Isaac Azout

Following a promising series win over the rival New York Mets at Citi Field that snapped a stretch of seven consecutive series losses, the Marlins have immediately reverted to their losing ways. They dropped their second straight game to the Washington Nationals on Tuesday night, 5-2. Fish On First’s No. 10 prospect Adam Mazur made his third start in a Marlins uniform, and it was arguably his most encouraging to date. The 24-year-old right-hander showed flashes of promise with each of the six pitches in his arsenal, but also experienced some growing pains against the last-place Nationals. After retiring the side in the first, Mazur surrendered a pair of softly-hit doubles to Daylen Lile and Riley Adams that put Washington on the board. Jacob Young followed with a two-out RBI single to extend the lead to 2-0. Young, a career .247 hitter across three seasons with the Nationals, has now lifted his lifetime average against Miami to .417—earning himself the “Marlin Killer” label. “His stuff, as a whole, looked good again tonight,” said manager Clayton McCullough. “They were able to find some grass on some balls and score some early runs.” Lile struck again in the third with an RBI single that made it 3-0. Miami’s bats, held scoreless the night before by one of the league’s weakest pitching staffs, were quiet again for much of Tuesday’s contest. The lone breakthrough came in the fourth when infielder Connor Norby—playing in just his fourth game since coming off the injured list—delivered a two-run single to cut the deficit to one. Norby, who has struggled in his first full season with Miami, has shown some improvement since returning, going 5-for-14 since rejoining the club in New York. His base hit would account for all of the Marlins’ offense on the night against starter Cade Cavalli and the Nationals bullpen. “We just missed too many fastballs and had too many empty at-bats,” McCullough said. “The times that we created some innings, we just haven’t come through. When we’re at our best, there’s more ‘pass the baton’ and more competitive at-bats one through nine. For whatever reason, the last couple days we haven’t done that.” The Nationals immediately responded in the fifth, when All-Star James Wood crushed an opposite-field, two-run homer—his team-leading 27th of the season—to restore the cushion. It was the second home run Mazur has allowed since joining Miami and proved to be the decisive blow. d4015426-91a0bafa-1773fc83-csvm-diamondgcp-asset_1280x720_59_4000K.mp4 To his credit, Mazur settled in and completed six innings for just the second time in his young career, the first coming in his major league debut with the Padres on June 4, 2024. His best sequence came in the sixth, when Washington put two runners in scoring position with one out. Facing the dangerous duo of Wood and CJ Abrams, Mazur struck out Wood and retired Abrams to escape unscathed. In three starts with Miami, Mazur owns a 5.74 ERA across 15 ⅔ innings with 12 strikeouts against five walks. “It was nice to see him get out of that jam there,” McCullough noted. “Good for him to go out there, leave those runners on base, and keep the game where it was to give us a chance.” Due to recent injuries that have sidelined starters Edward Cabrera and Ryan Gusto, there is room for Mazur to potentially stick in the club's rotation throughout September, The Marlins never mounted another serious threat, as the Nationals bullpen closed the door with ease. With the loss, Miami has now dropped eight of its last nine series, falling to 65-74 on the year. Washington improved to 55-83. The Marlins will look to salvage the finale on Wednesday afternoon behind young ace Eury Pérez. View full article

The Marlins dropped their seventh straight series on Wednesday afternoon, falling to the Atlanta Braves by a final score of 12-1. Atlanta tagged Miami starter Ryan Gusto for three home runs in what was the roughest outing of his young big league career, though those weren’t the only fireworks at loanDepot park. Coming off Tuesday night’s contest, when the Braves scored nine runs in the ninth inning en route to an 11-2 win, Atlanta carried that momentum into the getaway day matinee. Leadoff hitter Jurickson Profar wasted no time, opening the game with his 11th home run of the season, a solo shot off Gusto. The 26-year-old right-hander settled down for a stretch before the Braves broke through again in the third. With a runner on, Matt Olson crushed a 426-foot two-run homer to straightaway center to extend Atlanta’s lead to 3-0. The very next pitch added drama. Ronald Acuña Jr. was hit on the elbow guard by a 93.3 mph fastball, prompting him to immediately drop his bat and bark at Gusto as he walked toward the mound. Gusto, making just his third start for Miami since being acquired in the Jesús Sánchez trade, had no reason to intentionally target Acuña. Still, Atlanta’s star saw it differently. Manager Brian Snitker was ejected after protesting the umpiring crew's decision to issue warnings to both benches. fc2573e2-9942fcbf-9eb329d9-csvm-diamondgcp-asset_1280x720_59_4000K.mp4 It’s worth noting there was no bad blood between the two clubs this season, and the warnings appeared to stem more from Acuña’s reaction than Gusto’s intent. "On the scouting report, it says to throw sinkers in," Gusto said postgame. "I threw a sinker in and it obviously ran off a little bit too far." The right-hander mentioned that he was trying to tell Acuña that in real time, it seemed like his arm dropped into the pitch accidentally. "I was trying to tell him when he was staring me down that he went down into it and obviously, 'I'm not targeting you, I'm not throwing a two-seam at you,' so it was kind of interesting to me that that escalated as much as it did," Gusto added. Snitker wanted Gusto tossed in the heat of the moment, telling him "you have to go" following the incident. However, Snitker would ultimately be the only person on either side to get ejected. Of course, the tension between Acuña and Miami pitching staff is nothing new. Their history dates back to 2018, Acuña’s rookie year, when he went on a torrid stretch that included five consecutive games with a home run—three of them to lead off against the Marlins. On the first pitch of their next meeting, José Ureña drilled Acuña with a 97.5 mph fastball, sparking a saga that has lingered ever since. Since that infamous moment, Marlins pitchers have hit Acuña eight more times in regular season play, including Wednesday’s incident. The only hitters Miami has plunked more often are former NL East rivals Victor Robles (11) and Michael Conforto (10). While Ureña’s 2018 beanball was widely viewed as intentional, the Marlins roster, coaching staff and front office have been completely overhauled since then. Even if the old Marlins had some absurd agenda to antagonize Acuña, that is no longer relevant. Also, Acuña’s batting stance—open at setup before he closes and hovers over the plate—leaves him vulnerable up and in, where pitchers often attack to get him out, occasionally resulting in inadvertent HBPs. Acuña is hardly the only one who takes his lumps. Marlins rookie catcher Agustín Ramírez, for example, has been hit eight times just this month. Unlike Acuña, Ramírez has kept his composure, never spiking bats or confronting pitchers. Since his debut in 2018, Acuña ranks 26th in MLB in hit-by-pitches. That’s been a consistent storyline with Acuña—the superstar’s hyperbolic reactions tend to escalate otherwise routine HBPs. Getting hit is painful, no doubt, but his tendency to create a scene has become a familiar sight around the league. While that subplot grabbed attention, the game itself got away from Miami quickly. Gusto was tagged for nine earned runs in 3 ⅔ innings, forcing utility man Javier Sanoja to make his second pitching appearance in as many days. Atlanta cruised to a 12-1 victory and outscored the Fish by a 24-5 margin over the course of the series. View full article

A competitive ballgame unraveled in the ninth inning as the Marlins suffered an 11-2 loss to the division-rival Atlanta Braves on Tuesday night at loanDepot park. The lopsided final score belied how close the contest was for most of the evening. Miami entered the ninth tied at two following another strong performance from ace Sandy Alcantara, but a couple of low-leverage arms and some questionable decision-making from the coaching staff turned the game into a rout. “There were some tough breaks, and once things started rolling downhill, we couldn’t stop it,” manager Clayton McCullough said afterward. “Unfortunately for us, that ninth inning just got away.” McCullough turned to journeyman reliever Tyler Zuber to open the frame against former All-Stars Marcell Ozuna and Ozzie Albies. After recording one out in between a double and a walk, Zuber gave way to struggling left-hander Josh Simpson. Both Zuber and Simpson were used the night before and had been able to keep Atlanta off the scoreboard. This time, it was a completely different outcome. Seven of the next nine Braves reached base after Simpson entered and he was tagged for seven earned runs in just one-third of an inning. The rally festered long enough that McCullough called on infielder Javier Sanoja to record the final out, marking his fifth relief appearance of the year “It’s tough. You’re feeling for him,” McCullough said regarding Simpson. “It’s tough to come into a spot and not be able to get the job done there and for things to turn the way they did. They started rolling downhill and couldn’t really get it to stop." The decision not to use closer Ronny Henriquez, who has thrown just 7 ⅔ innings this month, was questioned. McCullough insisted Henriquez was “unavailable,” but also admitted “nothing is wrong” with the right-hander. That explanation left many wondering why Miami continues to carry its top bullpen arm without deploying him in high-leverage situations. It's worth noting Henriquez has surpassed his previous career-high in innings pitched, so it could be argued Miami is erring on the side of caution with one of their most valuable relievers. Miami will most likely need to make a roster move prior to Wednesday's midday contest against Atlanta. Before the ninth-inning collapse, Alcantara’s resurgence continued. Though he labored through a 23-pitch first inning that included a bases-loaded jam, he quickly settled in, retiring 10 straight at one point. Over seven innings, he limited Atlanta to two runs while striking out six. His strikeout of Acuña in the sixth marked the 900th of the Dominican right-hander's career. 6aosdb_1.mp4 Over his last three starts, Alcantara has allowed only four earned runs in 20 innings pitched. He saved some of his best stuff for late in the ballgame, very reminiscent of his 2022 Cy Young self. His ERA is now below 6.00 for the first time since April. "He was terrific," McCullough added. "He's really rounded into form in so many ways and I think it goes back to the way he's executing his pitches that's gotten him back to the place he's accustomed of being." Braves rookie starter Hurston Waldrep wasn't nearly as sharp, but the Marlins missed chances to break the game open. Jakob Marsee drove in Miami’s first run with an RBI single in the opening frame (the only run surrendered by Waldrep), while the Braves answered with an Albies solo homer in the fourth—Albies is up to 20 career long balls against the Marlins. Miami later tied the game on a wild pitch in the seventh. With the loss, the Marlins fell to 62-70, eight games below .500, and will look to avoid dropping their seventh straight series in Wednesday’s matinee. Miami has now lost the season series vs. the Braves for the 11th consecutive year. Newly acquired Ryan Gusto is scheduled to start. View full article

MIAMI—It’s been a tough August for the Miami Marlins. During the first weekend of the month, they completed their climb back to .500 for the first time since April 15, but Miami has dropped 12 of 16 games since then. With Tuesday night’s loss to the St. Louis Cardinals at loanDepot park, they've now been beaten in five consecutive series. Edward Cabrera took the mound looking to rebound from allowing a season-high five earned runs in Cleveland. But his struggles continued against a Cardinals lineup that has scuffled for most of the season. St. Louis forced Cabrera to labor from the start, pushing across a run in a 29-pitch first inning. Though he escaped further damage with back-to-back strikeouts of Masyn Winn and Nolan Gorman, the Cardinals' bats continued to fight. They tagged Cabrera for a career-high 11 hits and six runs (four earned) over 4 ⅓ innings, putting the leadoff man on base in every inning he pitched. Cade Gibson relieved him in the fifth. “They did a nice job staying inside his mix and using the other side of the field,” manager Clayton McCullough said afterward. “They had a really good approach coming in, and Cabby just wasn’t able to land his secondary pitches in the zone like he has in previous outings.” a530ddf7-b90f39fb-81fcf273-csvm-diamondgcp-asset_1280x720_59_4000K.mp4 Cabrera actually threw strikes consistently—he opened 88.5% of at-bats with a first-pitch strike—but the Cardinals found success with soft contact. “What can I say? I went out there to attack, and they hit the ball soft sometimes and it fell in for hits,” Cabrera said through interpreter Luis Dorante Jr. “My secondary pitches—curveball and slider—weren’t landing, so I had to throw more fastballs and sinkers, and they took advantage.” Defense also didn't help the right-hander as his battery mate, Agustín Ramírez, was tagged with a throwing error and a passed ball during Tuesday's contest. He leads all MLB catchers with 12 passed balls despite starting only half of his games behind the plate. "We're going to continue to rally around Gus because we believe in the person and the ability," McCullough said. "It's been a couple of tough nights for Gus. I would imagine all of us have had a couple of tough days in a row at work. He's going to go out there with (catching coach Joe Singley) and get right back to work tomorrow." The loss marked Cabrera’s first time this season being charged with defeats in back-to-back starts. Even so, he still holds a solid 3.52 ERA on the year. Miami’s offense tried to rally. Rookie Jakob Marsee sparked the scoring with an RBI triple in the fourth inning and scored on a throwing error by Cardinals starter Michael McGreevy. In the sixth, Otto Lopez delivered a two-out, two-run single to cut the deficit to 6-4. But St. Louis tacked on an insurance run in the seventh against Gibson and the Marlins couldn't capitalize on a pair of walks in the bottom of the ninth. "We just haven't been executing the way we had been in other portions of the season," McCullough added. "I'm not going to ever use youth or anything else as an excuse for why things are happening because this is the major leagues and fatigue is a part of all of us." With the defeat, the Marlins fell to 59-67 while the Cardinals moved to 63-64. Miami will send Sandy Alcantara to the mound in Wednesday’s series finale against Andre Pallante. First pitch is set for 6:40 p.m. View full article

MIAMI—Following a relatively quiet trade deadline, Marlins president of baseball operations Peter Bendix addressed the media Friday evening ahead of the club’s series opener against the New York Yankees. Expectations entering the 2025 season were modest. After suffering 100 losses in 2024, many anticipated Miami would once again be active at the deadline, dealing away established big leaguers in an effort to stockpile young players and continue building toward long-term, sustainable success. Instead, the front office took a slightly different approach, holding firm on its asking prices for key players. In contrast to last year’s flurry of activity—which saw the Marlins trade away 11 major leaguers over the course of the season—Bendix opted for a more measured “soft sell” in his second deadline at the helm. Miami completed just two trades. On July 29, catcher Nick Fortes was dealt to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for Double-A outfielder Matthew Etzel. Then, on deadline day, the Marlins sent outfielder Jesús Sánchez to the Houston Astros for right-hander Ryan Gusto and prospects Chase Jaworsky (ranked No. 13 in Houston’s system) and Esmil Valencia. Notably, the Marlins held onto several players who had been the subject of trade rumors, including starters Sandy Alcantara, Edward Cabrera, and Cal Quantrill, as well as reliever Anthony Bender. “We continued to build on the plan we’ve had,” Bendix said. “That means adding as much talent to this organization as we can, helping our current players get better, and continuing on a path we’re really excited about.” Asked whether the team’s recent surge (five straight series wins entering the deadline) influenced the front office’s approach, Bendix acknowledged ""it certainly played a role." “Everything that goes into building a sustainably successful team is taken into consideration at the deadline. Our job is to be disciplined—that means listening, having conversations, and making the best possible decisions at every point.” Entering Friday’s game, the Marlins sat at 52–55, seven games back of the final NL Wild Card spot. While a playoff run remains a long shot, the message from the front office was clear. “You’ll have to ask [the players] what message they took,” Bendix said. “But I believe we have a fantastic group. You can see it coming together—in individual performances and as a team. That’s really exciting.” Manager Clayton McCullough felt the same. “Our group was very excited that we were able to keep most of it intact,” McCullough said. “We’re happy we still have a chance with what we’ve got. Peter and I were in constant communication throughout, and we’re going to keep pushing to improve.” Given Miami’s recent stretch of strong play, it’s fair to wonder whether the front office considered adding major league talent in a hybrid buy/sell approach. “We talk about everything, because that’s my job,” Bendix said. “We really believe in the talent we have here and want to make sure we’re giving this group every opportunity.” No one was more relieved than Alcantara, the team’s ace and longest-tenured player. The 2022 NL Cy Young Award winner had drawn interest from clubs around the league but made it clear he wanted to remain in Miami. “There’s nothing I wanted more than to stay here,” Alcantara said. “I was nervous all day, but after six o’clock, it all went away. This is my home. The Marlins gave me this opportunity back in 2018 when I was just a kid. My hometown is an hour and a half away, my family’s here—I’m happy.” While holding onto controllable young pitchers like Alcantara and Cabrera was expected, the decision not to trade Quantrill—who’s set to become a free agent this winter—raised some eyebrows. “He’s been pitching incredibly well and continues to get better as the season goes on,” Bendix explained. “He’s a leader in the clubhouse and a good example for a lot of our young pitchers.” Trades that didn’t happen According to sources close to Fish On First, contending teams were unwilling to meet the Marlins’ asking price for their young, controllable players. The Chicago Cubs were willing to include top prospect Owen Caissie in a deal for Edward Cabrera, but not much else, so Miami declined. The Marlins also held discussions with the Cincinnati Reds regarding outfielder Dane Myers, but those talks ultimately did not result in a deal. View full article

The Miami Marlins and San Diego Padres have both been a little too quiet during the 2025 trade season. They've combined for only one recent deal entering deadline day, and that involved Nick Fortes, whose job in Miami was becoming obsolete. It would be unsurprising if these clubs conducted some business with each other between now and 6:00 p.m. ET. The Marlins and Padres general manager A.J. Preller are no strangers on the trade front. They made a creative deadline day swap in 2023, which sent Garrett Cooper and Sean Reynolds out west and Ryan Weathers the other way. The stakes were even higher in 2024. Last May, the Marlins agreed to trade the two-time reigning batting champion Luis Arraez to San Diego in exchange for outfielder Dillon Head, Jakob Marsee, Nathan Martorella and Woo-Suk Go. A few months later on deadline day, the Marlins parted with All-Star closer Tanner Scott and right-handed pitcher Bryan Hoeing for Robby Snelling, Adam Mazur, Graham Pauley and Jay Beshears. Overall, the Fish ought to be satisfied with those returns. Several of the players are already make major league impacts, with Marsee and Snelling on the cusp of doing the same. One of Miami's longest-tenured players, Jesús Sánchez is an awkward fit with the organization moving forward, in part due to the breakout of the aforementioned Marsee. Sánchez is still plenty useful to a contender, though. He enters Thursday with a .256/.320/.420 slash line and 10 home runs in 86 games this season. In his final pre-deadline performance, he blasted his longest homer of the year. San Diego is well-situated in right field and center field, deploying Fernando Tatis Jr. and Jackson Merrill, respectively. However, it's messier in left. A lot of Gavin Sheets' run production is negated by a poor glove. His platoon partner and defensive sub, Bryce Johnson, is a 29-year-old with no track record of hitting in the majors (career 61 wRC+). Acquiring Sánchez to play left would allow Sheets to be San Diego’s DH against right-handed pitching. Johnson would be sent to the very end of the bench, if not the minors. The Marlins are not under pressure to simply give Sánchez away. He is under club control for two more years via arbitration. In the midst of a campaign where he's striking out at a career-low rate and providing arguably his best defense, the compensation going back to Miami would have to be significant. As a reference point, the Chicago White Sox extracted Baseball America's 18th-ranked New York Yankees prospect in exchange for the lefty-mashing Austin Slater, a rental who fills the small side of an outfield platoon (facing RHP, Sánchez's role would be larger). A realistic best-case scenario would be getting Boston Bateman (Padres #6 prospect, per BA). That would give the Marlins another strong left-handed starting pitching prospect who projects as a mid-rotation arm. Taken in the second round of the 2024 MLB Draft, Bateman has made 15 starts in his professional career, all with Low-A Lake Elsinore. He's gone 5-5 with a 4.08 ERA in 68.1 IP. The towering 6'8" lefty has immense upside. SzQ2S0JfV0ZRVkV3dEdEUT09X0IxVURYRkFHQkFjQVhnUUtCQUFIQkFJQ0FGZ0NCd1FBVVFOUVVsRlFCRkVBQVFOZQ==.mp4 If the Marlins and Padres uncharacteristically fail to find common ground in this instance, The Athletic reports that the Houston Astros are a potential landing spot for Sánchez. View full article

MIAMI—In what may have been his final home start as a Miami Marlin, Sandy Alcantara delivered his best outing of the season on Wednesday afternoon. Behind their longtime ace, the Marlins edged the Padres, 3–2, to secure both the game and the series. Miami has now won both series since the All-Star break and seven of its last nine overall. “Very, very happy with how we came out of the break,” said manager Clayton McCullough. “Finished the first half strong in Baltimore, and to win both series here at home was very important.” The Marlins gave Alcantara some early cushion. With two on and two out in the first, rookie Agustín Ramírez ripped a 104.9 mph line drive into center field to put Miami on the board. It marked Ramírez’s 45th RBI of the season, most among National League rookies. After allowing 22 earned runs over his previous four starts, the Marlins needed Alcantara to rebound in a big way—and he did. With a chance to win the series against a contending San Diego team and the trade deadline looming, the stakes were high Wednesday. Alcantara set the tone right away. The 29-year-old retired the first 10 batters he faced, striking out four along the way. The first Padre to reach base was his former teammate, Luis Arraez, who singled through a hole on the left side. Moments later, catcher Nick Fortes airmailed a pickoff attempt into right field, allowing Arraez to advance. Manny Machado followed with an RBI single, tying the game at 1–1. The run was unearned. “Everything was working very well today,” Alcantara said postgame. “Sinker was great, changeup was good, slider, curve—everything was working.” Alcantara cruised through seven innings, facing just two over the minimum while inducing a pair of signature double plays. merge-epmhdh.mp4 His final line: 7 IP, 4 H, 1 R (0 ER), 0 BB, 4 K on 98 pitches (67 strikes). Alcantara later revealed a subtle adjustment that may have helped. For the first time in his career, he lowered his vertical release point on some breaking balls to below 5.5 feet—something he had considered trying earlier this year. “I was thinking of doing it a couple months ago and I wasn’t able to,” he said. “But today I decided to do it and it felt great.” Miami reclaimed the lead in the fifth on a two-run homer by Jesús Sánchez, his eighth of the season. Josh Simpson gave up a run in the eighth, but Calvin Faucher nailed down a five-out save—his longest appearance of the season—to lock up the win. The Marlins improved to 48–53, while the Padres dropped to 55–47. With the MLB trade deadline just eight days away, Alcantara’s outing couldn’t have come at a better time. Once expected to be a clear trade candidate, the right-hander’s up-and-down return from Tommy John surgery has complicated the Marlins’ plans. Even accounting for Wednesday's outing, his ERA is a hideous 6.66 with a 4.48 FIP that's the worst mark since his rookie campaign. If this was indeed his final home start in a Marlins uniform, Alcantara reflected on his time in Miami with gratitude. “I’m just a guy who loved to take advantage of the opportunity,” he said. “I like to learn and compete—and if the fans want to remember me as ‘El Caballo,’ I’ll take it.” According to sources, the Marlins are open to moving nearly anyone not named Eury Pérez, Kyle Stowers or Agustín Ramírez. Among those most likely to be dealt: reliever Anthony Bender, catcher Nick Fortes and outfielder Jesús Sánchez. Starting pitchers Alcantara and Edward Cabrera remain 50/50 candidates, per club sources. The Marlins are off Thursday before beginning a three-game weekend series in Milwaukee against the Brewers. View full article

After having their franchise-record 11-game road win streak snapped on Wednesday in Cincinnati, the Marlins handed the ball to Cal Quantrill for Thursday's series finale. Unfortunately for the veteran right-hander and his team, the Reds’ offense roughed him up his third time through the lineup, as the Marlins were shut out at Great American Ball Park, 6–0. With the win, the Reds salvaged a series split and handed the Marlins back-to-back losses for the first time since June 19. The night before, the Marlins had been dominated by left-hander Andrew Abbott (7.2 IP, 1 ER) after going with an all right-handed lineup. Manager Clayton McCullough stuck with the same approach against fellow lefty Nick Lodolo and ended up with a similar result. The former seventh overall pick stymied Miami’s bats for six masterful innings, keeping Miami off the board. His final line: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 SO. Continuing a series-long trend, the Reds struck early. In the bottom of the first, with two outs, outfielder Austin Hays lined an RBI single to center. The speedy Elly De La Cruz scored easily, but the ball was interestingly cut off by Quantrill, who should have been backing up the plate. The play ended up working in Miami’s favor, as Quantrill was able to cut down Hays at second base as he attempted to advance on the throw. ZU44TTNfVjBZQUhRPT1fQmxOV0FnQUJCd0VBWEZFRkFBQUhBZ2NFQUZsUUJWa0FBRklNQlFRSEExZFhCUVpY.mp4 After surrendering a solo home run to Spencer Steer with one out in the second, Quantrill settled in and pitched some of his best baseball of the season. He retired the next 11 batters in order. Needing just 62 pitches through five, he was seemingly destined to complete six innings for the first time this season. "He put himself in great position to go deep in this one," McCullough said postgame. "He used his cutter really well and filled up the strike zone." Disaster struck in the sixth, however, as Quantrill allowed five consecutive batters to reach and failed to record an out in the frame. "They just started putting some hits together and they found some holes, unfortunately, but all in all, he threw the ball great and deserved a better fate than that," McCullough added. The inning was highlighted by a De La Cruz at-bat with the bases loaded and no outs. The talented shortstop lined a single to right that scored one, but Quantrill—once again failing to back up home plate—attempted to cut the ball off. It ricocheted off his glove and rolled to the backstop, allowing another run to score and both baserunners to advance. "Some questionable cut-offs there, but those have been very infrequent from our group, so just a [mistake] there," McCullough said. wz2uia.mp4 Ronny Henriquez entered in an attempt to mitigate the damage—and did just that. The impressive waiver claim continued his dominant season, striking out the side in his lone inning of work. His 63 strikeouts this season rank tied for third among all relievers in Major League Baseball. Quantrill’s final line: 5 IP, 7 H, 6 R (5 ER), 1 BB, 5 SO. He has not completed six innings in a start since July 24, 2024, when he was a member of the Colorado Rockies. "We put ourselves in a good spot by winning the first two here, but unfortunately, couldn't capitalize with one of the final two and win a series," said the first-year manager. With the loss, the Marlins and Reds split the four-game set, and Miami fell to 42–50. The Reds improved to 48–46, good for fourth place in the NL Central. View full article

It’s been half a decade since the unique and truncated 2020 Major League Baseball Draft. The draft was shortened to just five rounds due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Led by then-president of baseball operations Michael Hill and director of amateur scouting DJ Svihlik, the Miami Marlins selected six players—all pitchers. Four of those six arms have already reached the major leagues, albeit with limited success, while the other two could plausibly get there in the not-too-distant future. As the 2025 MLB Draft approaches on Sunday, it’s a fitting time to revisit that class. First round, No. 3 overall: RHP Max Meyer Holding the third overall pick after a 57-105 season in 2019, the Marlins selected right-hander Max Meyer out of the University of Minnesota. Meyer, 21 at the time, was known for his plus-plus slider and an above-average fastball. While his arsenal stood out, some scouts expressed concern over his six-foot frame and potential durability issues. In 127 ⅔ MLB innings, Meyer has posted a 5.29 ERA with 120 strikeouts across 25 starts. While flashes of brilliance—like his 14-strikeout gem on April 21 against Cincinnati—hint at his potential, inconsistency and injuries have defined his early career. He has actually held his own versus left-handed batters, but yielded a .931 OPS to righties. Meyer has undergone two major surgeries since debuting in 2022: Tommy John surgery and a left hip labral repair. He is currently rehabbing from the latter and is expected to miss the remainder of the 2025 season. Second round, No. 40 overall: LHP Dax Fulton Known as Daxton Fulton when he was drafted, the large left-hander underwent Tommy John as a high school senior. The Marlins still saw enough potential to take him with the 40th overall pick even though he didn’t pitch at all in 2020. He has continued to endure an injury-riddled journey. Fulton emerged as one of the Marlins’ top prospects after a breakout 2022 season, which he finished at Double-A Pensacola. However, another elbow injury in early 2023 required a second TJ. After missing the entire 2024 season, Fulton returned to action this spring, after having been selected to the club's 40-man roster. So far in 2025, he’s been both productive and most importantly, available. In 12 starts, he’s recorded a 4.09 ERA over 55 innings, with more than a strikeout per inning. His fastball velocity averages around 93 mph to go along with his plus curveball. He could debut with the Marlins in 2026. MnJCNzNfV0ZRVkV3dEdEUT09X1ZRWlRBbEFCQXdvQVhsWUJVd0FIQXdJQUFBQldBZ1FBVUZVTUNBb0JBUU5YVmxaVg==.mp4 Competitive Balance Round B, No. 61 overall: Kyle Nicolas Svihlik first took notice of Kyle Nicolas during the 2019 Cape Cod League, calling him “a big-time arm” with a “crazy good” slider and the profile of a late bloomer. However, Nicolas didn’t bloom in Miami. After an uneven 2021 season at High-A Beloit (5.28 ERA, 86 strikeouts in 59.2 IP), he was promoted to Double-A. That offseason, Nicolas was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates along with Zach Thompson and Connor Scott in exchange for catcher Jacob Stallings. Since then, he’s bounced between Double-A Altoona and Triple-A Indianapolis. Nicolas made his MLB debut in September 2023, but has struggled at the highest level, posting a 5.13 ERA over 72 innings across three seasons. He was optioned back to Triple-A on June 11, 2025. Third round, No. 75 overall: Zach McCambley McCambley was selected out of Coastal Carolina University. There was reliever risk from the outset, relying on a plus curveball and average fastball. After posting a 5.65 ERA as a starter in 2022, the Marlins converted him to a full-time bullpen role. The transition has paid some dividends. McCambley grinded at Double-A Pensacola for parts of four seasons, but finally earned a promotion to Triple-A Jacksonville this year, where he’s posted a 4.50 ERA in 15 appearances while dealing with tough luck (2.90 FIP). He’s striking out 11.3 batters per nine innings and is a candidate for a late-season call-up in 2025. Fourth round, No. 104 overall: Jake Eder A power lefty out of Vanderbilt, Eder appeared to be a steal at 104th overall. His pro debut was electric—he posted a 1.77 ERA with 12.5 strikeouts per nine innings over 15 Double-A starts in 2021, quickly rising to top-five prospect status in the Marlins' system. With the Marlins improbably in wild-card contention at the 2023 trade deadline, then-GM Kim Ng sent Eder to the White Sox for infielder Jake Burger. Though controversial at the time due to Burger’s swing-and-miss issues and Eder’s potential, the deal proved pivotal in helping Miami clinch a postseason berth—their first in a full season in two decades. Eder’s performance has declined since the trade. In 2024, he posted a 6.61 ERA over 24 starts split between Double-A Birmingham and Triple-A Charlotte. He made his MLB debut that year in a single bullpen appearance before being designated for assignment that offseason. The Los Angeles Angels acquired him for cash considerations. In 2025, Eder has started 13 games for Triple-A Salt Lake, recording a 6.11 ERA. Fifth round, No. 134 overall: Kyle Hurt The Marlins’ final selection in the shortened 2020 draft was right-handed pitcher Kyle Hurt out of the University of Southern California. Then 22 years old, Hurt never pitched in a professional game for Miami. Before making his debut, he was traded—along with left-hander Alex Vesia—to the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for reliever Dylan Floro. After a rocky start to his pro career, Hurt found his footing in the Dodgers’ system, breaking out in 2023 across the upper minors. In 26 appearances (16 starts), he recorded a 3.91 ERA while striking out an eye-popping 14.9 batters per nine innings. That strong performance earned him a call-up later that season, during which he tossed two perfect innings in relief. Hurt made three more appearances for the eventual World Series champion Dodgers in 2024, but his season was disrupted by multiple injuries. He had Tommy John surgery last summer and recently resumed throwing off a mound. A September return to the majors has not been ruled out. View full article

MIAMI—An explosive night at the plate powered the Miami Marlins to an 8–3 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday at loanDepot park, spoiling Jesús Luzardo’s return to his former home ballpark. With the victory, the Marlins improved to 10–9 against NL East opponents and 29–43 overall. Making his first appearance at loanDepot park as a visiting player, Luzardo opened strong with a perfect first inning. The 27-year-old left-hander told Fish On First that a previous outing against Miami in April helped him manage his emotions this time around. "I really like pitching in this ballpark and pitching in front of family and friends is always nice, but I feel like I've matured to the point where I can keep my emotions in check," Luzardo said. "It's going to be fun, seeing a lot of familiar faces over there, a lot of guys I made relationships with, so it's always fun competing against people you know." The Marlins struck in the second inning when Eric Wagaman launched a two-run home run off Luzardo, giving Miami an early 2–0 lead and snapping the team's 275-at-bat home run drought at loanDepot park. “Slug is great, and home runs are always nice when they come,” said Marlins manager Clayton McCullough. “But our main focus is to continue having good at-bats and a really sound approach—let the slug be a byproduct of that.” Veteran right-hander Cal Quantrill started for Miami and was perfect through three innings before surrendering a solo home run to Trea Turner in the fourth. After recording the final out of the inning, Quantrill appeared to grab his right hamstring while covering first base. He returned to pitch in the fifth but was pulled after allowing the first two batters to reach. The Marlins later announced he exited due to hamstring cramping. Philadelphia capitalized on the opportunity and scored twice in the fifth to take a 3–2 lead, but that would be the end of the Phillies' offense for the night. Miami responded with a three-run rally in the sixth—highlighted by a Javier Sanoja RBI triple—to reclaim the lead at 5–3. "For our guys to get the lead right away and then go behind and come back again showed the perseverance this lineup has," McCullough said. The Marlins continued to add insurance in the later innings. Jesús Sánchez delivered a pinch-hit solo home run, while Agustín Ramírez and Otto Lopez each contributed RBI hits. Every Marlins player who stepped to the plate reached base, and the team totaled 13 hits and five walks. "It's a strong division, but we're not going to back down from whoever we're playing. We feel like we have a lot of guys that are continuing to gain some really valuable experience against high caliber opponents," McCullough added. The Marlins bullpen held the Phillies scoreless over the final six innings, sealing the win and evening the four-game series at one game apiece. Freddy Tarnok earned the win while Jesús Luzardo suffered the loss. Marlins right-handed pitching prospect Adam Mazur will make the start for Miami on Wednesday and oppose left-hander Ranger Suárez at 6:40 pm. News & Notes - The 24-year-old Mazur ranks as the No. 7 prospect in the Marlins system, per Fish On First. He was acquired at last season’s trade deadline from the Padres in the deal that sent Tanner Scott and Bryan Hoeing to San Diego—a trade that also netted Miami Robby Snelling, Graham Pauley and Jay Beshears. Mazur has previous major league experience as a member of the 2024 Padres (7.49 ERA in 33.2 IP). - Outfielder Dane Myers remains day-to-day after being hit by a pitch on his right elbow during Monday night’s contest. While X-Rays came back negative, the Marlins expect Myers to be unavailable for the next couple of days as he continues to recover from lingering discomfort. - Right-hander Woo-Suk Go was released by the Marlins on Tuesday. The 26-year-old was part of the infamous May trade that sent Luis Arraez to the Padres. Go arrived in the deal alongside three prospects, including Dillon Head, the headliner in the deal. View full article

On Fish Unfiltered, Marlins insider Craig Mish discusses the franchise's lack of spending and inability to compete in the NL East under Major League Baseball's current rules. The MLB collective bargaining agreement is set to expire after the 2026 season. View full video

Five strong innings from Janson Junk and a big-time hit by Connor Norby help Miami tie the series at one game apiece. Despite receiving just 3.1 innings from their starting pitcher, the Miami Marlins emerged victorious Saturday night, defeating the Los Angeles Angels 6–1 at Angel Stadium. Cal Quantrill, the lone Major League free agent signed by Miami this offseason, delivered a serviceable outing in his eighth start of the year. Entering the game with a 6.37 ERA across 41 innings, the Canadian right-hander had shown signs of improvement in his previous start on May 18 (5 IP, 1 ER). On Saturday, Quantrill kept the Marlins in the game once again, allowing just one earned run on three hits over 3.1 innings, with no walks and two strikeouts. He was lifted after 46 pitches in the fourth inning following a double and a walk—an early hook by manager Clayton McCullough. “We got to a point early in the game where we felt might be a turning point and given all the arms we had out in the bullpen, we felt it was the right time to get Ronnie in the game." Ronny Henriquez took over in relief and successfully escaped the jam, preserving the 1–1 scoreline. Earlier in the day, Miami selected the contract of right-hander Janson Junk, who had been excellent in the Triple-A Jacksonville rotation with a 2.78 ERA over 45.1 innings. The 29-year-old made a strong Marlins debut, tossing five innings of one-run ball to earn the well-deserved save. “He was terrific,” McCullough added. “He continued to pound the strike zone with his deep arsenal, which is what he was doing in Jacksonville as well." Unlike Friday night, when Miami tallied 14 hits but managed only two runs, the offense capitalized on its opportunities Saturday. RBI singles from Ronny Simon and Eric Wagaman gave the Marlins a 3–1 lead before Connor Norby delivered the decisive blow. With two runners on and two outs in the seventh, Norby launched a 1–2 changeup from Angels reliever Caden Dana over the left field wall for a three-run homer, extending Miami’s lead to 6–1. “This is a really good team and a really fun offense,” Norby said postgame. “We feed off each other every single night and that’s what makes it fun.” The win ends the Angels’ eight-game winning streak and gives the Marlins a chance to take the series in Sunday’s finale. Right-hander Edward Cabrera is slated to start for Miami, with first pitch scheduled for 4:07 p.m. ET. View full article