Kevin Barral

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

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

This podcast is brought to you by Jet Ski Rentals of South Florida—offering Miami’s best jet ski and boat adventures. With six jet ski locations and over 120 boats, there’s something for every style and every budget. They’re reservation-based only. To inquire, call 305-990-2192, or check them out online at SFJetskiRentals.com. Make sure to use promo code FISHONFIRST to receive 10% off your next booking. It's the calm before the storm with just three days left until the MLB trade deadline. AJ Ramos, Kevin Barral and Ely Sussman discuss the latest rumors pertaining to Miami Marlins players, why the Fish have a lot of leverage in negotiations and what it's likely to be in the clubhouse during this chaotic stage of the season. They also touch on two of Miami's untouchable assets, Sandy Alcantara and Eury Pérez, finding their groove at the same time. You can find Fish Unfiltered and Fish On First LIVE on the Fish On First YouTube channel, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever else you get your pods. Kevin set the over/under at 3.5 trades for the Marlins between now and Monday night. For context, the club made eight deadline deals in 2024, but only two in 2025. Which way are you leaning? View full article

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

Earlier this month, it seemed so clear that the Miami Marlins would be pushing for a postseason berth. They had a three-game cushion for the final National League wild-card spot and could even begin dreaming about the franchise's first-ever NL East division title. An epic and unprecedented 12-game losing streak has flipped everything. With only a week left until the MLB trade deadline, their winning percentage ranks 11th in the NL and every aspect of the team is struggling. It's now looking likely that they will be sellers at the deadline, delaying their arrival as a serious contender until at least 2027. The Chicago White Sox, on the other hand, currently sit atop the American League Central. They will be buyers at the deadline and have one very clear need. Starting catcher Kyle Teel went down with a left ankle sprain and will be out until at least September. The club's current catching duo of Edgar Quero and Drew Romo is nowhere near good enough offensively to fill Teel's shoes, so Chicago is searching for outside help. The Marlins and White Sox have not made any trades with each other during the Peter Bendix era, but under these circumstances, that may finally change. Mock trade proposal White Sox receive: C Liam Hicks and LHP Braxton Garrett Marlins receive: LHP Hagen Smith Hicks, who the Marlins selected in the 2024 Rule 5 draft, has blossomed into one of their best run-producing threats. In 93 games entering Sunday, he is slashing .279/.356/.442/.797 with 14 home runs, 60 RBI and a 119 wRC+. Hicks has been a great find for the Marlins, but his role on the team moving forward is unclear. Rookie Joe Mack has emerged as their primary catcher. Although Hicks has inferior arm strength and instincts in comparison to Mack, he is still serviceable defensively. With Athletics star catcher Shea Langeliers suffering a season-ending meniscus injury, there are limited options available for contenders who want to upgrade behind the plate. A huge factor boosting Hicks' value is his four remaining years of club control. He does not even begin his arbitration eligibility until 2028. When Teel does come back (whether it be in September or next season), Hicks can be a big piece of their offense, splitting reps between catcher and designated hitter and also first base in case Munetaka Murakami gets injured again himself. Additionally, the White Sox are focused on starting rotation depth. Down in Triple-A Jacksonville, Braxton Garrett has posted a 2.32 ERA, 3.88 FIP, 9.77 K/9 and 3.42 BB/9 in 73 ⅔ innings pitched at that level. Garrett was called up by the Marlins earlier in the season, allowing seven runs on seven hits and walking eight in two poor starts. He has not been given an opportunity since. Without having had any MLB success since 2023, Garrett has little to no value on his own. Still, the Sox wouldn't mind getting him as a throw-in piece of the trade. Coming back the other way is Hagen Smith, a left-handed pitcher in the White Sox organization. Smith was the fifth overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft and currently ranks as Chicago's No. 5 prospect, per Baseball America. Smith finds himself at the Triple-A level, but he's not quite ready for the majors. In 16 games (14 starts), he has posted a 4.58 ERA, 4.80 FIP, 13.42 K/9 and 6.38 BB/9. The Marlins have previously been attracted to pitchers like Smith who struggle with command/control, but have nasty offerings that can strike opposing hitters out. Smith throws a four-seam fastball (56.1% usage), slider, cutter and changeup. His best pitch in terms of Stuff+ is his fastball (113), averaging 94.1 mph and generating a 32.5% whiff rate. His slider and cutter, also considered above-average pitches. Turning 23 years old next month, Smith can spend the remainder of the season in Jacksonville and fight for a rotation spot in 2027. There isn't any urgency for these teams to move Hicks and Smith right now. The Marlins would have a tough time replacing Hicks in their lineup, while the White Sox could try Smith in a bullpen role at the end of this season even as he works through some inconsistencies as a starter. On the other hand, this is a trade that benefits both sides moving forward. View full article

HOUSTON, TX - Miami Marlins starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara summed it up pretty well when he spoke to the media following the team's ninth straight loss. "We've been like a way different than the first half." The Marlins, who played their closest game of the three-game set against the Houston Astros, tied at two going into the bottom of the eighth inning, fell victims to the best hitter in baseball, falling by a final score of 5-2. If there was one player on the Marlins roster that could come out and stop the bleeding, it would be their longtime ace. He was well on his way to doing that, completing seven innings of work and limiting the Houston Astros to just two runs. He received some run support thanks to back-to-back RBI from Javier Sanoja (double) and Joe Mack (single), tying the game at two. Alcantara, lauded for his ability to pitch deep into games with a high pitch count, came out for the bottom of the eighth inning with 97 pitches already thrown. The Marlins were counting on Alcantara to be the one to snap this streak. A case could've been made that maybe Alcantara shouldn't have come out with the pending off-day on Thursday, giving the opportunity to dig into your higher leverage arms, but the decision to have "El Caballo" go out there was the one Clayton McCullough and his staff made. The bottom of the eighth inning had Alcantara lined up to face the top of the Astros order: Jeremy Peña, Yordan Alvarez and Isaac Paredes. Peña started the inning with a base hit, setting the stage for Yordan Alvarez. Alcantara described Alvarez as "the best hitter in baseball right now," and rightfully so. It was the Marlins best pitcher in that moment against the Astros best hitter. On the third pitch of the at-bat, a fastball towards the bottom of the zone, Alvarez got a piece of it, taking Alcantara 394-feet the opposite way for a two-run shot, giving the Astros a 4-2 lead. Isaac Paredes followed it up with a home run of this own, extending the lead, 5-2. "(Alvarez) covers a lot of different pitches and both sides of the plate," McCullough said. "He's having an All-Star worthy season, MVP-type season, and he put some really good swings on balls. He got us." Alcantara finished the night entering the eighth, but unable to record an out. He surrendered five runs on nine hits, walked one, and struck out three. Calvin Faucher entered the game for Alcantara, striking out two and generating a pop fly. Anytime that your lineup does not combine for more than 10 strikeouts in the game, it is already a better night than Miami had had recently. On Wednesday night, the Marlins struck out six times, but were able to do some damage on Astros starter Peter Lambert, knocking in two runs on six hits. It would be the Astros bullpen that shut down the Marlins, allowing one hit between three relievers. "I thought we had a lot of really good at bats," McCullough said. "We created some opportunities. Thought we hit some balls hard, and I think we just kind of keep plugging along with that. The at-bat quality as a whole was good tonight." With the loss, the Marlins drop to 52-51, 1.5 games out of the third National League Wild Card spot. In a competitive National League, the Arizona Diamondbacks have won back-to-back games, giving them sole possession of the third WC while both the St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates are half a game back. The Marlins and Washington Nationals both have the same record. "I think we gotta put things together and find a way to put ourselves in that situation that we were in the first half," Alcantara said. "This is baseball, someday you win 20 and someday you lose 25. We gotta keep fighting together.” The Marlins will go back to Miami to begin a two-team, six-game homestand, with what feels like a last sliver of hope to bounce back from this season-collapsing stretch. The San Diego Padres and Philadelphia Phillies are coming to town. First pitch on Friday is at 7:10 pm EST with a starter yet to be announced. View full article

HOUSTON, TX - For the first time this season, the Miami Marlins faced a right-handed starting pitcher without including outfielder Jakob Marsee in their lineup. Instead, Esteury Ruiz ninth and manned center field against the Houston Astros on Wednesday. This wasn't due to an injury or a day of rest, Marlins manager Clayton McCullough confirmed. It's a reaction to Marsee's lack of offensive production throughout the 2026 season, even when he's had the platoon advantage. "Talked with Jakob and I think we are at a point where it's no secret that Jakob has struggled this year from a performance standpoint," McCullough said. "Jakob is still going to play with regularity, but told him there's going to be some times here coming up where versus right, you don't start." Marsee's first month at the major league level was as good as the Marlins could've dreamed. In August 2025, he slashed .352/.430/.629/1.058 with four home runs, 25 RBI and nine stolen bases. The next month, he hit .231/.292/.327/.619 with one home run, eight RBI and stole five bases. Over the offseason, there were discussion of a potential contract extension, but those never went far. In 98 games this season, Marsee has continued where he left off at the end of 2025, slashing .192/.313/.287/.600 with five home runs, 25 RBI, 19 stolen bases and a 73 wRC+. Among players with a minimum of 400 plate appearances, Marsee has the lowest batting average, slugging percentage, OPS and wRC+ in baseball. Despite that, the Marlins have given him every opportunity to turn things around as he ranks third on the team in games played and plate appearances. That being said, Marsee provides value defensively and on the base paths. He has a plus-five outs above average in center and his 19 stolen bases are second on the team. "He has showed up on that side of the field defensively and played very well," McCullough said. "If he needs to pinch run, pinch hit or go on defense, we're going to use that because it's about trying to win games. On the flipside, Ruiz, who had played in 62 games entering Wednesday, is slashing .243/.363/.485/.848 with five home runs, 10 RBI, 20 stolen bases and a 132 wRC+. "In a limited sample of opportunity this year, he has done some really nice things for us and just kind of got to the point with where we're at where give Esteury some more opportunity to get into the lineup," McCullough said. On Wednesday, Ruiz went 1-for-4 with two more steals. Marsee remained on the bench during the 5-2 Marlins loss. View full article

HOUSTON, TX - It isn't for lack of effort that the Miami Marlins have lost eight straight games. Most of the games have been highly competitive, with seven of the eight decided by two runs or less. Tuesday's 5-3 loss to the Houston Astros was because "we shot ourselves in the foot a couple times," manager Clayton McCullough said. That started in the fifth inning. With Tyler Phillips on the mound, Lucas Spence grounded out for the first out of the inning and nine hitter Christian Vazquez reached on a throwing error from Javier Sanoja. McCullough took Phillips out of the game to avoid facing the top of the Astros lineup a third time. Tyler Zuber entered the game to get the final two outs of the inning, and to his credit, he executed. Jeremy Peña grounded out and Yordan Alvarez struck out...except the Marlins weren't able to complete the out due to a wild pitch. Isaac Paredes followed with a three-run homer, giving the Astros a 5-1 lead they wouldn't lose for the remainder of the game. "It's tough to give opponents extra outs and they were able to capitalize on that," McCullough said. Overall, Phillips gave the Marlins 4 1/3 innings of work, allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits (one home run), one walk and two strikeouts. He surrendered a leadoff homer to Peña in the bottom of the first inning and an RBI double to Lucas Spence in the ensuing inning, giving the Astros a 2-0 lead. "Threw a horseshit pitch to Peña," Phillips said. "Over convicted, tried to spin it hard and I spun it right into his barrel. Men on base in the second inning, lead-off walk is unacceptable. Gave up a hit to a guy I don't even know, good for (Spence). Can't be grooving stuff and getting into a 3-2 count. Didn't want to walk him, felt like a challenge and he got a hit. I settled in nicely, made pitches where I felt like I needed to." In 25 appearances (10 starts), Phillips now has a 3.52 ERA, 4.55 FIP, 6.58 K/9 and 4.08 BB/9. Within those 10 starts, Phillips has completed five innings or more in half of those and is now reaching his career-high in innings pitched (77.2), which he will surpass in his next scheduled start. "Going into the break, my arm was getting a little tired," Phillips said. "Every time you get close to your innings limit, your arm starts to catch up to you. It doesn't feel bad though. Went out there, I felt good to go. Been taking care of my body, did the best I can, doing good work with the trainers...I think the only thing for me tonight is if there was any fatigue or being tired, it was just after that long delay of nine days, and just keep building into it. I like the old school style of pitching, going deep into games. If it was up to me, I'd to throw 130 pitches every single time. I don't care how tired my arm is. Just gotta keep doing your job until they take the ball from you." For a second straight night, the Marlins struck out more than 10 times. In the series, opener it was 14 total strikeouts, and on Tuesday, it was 13. Xavier Edwards and Joe Mack both struck out three times. It marked the first time this season that Edwards had struck out three times in a single game. The Marlins also were 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position. A lot of credit needs to go to Astros starter Tatsuya Imai, who in six innings of work, allowed one run on four hits and struck out eight. The lone run he surrendered came in the top of the fifth inning, an RBI double from Kyle Stowers, scoring Otto Lopez from first base. Joe Mack gave the Marlins some life in the seventh inning, hitting his ninth home run of the season, a two-run shot. Mack now has a home run in back-to-back games. In 58 games this season, Mack is now slashing .243/.301/.438/.739 with nine home runs, 28 RBI and has a 101 wRC+. He also picked up his 18th caught stealing of the season, tying Milwaukee Brewers star William Contreras for the league lead. "It's pretty cool to hear that," Mack said regarding where he ranks in caught stealings. "I think that I attribute it to just the catching department. (Craig Driver) just putting in the work every day and getting good pitches to throw; sometimes not getting good pitches, but making the most of it. Being an athlete is just doing everything that I possibly can to help out the team." With the loss, the Marlins are now 52-50, only two games over .500. Their odds to make the playoffs, which were above 50% earlier this month, according to FanGraphs, have fallen all the way to 17.8% entering Wednesday. Despite the recent struggles, McCullough urges fans to not lose faith in the team. “People that want to jump off [the bandwagon], I wouldn’t do it. Stay on there. We’re gonna get this thing back going. We got a lot of baseball left.” The Marlins will send ace Sandy Alcantara out to the mound on Wednesday night in hopes of snapping the streak at eight, just like the 2023 team that made the postseason did three years ago. 8:10 pm first pitch. View full article

HOUSTON, TX - The Miami Marlins free fall continued on Monday night as they fell 8-5 to a struggling Houston Astros team. A team that once stood 10 games over .500, comfortably in the third National League Wild Card spot and even in the fight for the National League East crown, find themselves once again fighting to gain sole possession of the third Wild Card Spot and sporting the longest losing streak in baseball at seven games. Despite these struggles, Marlins manager Clayton McCullough does not believe that the pressure of competing for a playoff spot has been a factor, noting "that's something you guys bring up a lot" and calling it "a hot topic." "I thought for the most part we pitched very well in Milwaukee, and they just outplayed us for for three days," McCullough said pregame. "I'm sure that the headlines will continue to be that, and I look at it like this stretch of games and losing over the course of an entire season unfortunately happens on multiple occasions. Right now we're going through it, and I think myself and our coaches are just much more concerned with getting our guys back to playing a better brand of baseball." What should keep fans hopeful is what the 2023 Marlins looked like just three years ago. Coming out of the All-Star Break, they dropped eight straight games, standing at 53-47 before snapping the streak. That team finished the season with an 84-78 record, good enough for the second Wild Card spot. The National League may not require a high amount of wins to slip into the postseason, so that keeps the 2026 Marlins in a similar, but favorable spot. Marlins starting pitcher Janson Junk described his season as "up and down." On Monday night, we saw the down of Junk's season, allowing six runs in four innings pitched, walking three in the process. All six of the runs allowed came in a 42-pitch bottom of the second inning. With the bases loaded and one out, Junk had to face the top of the Astros lineup, starting with Jeremy Peña. He took Junk deep, for his second career grand slam, giving the Astros a 5-2 lead. Yordan Alvarez followed it up with his 32nd home run of the season, making it 6-2 after just two innings of work. "I think the second inning, that's the story of it," Junk said postgame. "I don't really care that I came out after, went a few more innings and put up zeros. That's what I'm trying to do. Putting the team in a 6-2 deficit after we go up to with a big home run, to have (the Astros) come back with a six-spot, that's pretty demoralizing." Junk's biggest struggles have come with his command. In 2025, Junk surrendered 1.06 walk per nine, which was the lowest in baseball (minimum 110.0 IP). It is still low this season, at 2.61, but certainly a jump compared to where it was just one year ago. What hurt Junk the most in that second inning was walking the lead-off hitter, LaMonte Wade Jr. He walked three in that second inning. "I think it could be just getting back into the groove, coming off the IL, you know," Junk said. "I think that's something I got like check mechanically, maybe just getting outside of myself a little bit and I think it's those leadoff walks. That happened a few times against the Mariners in my last outing, but I was able to come back from it. Tonight shows you that leadoff walks kill you, and I'll get better at that." As an offense, the Marlins struck out 14 times, tied for second-most this season. One through six in the lineup each struck out twice. Astros starter Ronel Blanco took the mound for the first time in 429 days and struck out eight in 4 2/3 innings of work. The Astros bullpen combined for the other six strikeouts. On top of that, the Marlins went one for seven with runners in scoring position. The Marlins' source of offense came from Joe Mack hitting his eighth home run of the season in the top of the second inning and Liam Hicks hitting his team-leading 14th home run in the fourth inning, both off Blanco. Heriberto Hernandez provided some signs of life in the ninth inning, knocking in an RBI single, but it was too late at that point. "Three innings or so there, I think we we did a good job," McCullough said. "We talked about just trying to create some traffic and we just weren't able to come through with some hits with runners in scoring position. We'll continue to give ourselves those shots. That'll turn, I know that will. The strikeouts, it's something that's a little atypical of our group for the most part, but we've been piling them up here recently, so got to try to put the ball forward with a little more regularity." With the loss, the Marlins fall to 52-49 on the season, still tied for the third National League Wild Card spot as the St. Louis Cardinals fell to the Los Angeles Angels after the Marlins game. Tyler Phillips will take the mound for the Marlins as they look to snap the losing-skid on Tuesday at 8:10 pm EST. View full article

HOUSTON, TX — On Monday afternoon, the Miami Marlins placed Max Meyer on the 15-day IL due to a neck strain. He will be eligible to return beginning on August 3. "It popped up for the first time in that start versus Seattle at home pre All-Star break," manager Clayton McCullough said. "He felt a sensation in the neck area in that outing and we went with the the extra time. He felt much better with that time down and was able to get through his throwing and bullpens. We all felt he was in a good place to go make that start after the break, and then third inning of the game in Milwaukee, he said he felt a similar sensation there. Felt like it was worth going to get some further examination on that, and he went out to to L.A. to get that looked." Meyer this season has made 20 starts posting a 2.68 ERA, 3.51 FIP, 9.81 K/9 and a 3.32 BB/9. He was selected to his first MLB All-Star Game along with Otto Lopez. His 111 innings pitched is already a career-high. To temporarily take Meyer's spot on the active roster, the team recalled right-hander Zach Brzykcy from Triple-A Jacksonville. We have seen the Marlins successfully use bullpen games this year to fill in for injured starters, but they could also call up a more traditional replacement prior to Friday's game (originally scheduled to be Meyer's next start). McCullough said they'll base that decision on how the Houston Astros series goes. Already on the 26-man roster, Ryan Gusto can go multiple innings and has already started six games this season at the big league level. Meanwhile, veteran Braxton Garrett in his last 31 innings at Triple-A has a 0.29 ERA. Garrett made two starts at the big league level during the month of May, but struggled with control, walking eight total batters. Overall, in 14 Jumbo Shrimp appearances (13 starts), Garrett has a 1.52 ERA, 3.85 FIP, 9.76 K/9 and 3.30 BB/9. The Marlins and Astros begin a three-game set at 8:10 pm ET. Janson Junk will make his second start since coming back from his own IL stint. View full article

The second half of the season for the Miami Marlins got underway on Friday night in Milwaukee, facing a Brewers team that sits atop the National League Central. Game one of the series had a playoff feel to it, with the game tied at 1-1 going into extra innings, but it would be Garrett Mitchell and the Brewers who came out on top, winning their 60th game of the season, defeating the Marlins, 2-1. Mitchell not only won the game with a base hit up the middle off Lake Bachar, but he robbed both Heriberto Hernández and Joe Mack of potential go-ahead hits in the ninth and 10th innings, respectively. "It's a real recipe for winning a lot of games," said Marlins manager Clayton McCullough. "They didn't walk anyone tonight and you make some really nice plays to save some runs, then in close games like this, it makes a difference. I think we've seen that on our end as well. The margins are very small to win a major league game, especially on the road. Tonight, it was really close the whole way through and they came through with a two-out hit there, which was the difference." Griffin Conine gave the Marlins a 1-0 lead in the top of the fifth inning when he took starter Logan Henderson 398 feet deep to right-center field. He's been limited to 31 games this season due to injury, but Conine leads the team in wRC+ (147) and slugging percentage (.543). Despite his success, the Marlins replaced Conine with pinch-hitter Leo Jiménez in the top of the seventh to get the platoon advantage against Brewers left-handed reliever Aaron Ashby. Jiménez popped out. "I felt like with a runner on base and less than two outs to take a shot there with Leo to extend the inning and try to give ourselves what was at the time the best opportunity to score a run," McCullough said. "Maybe you don't see some of those guys in the back end of the games. Certainly weighing that moment, and then what potentially could be a few innings later." Sandy Alcantara did his part to give the Marlins an opportunity to win. In six innings of work, he allowed one run on three hits (one home run), walked four and struck out seven. In the bottom of the fifth inning, Joey Ortiz took Alcantara deep for a solo homer, but there was very little hard contact outside of that. The teams combined to go 0-for-17 with runners in scoring position until Mitchell's walk-off hit. Dating back to before the All-Star break, the Marlins are now losers of four straight games, dropping them to 52-46 on the season. With the St. Louis Cardinals defeating to the Arizona Diamondbacks, St. Louis has taken over the third National League Wild Card spot. Working on 10 days of rest, Max Meyer takes the mound on Saturday for a 4:10 pm first pitch. View full article

MIAMI, FL - On Thursday, before the big-league team took a flight to Milwaukee, the Miami Marlins made the signing of 2026 first-round pick Jacob Lombard official. Francys Romero reported that Lombard and his representation agreed to a $5M signing bonus, which is $445k under slot value. "It's been a long time coming," Marlins Vice President, Amateur Forecasting & Player Evaluation Initiatives Frankie Piliere said. "We're lucky to get the opportunity to draft him. We weren't really sure until probably the night before, where it started to really look like an opportunity. It's really a culmination of a lot of work on a really awesome young player, and really excited that it came together." It was never expected that Lombard would fall out of the top 10. He was the fifth ranked prospect per both MLB Pipeline and Baseball America, so the fact that the Marlins took him at 14 was a shock to everyone. "I've participated in enough drafts to know that surprising things happen all the time," President of Baseball Operations Peter Bendix said. "That's why we were prepared to draft a player of Jacob's caliber anywhere in the draft." The Gulliver Prep product is no stranger to loanDepot park, having been coming as a fan to Marlins games and most recently, the World Baseball Classic. Lombard also played on the field, most notably at the Prep Baseball All-American Game. In his senior season, Lombard slashed slashed .477/.607/.864/1.471 with 10 home runs and 25 RBI. "Once the draft got closer, I started playing scenarios out in my head, but never really got too specific on what team since that was out of my control," Lombard said. "I was just waiting for the call and getting ready to get to go to whatever team chose me." Since his high school season came to a close, Lombard has been lifting weights and getting his body prepared for what he called a second season. "I love baseball, so I've been itching to get to play again, so I couldn't be more excited." Lombard comes from a baseball family. His brother George Lombard Jr., is the New York Yankees top prospect and his father George Lombard Sr. was a longtime Major League Baseball player and is now the bench coach for the Detroit Tigers. That and facing some of the top talent in the state of Florida has him in a good spot going into his first pro season. "I think growing up and having a family in the game prepares me," Lombard said. "I get to talk to my brother about what he sees on a daily basis in the minor leagues and of course conversations with my dad who had a 16-year career and is still around the game. I think I'm mentally in a very good spot and pretty prepared because I know what a daily schedule will look like, so there won't be too many surprises." Along with Lombard, the remainder of the Marlins draft picks will attend a draft camp down in South Florida. The Marlins have shown to be an aggressive organization when it comes to promoting players. We saw that last season with 2025 first-round pick Aiva Arquette beginning his professional career in High-A and players have been promoted quickly ever since. "We challenge our players, that's how we get better," Bendix said. "We put our players in environments that are not easy and it'll be no different with Jacob. We have all the confidence in the world about how he will handle it on the field and athletically. Even more so, we get to see the kind of person he is. He's going to respond really well to those challenges and it's going to be hard, but I think he knows that and that is how people get better." View full article

Fresh off inking his professional contract, first-round draft pick Jacob Lombard speaks with the media about his impressions of the Marlins organization, his past experience at loanDepot park and more. View full video