Daniel Rodriguez

MIAMI, FL — Just like the night before, the Marlins found themselves in an early hole after falling behind 3-0 to Baltimore in the first inning following a three-run home run by Pete Alonso. Eury Pérez, making his eighth start of the young season, did not have his best outing. The right-hander allowed five earned runs across five innings while giving up four hits, walking five, and striking out six. His ERA rose to 5.01 on the season. Control was the biggest issue for Pérez throughout the night, as he struggled to consistently locate his pitches, issuing five walks and also hitting a batter. While it’s unlikely Miami considers sending him down, it may be time to temper expectations early in his career. “A bad one. A lot of learning situations that I had in the game,” Pérez said postgame through an interpreter. “The slider, I was throwing it with more velocity after the first few innings, and I was able to get through the fifth.” Manager Clayton McCullough still pointed to positives from Pérez’s outing. “I think the sliders were probably the best they’ve been all season,” McCullough said. “Some of the velocity he was throwing those at got into the 90s.” Baltimore jumped on Miami immediately in the top of the first. After a walk and a hit-by-pitch to Adley Rutschman, Alonso launched a three-run homer to give the Orioles an early advantage. Baltimore continued to apply pressure throughout the night on its way to a 7-4 victory, with Rutschman contributing two doubles. Similar to Tuesday night, Miami answered quickly despite the early deficit. Jakob Marsee delivered an RBI double as he continues to heat up following a slow start to the season. However, outside of Marsee’s double and singles from Owen Caissie and Xavier Edwards, the Marlins struggled to build sustained offense and never fully threatened after tying the game early. Prior to the game, Miami recalled left-hander Dax Fulton while optioning William Kempner following his own MLB debut. Unlike Kempner, Fulton has been with the organization since being selected in the second round of the 2020 MLB Draft. He has long been viewed as one of the club’s more intriguing pitching prospects until having major elbow surgeries. Fulton provided valuable innings out of the bullpen, tossing four innings while allowing two earned runs on three hits with one walk and three strikeouts. Although the appearance likely means he’ll return to Triple-A afterward, he helped preserve a taxed Marlins bullpen moving forward. “Just keep pushing,” Fulton said postgame when reflecting on his journey to the majors. “Whatever comes at you, whatever gets thrown at you, just keep going. You’ll get there as long as you have perseverance. I’m just glad to be here.” Fulton also discussed adjusting to a relief role after spending most of his career as a starter. “It’s the same mindset—go up there and get guys out,” Fulton said. “Whether it’s five or six innings as a starter or two or three innings out of the bullpen, whatever they need from me, I’m going to do everything I can to help the team.” The Marlins will look to snap their four-game losing streak Thursday night when Max Meyer takes the mound in the series finale. View full article

MIAMI, FL — The Miami Marlins designated starting pitcher Chris Paddack for assignment on Tuesday following a short and difficult tenure with the club. In seven appearances (six starts), Paddack had an 0–5 record and an ERA above seven. In a corresponding move, Miami recalled right-handed pitcher William Kempner, who is now in line to make his MLB debut during this series against the Baltimore Orioles. Kempner was acquired from the San Francisco Giants in January 2025 in exchange for international bonus pool money. This season with Triple-A Jacksonville, he has posted a 6.46 ERA and a 4.15 FIP, along with an eye-popping 19.96 K/9. His 47.9 percent strikeout rate ranks second in the International League. However, control issues have prevented him from reaching his full potential, as Kempner acknowledged when speaking with reporters. “I get a little erratic sometimes, but I’m working on it. If I can get the strikeouts with the walks, then we’re going to be okay,” Kempner said. In his most recent appearance on May 1, Kempner threw two innings of no-hit baseball with two strikeouts and touched 96.0 mph on his fastball. It was only the third time in 12 games this season that he didn't allow any baserunners. Kempner also shared that he was pranked by his coaches when they shared the news of his promotion to the big leagues. “I was on the phone with my pitching coach [Jerad Eickhoff]. I missed his call, and then I called him back, and he told me to come in and throw a bullpen tomorrow. Then he said he was just messing with me and that I was going to the big leagues. There’s no one I’d rather get that call from than him and our manager, (David Carpenter). Two amazing dudes.” Marlins manager Clayton McCullough spoke highly of Kempner’s arsenal. “I think it’s going to be a tough look for hitters. It’s a big fastball with movement both ways, and he has a very good breaking ball. We know he has the ability to miss bats. He’s shown that in Triple-A. Ultimately, his ability to fill up the strike zone consistently is going to determine how well he performs here.” McCullough confirmed that the Marlins will be calling up a starting pitcher on Friday (most likely Robby Snelling) to fill Paddack's rotation spot. Barring a sudden injury to somebody on the pitching staff, Kempner is the main candidate to go back down to AAA at that time. Between now and then, Kempner looks to fill a role in the bullpen, specifically against right-handed batters. I am optimistic about Kempner as his arsenal has lots of potential, with just walks hindering him. View full article

Liam Rooney of the Tallahassee Democrat joins the Small Pod to discuss a trio of Florida State Seminoles who were drafted by the Marlins: outfielder Max Williams, infielder Drew Faurot and left-hander Joey Volini. View full video

Ryan Harlan of BeaversEdge.com joins the Small Pod to discuss a pair of Oregon State Beavers who were drafted by the Marlins: top pick Aiva Arquette and 12th-round catcher Wilson Weber. View full video

Miami Marlins outfielder Kyle Stowers speaks with the media at loanDepot park after hitting a walk-off grand slam against Athletics closer Mason Miller in Saturday's win. View full video

Despite a subpar performance from Max Meyer, the Marlins snapped their week-long losing streak thanks to a pair of Kyle Stowers homers. MIAMI—“You don’t rise to the occasion, you sink to the level of your preparation.” Kyle Stowers had that quote running through his mind entering the decisive at-bat of Saturday's epic 9-6 Marlins win. Trusting his process paid off again. Let's fast-forward to the ninth inning, with hope fading away. The Marlins trailed 6-4 with one of MLB's best closers on the mound in Mason Miller. It looked like the six-game losing streak would be extended and the debut of their "Retrowave" City Connect uniforms would be ruined. Matt Mervis led off the inning getting hit by a pitch, followed by Connor Norby and Dane Myers strikeouts. Javier Sanoja stepped up to the plate and earned himself a double, walks by Ronny Simon and Xavier Edwards extended the game long enough to bring Stowers to the plate. With the bases loaded and two outs, it was his chance to either win the game or extend the losing streak. Stowers came through again for the Fish, taking Miller deep off a scorching 101.7 mph fastball to walk it off. "I don't like to say the words 'we needed it,' but it was a good time for a win and cool to be in the middle of it and that's why we play the game, for moments like that," Stowers said. The 27-year-old outfielder continues to show his early-season dominance with his fifth and sixth home runs of the season, Stowers easily leads Miami with 25 RBI this season to go along with a .324/.392/.552 slash line. Now seeing everyday play in the outfield and tapping into his power, don‘t be surprised if Stowers makes an appearance at the Midsummer Classic. Max Meyer, who went into this game looking to rebound from his performance in Seattle, could not get into form against the Athletics. An early home run by Brent Rooker got the Athletics on the board, only to be followed by a home run by former Marlin JJ Bleday. Bleday has been on a tear against his former team and has made a statement this weekend after also homering on Friday. Manager Clayton McCullough mentioned the comebacker that struck Meyer on the pitching hand: "He came in and tested it. Strength was all good, That was the first concern but then he had strength tested out fine. He was okay, He didn't have any ill effects as he went along." Meyer lasted five innings, but gave up a staggering 10 hits, including three home runs. It was a far cry from the Max Meyer who we witnessed racking up 14 Ks just a few weeks ago. The slider, which has been his best pitch and grades out as the best slider in baseball this season, was not effective against the A's. Each of the homers were off his slider. "I don't like where my execution is on them," Meyer said postgame. "I don't like my mindset when I'm throwing them up right now, leaving [them over] too much on the plate." Thrown 18 times, Meyer's slider generated just a single whiff. The Marlins look to continue the momentum Sunday as Edward Cabrera (7.23 ERA) is on the mound. The Athletics will trot out lefty JP Sears (2.94 ERA), who is quietly having a solid season for the As. Three stars of the game: - Kyle Stowers (2-5, 2 HR, 6 RBI, walk-off grand slam) - Javier Sanoja (2-4, 2 2B, R, RBI) - Ronny Simon (1-2, 2B, 2 R, 2 BB) View full article

Welcome to the big leagues, Agustín Ramírez. Who's coming up behind him in the Miami Marlins farm system? Daniel Rodriguez checks in on the early-season performances of Ramírez, Joe Mack and Ryan Ignoffo. View full video

Matt Mervis has half of the Miami Marlins' home runs this season all by himself! He's also striking out at the highest rate on the team. Daniel Rodriguez analyzes the progress Mervis has made and what concerns still remain. View full video

Coming off a season-best offensive performance on Saturday, the Marlins set the bar even higher in the series finale, cracking double-digit runs for the first time in 2025. MIAMI—Marlins fans should be excited to get Connor Norby and Jesús Sánchez back from the IL in the coming days, but their offense continues to get the job done even without them. The bats came to Cal Quantrill's rescue on Sunday, combining for a season-high 14 hits against the Washington Nationals and moving back over the .500 mark with the win. Eric Wagaman had himself a career day with three hits and reaching base five total times with the help of two walks. He previously looked like a candidate to get sent down to the minors to make room for Norby and Sánchez, but all of a sudden, his season numbers look much more impressive. Manger Clayton McCullough said, "we have a ton of confidence in Wags. Coming into this year, this guy has always been a performer." Matt Mervis rode the bench with a left-hander on the mound. "Whenever I'm not playing, just go up in the fourth or fifth [inning] into the cage, get moving just make sure my boys ready to go," Mervis said on his routine when not in the lineup. Mervis turned into one of the heroes of the game when his number was called in the seventh inning to face former Marlin Jorge López. His three-run home run to center field gave the Marlins much-needed breathing room, extending a 4-3 lead to 7-3. Mervis this season currently has a slash line of .294/.342/.735 and five homers, which is tied for fourth in the NL. He is on his way to earning everyday reps at first base. Kyle Stowers also deserves a mention. He had a three-hit game, including a double in the eighth inning which kept extending the lead for Miami. Prior to the game, hitting coach Pedro Guerrero said, "Stowers stands out the most to me after having such a tough spring training and coming in....He comes in every day, he just trusts the process." The outfielder is currently hitting .314 and has solidified his place near the top of the Marlins lineup. Starter Cal Quantrill was a mixed bag on Sunday. Although he completed five innings and saw an increase in velocity on his sinker, the main negative was his lack of control, which led to five walks on the day. Of the 77 pitches he threw, 47 of them were in the first and fourth innings. "Obviously, it wasn't my best stuff," Quantrill said postgame. "I was having a hard time controlling kind of all the hard pitches. I think that we did a really good job of making the pitch we had to make. Unfortunately, I put us in a lot of situations that were maybe not advantageous." The Marlins defense turned three double plays behind him. Journeyman catcher Rob Brantly started behind the plate, but Liam Hicks got his shot off the bench as a pinch-hitter in the sixth inning. Facing MacKenzie Gore, Hicks showed some clutch hitting to break the tie and give Miami the lead at the time. "Man on third less than two outs, you're trying to get something up to the outfield," Hicks said about his approach. "He's got that really good slider, so trying to lay off anything down, trying to see it up, especially when the infield is in." Miami took the weekend series vs. the Nats with a dominant offensive performance and will be back at loanDepot park Tuesday to start a three-game set against the Arizona Diamondbacks. My three stars of the night: 1: Eric Wagaman (3-3, 2 BB, 2B) 2: Kyle Stowers (3-5, 2B, 2 RBI) 3: Matt Mervis (1-2, pinch-hit HR, 3 RBI) View full article

Big Fish Small Pod for Thursday, February 20 Tyler Boronski joins Daniel Rodriguez to describe the vibes around Miami Marlins spring training so far and the interactions he's had with players and the club's decision-makers. Find Big Fish Small Pod on the Fish On First YouTube channel, our new-look Apple Podcasts channel and wherever else you get your pods. FOF's audio programming also includes The Offishial Show, Fish Unfiltered, Swimming Upstream and more. Follow Tyler (@TylerBoronski), Daniel (@Drodyyy) and Fish On First (@FishOnFirst) on Twitter. Join the Marlins Discord server! Complete Miami Marlins coverage here at FishOnFirst.com. View full article

Big Fish Small Pod for Thursday, February 13 Fish On First farm director Alex Carver joins Daniel Rodriguez to share his insights from Wednesday's Miami Marlins spring training activities, which included the first official pitchers & catchers workout plus plenty of minor league activity on the backfields of the Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium complex. Find Big Fish Small Pod on the Fish On First YouTube channel, our new-look Apple Podcasts channel and wherever else you get your pods. FOF's audio programming also includes The Offishial Show, Fish Unfiltered, Swimming Upstream and more. Check out Alex's interviews with Andrew Salas, Dillon Head and Ryan Ignoffo. Follow Alex (@marlinsminors), Daniel (@Drodyyy) and Fish On First (@FishOnFirst) on Twitter. Join the Marlins Discord server! Complete Miami Marlins coverage here at FishOnFirst.com. View full article

Big Fish Small Pod for Thursday, August 29 Daniel Rodriguez details how INF Connor Norby, OF Kyle Stowers, INF Deyvison De Los Santos, RHP Adam Mazur and LHP Robby Snelling have performed since coming to the Miami Marlins in trade deadline deals. Norby and Stowers are playing regularly with the big league club, De Los Santos and Mazur are with Triple-A Jacksonville, and Snelling is leading Double-A Pensacola's starting rotation. Find Big Fish Small Pod on the Fish On First YouTube channel, our new-look Apple Podcasts channel and wherever else you get your pods. FOF's audio programming also includes The Offishial Show, Fish Unfiltered, Swimming Upstream and more. The Fish On First podcast is now being presented by MPT College Consulting! They pride themselves on helping clients navigate the college application process. This includes preparation for standardized testing, guidance through high school, assistance with essays and applications, and choosing the right college. Visit them today at mptcollegeconsulting.com to learn more about their services and schedule a free consultation. Stowers has graduated from prospect eligibility, while the four other featured players each rank within the top 10 on our current Fish On First Top 30 list (Norby at No. 2, De Los Santos at No. 5, Snelling at No. 8 and Mazur at No. 9). Follow Daniel (@Drodyyy) and Fish On First (@FishOnFirst) on Twitter. Join the Marlins Discord server! Complete Miami Marlins coverage here at FishOnFirst.com. View full article