Isaac Azout

At Marlins Media Day, right-hander Sandy Alcantara speaks with Fish On First about being back to full strength—physically and mentally—and tuning out the constant trade rumors. View full video

All Fish On First podcasts are 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. With the start of spring training barely a week away, Miami Marlins president of business Caroline O'Connor joins Isaac Azout and Ely Sussman for an exclusive interview. They discuss what to expect from this year's FanFest at loanDepot park, where games wil be televised in 2026, how to boost the franchise's ticket sales, what makes the stadium an ideal host site for the World Baseball Classic and when the Miami Live! entertainment development will finally be ready. 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. O'Connor is entering her ninth season with the Marlins, but likely her first without the franchise having a traditional television rights agreement with a regional sports network. Last month, the Marlins terminated their deal with Main Streets Sports Group, the struggling parent company of FanDuel Sports Network Florida. "We are in active conversations with Major League Baseball about getting ready for all the things that we'll kinda shift the model on if we are sort of producer of our games," O'Connor said. "We're talking to people like Kyle (Sielaff), Kelly (Saco) and all of the faces that you guys love to see, making sure that they feel good and they're ready to get out to our fans, regardless of who the broadcasting partner is." "We were so pleased last year with the first time ever of simulcasting the games—we did 15 of our games over the air with our partners at CBS Miami, and that was a great experiment for us," she added. "There'll probably be some aspect of the simulcasting this year as well. We're excited and we'll probably have those plans solidified in the next few weeks here." Previously expected to be operational for next month's WBC, the timetable for Miami Live! has been pushed back. "We'll have some smaller elements like an enhanced stage and some outdoor elements, but the full delivery of it will be in the 2027 season," O'Connor said. "We're hearing great things about it from the fans, from our partners and we really wanna give it a chance to be everything we think it can be and making sure that we get the concepts right and get all of the elements to the right level to make it a first-class experience that we want for our fans." Follow Isaac (@IsaacAzout), Ely (@RealEly and Fish On First (@FishOnFirst) on Twitter. Join the Marlins Discord server! Complete Miami Marlins coverage here at FishOnFirst.com. View full article

ORLANDO, FL—Day 2 of the Winter Meetings is underway in Central Florida. While Kyle Schwarber and Edwin Díaz have received much of the attention, the Marlins are quietly conducting business as well. Here is what Kevin Barral and I are hearing: Free Agency According to industry sources, free-agent reliever Pete Fairbanks is expected to command more than the $11 million option the Tampa Bay Rays declined last month. That price point, sources say, likely takes the Marlins out of the running. Fish On First initially reported the club’s interest in the 31-year-old closer, who overlapped with president of baseball operations Peter Bendix while they were both with the Rays. Another name Miami remains interested in is submariner Tyler Rogers, though he is believed to be seeking a multi-year deal. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald previously linked the Fish to Rogers. Trade Market The Marlins front office continues to hold longtime ace Sandy Alcantara in extremely high regard. The team will not trade its longest-tenured player unless it receives an overwhelming offer, and even then, ownership would have to be persuaded to finalize a deal. All indications are that the Dominican flamethrower, who recently accepted an invitation to pitch for his country in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, is lined up to take the ball on Opening Day, now set for March 27 at 7:10 p.m. Starters Ryan Weathers and Edward Cabrera continue to draw strong interest on the trade market, sources tell Fish On First. While not impossible, it's deemed highly unlikely that Miami would trade both starters. The one player on the 40-man roster who the Marlins will not entertain offers for is Eury Pérez. Extensions According to a source, there is mutual interest in a potential extension for Jakob Marsee. While Fish On First has confirmed that no formal offer has been made, discussions have taken place, and the two sides are expected to meet in the weeks following the Winter Meetings. In 55 games as a rookie, Marsee slashed .292/.363/.478 with five home runs and 14 stolen bases. He was the Marlins' most valuable player during that span with 2.2 fWAR. Poached coaches! As reported Monday afternoon, Alon Leichman—who served as Miami’s assistant pitching coach in 2025—has been hired by the Colorado Rockies as their head pitching coach. Leichman is the fourth member of last season's coaching staff to earn an elevated role with another organization, a trend that speaks highly of Miami’s ability to identify coaching talent. The Marlins are now searching for Leichman’s replacement. Peter Bendix, general manager Gabe Kapler, manager Clayton McCullough, director of pitching Bill Hezel, and pitching coach Daniel Moskos are all heavily involved in the hiring process, sources tell Fish On First. The Marlins have hired Blake Butler to be their new infield coach, sources told Fish On First on Monday. Butler replaces Tyler Smarslok, who previously held the position for Miami before joining the Washington Nationals. View full article

The Miami Marlins engaged the representatives of right-handed phenom Eury Pérez regarding a potential contract extension during the spring of 2025, sources tell Fish On First, though talks failed to progress beyond the initial stages. The gap between the two sides was approximately $15 million in guaranteed money at the time. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic was first to mention early Wednesday morning that these talks took place. The Dominican flamethrower possesses a rare combination of size, command, fastball quality, and youth. He made his major league debut on May 12, 2023. In 19 starts as a rookie, Pérez posted a 3.15 ERA with 10.6 strikeouts per nine innings. His season was interrupted in July by an unpopular demotion to Triple-A due to a predetermined innings limit. He was recalled a month later and eventually finished the year on the injured list with left SI joint inflammation. In spring training 2024, Pérez first dealt with a fingernail issue, then began experiencing elbow discomfort. He opened the season on the injured list and later underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery. He returned to MLB in June 2025 and recorded a 4.25 ERA over 95 ⅓ innings. He will still be just 22 years old on Opening Day 2026. "We're always going to have those conversations. We have a bunch of really good players," president of baseball operations Peter Bendix this offseason said in relation to making extensions. Conveniently Pérez is represented by Adriel Reyes of CAA—the same agent who negotiated Sandy Alcantara’s extension, the only long-term deal completed during the Bruce Sherman era. Knowledge of these past talks comes on the heels of reporting that the Marlins are also interested in securing All-Star outfielder Kyle Stowers on a team-friendly deal. However, Pérez, outfielder Jakob Marsee and catcher Joe Mack profile as far more likely extension candidates. Relevant recent extensions signed by other young starting pitchers include Brayan Bello’s six-year, $55 million deal with Boston in 2024 and Spencer Strider’s six-year, $75 million contract with Atlanta in 2022. I expect Miami to be offering Pérez something in between should they rekindle negotiations this winter. Fish On Fist founder Ely Sussman projected a five-year, $60 million pact in his Marlins offseason blueprint. View full article

In their 33-year history, the Florida/Miami Marlins have produced four National League Rookie of the Year winners—all between 2003 and 2013. Dontrelle Willis claimed the franchise’s first in 2003, followed by rising star Hanley Ramírez in 2006. Three years later, outfielder Chris Coghlan took home the award after hitting .321. The most recent winner was the late José Fernández, who earned 95% of first-place votes following his dominant debut season in 2013. Several Marlins have appeared on NL ROY ballots since Fernández, including Justin Bour (2015), Brian Anderson (2018), Sixto Sánchez (2020) and Eury Pérez (2023). Three different Marlins—Agustín Ramírez, Jakob Marsee and Heriberto Hernández—received votes in 2025, though none of them placed higher than sixth. The closest that the club has come to producing another winner was in 2021, when Trevor Rogers finished second to Jonathan India. All 30 award voters had Rogers on their ballots, but he received only one first-place vote. It’s now been 12 seasons since a Marlin has captured the honor. The 2026 campaign could change that. Several top prospects with impressive track records at the upper minor league levels are expected to debut and will have ample opportunity to make their case. Here are four Marlins who could contend for the next NL Rookie of the Year award. LHP Robby Snelling The 39th overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft, Snelling has developed into one of the premier left-handed pitching prospects in baseball. Along with prospects Adam Mazur, Graham Pauley, and Jay Beshears, he was acquired from the San Diego Padres in exchange for pitchers Bryan Hoeing and Tanner Scott at the 2024 trade deadline. That year proved challenging for Snelling—he went 4-10 with a 5.15 ERA across 24 starts. His 2025 season, however, told a completely different story. Across 25 starts between Double-A and Triple-A, Snelling posted a 9–7 record with a 2.85 ERA, striking out 166 batters in 136 innings (11.0 K/9) while holding opponents to a .222 average. His most dominant stretch came from August 7 to September 17, when he went 5–1 with a 0.86 ERA over 42 innings and struck out 58 hitters. Fish On First’s No. 3 prospect is expected to debut early in the 2026 season (most likely during the month of May), giving him a long runway to contend for National League Rookie of the Year honors. With a fastball that sits 93–96 mph, impeccable command, and a 60-grade curveball, Snelling offers both polish and upside. The 6'3" southpaw will play the entire season at just 22 years old. Expect him to become a mainstay in Miami’s rotation shortly. C Joe Mack Joe Mack has put together back-to-back excellent all-around seasons in the upper minors at a premium defensive position and appears all but big league-ready. In 112 games across Double-A and Triple-A in 2025, Mack slashed .257/.338/.475 with 21 home runs while providing elite defense behind the plate nearly every day. Fish On First ranks him as the No. 2 prospect in the system. For the first time in recent memory, the Marlins actually possess solid depth at catcher. Agustín Ramírez, who led this year's NL rookies in both hits and homers, is expected to enter 2026 as the primary option. Rule 5 selection Liam Hicks could also push for a roster spot after a promising rookie campaign. By early May, Marlins fans could see a tandem of Ramírez and Mack anchoring Miami’s catching corps for both the season and perhaps the decade, giving Mack plenty of opportunity to put himself in the NL ROY race. LHP Thomas White Thomas White is widely regarded as the best left-handed pitching prospect in all of Minor League Baseball. The only reason he’s No. 3 on this list is because the 21-year-old likely won’t be a call-up candidate until at least midway through the 2026 season. Standing 6-foot-5, White features a fastball that sits in the mid-90s and reaches 100 mph, complemented by a diabolical sweeper and a devastating changeup. The consensus No. 1 prospect in the Marlins system, White has dominated at every level since being drafted 35th overall in the 2023 MLB Draft. In 45 career minor league games, he’s recorded a 2.65 ERA over 190 innings, allowing just 146 hits while striking out 272 batters. White helped Low-A Jupiter capture its first Florida State League title in 2023, then earned Midwest Prospect of the Year honors and an invitation to the All-Star Futures Game during his first full professional season in 2024, then again in 2025. To go along with the jump in velocity and movement on his pitches, however, White’s command took a step back this season, as he walked more than five batters per nine innings. He also spent part of the season working on the shape of a new cutter, which may have contributed to his control inconsistencies. Once he reaches the big leagues in 2026, White has the chance to get off to a José Fernández-type start to his career that could be enough to earn him the franchise’s fifth Rookie of the Year award. OF Kemp Alderman The power-hitting outfielder was selected in the second round of the 2023 MLB Draft. Despite a relatively slow finish, 2025 was a breakout season for the 23-year-old, who became one of the biggest risers in the Marlins’ system. In 130 games across Double-A and Triple-A, the right-handed slugger slashed .285/.338/.482 and led all Marlins minor leaguers with 22 home runs. Alderman has also continued to make strides in plate discipline, trimming his strikeout rate to a near league-average 23%. He’s expected to be a non-roster invitee to big league spring training in 2026 and is on track to make his MLB debut at some point during the regular season. Given that Miami projects to open the year with a left-handed-heavy outfield group—featuring Kyle Stowers, Jakob Marsee, and Griffin Conine—Alderman could find an opportunity sooner rather than later. If he carries his 2025 success into the majors, he has an outside shot to log enough playing time to insert himself into the Rookie of the Year conversation. View full article

From Locked On Marlins, Isaac Azout joins Jeremiah Geiger to discuss how Connor Norby and Graham Pauley could fit in Miami's future plans. View full video

Fish On First has obtained clips of all 154 home runs hit by the Miami Marlins during the 2025 regular season and put them in chronological order. Enjoy! This team's offensive output was a group effort. The Marlins got long balls from 22 different hitters, tying a franchise single-season record. Kyle Stowers (25 HR) led the way, followed by Agustín Ramírez (21), Otto Lopez (15), Heriberto Hernández (10) and Jesús Sánchez (10). Entering the 2025-26 offseason, players responsible for 85.7% of the home runs are still with the Marlins organization. View full article

Forecasting the outcomes of roster battles was a headache at this time a year ago for a Miami Marlins team relying on so many inexperienced and unheralded players. Following a franchise-best 17-win improvement from the previous season, the exercise is slightly easier entering 2026, and expectations will be higher for the players who make the cut. “I think that in 2026, we’re going to have a really competitive, exciting team. The goal remains to be as good as we can for as long as possible and to build a team that’s competing for the NL East division every single year,” president of baseball operations Peter Bendix said at his annual end-of-year press conference. Agustín Ramírez, Jakob Marsee and several other members of Miami's historically successful rookie class have earned opportunities to stick at the big league level. In the rotation, assuming everyone remains healthy and with the team, the Marlins could feature one of the most formidable starting fives in all of baseball. As the season unfolds, another wave of high-upside prospects is due to arrive at loanDepot park, reinforcing both the lineup and pitching staff. However, keep in mind that this projection applies specifically to Opening Day. These are not necessarily the 26 "best" players in the Marlins organization—they are the ones with the easiest path to begin the 2026 season on the active roster. Position Players Default starting lineup: C Agustín Ramírez, 1B Paul Goldschmidt, 2B Xavier Edwards, 3B Connor Norby, SS Otto Lopez, LF Kyle Stowers, CF Jakob Marsee, RF Griffin Conine, DH Heriberto Hernández Bench: C/1B Liam Hicks, UTIL Javier Sanoja, 3B Graham Pauley, OF Joey Wiemer After remaining in the playoff picture mathematically until the final week of the season, it’s fair to assume Miami will be more aggressive in free agency than in years past. Reports already indicate that the Marlins will look for outside help at the corner infield spots as well as in the bullpen. If there’s one position that desperately needs an upgrade in production, it’s first base. That’s where future Hall of Famer Paul Goldschmidt comes in. Goldschmidt, 38, while long removed from his MVP days, can still provide meaningful offense and defense in 2026—should he decide to continue playing. The right-handed hitter slashed .274/.328/.403 for the New York Yankees in 2025. As a unit, Marlins first basemen in 2025—primarily a combination of Eric Wagaman, Matt Mervis, and Liam Hicks—ranked 24th in MLB in fWAR (-0.5) and 28th in wRC+ (83). Even after one of the least productive seasons of his career, Goldschmidt would be an instant upgrade at the position and bring much-needed veteran leadership to a young clubhouse. 2026 could be a make-or-break year for Connor Norby, who struggled to stay healthy and produce in his second year with Miami. He posted a below-average 90 wRC+ in 88 games with minus-4 outs above average at third base. The Marlins seem adamant about keeping Norby at third base for the time being. On the catching front, it’s only a matter of time until Fish On First’s No. 2 prospect Joe Mack fully takes over the position, mercifully sparing fans from watching Ramírez behind the plate as often. Delaying Mack's call-up until mid-April would delay his free agent eligibility until after the 2032 season. The outfield promises to be a strength for Miami, highlighted by Stowers and Marsee, who figure to anchor the top of the lineup for years to come. Conine, who missed a large chunk of the 2025 season due to a left shoulder dislocation, will get most of his opportunities against right-handed pitching. He’ll likely platoon with Wiemer or Dane Myers. Just missed: C Joe Mack, OF Dane Myers Pitchers Starting rotation: RHP Sandy Alcantara, RHP Edward Cabrera, RHP Eury Pérez, LHP Ryan Weathers, RHP Janson Junk Bullpen: RHP Ronny Henriquez, RHP Calvin Faucher, RHP Lake Bachar, RHP Tyler Phillips, RHP Michael Petersen, LHP Josh Simpson, RHP Anthony Bender, LHP Cade Gibson Sandy Alcantara and Eury Pérez both successfully returned from Tommy John surgery in 2025 and finished the year healthy with solid performances down the stretch. Alcantara is owed $17.3 million next season before a club option worth $21 million for 2027. Unlike last winter, Bendix was noncommittal about Alcantara’s future with the club. “I’m not going to speculate on any individual player,” Bendix said. “We’re always looking for ways to improve our club, and I’m going to stay as disciplined as possible in doing that.” Weathers, if he can stay healthy, will continue to serve as the lone left-hander in the rotation. Junk, a minor league free agent signee last winter, is out of minor league options and will likely be given every opportunity to break camp with the Marlins. As for the bullpen, Ronny Henriquez will remain their highest-leverage arm following a historically dominant 2025 season. Despite a rough campaign, Josh Simpson figures to stay in the mix—especially after a strong finish, allowing no earned runs in his final six appearances. Lefties Braxton Garrett and Andrew Nardi used to be integral pieces of Miami's pitching staff, but it's premature to project either of them to earn back their jobs coming off extended injury absences. Just missed: LHP Braxton Garrett, LHP Andrew Nardi, RHP Max Meyer View full article

DENVER—An incredible rookie class has propelled the Marlins to a much-improved record in 2025. Headlined by Agustín Ramírez and Jakob Marsee, Miami currently features eight rookie position players on its active roster. In Wednesday night’s 8-4 win over the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field, seven rookies were in the starting lineup—and they accounted for seven of the team’s runs in the series-clinching victory. “The maturity in their at-bats and their understanding of situations and approaches has really improved throughout the course of this season,” Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said postgame. “The understanding that to perform at a high level here, it’s not just ‘see ball, hit ball.’ You need to have a plan, be stubborn, and stay disciplined—and they’ve done that.” The top three hitters in McCullough’s lineup—Marsee, Ramírez, and Liam Hicks—combined to go 3-for-10 with five RBI and four walks. Ramírez capped his night with a 422-foot moonshot in the eighth inning, his 21st home run of the season. “This is a hard game, and you have Gus hitting 21 homers and stealing 10 bags as a rookie—it’s really good, it’s exciting,” starter Ryan Weathers said postgame. Rookies Troy Johnston, Heriberto Hernández and Javier Sanoja also all contributed by combining to drive in two runs and score four times. "One of the best at-bats of the night was Troy's," McCullough said. "Leading off the third after Ryan (Weathers) had a long inning, he went out there and worked a terrific at bat and those are really positive things for our group, that there's 'team at-bats' that are required throughout games and our guys are learning how to appreciate that Weathers, making just his seventh start of the season and his second since returning from the 60-day IL on September 12 after a lat strain, struggled to put hitters away on Wednesday. McCullough told reporters pregame that the left-hander would be limited to six “ups” or 85 pitches. After a clean, 18-pitch first inning, Weathers labored through a 31-pitch second in which he surrendered a pair of runs. “They put up some really good ABs, weren’t really chasing the changeup tonight, so they forced me to go in a different direction,” Weathers said. He allowed another run in a grinding fourth inning, finishing with 80 pitches over four frames. His final line: three runs allowed on two walks and two strikeouts. “It was a grind tonight. He had to work hard to get through it, but he buckled down,” McCullough said. “He got through four without his best stuff, kept it to three runs, and that’s a positive takeaway.” Weathers utilized all five pitches in his arsenal, topping out at 98 mph with his fastball. His changeup was his second-most used pitch, averaging 88.5 mph—up from his season norm. Once Weathers’ night was done, Miami’s bullpen carried the load. Lake Bachar, Ronny Henriquez, Calvin Faucher, and George Soriano combined for five strong innings to close it out. “They were fantastic,” McCullough said of his relievers. “Coming in right behind Weathers, you’re just trying to put up as many zeroes as you can—or at least avoid a crooked number. All those guys passed it off to one another and did a fantastic job giving our offense a chance to tack on more runs.” With their eight runs on Tuesday, the Marlins have now scored 668 this season, surpassing their 2023 total of 666. It marks their highest single-season run output since 2017, when they scored 778. With the win, Miami improved to 72-80 while Colorado dropped its league-worst 111th game of the year. The Marlins also clinched a finish ahead of the Nationals in the NL East, thanks to Washington’s loss. Sandy Alcantara will look to complete the sweep on Thursday afternoon at Coors Field. View full article

DENVER—In a cold, wet, delay-filled night, Eury Pérez’s masterful outing nearly went to waste as the Colorado Rockies rallied late. With the tying run on third and the winning run on first in the bottom of the ninth, Rockies star and Marlin killer Hunter Goodman stepped in in the pouring rain. On a 2-1 slider, Goodman lined out sharply to third baseman Connor Norby to end the game, sealing a 6-5 Miami win. Ronny Henriquez recorded the final four outs for the save, earning Perez the win. Miami carried a 6-0 lead into a one-hour, one-minute rain delay in the sixth, only to watch Colorado claw back and threaten in the late innings. The Marlins’ bullpen entered the night riding a streak of 20 ⅓ consecutive innings without an earned run allowed, dating back to September 9 against Washington. Tyler Phillips extended it to 22 ⅓ with two scoreless frames after the delay. But right-hander Michael Petersen surrendered a three-run homer to Mickey Moniak, snapping the streak and cutting the lead in half. That set the stage for Henriquez, who was able to come through with his seventh save of the season. “In this ballpark, no lead is safe,” manager Clayton McCullough said. “All it takes is a couple of baserunners and a decent swing.” Dominant Eury Making his 18th start, Pérez came in searching for consistency. After a stellar first 10 outings—50 innings with just 15 earned runs allowed (2.70 ERA)—the 21-year-old right-hander had struggled, giving up 27 runs across his last 31 frames. “I think it all comes from the command,” McCullough said pregame. “He’s gotten in bad counts, become too predictable, left pitches in bad spots, and let hitters box him in.” Pérez flipped the script in Denver, navigating one of baseball’s toughest pitching environments with ease. He fired five scoreless innings, facing just one over the minimum before the delay cut short his night. His final line: 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K on 71 pitches (46 strikes). “Eury was fantastic,” McCullough said afterward. “The quality of his breaking stuff, in this environment where spin usually doesn’t play as well, was great. His ability to miss bats goes back to the strike-throwing and command, something he hadn’t been doing these past few outings.” While Pérez’s fastball has graded out as one of Miami’s best weapons per Baseball Savant, it was his slider that shined Tuesday. He threw it 23 times (32%), collecting four of his six strikeouts with the pitch. Having undergone Tommy John surgery in April 2024, the Marlins remain focused on keeping their young ace healthy. “It’s going to be a good feeling for him to finish these last few starts on a high note,” McCullough added. “From a health standpoint, he’s recovered well, and the stuff has been fantastic.” Offensive Support Miami’s bats gave Pérez plenty of cushion. Jakob Marsee opened the scoring with a two-run double in the third inning, and Dane Myers—activated from the injured list earlier in the day along with infielders Connor Norby and Graham Pauley—added a two-run double in the sixth to make it 5-0. Myers later scored on a Javier Sanoja double. With the win, Miami improved to 71-80, taking four of its last five. The Rockies, meanwhile, dropped to a major league-worst 41-110. View full article

MIAMI—In a marquee matchup between two former Cy Young Award winners, Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara came out on top, delivering his fifth quality start in his last six outings as Miami earned its third straight win, defeating the Detroit Tigers 8-2. Alcantara was opposed by reigning Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal, who entered Friday’s contest amid a dominant campaign—improving on his award-winning 2024 season in virtually every category. The left-hander began the night with an AL-best 2.10 ERA and 6.5 bWAR across 28 starts and 180 innings, and a .195 opponent batting average. His 222 strikeouts were just six shy of his career-high. Miami’s offense, however, struck early against Skubal. Catcher Agustín Ramírez opened the scoring in the first with a solo homer to left, his 20th of the season, making him the first Marlins rookie to reach that mark since Justin Bour in 2015. Fellow rookie Heriberto Hernández added to the lead with an opposite-field shot in the second, his eighth. Alcantara breezed through a potent Tigers lineup fresh off a series win over the Yankees in which they had outscored New York 26-12. The lone blemish came in the fourth inning, when All-Star Riley Greene launched his 34th homer of the year—a 39-degree moonshot off a curveball. “I think it was the right pitch, but I just missed my location a little bit,” Alcantara said. “He’s a power hitter, but I don’t know how he got that ball out of the field.” Detroit’s bigger concern arrived later that inning. With less than a month until the postseason, the AL Central leaders watched their ace exit with left side tightness, forcing him from the game after just 3 ⅓ innings—his shortest outing since September 2021. He will undergo imaging Saturday. 7m4mt9_1.mp4 Earlier, shortstop Javier Báez also left after fouling a ball off his face. The Marlins capitalized quickly, as Javier Sanoja delivered a two-out, two-run double in the fourth to extend the lead to 5-1. “It feels good when the offense gives you run support,” Alcantara said. “My teammates did a great job—making plays behind me and putting up runs.” Alcantara went on to post what manager Clayton McCullough called his “most complete” start of the season, tossing seven innings of four-hit ball with eight strikeouts, two earned runs, no walks, and 72 strikes on 96 pitches. “Tonight felt like vintage Sandy,” McCullough said. “His last five or six starts have been such a 180 from how his season began. The command and execution are back to the level that made him great.” u7isw4.mp4 Alcantara’s season ERA is down to 5.53 after peaking at 8.47 in June. He surrendered 73 earned runs in 18 first-half starts, but only 26 in 11 outings since the All-Star break. “This was going to happen,” McCullough added. “It wasn’t a matter of if, but when. Right now, he feels great about where he’s at, and we’re hoping to finish strong.” Joey Wiemer later blew the game open with a three-run homer in the sixth—his third as a Marlin. “He’s put together some big hits for us,” McCullough said. “He gives us quality at-bats, he slugs, and his defense has been top shelf.” With the win, Miami secured its first three-game win streak since sweeping the Yankees in early August. The Marlins will look to clinch the series Saturday afternoon behind Janson Junk, Skubal’s former college teammate at Seattle University. View full article

A crucial piece of Miami’s rotation, both now and for the future, returned to the mound Thursday night at loanDepot park. Left-hander Ryan Weathers made his first major league start since June 7 and earned the win as the Marlins shut out the Washington Nationals, 5-0. It has been an injury-riddled season for the 25-year-old southpaw. After missing the first six weeks with a forearm strain suffered in spring training, Weathers made just five starts before returning to the IL with a lat strain. Following Thursday’s five scoreless innings, the former seventh overall pick lowered his season ERA to 2.73. “Very good rhythm for him tonight, and he kept himself in a good pitch count, which was great for us. The fact we kept him healthy was a success,” Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said postgame. Weathers allowed a leadoff single to CJ Abrams but quickly settled in, retiring seven straight—including four strikeouts. He leaned heavily on his changeup (38%) while mixing in his four-seam fastball (29%), which topped out at 99 mph. Overall, he threw 46 of his 68 pitches for strikes. “The walk was something we really struggled with early in the season, and it felt like we started to turn things around as a team,” McCullough added. “We believe a lot of our pitchers have tremendous talent and high-quality stuff, but if you can’t get it in the zone, it’s no good.” At the time of Weathers' most recent outing three-plus months ago, the Marlins pitching staff had MLB's eighth-highest walk rate; since then, their walk rate has been third-lowest. Weathers’ final line: 5 IP, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 SO, facing only four batters over the minimum. Pregame, McCullough said his pitch limit would be around 80–85. He was satisfied with the efficiency. “He could have reached that 80 mark, but it was either that or the five ups,” McCullough said. “Nineteen hitters on 68 pitches speaks to how efficient he was and sets him up well for his next start.” The bullpen completed the shutout with scoreless outings from Tyler Phillips, Ronny Henriquez, and Michael Petersen. Henriquez, Miami’s top bullpen arm, became just the fourth reliever in franchise history to record 90 strikeouts in a season, joining Tanner Scott (2023), Kyle Barraclough (2016), and Robb Nen (1996). Offensively, Miami struck early against Nationals starter MacKenzie Gore, who was also making his first start back from the IL. The Marlins plated two runs in the first inning, highlighted by an RBI single from Eric Wagaman. Gore held Miami scoreless over his remaining four innings. Wagaman came through again in the eighth, delivering a two-run double to put the game out of reach. “Wagaman had a nice night. That was a really big hit in the eighth to extend the lead,” McCullough said. With the win, the Marlins clinched the season series against Washington and improved to 68-79. They’ll turn to Sandy Alcantara on Friday night against the first-place Detroit Tigers, who will counter with ace Tarik Skubal. View full article

Marlins Twitter had a meltdown over this one. Manager Clayton McCullough takes us through his bullpen usage from the August 15 walk-off loss at Fenway Park. View full video