fortes drove in Otto Lopez on an RBI single. It marked Fortes' fifth multi-hit game of the season. He continues to perform his best at the plate with two outs and runners in scoring position. Meanwhile, starting pitcher Edward Cabrera struggled despite the run support that he received. Cabrera walked a season-high five hitters and only struck out one through 4 ⅔ innings of work. The secondary stuff wasn't getting hitters to bite and the fastball was all over the place. "I think we were fortunate," said Schumaker. "We didn't give up more runs because he has good stuff. That's kind of what happens. Five walks and 27% first-pitch strikes. It's kind of the same story. It's just not ideal. Then he gets some big spots and he can out-stuff them and get out of big jams." Cabrera actually held the Mets scoreless until the fifth inning when he surrendered a leadoff solo homer to Mets right fielder Jeff McNeil. He later allowed a sac fly to J.D. Martinez, which drove in Francisco Lindor. After issuing his fifth walk of the game, he was taken out. Cabrera is expected to take the mound next on Wednesday in game two of a three-game set against the Baltimore Orioles. Out of the bullpen, A.J. Puk extended his scoreless streak to 13 ⅔ innings (12 appearances). In that span, he's only walked three opposing hitters, struck out 20 and surrendered three hits. Puk is a name that will continue to come up in rumors leading up to the trade deadline. bG55MEdfWGw0TUFRPT1fQUZCUlVGSUFVd1lBQ1ZkVFV3QUFBd2NEQUZrTVcxUUFWZ0VNQ0ZZRkExRmRWQUpm.mp4 With the win, the Marlins are now 34-63 on the season while the Mets are now 49-47. Saturday's pitching matchup will be Roddery Muñoz for the Marlins and Luis Severino for the Mets. First pitch will be at 4:10 pm. View full article

Previewing the storylines and individual players who matter most when following the final two-plus months of this Miami Marlins season. MIAMI, FL—As we return from a much-needed All-Star break, the Miami Marlins sit with a 33-63 record, which is the worst in the National League and second-worst in baseball. With productive veteran players potentially getting traded and a difficult strength of schedule the rest of the way, per BrooksGate, wins will continue to be hard to come by. With all of that being said, Fish On First will continue covering the Marlins daily and your support is greatly appreciated. During the second half of the 2024 season, these are the storylines worth monitoring closely. Trade deadline It's been widely reported and known that both closer Tanner Scott and leadoff hitter Jazz Chisholm Jr. are being shopped as the July 30 deadline approaches. Scott, a pending free agent, is guaranteed to go. The 2024 All-Star representative has dominated as Miami's closer (1.34 ERA, 3.43 FIP, 14 SV in 40.1 IP) and could handle high-leverage situations out of any contender's bullpen. In the final series before the break, Chisholm was moved to second base after being a full-time center fielder throughout the last two seasons. It's obvious that the Bahamas native is being auditioned there for teams who intend to use him at second moving forward. At the moment, the New York Yankees, Seattle Mariners and Kansas City Royals are believed to be pursuing Chisholm, with a recent report from Bob Nightengale noting that the Mariners are the frontrunners. In a recent Miami Herald article, Calvin Faucher, Declan Cronin and Josh Bell were also noted as potential trade candidates. Don't overlook A.J. Puk, who since going back to the bullpen has posted a 2.39 ERA and 2.74 FIP. He hasn't allowed an earned run through his last 12 ⅔ innings pitched (11 games). Puk isn't a free agent until after the 2026 season, so there isn't any hurry to trade him, but this may be the peak of his value. Starting rotation changes Trevor Rogers is the only member of the 2024 Marlins Opening Day rotation who still holds a spot as we go into the second half. Sixto Sánchez, Roddery Muñoz, Bryan Hoeing, Valente Bellozo, Kyle Tyler and Yonny Chirinos are among those who have been used to eat innings, but none have solidified themselves as long-term contributors yet. Jesús Luzardo, Ryan Weathers and Braxton Garrett are each on the injured list for the foreseeable future. However, Max Meyer could be back from Triple-A Jacksonville soon. He's performing at his best lately, and beginning on Sunday, the Marlins no longer have anything to gain from limiting his MLB service time. It should be exciting to watch the former first-round draft pick re-emerge. There is also pressure on Edward Cabrera, whose stuff continues to impress, but had MLB's highest ERA before the break among pitchers who made at least seven starts. Position players with new opportunities When the Tim Anderson was designated for assignment, Xavier Edwards was recalled from AAA and has been the primary shortstop. Since his return, Edwards is slashing .378/.440/.444/.884 with three RBIs. Could he be the leadoff hitter for the Marlins after Chisholm is dealt? He'll get the reps to prove himself. Jesús Sánchez, who had been limited to facing right-handed pitching for much of his career, will now have an opportunity to face lefties more often. This season, Sánchez is 6-for-49 against LHP this season. The potential departure of Chisholm and the absence of Dane Myers with a fractured ankle opens the door for the power-hitting Dominican to become an everyday option. Prospects on the rise Victor Mesa Jr. is Miami's top position player prospect, according to our new Fish On First Top 30 update. Through 72 AAA games, he's slashing .268/.328/.454/.782 with 13 home runs, 48 RBIs and a 99 wRC+. He's currently a member of the 40-man roster and can play all three outfield spots well. If he remains consistent for the Jumbo Shrimp, he could be called up before the end of the 2024 season. The 2023 Marlins Minor League Player of the Year, Troy Johnston (#20 prospect) deserves a shot at the major leagues. After a slow start, Johnston is slashing .282/.343/.405/.748 with six home runs, 44 RBIs and a 95 wRC+. Already 27, he is blocked behind Josh Bell for the moment, but with Bell struggling and due to hit free agency this offseason, there is nothing to lose by going with the homegrown guy down the stretch. Griffin Conine (#24 prospect), son of Jeff Conine, has been one of the top offensive players in the Marlins system this season, slashing .271/.350/.514/.864 with 17 home runs, 50 RBIs and a 119 wRC+. His strikeout percentage is high at 29.0%, but that's his lowest mark since the 2018 season with the Toronto Blue Jays organization. A longshot to come up this season because he's only 21 years old, Javier Sanoja (#11 prospect) is slashing .286/.347/.410/.755 with four home runs and 44 RBIs between AA and AAA. Sanoja's 5.2% strikeout percentage is currently the lowest in the International League and playing shortstop and center field well is certainly a boost to his value. He's showing that he could be impactful as a utilityman in 2025. If Scott and other relievers leave town, Anthony Maldonado could finally get an extended chance to stick in the Marlins bullpen. Powerful righty Elvis Alvarado has been nearly unhittable for the Jumbo Shrimp, while Luarbert Arias has gone under the radar. With a 3.25 ERA, 3.99 FIP, 10.15 K/9 and 2.84 BB/9, including only two earned runs allowed in his last 25 ⅓ innings pitched, Arias should earn a look at the major league level soon. In the second half of 2024, individual performances matter more than whether the team wins or loses. You hope to see improvement from young players and signs that the Marlins are inching toward building a more complete roster for 2025 and beyond. The Marlins will begin a seven-game homestand on Friday against the New York Mets and Baltimore Orioles. View full article

A 2023 international free agent signing, Andrés Valor has the potential to be the best position player prospect in the Marlins organization. The Miami Marlins were just crowned division champions...in the Florida Complex League. A lot of the credit for the FCL Marlins' incredible 36-11 record goes to their deep pitching staff, but there have been standouts on the position player side as well. The top-ranked prospect on the team's roster is 18-year-old Andrés Valor. Currently 15th on Fish On First's Top 30 list, he's only going to continue rising. Through 45 games played, the Marlins outfielder is slashing .311/.401/.463/.864 with two home runs, 23 RBIs and a 135 wRC+. Most shockingly, Valor has 33 stolen bases in that small sample, more than any other Marlins prospect this season. Per a source, Valor has "taken his body to another level" this season. That has contributed to a 29% hard-hit rate (exit velocity of at least 95 mph) with 2% of his hits reaching 105 mph off the bat. To go along with that, Valor is making more contact than he did in the Dominican Summer League last season, posting a 88% zone contact rate, specifically improving against changeups. Valor enters Saturday with a 25.0% strikeout rate despite all of his plate appearances coming against older competition. Valor was a good base-stealer in 2023, swiping 21 bases on 28 attempts in the DSL. Prior to this season, scouts projected him to be an average to above-average runner long term (50-55 grade). However, his production on the bases in 2024 suggests he has taken a step forward. Over his last 23 games, Valor has 27 SB. No other minor leaguer at any level in any organization can compare to that. Per one evaluator, his run tool is now graded at a 65. Defensively, Valor has the speed and athleticism to stick in center field, where he has spent most of this season playing. Baseball America is highest on his defensive potential among national outlets, giving him a 60 grade there on their recently updated Marlins Top 30 list. "The instincts and range have improved tremendously from last year," said an evaluator within the organization on Valor. "With the combination of his burst, acceleration, speed and now plus route efficiency with the ability to read the ball off the bat, we believe he can stick there." At the moment, it's unclear whether or not Valor will be promoted to Low-A Jupiter once the FCL season concludes at the end of July, but conversations have been had in that regard. Even against rookie-level opponents, he has done enough to put himself on the prospect map, emerging as the most exciting bat that the Marlins have signed internationally in recent years. View full article

Although Trevor Rogers had a solid bounce-back start, the Marlins offense didn't do much against Ronel Blanco. A late-game home run by Alex Bregman pushed the Astros past the Marlins. For the first time since 2022, the Miami Marlins traveled to Houston to take on the Astros in a three-game set. Ronel Blanco—recently snubbed from the All-Star Game—showed on Tuesday night why he should've made it, going seven innings of two-run ball and striking out seven. Some help from Alex Bregman, whose go-ahead home run made the difference in a 4-3 series-opening win for the Astros. Despite serving a midseason suspension due to sticky stuff, Blanco has been the most consistent pitcher in the Astros rotation. He posted a 64% first-pitch strike rate against the Marlins, filling up the strike zone. Blanco's secondary pitches made hitters work the most, generating 10 out of the 11 whiffs on the night. The efficiency that Blanco pitched with got him through seven, averaging 12 pitches per inning. Before finding his groove, though, the Astros starter surrendered a lead-off home run to Jazz Chisholm Jr., Chisholm's 11th of the season and third lead-off homer. Following the home run, Blanco allowed a base hit to Bryan De La Cruz. From there, he would go on to retire 17 straight Marlins before allowing a walk to De La Cruz in the top of the sixth. In that same top of the sixth, Jesús Sánchez took advantage of the famous Crawford Boxes. His opposite-field solo home run tied the game at two apiece. Sánchez joined Chisholm and De La Cruz as the third Marlin in the double-digit home run club this season. b932d987-348d0ddd-c1a721c0-csvm-diamondx64-asset_1280x720_59_4000K.mp4 The last time Trevor Rogers took the mound, Marlins manager Skip Schumaker noted that the final line did not speak for how good Rogers' stuff was. On Tuesday, Rogers had better results. Throwing a career-high 107 pitches, he went 5 ⅓ innings, allowing two runs off of five hits and two walks. He also struck out five. In the bottom of the second inning, Rogers surrendered an RBI single to Chas McCormick, which drove in Jake Meyers. In the bottom of the fifth, Alex Bregman drove in McCormick on an RBI single. Rogers left the game with the Marlins trailing, 2-1. One of Rogers' biggest issues this season has been the sinker. It represented just 14.0% of his pitch mix in Houston, the lowest usage of any start he's made. Overall, his ERA dipped to 4.82, the best it's been since April. Even so, Rogers keeps falling behind in the count. He posted a 37.5% first-pitch strike percentage in this start. Huascar Brazoban relieved Rogers in the sixth and stayed in for the seventh. That's where he would run into trouble. Xavier Edwards made an inaccurate throw to first base, allowing Chas McCormick to reach safely on the error. With two outs, Alex Bregman's two-run homer gave Houston a 4-2 lead. That would mark the first home run surrendered by Brazoban this season. The Astros third baseman ended his night going 2-for-4 with three RBIs. Although the Marlins would get within one thanks to a Bryan De La Cruz RBI single, they fell by a final score of 4-3. Bryan Hoeing will take the mound for the Marlins on Wednesday and for the Astros, it'll be Framber Valdez. First pitch will be at 8:10 pm. View full article

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