Kevin Barral

On Monday, the baseball world received the news that Kim Ng wasn't going to return as Miami Marlins general manager. Despite coming off a postseason appearance, Ng and owner Bruce Sherman "were not completely aligned" on how to move forward together. When the Marlins hired Ng three years ago, it was a quick process. This time around, there should be many more candidates considered, including those both internally and externally. Oz Ocampo, Miami Marlins assistant general manager Just a year or so ago, the Miami Marlins hired Oz Ocampo to be Kim Ng's right-hand man. Ocampo was best known for his experience in the international market and he was heavily involved in bringing Cristian Javier, Framber Valdez and Luis García to the Houston Astros when they were amateur free agents. Currently, the Marlins farm system ranks as one of the worst in baseball. If Ocampo gets an expanded role with the organization, that can change through time and he can bring in the right people to work on consistently developing homegrown prospects into stars at the major league level. Michael Hill, MLB senior VP of on-field operations Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLBMichael Hill had the top Marlins baseball operations job before Kim Ng arrived (his title was president of baseball operations). He led them to the playoffs during the shortened 2020 season, which was his 18th and final season in Miami. He's very familiar with some of the players and staff who are still with the organization. Since leaving, Hill has worked in the office of the commissioner. A recent report from the Miami Herald's Barry Jackson mentioned that he would be interested in making a return if the Marlins reached out. James Click, Toronto Blue Jays VP of baseball strategy Click's GM tenure with the Houston Astros ended with him holding up a World Series trophy. Somewhat like Ng, he had a power struggle with the team's owner (Jim Crane) and left last offseason after turning down a one-year contract offer. Prior to coming to the Astros, Click spent his career with the Tampa Bay Rays, who have set the standard for how to build a consistent contender using player development and analytics. Click currently finds himself with the Toronto Blue Jays, waiting for his next opportunity to run a baseball operations department. It would make a lot of sense for the Marlins to at least interview him and see whether he and Sherman are a good fit. He also overlapped with Ocampo in Houston, which could help with the transition to a new organization. Ben Sestanovich, Atlanta Braves assistant general manager Alex Anthopoulos has built a juggernaut in Atlanta, so his job isn't coming open anytime soon. That means his top assistants will understandably be tempted to look for opportunities with other teams, the most recent example being Dana Brown leaving to take over as the Astros GM. Maybe Sestanovich follows the same path. A major key to the Braves success has been developing incredible homegrown players (Ronald Acuña Jr., Ozzie Albies and Austin Riley, just to name a few) and signing them to extensions at the right time. If Sestanovich can bring some of that to the Marlins, they can hopefully compete consistently even without spending a lot of money on payroll. Eve Rosenbaum, Baltimore Orioles assistant general manager The Orioles have the top farm system in baseball while also finishing with the best record in the American League. They have developed so many elite hitting prospects, they don't even have room to play all of them in the majors at the same time. Someone like Rosenbaum who has been in the middle of a successful rebuild like this makes a lot of sense for the Marlins as well. Photo courtesy of @OzOcampo/Twitter

The Miami Marlins made Jacob Berry their first-round pick in the 2022 MLB Draft with the expectation that he could hit at a very high level. He's showing some signs of reaching that potential in the Arizona Fall League, where he slashed .345/.424/.448/.872 with two RBIs through the first two weeks of action. https://fishonfirst.com/news/marlins-fall-winter-ball-tracker-2023/Berry was assigned to High-A Beloit at the beginning of the season. He struggled, slashing .227/.278/.369/.647 with only four home runs, 37 RBIs and an 80 wRC+ while frequently mishandling routine plays at third base. "The first couple of months were eye-opening, to say the least," said Berry in a media session a week ago. "I learned a lot about myself that's going to help me in the future." But Berry gradually found consistency midway through the season, enough to earn his way to the AA level with the Pensacola Blue Wahoos. Despite facing better competition, he slashed .248/.301/.442/.743 with five home runs, 22 RBIs and a 94 wRC+. Although his strikeout percentage went just a tad higher, Berry's walk percentage increased. He also moved down the defensive spectrum to play first base a lot more often after the promotion. "When I got to Pensacola, I think it was just trying to be myself," said Berry. Berry was especially hot in late August—recording five multi-hit games in a nine-game span—when he suffered a foot contusion. That sidelined him for Pensacola's September playoff run, but didn't interfere with his readiness for the AFL. Through eight games with the Peoria Javelinas, Berry seems to be seeing the ball a lot better and just making better contact overall. As a switch-hitter, it'll be important to monitor his results from both sides of the plate this season. Berry had big platoon splits during the regular season. From the right side, he slashed .275/.330/.517/.847 with four home runs and 18 RBIs. However, as a lefty, where the majority of his plate appearances come from, he slashed .221/.271/.354/.625 with five home runs and 41 RBIs. "Left-handed just quite didn't catch up this year as much as right-handed, but it just depends on the day," said Berry. "Some days, right-handed is going great, some days left-handed is going great, some days both, some days neither of them are, but I really didn't think that they were too far off." Another area of focus for Berry is his fielding. He has gone back to playing third on an everyday basis in the AFL. He was charged with three errors during a game on Oct. 7, but has played the position cleanly in his other starts. "I gotta get better at every role, because that's kinda me and my personality as it is," said Berry. "Every ball, I want it to be perfect on, but that's not possible, so I am going to keep working to be the best on every play and every opportunity that I get." The AFL season continues through Nov. 9. Track the progress of Berry and all other Marlins prospects here. Photo by Chris Coduto/MLB Photos

Kevin Barral, Isaac Azout and Ely Sussman react to the big breaking news that Kim Ng is leaving the Miami Marlins after three seasons as their general manager. Subscribe to the Fish On First YouTube channel to watch video versions of every Fish Unfiltered episode. https://fishonfirst.com/news/kim-ng-marlins-part-ways/Multiple reports that surfaced on Monday detail how principal owner Bruce Sherman wasn't fully confident in Ng leading the Marlins baseball operations department moving forward. As was the case with Michael Hill in 2020, the franchise is opting for a front office shake-up despite coming off a rare postseason berth. Ng's departure leaves behind Brian Chattin to serve as Miami's interim GM. He and fellow assistant GMs Oz Ocampo and Dan Greenlee are possible internal candidates for the job. Notable external candidates worth mentioning include Sig Mejdal and Eve Rosenbaum (Orioles), James Click (Blue Jays), Josh Byrnes (Dodgers), Ben Sestanovich (Braves), Carlos Rodriguez (Rays) and free agents Chaim Bloom and Jon Daniels. Follow Kevin (@kevin_barral), Isaac (@IsaacAzout), Ely (@RealEly) and Fish On First (@FishOnFirst) on Twitter. Complete Miami Marlins coverage here at FishOnFirst.com. Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos Our Fish On First podcast programming includes The Offishial Show, Fish Unfiltered, State of the Fish, Swimming Upstream, Fishology and What a Relief. All new episodes are posted to FishOnFirst.com/podcasts. You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Podbean, Megaphone or wherever you normally get your pods from.

Relive all of the ups and downs of the 2023 Miami Marlins with our Fish On First Season Review, containing detailed articles about a wide variety of players. The FOF staff analyzes the individual impact that each of them had and what it means for their future with the organization. This installment focuses on center fielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. 2023 Timeline January 20—Kim Ng announced move from second base to center field following the acquisition of Luis ArraezMay 13—left game early after running into outfield wallMay 16—placed on the 10-day injured list (right turf toe)June 20—sent on a minor league rehab assignment (Triple-A Jacksonville)June 26—activated from the 10-day injured listJuly 3—placed on the 10-day injured list (left oblique strain)July 30—sent on a minor league rehab assignment (Low-A Jupiter)July 31—activated from the 10-day injured listOctober 10—undergoes successful turf toe surgerySeason Stats: 97 G, .250/.304/.457/.761, 19 HR, 51 RBI, 103 wRC+ Prior to this year, Jazz Chisholm Jr. had zero experience playing the outfield. That was easy to see throughout spring training based on his misreads, bad throws and overall struggles with his transition to a new position. As the season went on, however, Chisholm showed improvement. By Statcast's outs above average, he ranked as one of the better center fielders in baseball and finished in the 87th percentile among all major leaguers (second among Marlins players behind only Jon Berti). Offensively, it was once again difficult to gauge. Chisholm did not come close to playing a full season due to two stints on the injured list. Chisholm set a new career high with 19 home runs and he led the Marlins with 22 stolen bases (88% success rate). He ended the regular season on a high note, which included a mid-September series sweep of the Atlanta Braves where he became the only player in franchise history to hit grand slams in back-to-back games. Those were the only grand slams for the 2023 Marlins. That being said, Chisholm still struggled to get on base with a .304 OBP (same as his career average). He struck out more often than ever (30.8 K%). During his 2022 All-Star campaign, he elevated the ball more consistently, but like many of his teammates, he grounded out a lot this season (47.8 GB%). He also grounded into four double plays after doing so only three times from 2020-2022 combined. With the managerial change from Don Mattingly to Skip Schumaker, Jazz received more playing time when facing left-handed pitching. There were a few individual moments of growth, but for the most part, it's still a weakness in his game. Chisholm slashed .172/.226/.253/.479 with two home runs and four RBIs in those 95 plate appearances. Jazz was a non-factor in the NL Wild Card Series against the Philadelphia Phillies. In one at-bat, he showed bunt despite there being two outs in the inning. In another, he didn't run down the line on a grounder. Overall, he didn't get a single hit and struck out 50% of the time. Chisholm helped the Marlins win when he was on the field, but you have to say it was a disappointing season for the MLB The Show cover athlete considering the high expectations placed on him. Highlights https://sporty-clips.mlb.com/31792395-8965-4df2-a5ad-fe5a78787131.mp4Marlins vs. Pirateshttps://sporty-clips.mlb.com/4eb0179e-2844-449e-a8b1-4e341714eb1a.mp4Phillies vs. MarlinsFuture with Miami The plan is for Jazz to be Miami's starting center fielder again in 2024. He got more comfortable there as the season went on and it would be a difficult hole for the Marlins to fill. He's projected to be fully recovered from turf toe surgery in time for spring training. Entering his age-26 season, it would not be a surprise if he improved as a player simply from continuing to gain experience. However, if the Marlins are getting frustrated with his frequent injuries, they might at least listen to trade offers for Chisholm while he still holds a lot of value. They had a .505 winning percentage with him in the starting lineup compared to .536 without him. Cody Bellinger is available in free agency and they reportedly showed interest in him last offseason. When Chisholm was out, Jonathan Davis and Garrett Hampson emerged as useful fill-in options. In the minor leagues, Victor Mesa Jr. and Jake Mangum are worth mentioning. Ultimately, it would make the most sense to spend another season evaluating Jazz. Entering his first year of arbitration eligibility, he could be a great bargain for the Marlins if he can stay healthy. Photo by Danis Sosa/Fish On First

Relive all of the ups and downs of the 2023 Miami Marlins with our Fish On First Season Review, containing detailed articles about a wide variety of players. The FOF staff analyzes the individual impact that each of them had and what it means for their future with the organization. This installment focuses on right-handed starter Eury Pérez. 2023 Timeline January 25—invited to Marlins spring training as non-roster inviteeMarch 20—reassigned to minor league campMay 12—selected from Double-A Pensacola and made major league debut (final line: 4.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 SO)July 7—optioned to Double-A PensacolaAugust 7—recalled from Double-A PensacolaSeptember 23—placed on the 15-day injured list (left SI joint inflammation)Season Stats: 91.1 IP, 3.15 ERA, 4.11 FIP, 10.64 K/9, 3.05 BB/9 (age 20) Everybody agreed that Pérez was the best prospect in the Marlins organization entering the year, if not the best pitching prospect in all of baseball. With him continuing to dominate at the AA level and starting rotation pieces Trevor Rogers and Johnny Cueto both going down with injuries, the Marlins made the bold decision to call him up less than a month after his 20th birthday. Because of his limited professional experience, Pérez was placed under careful workload restrictions. The Marlins didn't want him going beyond six innings or 90 pitches in any start, and his total innings were being monitored as well. But when he was on the mound, "Baby Goat" quickly found success. Through nine career starts, Pérez had a 1.34 ERA, including a 21-inning scoreless streak. His most notable outing came against the Los Angeles Dodgers on August 19 after returning from a midseason minor league stint. Pérez went six shutout innings, striking out ten, walking zero and only giving up two hits in LA. He became the youngest MLB pitcher since Félix Hernández (2005) to record a double-digit strikeout game. Pérez averaged 97.5 miles per hour with his four-seam fastball, almost as high as his mentor, Sandy Alcantara (98.0 mph). That number should go up even more as he fills out his 6'8" frame. Coming up through the minors, Pérez's changeup was thought to be his best secondary pitch. It was surprising to see him use it only 9.8% of the time and account for only six of his 108 strikeouts. As he explained to Fish On First, because the Southern League was experimenting with tacky baseballs during the first half of this season, Pérez just didn't feel as comfortable throwing changeups once making the switch back to normal MLB baseballs. Baseball SavantDespite that, Pérez did well against left-handed batters. Both his slider and curveball were unhittable at times. Combining his appearances in the majors and minors, Pérez threw 128 innings this season. His previous single-season high was only 78. He struggled in September while pitching through back discomfort, so the Marlins shut him down near the end of the regular season and he didn't make their Wild Card Series roster. Highlights https://mlb-cuts-diamond.mlb.com/FORGE/2023/2023-05/12/b6bb5b43-87f12efe-ea5b9cdf-csvm-diamondx64-asset_1280x720_59_4000K.mp4Reds vs. Marlins (5/12/23)https://mlb-cuts-diamond.mlb.com/FORGE/2022/2022-06/20/b33e4a89-a0a56544-fa51552e-csvm-diamondx64-asset_1280x720_59_4000K.mp4Blue Jays vs. Marlins (6/20/23)https://mlb-cuts-diamond.mlb.com/FORGE/2023/2023-08/19/fd27e924-f4f00d95-b87f23cb-csvm-diamondx64-asset_1280x720_59_4000K.mp4Marlins vs. Dodgers (8/19/23)Future with the Marlins With ace Sandy Alcantara out for the 2024 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, Pérez will be trusted to establish himself as a steady piece of the Marlins rotation. It will be interesting to see how much the teams loosens the limits they had on his workload—2023 was a good step forward, but he's not yet ready to eat innings like Sandy did. Aside from getting a feel for his changeup, the young right-hander needs to continue to work on his fastball command. Even though throwing strikes is not an issue, many of the 15 home runs Pérez allowed came on fastballs that were too close to the middle of the plate. Throughout Major League Baseball, teams have gotten aggressive about giving out contract extensions to emerging stars before they reach their arbitration years. Pérez looks like a candidate for that, if not in 2024, possibly by 2025 after he proves that he can go a full season without much fatigue or injury. Photo courtesy of Miami Marlins

The Miami Marlins dropped Game 1 of the 2023 Wild Card Series against the Philadelphia Phillies. Although Zack Wheeler pitched an amazing game, combining nasty stuff and command to carry a shutout into the seventh inning, the Marlins offense has to take responsibility for the poor quality of their at-bats. Otherwise, they could get quickly swept out of the MLB postseason. https://fishonfirst.com/game-coverage/wheeler-stymies-miamis-bats-phils-take-game-1/Jorge Soler, who has been one of Miami's best hitters this season, went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts (all vs. Wheeler) in Tuesday's loss. The 2021 World Series MVP entered the game with a career .292/.418/.692/1.110 slash line in the playoffs, but you wouldn't know it from watching him against Philly's pitchers. In Soler's first at-bat, he let a pitch down the middle get called for a strike three. His next strikeout in the fourth inning came from chasing a sinker that ran down and in. Soler's third at-bat of the game was by far the most frustrating one. He got ahead in the count 2-0, a rare opportunity against Wheeler who was pounding the strike zone all night. Soler ended up taking a strike one call and swinging at the next two pitches for his third strikeout of the night. https://sporty-clips.mlb.com/4f730f04-9556-4090-a64f-819931aec138.mp4Jazz Chisholm Jr. also had a rough night at the plate, going 0-for-4 with two strikeouts. In the top of the fourth inning, with two outs and a runner on first, Chisholm squared to bunt for some reason, pulled the bat back and took a strike. He ended up striking out to end the inning and left the runner stranded. Jazz did have the Marlins' top defensive moment of the game, throwing Nick Castellanos out at home in the bottom of that inning to save a run. That being said, if he's going to continue to bat in the middle of Miami's lineup, he'll need to contribute with the bat as well and back up his own words about embracing the spotlight of the postseason. Like Soler, Jon Berti struck out three times. It was uncharacteristic for Berti, who had only two other three-strikeout games during the regular season. In September, he was the hottest hitter on the Marlins. Needing to win Game 2, the Marlins will go up against Aaron Nola. As Alex Carr explained during , it's difficult to know what to expect from the veteran right-hander coming off a disappointing season. Nola has had the edge historically against Chisholm and Josh Bell, but Soler has been solid in their past matchups while Berti has done even better.The Marlins lineup should be pretty much the same as Game 1. Braxton Garrett takes the mound for Miami in what will be his first career postseason start. The game will once again begin at 8:08 p.m. on ESPN at Citizens Bank Park. Isaac Azout and Noah Berger are on site for Fish On First covering all of the action. Photo by Harry How/Getty Images

On Saturday, the Miami Marlins clinched their first full-season playoff berth since 2003. Just a day later, the Marlins clinched the fifth seed in the National League, setting up a best-of-three series against the Philadelphia Phillies, their longtime NL East rival. Game 1: Tuesday, October 3 @ 8:08 pm on ESPN The series opener is set to feature Jesús Luzardo for Miami and Zack Wheeler for the Phillies. This season, Luzardo has a 3.63 ERA, 3.55 FIP, 10.48 K/9, 2.77 BB/9 in 178 ⅔ innings pitched. In his last start against the Phillies, Luzardo went 6⅓ innings pitched, struck out nine, walked one and gave up two runs on four hits, with one of those being a solo home run to Edmundo Sosa. https://mlb-cuts-diamond.mlb.com/FORGE/2023/2023-07/09/9fa0a81c-5b54ae65-83568cc7-csvm-diamondx64-asset_1280x720_59_16000K.mp4"I think he always always had stuff," said Miami Marlins manager Skip Schumaker in . "He knows how to execute pitches and I think that's where the biggest growth with him throughout the season is and it's continuing to happen. He's pitched in some really big games for us and he's come through. He's earned this spot." Similar to Luzardo, Wheeler has also had a successful season, as he has a 3.61 ERA, 3.15 FIP, 9.94 K/9, 1.83 BB/9 in 192 innings. Although Luzardo's walk rate is low, Wheeler's is even lower this season. Amongst all Major League pitchers, Wheeler has the sixth-lowest BB/9, so that will present a challenge to the Marlins. The last time Wheeler faced Miami, he went six innings, struck out four, walked one and gave up two runs on five hits. The two runs came on back-to-back home runs by Josh Bell and Jazz Chisholm Jr. Miami won the game, 9-8. Game 2: Wednesday, October 4 @ 8:08 pm on ESPN Southpaw Braxton Garrett will take the mound for the second game of the series. This season, Garrett has posted a 3.66 ERA, 3.68 FIP, 8.79 K/9, 1.63 BB/9 in 159 ⅔ innings pitched. Of the 47 pitchers that have thrown at least 150 innings this season, only three of them have a lower BB/9 than Garrett (George Kirby, Zach Eflin, and Logan Webb). Just like Luzardo, Garrett is at a career high in innings pitched this season, but both have pitched well down the stretch, so although fatigue can be a factor for them, it hasn't yet. For the Phillies, pending free agent Aaron Nola will be showcasing to teams what he can do on the biggest stage. This season, Nola posted a 4.46 ERA, 4.03 FIP, 9.39 K/9, 2.09 BB/9 in 193 ⅔ innings pitched, a big drop-off from where he was the year before. Against the Marlins in 2023, Nola has an 0-2 record with a 6.75 ERA. Red-Hot Phillies 2023 Statcast comparison between Marlins and Phillies hitters | Baseball SavantThe Phillies are known for their slow starts, just like we saw this season, but as time went on, they began to heat up and earn the first Wild Card spot with 90 wins. Lead-off hitter Kyle Schwarber is the first hitter that Jesús Luzardo will have to face on Tuesday. Don't let his .197 batting average deceive you. This season, the Phillies slugger has hit 47 home runs along with 104 RBIs. In Citizens Bank Park—a hitter-friendly environment—Schwarber has been able to rely on his power. Big ticket free agent signing Trea Turner struggled in the first half of 2023 with a .247/.299/.389/.688 slash line. His second half of the season is one to remember, though, as he slashed .292/.348/.554/.902 with 16 home runs and 44 RBIs. Although the Phillies shortstop suffered a left elbow contusion on Saturday, he should be good to go for Game 1. Turner, the former Washington National, has a large sample size against the Marlins (98 games played). That familiarity could be something to monitor throughout the series. Bryce Harper was hurt to begin the season as he was recovering from Tommy John surgery, but he certainly made his mark when he came back from the injured list. This past year, Harper slashed .293/.401/.499/.900 with 21 home runs, 72 RBIs and a 142 wRC+. Just like Turner, Harper is a former Washington National, so he also has a lot of familiarity with Miami. "It's not talked about what he's done," said Schumaker regarding Harper. "To move to first base—one of the best players, if not the best player in the game coming off an injury—moving to first base for his team and doing what he's doing over there. Just shows you exactly who he is. I don't know him personally, but the amount of respect I have for him is huge." Another dangerous bat in the Phillies' lineup is Nick Castellanos, who had himself an All-Star season after struggling in 2022. Only a home run shy of 30 with a wRC+ over 100 is exactly what the Phillies needed from Castellanos. What is most surprising is the fact that he did not commit a single error in right field this season. Additional Phillies Notes Third baseman Alec Bohm reached the 20 home run marker on the final day of the season. That 20th homer marked the first time in franchise history that the Phillies have had six players reach 20 or more home runs. After posting an 84 wRC+ in 2022, Bryson Stott improved and finished 2022 with a 101 wRC+ and had 15 home runs. Defensively, Stott put up a seven DRS this season, three more than Luis Arráez who finished with a four. Another fun storyline is the fact that Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto will face his former team in the postseason. Realmuto was with the Marlins through 2018 before being dealt to the Phillies in exchange for Sixto Sánchez, Jorge Alfaro and Will Stewart (all of whom are still in the Marlins organization, but not expected to contribute this postseason). "There are still a few friendly faces over there that I got to know really well," said Realmuto. "Couple friends I still have on the team, so it should be interesting and a lot of fun." Additional Marlins Notes While the Marlins themselves have won just one postseason series over the last 20 years, the current roster includes veterans who became World Series champions elsewhere, such as Jorge Soler, Yuli Gurriel, Johnny Cueto and David Robertson. Jorge Soler in particular has slashed .292/.418/.692/1.110 with six home runs and 11 RBI. He won the World Series with the Chicago Cubs in 2016 and then with the Atlanta Braves in 2021, when he was the World Series MVP. Second baseman Luis Arráez is expected to be in the Game 1 starting lineup, according to Marlins manager Skip Schumaker. Arráez, who is fresh off winning his second straight batting title ended the regular season slashing .354/.393/.469/.861 with 10 home runs, 69 RBIs and a 132 wRC+. Arráez finished the regular season with a strikeout rate of 5.5%, which was the lowest in all of Major League Baseball. It's unusual to make the playoffs with a negative run differential. The Marlins' -55 mark is the lowest for a postseason team in MLB history. The last team to be below zero in that department was the 2005 San Diego Padres (-42). Isaac Azout (@IsaacAzout) and Noah Berger (@Trainboy100) are on site to provide you with coverage of the NL Wild Card Series. Make sure to follow them as well as the coverage that we are providing here at Fish on First.

At the end of an 84-win Miami Marlins regular season and right before the start of their postseason run, I surveyed the Fish On First staff about which players have been most responsible for helping the team get to this point. Submit your own 2023 award selections in the comments! Isaac Azout Marlins MVP: Luis Arráez Pitcher of the year: Braxton Garrett Most surprising player: Andrew Nardi Most disappointing player: Nick Fortes Reliever of the year: Tanner Scott Comeback player of the year: Jesús Sánchez Best trade acquisition: Jake Burger MiLB player of the year: Troy Johnston 2024 free agent/trade target: Johnny Cueto Kevin Barral Marlins MVP: Luis Arráez Pitcher of the year: Braxton Garrett Most surprising player: Jesús Sánchez Most disappointing player: Edward Cabrera Reliever of the year: Tanner Scott Comeback player of the year: Jorge Soler Best trade acquisition: Jake Burger MiLB player of the year: Troy Johnston 2024 free agent/trade target: Mitch Garver Hector Rodriguez Marlins MVP: Luis Arráez Pitcher of the year: Jesús Luzardo Most surprising player: Garrett Hampson Most disappointing player: A.J. Puk Reliever of the year: Tanner Scott Comeback player of the year: Jorge Soler Best trade acquisition: Jake Burger MiLB player of the year: Troy Johnston 2024 free agent/trade target: Salvador Pérez Ely Sussman Marlins MVP: Luis Arráez Pitcher of the year: Braxton Garrett Most surprising player: Tanner Scott Most disappointing player: Joey Wendle Reliever of the year: Tanner Scott Comeback player of the year: Jorge Soler Best trade acquisition: Jake Burger MiLB player of the year: Troy Johnston 2024 free agent/trade target: Mitch Garver Daniel Rodriguez Marlins MVP: Luis Arráez Pitcher of the year: Tanner Scott Most surprising player: Braxton Garrett Most disappointing player: David Robertson Reliever of the year: Tanner Scott Comeback player of the year: Jorge Soler Best trade acquisition: Jake Burger MiLB player of the year: Troy Johnston 2024 free agent/trade target: Teoscar Hernández/Alex Wood/Lucas Giolito Louis Addeo-Weiss Marlins MVP: Jorge Soler Pitcher of the year: Braxton Garrett Most surprising player: Jon Berti Most disappointing player: Avísaíl García Reliever of the year: Tanner Scott Comeback player of the year: Jorge Soler Best trade acquisition: Jake Burger MiLB player of the year: Troy Johnston 2024 free agent/trade target: Aaron Nola—you need innings whether Sandy is healthy or not, and Nola is as durable as they come. Alex Krutchik Marlins MVP: Luis Arráez Pitcher of the year: Braxton Garrett Most surprising player: Braxton Garrett Most disappointing player: David Robertson Reliever of the year: Tanner Scott Comeback player of the year: Jorge Soler Best trade acquisition: Jake Burger MiLB player of the year: Troy Johnston 2024 free agent/trade target: Michael Lorenzen Noah Berger Marlins MVP: Luis Arráez Pitcher of the year: Braxton Garrett Most surprising player: Garrett Hampson Most disappointing player: Sandy Alcantara Reliever of the year: Tanner Scott Comeback player of the year: Jorge Soler Best trade acquisition: Jake Burger MiLB player of the year: Xavier Edwards 2024 free agent/trade target: Zack Gelof (for the vibes) Alex Carver Marlins MVP: Luis Arráez Pitcher of the year: Braxton Garrett Most surprising player: Garrett Hampson Most disappointing player: Jacob Stallings Reliever of the year: Tanner Scott Best trade acquisition: Jake Burger MiLB player of the year: Troy Johnston 2024 free agent/trade target: Gleyber Torres Photo courtesy of Miami Marlins

With a postseason berth looking likely for the Miami Marlins entering their final regular season series, I projected what their roster construction would look like for the NL Wild Card Series. Now that they've officially clinched a spot and learned that they'll be facing the Philadelphia Phillies, it is time for an update to that projection. https://fishonfirst.com/analysis/marlins-playoff-roster-projection-2023-wild-card-series/As a refresher, this is a best-of-three series and the roster will include 26 players. Pitchers (12) Huascar BrazobanEdward CabreraJT ChargoisJohnny CuetoBraxton Garrett (Game 2 SP)Jesús Luzardo (Game 1 SP)Andrew NardiSteven OkertA.J. PukDavid RobertsonTanner ScottGeorge SorianoChanges from Projection #1: Ryan Weathers removed. Weathers made the final start of the regular season for the Marlins. He went six shutout innings where he struck out five and walked three on only two hits, leaving a nice impression. https://mlb-cuts-diamond.mlb.com/FORGE/2023/2023-10/01/7812a534-a735d861-4e5e71f6-csvm-diamondx64-asset_1280x720_59_16000K.mp4However, Weathers simply won't be available to contribute against the Phillies after that 99-pitch performance. The series will end by Thursday, just four days removed from making that start. The fact that Weathers was called up in the first place suggests the Marlins just wanted to rest their more established pitchers with a playoff spot already secure. Bryan Hoeing was the other arm on the 40-man roster worth considering. Even though he can eat innings and pitch in several different roles, his struggles late in the season make him untrustworthy. That includes giving up all three runs in Sunday's loss and 12 runs over his final four innings combined. Because this is such a short series, the Marlins can get away with carrying only 12 pitchers. If they advance to the division series, they will definitely need more. Position Players (14) Luis ArráezJake BurgerJosh BellJon BertiJazz Chisholm Jr.Bryan De La CruzXavier EdwardsNick FortesYuli GurrielGarrett HampsonJesús SánchezJorge SolerJacob StallingsJoey WendleChanges from Projection #1: Joey Wendle added. This is the same position player group that the Marlins had for the final two weeks of the regular season. We assume Soler (DH), Bell (1B), Burger (3B), De La Cruz (LF), Chisholm (CF) and Sánchez (RF) are going to be starters every game. Both Luzardo and Garrett threw exclusively to Fortes this season and that should continue, with Stallings probably catching Game 3 if necessary. The biggest question is the status of Arráez (left ankle sprain). If he's healthy enough to play second base, Berti will fill out the lineup at shortstop. If he is not, that creates opportunities for Hampson and Edwards. There is also the possibility that Arráez is ready to be a DH, but nothing else. That could move Soler to right field and squeeze De La Cruz or Sánchez to the bench. Photo by Danis Sosa/Fish On First

With just a few days left to go in the MLB regular season, the Miami Marlins still find themselves very much alive for a National League Wild Card spot. Making the playoffs in a full-length season for the first time since 2003 would be a big accomplishment for this team, but obviously, they want to go as far as possible if they make it in. That will require some changes to the way Miami's roster is constructed. Let's look at what the Marlins 26-man roster could look like for the best-of-three NL Wild Card Series and explain why some familiar names wouldn't make the cut. Note: Matt Moore is not postseason eligible because he wasn't part of the Marlins organization before Sept. 1. Also, starters Sandy Alcantara (right UCL sprain) and Eury Pérez (left SI joint inflammation) are unavailable due to injuries. Pitchers (13) Jesús LuzardoBraxton GarrettEdward CabreraRyan WeathersTanner ScottAndrew NardiA.J. PukDavid RobertsonSteven OkertGeorge SorianoHuascar BrazobanJT ChargoisJohnny CuetoRyan Weathers is the one pitcher listed here who isn't currently on the Marlins active roster. Weathers quietly had an impressive ending to his 2023 campaign with the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp. In seven starts with the Jumbo Shrimp, he had a 2.54 ERA. When he was still only 20 years old, Weathers made his major league debut during a postseason game. Pitching in relief for the San Diego Padres against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2020 National League Division Series, he went 1 ⅓ innings, struck out one, walked two and didn't give up any runs or hits. This time around, Weathers is with a club that's very thin on starting pitching. Although he has yet to find major league success, his ability to provide length would be valuable, and hopefully whatever he was doing in AAA after being acquired by the Marlins translates to the majors. Johnny Cueto is another borderline pick for similar reasons. Like Weathers, his contribution would be more about quantity over quality. Cueto helped his case in his last start against the New York Mets where he went 4 ⅓ innings, gave up two runs off four hits, walked one and struck out four. Both of the runs came off solo homers. The 37-year-old right-hander obviously has a ton of postseason experience, including a World Series title with the 2015 Kansas City Royals. Steven Okert has had an inconsistent season with a bad month of September. However, he recently reminded us what he's capable of when he struck out the side against the Mets on Wednesday. Pre-All Star break, Okert had a 2.53 ERA and 3.32 FIP through 32 innings pitched and he has a good track record dating back to 2021. Matt Moore being ineligible for the postseason opens the door for him. Meanwhile, Bryan Hoeing just misses the cut. He has shown that he can be a versatile member of the Marlins pitching staff, but he relies a lot on balls in play and isn't trustworthy enough at the moment. Position Players (13) Luis ArraezJorge SolerJake BurgerJosh BellJazz Chisholm Jr.Jon BertiGarrett HampsonJacob StallingsNick FortesBryan De La CruzJesús SánchezXavier EdwardsYuli GurrielTrimming down from 14 to 13 hitters from the regular season to the postseason, the only Marlin left out is Joey Wendle. The Marlins have shown how they feel about him by not starting him in any of their last ten games (including Thursday's suspended game). Although Wendle has played great defense at shortstop, he also has the coldest bat in the majors during the second half of the season. The Marlins have Garrett Hampson Jon Berti to handle shortstop in his place and rookie Xavier Edwards as a good situational hitter off the bench (I am projecting Luis Arraez to be healthy enough to return as Miami's starting second baseman). It was tempting to add Marlins Minor League Player of the Year Troy Johnston. He is blocked by Yuli Gurriel, who has struggled at the plate almost as much as Wendle. However, Gurriel is a very positive clubhouse presence with an incredible amount of playoff experience from his Houston Astros days. Is your roster projection any different from mine? Let us know in the comments below. Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images

Led by Christian Yelich's 10th career multi-homer game and his first at LoanDepot Park, the Milwaukee Brewers destroyed the Marlins on Friday, 16-1. The Marlins kicked off the game by going with JT Chargois in the opener role that he had been used in multiple times this season. Chargois wasn't able to get out of the first inning as he walked two Brewers. He was taken out for Steven Okert, who only had to throw three pitches to get out of the inning. Although Okert was able to get Miami out of that jam, he ran into deep, deep trouble in the top of the second. After Willy Adames worked the walk, Josh Donaldson hit his 13th home run of the season to give the Brewers an early 2-0 lead. Donaldson's homer was just the beginning. Milwaukee would go on to score 10(!) more runs, including eight off of Bryan Hoeing. Every player in the lineup outside of Willy Adames had an RBI. Yelich, Josh Donaldson and Mark Canha each had multiple RBIs. "Pitching sets the tone," said Miami Marlins manager Skip Schumaker following the game. He pointed to the staff's control issues (issuing walks to five of the first 10 batters) and the hard contact they allowed. Just days after both Luis Arráez and Jake Burger went down with injuries, they were both back in the lineup, but after the Brewers scored 12 runs, they were removed from the game entering the third inning. "It didn't make much sense to try to push them through what they're going through right now," said Schumaker. "Down 12 runs, I never would say we're punting a game or anything like that because that's not what I'm doing. I'm trying to make sure they're healthy for this run. They did everything they could to get in that game." Corbin Burnes went five shutout innings where he struck out six and walked two. He only gave up two hits. The Marlins' only run of the ballgame came in the bottom of the eighth inning when Job Berti hit a leadoff solo home run. The ball left the bat at 105.9 mph and it went 416 feet into the air. That was Berti's fourth home run of the season. Up to the end of last season, Brian Anderson had spent his whole career with the Miami Marlins. He endured an ownership change and had an everyday role when they reached the postseason in 2020. The Marlins acknowledged BA with a video on the scoreboard in his first game there as a visiting player. After not sitting on the bench since September 11, Anderson made an appearance against his former team, but he was robbed of a hit in his first at-bat and then popped out in his second. As a result of the victory, the Brewers clinched a postseason berth, their fifth in the last six years. The Marlins are back at it on Saturday with Jesús Luzardo taking the mound for Miami. Brandon Woodruff, who threw a complete game against the Marlins the last time he faced them, goes opposite of the Venezuelan. First pitch at 4:10 p.m. Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images

Billy Gil from the Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz joins Kevin Barral and Isaac Azout for the final Unfiltered of the 2023 regular season! Topics covered on Episode 49 of Fish Unfiltered include: Kevin's team beating Billy's team in the Marlins media softball gameSandy Alcantara's rehab from a right UCL sprainThe Marlins' recent series against the Mets (and the lackluster attendance) Florida International University footballMLB award racesThe Marlins' playoff chances with nine games left in the regular season Subscribe to the Fish On First YouTube channel to watch video versions of every Fish Unfiltered episode. The Marlins conclude their final homestand of the season by hosting the Milwaukee Brewers this weekend. On Friday, the Fish are going with a bullpen game against Corbin Burnes. The Marlins are introducing 1993 pricing, with $2 hot dogs and $3.50 beers at LoanDepot Park. There's an American Indian heritage celebration and a postgame fireworks show. FOF on-site coverage by Alex Krutchik and Kevin. On Saturday, it's Jesús Luzardo vs. Brandon Woodruff. Larger Than Life: Ultimate 90’s Boyband Tribute will perform in a postgame concert. FOF on-site coverage by Danis Sosa and Isaac. On Sunday, Edward Cabrera takes on Freddy Peralta. The first 8,000 fans in attendance get 2024 magnet schedules. The Mexican heritage celebration includes a postgame concert by Mariachi Mexico Internacional. FOF on-site coverage by Louis Addeo-Weiss and Daniel Rodriguez. Follow Billy (@billygil), Kevin (@kevin_barral), Isaac (@IsaacAzout) and Fish On First (@FishOnFirst) on Twitter. Complete Miami Marlins coverage here at FishOnFirst.com. Our Fish On First podcast programming includes The Offishial Show, Fish Unfiltered, State of the Fish, Swimming Upstream, Fishology and What a Relief. All new episodes are posted to FishOnFirst.com/podcasts. You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Podbean, Megaphone or wherever you normally get your pods from.

For Sandy Alcantara, rehabbing from an arm injury is a new experience. The Miami Marlins ace made it look easy on Thursday. Just two-and-a-half weeks after suffering a right UCL sprain, Alcantara was nearly perfect in his first rehab start with the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp in Nashville. Through his four innings of work (51 pitches), Alcantara struck out four, didn't walk anyone, allowed only one hit and didn't give up any runs. The hit was recorded by MLB Pipeline's number two overall prospect Jackson Chourio, who singled to left field. Alcantara's velocity maxed out at 98 miles per hour. Combining all of his four-seamers and sinkers, his average fastball velo was 95.6 mph. That's still an elite number, but it is lower than any of his 2023 regular season starts in the majors. Aside from that, he mixed in some curveballs, sliders and changeups. The opponent that Alcantara faced, the Nashville Sounds, had plenty of hitters with big league experience, including Garrett Mitchell, Owen Miller and former All-Star Jesse Winker. If this proves to be Alcantara's only rehab start, he would be lined up to rejoin the Marlins rotation on Tuesday against the New York Mets in the first game of that three-game set at Citi Field. After that, he'd be on regular rest next Sunday against the Pittsburgh Pirates, which will be Game 162 of the regular season. The Marlins probably would only use him against the Pirates if there is still something to play for—if they clinch a postseason spot before then, it would make sense to save him for the NL Wild Card Series instead. Along with Alcantara, right-hander Huascar Brazoban made his first rehab appearance where he struck out one in a scoreless inning of work. He has been out since August 13 with a left hip impingement. Relievers usually need multiple rehab appearances before getting cleared for reinstatement, but Brazoban is still on track to come back to the Marlins before the end of the season if there's room for him. Jacksonville won the game by a final score of 7-0. Photo courtesy of Casey Gower/Nashville Sounds