Isaac Azout

2024 was a season to forget in Miami, but there is internal optimism regarding 2025. TORONTO -- On Sunday afternoon, the Marlins concluded what was, by all accounts, an objectively rough season. Just one year removed from participating in the MLB postseason, Miami lost 100 games for just the fourth time in franchise history. However, the season ended positively as Miami swept the Blue Jays in Toronto to finish the regular season 62-100. It is the first time since 2013 that the Marlins swept the season's final series. Ironically, the team also finished 62-100 that year. For some veterans from the magical 2023 campaign, including Jake Burger and Jesús Luzardo, enduring a 100-loss season was mentally and emotionally challenging. That said, current players who figure to be on next year's roster remain optimistic about themselves and the culture in place. "There's not a day in this clubhouse that we think we're a 100-loss team," said clubhouse leader Jake Burger before Sunday's season finale. "The way the culture is in this clubhouse, the way everyone acts with each other given that we had 70 new guys play for us this year, shows it was never about bad culture." Burger credited the coaching staff and the maturity of the younger guys inside that clubhouse for not allowing anything to break them apart. "It's a young, talented group of players that have a bright future and just have to keep working," acting manager Luis Urueta said postgame. "I think our coaching staff did a great job in knowing what they had and what we had to keep teaching." Following the trade deadline on July 30 when Miami dealt nine of their established big leaguers, opportunity presented itself for a lot of the younger players in the organization, including some that returned to Miami in trades. Xavier Edwards, who has established himself as one of the team's core players, touched on why he believes the team will improve in 2025. "We had a lot of missing pieces this year, pretty much our entire starting rotation to begin the year," Edwards mentioned. "We have a really good group of young guys that really started to click in the second half and I feel that as teammates and friends, this group learned how to win." Miami finished the second half 22-31, a vast improvement from their first half record of 40-68. They also ranked 10th in runs since the All-Star break. While it remains unclear what direction President of Baseball Operations Peter Bendix wants to go, the players remain confident that 2024 will not repeat itself. "We feel like it was a one-off," Burger said. "We have our arms coming back and we got growth from the young guys offensively. More than anything, we just on't want this to happen again, and I think we all understand that, so we're gong to do everything we can to ensure it doesn't." Luzardo, who pitched Game 1 of the 2023 Wild Card Series, is enthusiastic to help this team get back to where he wants to be. "I think we're going to get a lot of help in that rotation back. You're going to get Eury [Pérez] back, Sandy [Alcantara] back, I hope to be back and then add all the experience our young guys have gained in August in September, it's exciting." Luzardo is expected to go through a normal off-season routine and be 100% for spring training. Perez, 21, is not expected to return from his elbow reconstruction surgery until half-way through 2025 while Alcantara is on pace to be Miami's Opening Day starter. The consensus inside the Marlins clubhouse is that with some fine-tuning on defense, a healthy pitching staff and a steady culture, the Marlins can get back to where they want to be. "Getting the arms back to help keep us in games and clean up little things on defense over the off-season, there's no reason why we couldn't be the best team in our division," said Edwards. View full article

There were a fair share of ex-Marlins—or "Flipped Fish," if you will—who performed well in the Majors this season. Let's build a team of them. In a year without many strong performances from active Miami Marlins, plenty of former Fish produced at a high level for their current clubs. Here is a position-by-position breakdown. To be eligible, these players must have had previous MLB regular season experience as a Marlin. Catcher: Jacob Tyler Realmuto Marlins tenure: 2014-2018 (11.6 fWAR) Acquired: Draft Traded to the Philadelphia Phillies on February 7, 2019 in exchange for Sixto Sánchez, Jorge Alfaro and Will Stewart. Arguably the best catcher in franchise history, J.T. Realmuto has now spent more seasons with the division-rival Philadelphia Phillies than he ever did in Miami. He has cemented his place as one of the elite catchers in baseball. In an injury-shortened 2024 that fell slightly below his usual standards, he slashed .266/.322/.429 with a 109 wRC+ in only 99 games. Realmuto went hitless in the NLDS as the Phils were upset by the New York Mets. The three-time All-Star has recorded an OPS+ of at least 100 every single season since 2016. He is about to enter the final season of his five-year/$115.5M contract extension. First Base: Luis Arraez Marlins tenure: 2023-2024 (3.2 fWAR) Acquired: Trade Traded to the San Diego Padres on May 4, 2024 in exchange for Dillon Head, Nathan Martorella, Jakob Marsee and Woo-Suk Go. One of the most popular Marlins in recent memory, Luis Arraez earned his third consecutive batting title in 2024, each with different teams. While his production this past season was a step down from his brilliant 2023 campaign, he still hit .314 and led the league with 200 hits. After scuffling a bit with Miami over the first month of the season, a change of scenery seemed to do him well as his OPS with the Padres increased by 25 points. Since the start of 2022, the three-time All-Star has slashed .328/.371/.426 in 441 games and 576 hits in those three seasons. The Venezuelan native has just one more year of club control. Second Base: Enrique "Kiké" Hernández Marlins tenure: 2014 (18 games) Acquired: Trade Traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers along with Chris Hatcher, Austin Barnes and Andrew Heaney on December 10, 2014 in exchange for Dan Haren, Dee Gordon and Miguel Rojas. Enrique Hernández continues to be a postseason hero for the consistently competitive Los Angeles Dodgers. While he's been a below-average hitter the last three seasons (76 wRC+), he provides tremendous defensive versatility. Then in October, his bat comes alive. Including his solid start to the 2024 playoffs, he has a 139 wRC+ in 79 career postseason games. He's slugged .546 in those crucial games. After a 2024 season that saw him slash .229/.281/.373, he set to become a free agent in 2025. Third Base: Jazz Chisholm Jr. Marlins tenure: 2020-2024 (7.7 fWAR) Acquired: Trade Traded to the New York Yankees on July 27, 2024 in exchange for Agustín Ramírez, Jared Serna and Abrahan Ramírez. One of the most dynamic talents acquired during the Bruce Sherman era, Jazz Chisholm Jr. put together a 24 HR/40 SB season in 2024. Traded to the New York Yankees at this year's trade deadline, the 26-year-old is now the everyday third baseman for the best team in the American League, currently contributing to their deep playoff push. In 46 regular season games as a Yankee, Chisholm slashed .273/.325/.500 with 11 home runs and 18 stolen bases. He played a career-high 147 games in 2024, easily the most available he's been in season in his Major League career. He won't be a free agent until 2027. Shortstop: Miguel Rojas Marlins tenure: 2015-2022 (9.5 fWAR) Acquired: Trade Traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers on January 11, 2023 in exchange for Jacob Amaya. Aside from his incredible COVID-shortened 2020 season, Miguel Rojas just put together the best season of his Major League career as a 35-year-old. The eight-year Marlin veteran slashed .263/.337/.410 with a 111 wRC+ in 103 games for the Los Angeles Dodgers. While continuing to provide Gold Glove-caliber defense at short, Rojas was the sixth-most valuable player (3.4 bWAR) on a star-studded Dodgers team that features three future Hall of Famers. The Dodgers have a team option on Rojas for 2025. Left Field: Christian Yelich Marlins tenure: 2013-2017 (17.6 fWAR) Acquired: Draft Traded to the Milwaukee Brewers on January 25, 2018 in exchange for Lewis Brinson, Monte Harrison, Isan Díaz and Jordan Yamamoto. Christian Yelich finally looked like himself again in 2024. After winning the MVP Award in 2018 and finishing second in '19, Yelich scuffled—by his standards—over the next four seasons. He averaged a .768 OPS during that span and struck out a career-high 162 times in 2022. Prior to undergo season-ending back surgery in mid-August, Yelich was thriving in 2024, slashing an absurd .315/.406/.504 with a 153 wRC+. He is expected to be fully healthy by spring training. Center Field: JJ Bleday Marlins tenure: 2022 (-0.3 fWAR) Acquired: Draft Traded to the Oakland Athletics on February 11, 2023 in exchange for A.J. Puk. The fourth overall pick of the ultra-talented 2019 MLB Draft, JJ Bleday finally blossomed in 2024. After a couple of rough MLB seasons with sub-.200 batting averages, Bleday broke out in a big way for the Athletics during their final season in Oakland. He finished sixth in MLB with 43 doubles and had a 120 wRC+. He was available all season long as he played in 159 games with 153 of them coming in center field. Additionally, he was able to cut his strikeout rate from 28% as a rookie all the way down to 18%. He figures to be one of the Athletics' cornerstone position players going forward. Right Field: Giancarlo Stanton Marlins tenure: 2010-2017 (33.7 fWAR) Acquired: Draft Traded to the New York Yankees on December 11, 2017 in exchange for Starlin Castro, Jorge Guzman and Jose Devers. Arguably the greatest Marlin of all-time, Giancarlo's seventh season in pinstripes was solid. He played in 114 games (third-healthiest season as a Yankee) and had a wRC+ of 116. Exclusively a DH, Stanton his 27 home runs and drove in 72 runs. More importantly, the Bronx Bombers are two wins away from their first World Series berth since 2009 thanks to Stanton's otherworldly postseason performance. During his Yankee tenure, he's averaged just 8.7 at-bats per home run in October—second only to Babe Ruth (min. 100 AB). He still has three guaranteed years of his massive $325M contract remaining Designated Hitter: Marcell Ozuna Marlins tenure: 2013-2017 (15.6 fWAR) Acquired: International FA Traded to the St. Louis Cardinals on December 14, 2017 in exchange for Sandy Alcantara, Magneuris Sierra, Zac Gallen and Daniel Castano. Ozuna from the Braves just continues to mash. In his second full season as a primary DH, Ozuna put together one of the best offensive seasons of his career. While playing in all 162 games, the hard-hitting Dominican slashed .302/.378/.546 with a 154 wRC+. He still produced 4.7 fWAR despite not playing a single inning of defense. He hit 39 home runs and drove in 102 while earning his third career All-Star nod. I predict he will earn his third career Silver Slugger award as well. Starting Pitcher 1: Zac Gallen Marlins tenure: 2019 (0.8 fWAR) Acquired: Trade Traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks on July 31, 2019 in exchange for Jazz Chisholm Jr. Since going to Arizona in one of the most unique one-for-one trades in Marlins history, Zac Gallen has become a true ace. In his five full seasons in the desert, Gallen is 50-31 with a 3.34 ERA in 735 IP. He's struck out over a batter per inning and has an ERA+ of 127. The New Jersey native didn't quite replicate his 2023 season that led him to finish third in Cy Young voting after throwing 210 innings, but his 3.65 ERA in 2024 was still lowest among all D-backs starters. There was a time where I thought this trade could wind up a win-win for both sides, but I believe Arizona came out well on top here. Starting Pitcher 2: Pablo López Marlins tenure: 2018-2022 (8.9 fWAR) Acquired: Trade Traded to the Minnesota Twins along with José Salas and Byron Chourio on January 20, 2023 in exchange for Luis Arraez. A year after agreeing to a four-year, $73.5M contract extension, 2024 was a tale of two seasons for Pablo López. He finished the first half with an 8-7 record and 5.11 ERA in 19 starts. Following the All-Star break, López's luck turned around and he was back to being himself. He pitched to a 2.77 ERA the rest of the way, finishing as the sixth-most valuable player on the Twins and is under club control through 2027. This is another trade that I would hand Miami the loss. Relief Pitcher 1: A.J. Puk Marlins tenure: 2023-2024 (1.7 fWAR) Acquired: Trade Traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks on July 25, 2024 in exchange for Deyvison De Los Santos and Andrew Pintar. What a wild season A.J. Puk had in 2024. In spring training, the Marlins announced they would experiment with Puk in the starting rotation. Once that failed miserably (9.22 ERA in four starts), Puk returned to a high-leverage bullpen role and then put together arguably the best stretch of any reliever in the National League. From May 13 til the end of the season, Puk pitched to a minuscule 1.72 ERA in 57 ⅔ innings pitched and held opponents to a .157 batting average, striking out 11 batters per nine innings. 27 ⅓ of those innings came with the Diamondbacks where he was even more lethal (1.32 ERA). He is under club control through 2027. Relief Pitcher 2: Tanner Scott Marlins tenure: 2022-2024 (4.2 fWAR) Acquired: Trade Traded to the San Diego Padres along with Bryan Hoeing in exchange for Robby Snelling, Adam Mazur, Graham Pauley and Jay Beshears. Arguably the best reliever in franchise history, Tanner Scott will always be remembered fondly by Marlins fans. After an incredible 2023 season (2.8 fWAR), Scott was somehow even better in 2024. After allowing a game-winning home run to Marcell Ozuna on April 15, Scott would only allow two more home runs the rest of the year (65 games!). In those 64 ⅓ innings, he had a 1.40 ERA while converting 21/22 save opportunities. He was elected to his first career All-Star Game in 2024 and will be a free agent this offseason. He is expected to receive a massive payday. View full article

Following the team's 15-5 win over the Toronto Blue Jays, Skip Schumaker addresses the assembled media for the final time as Miami Marlins manager. Schumaker will be away from the team for the remainder of the season for personal reasons, and according to ESPN's Jeff Passan, he informed players that he won't return in 2025. View full video

A few hours after learning that their manager will not return in 2025, Miami's offense put together their best performance of the season. TORONTO—Skip Schumaker has managed his final game for the Miami Marlins. In the seventh inning of Friday night's game in Toronto, the Marlins announced that Schumaker will travel back home on Saturday to tend to a family health issue. Postgame, it was revealed that his grandmother had recently passed away. Bench coach Luis Urueta will manage the club for the remainder of the season. "That was definitely for my grandma," said Schumaker after Miami's impressive 15-5 over the Toronto Blue Jays. Schumaker added that he's "not really sure" what the next couple of days will look like, but he confirmed that he will not return this season. "I'll definitely be watching the game[s] with my family, but that will be tough." Schumaker is a pending free agent. Last offseason, he requested that the Marlins void the 2025 option in his contract and the club complied. "The biggest thing for me is the wonderful opportunity that was given to me, along with the relationships that I was able to build. It was a really good two years and, you know, we'll address the other stuff later." Before his team took batting practice on Friday afternoon, Schumaker held a team meeting in the clubhouse to share what was going on. According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, he told players that he won't be returning to Miami next season. "It was emotional in there. When I addressed the team, it was very emotional, and that's because you care so much. Best part is the players know if it's bull crap or not," added Schumaker. "The game is the game, but the stuff that you build after or during the season for years is what matters most." Following Thursday night's marathon win in Minnesota that lasted four hours and 16 minutes, the Marlins' team bus didn't arrive at their hotel until 5:30 in the morning. A slow start to Friday's contest was expected, but following their emotional team meeting, nobody is surprised that Miami delivered their best offensive performance of the season. The Marlins scored a season-high 15 runs on 17 hits. Xavier Edwards made history as he went 4-for-6 with three triples and four RBI. The three triples is a Marlins franchise recored. Additionally, he is just the 31st player since 1920 to accomplish that feat. He is also the first player to do so since Yasiel Puig in 2014. "We were running off a lot of adrenaline tonight," Edwards told reporters postgame. "We had a late night last night and had a quick turnaround and given the news, we definitely wanted to play well today." When asked what Skip meant to the young infielder, Edwards mentioned, "I'll forever be grateful for Skip, my first manager. Great person, great manager, great baseball mind." Edwards, whom the Marlins are confident will be their shortstop of the future, has put together a very encouraging sophomore season in Miami. After missing the first two months of the year with a left foot infection and not receiving ample playing time until early July, Edwards has cemented his place atop Miami's batting order. Including Friday night's historic performance, Edwards has slashed .327/.396/.420 in 69 games in 2024. Marlins clubhouse leader Jake Burger also had a big day at the plate as he went 3-for-6 with a double and two RBI. He made sure to let his feelings about Skip known postgame. "I think that God puts people in your life for a reason. I maybe didn't see that until this year, but I think he put Skip in my life for a purpose," said Burger. "He helped me with a lot of stuff, on and off the field, so I'm forever grateful for who he is as a person. God gives his biggest challenges to his mightiest warriors, so, obviously he's going through a turbulent time, but I know he has the capacity to handle it." Following emotional goodbyes with his staff, players, and media, Schumaker took off his Marlins jersey for the final time. An official announcement is expected to come from the team in the next few days. Offensive onslaught While Edwards stole the show on the field on Friday, plenty of Marlins hitters joined in on the fun. First-baseman Jonah Bride recorded his first career multi-homer day with a 2-for-4 performance. "After that meeting, we talked about how we have to send Skip out on a strong note today," said Bride. We all really enjoyed the heck out of playing for him." Infielder Connor Norby went 3-for-6 with an RBI and Griffin Conine went 2-for-5 with his third career home run. On the mound, Adam Oller did what he's done all season or Miami: give his club five innings and a chance to win. Xzavion Curry will start Saturday's game for the Marlins as they look to secure the season-ending series in Toronto. The Blue Jays will counter with Yariel Rodriguez. View full article

The Dodgers demolished the Marlins on Thursday, led by Ohtani, who had one of the best individual games in MLB history. MIAMI—There is a new club in Major League Baseball. Shohei Ohtani completed the first 50/50 season in MLB history on Thursday while facing the Miami Marlins at loanDepot park. He entered Thursday's contest at 48/49. In his first AB of the game, Ohtani drilled a 114.6 mph line drive off the right-center field wall, one foot short of a home run. It would have cleared the fence in 13 ballparks, per Statcast. He settled for a double and proceeded to steal his 50th base of the season. The following inning, Ohtani laced an RBI single to right to score Max Muncy which gave the Dodgers a 2-0 lead. After just two innings, Ohtani was halfway to the cycle with a stolen base and RBI. He wasn't close to being done. Just one inning later, Ohtani drilled a 95 mph fastball up-and-in to the opposite field to drive in two more runs. He was thrown out at third following a solid relay by Miami's defense. He wouldn't come to the plate again until the sixth inning when Ohtani demolished a George Soriano hanging slider 438 feet to the upper deck in right-center field. Home run #49 left his bat at 111.2 mph. He was now 4-for-4 with 5 RBI, two stolen bases and one homer shy of the 50/50 club. History happened in the top of the seventh. Reliever Mike Baumann, who is certainly going to be the answer to future trivia questions, was on the mound. Ohtani stepped to the plate with his team ahead 12-3. "You go after him and see if you can get him out," manager Skip Schumaker said. "Out of respect for the game, we were gonna go after him." Ohtani drilled a hanging breaking ball over the left field wall for his 50th. He is the first player in MLB history to accomplish the 50/50 feat, and he did it while simultaneously rehabbing from right elbow surgery. 2lsazz_1.mp4 The 15,548 (mostly Dodger fans) in attendance gave the global phenomenon a standing ovation. Ohtani, being the classy individual he is, returned the favor with a curtain call outside the Dodgers dugout. Arguably one of the most significant moments in loanDepot park history. curtain call Untitled_final.mp4 Funny thing is, after a 5-for-5 day, Ohtani was still not done. In the top of the ninth inning—albeit with a position player on the mound—Ohtani drilled his furthest home run of the night. He took a Vidal Bruján offering 440 feet to right field. 113.6 mph off the bat for a three-run home run. He entered Thursday's game at 48/49 and finished at 51/51. Entering Thursday, no player had ever recorded more than 13 total bases against the Marlins. Ohtani had 17 on Thursday. All in all? Ohtani went 6-for-6 with three home runs, 10 RBI, two doubles, and four runs scored. The Dodgers won comfortably, 20-4. They took two out of three against Miami before heading home to begin a three-game set at Dodger Stadium on Friday. For the Marlins, Edward Cabrera had his worst start of the second half and only lasted 2 ⅓ innings. He walked five and hit a batter while surrendering seven earned runs. Additionally, Griffin Conine hit his first career home run in Miami on Thursday. Miami begins a three-game set on Friday against the Atlanta Braves. Valente Bellozo gets the ball for Miami. View full article

Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara faced live batters at loanDepot park for the first time since his elbow reconstruction. MIAMI—Nearly 12 months removed from undergoing Tommy John surgery, Sandy Alcantara threw 20 pitches in a one-inning live batting practice session in Miami before Tuesday's series opener against the Los Angeles Dodgers. "I was getting tired of only throwing in the bullpen, so I think today was a big step for me. One inning, 20 pitches and everything feels good," said Alcantara following the session. Per manager Skip Schumaker, the freshly-turned 29-year-old sat in the upper 90s with his fastball, maxing out at 99 mph. Alcantara used all his pitches except for his curveball. "For his first time out in over a year, it was really impressive. All the hard work that he's put into this thing, the training staff, the pitching coaches, it was a really big day." The moment wasn't lost on Sandy's teammates, either, as most of the active roster and coaching staff were on the dugout top step, watching as their ace took a massive step toward returning. "To see 30 guys in the dugout watching, and a lot of guys that haven't been here for a long time and don't quite know Sandy, were all out here out of respect for who he is. Just a really cool moment," said Schumaker. "It was great," added Alcantara. "I couldn't pay too much attention because when I take the mound, I focus too much and can't see anyone over there, but it was great for them to be out there supporting me." Alcantara faced David Hensley, Jose Devers and Javier Sanoja. Each batter took two ABs against the two-time All-Star with none of them connecting on solid contact. When asked what his biggest focus was today, Alcantara emphasized health. "Just seeing how I felt, especially when I threw my fastball and all my pitches. Everything felt good so now I'm just waiting to take another step." That next step will presumably be a few more live batting practice sessions in Miami. With the minor league season coming to an end this week, it does not appear that the right-hander will make a rehab start in 2024. This off-season will be a "regular" one for the former Cy Young Award winner. Regarding 2025, Alcantara told reporters that an Opening Day return is realistic. "Yeah, that's the target for us. Just have to be working, get ready for spring and compete for a spot." Alcantara is the only Cy Young Award winner in Marlins franchise history and to say the team is desperate for his return would be a massive understatement. The 2024 Marlins leader in innings pitched is Trevor Rogers with 105 ⅓. He has since been traded to Baltimore. Overall, 19 different pitchers have made at least one start, setting a franchise single-season record. From 2019-2023 (not counting the shortened 2020 season), Alcantara averaged 204 innings pitched per season. He was the epitome of a workhorse, something of a rarity in today's sport. Should the stars align and Alcantara is in fact tabbed as Miami's Opening Day starter against the Pittsburgh Pirates, he will most likely oppose star right-hander Paul Skenes on March 27, 2025. View full article

For the first time in 2024, the Miami Marlins beat the Washington Nationals. MIAMI—After one of Valente Bellozo's best starts of the season, a modest no-hitter attempt, a blown save, and a walk-off, the Miami Marlins finally came away with a win against the Washington Nationals, defeating them 4-3 on Wednesday night. After Mike Baumann surrendered three earned runs in the top of the eighth, blowing Miami's late 2-0 lead, the Marlins were able to come back and win the game in the bottom of the tenth behind Xavier Edwards' walk-off. Marlins starter Valente Bellozo set the tone early on Wednesday. After a couple of rough starts in his last two outings, the right-hander spun together one of his best starts of the season, shutting down the Nationals for six innings, helping Miami earn their first victory against their division rivals. Over the past couple of seasons, whenever the Marlins saw the Nationals on the schedule, they salivated, viewing those games as great opportunities to take advantage and add some wins. From 2022-'23, the Marlins dominated the Nats, going 26-6 in their 32 contests. 2024 has been an entirely different story, though. Heading into Wednesday night's game, the Marlins were 0-8 on the season against Washington, having been out-scored 54-20. Miami was swept by them in four games at home in late-April and then swept in three in the Nation's capital in mid-June. After Tuesday night's loss, the Mexican right-hander did his part in helping put an end to that streak, twirling six innings of shutout ball. He scattered three hits and walked two, effectively and efficiently using all five of his pitches. The Marlins acquired Bellozo on April 6 in a trade with the Houston Astros that sent shortstop prospect Jacob Amaya the other way. Bellozo made his ML debut a couple months later. Aside from two clunkers his last two times out, Bellozo has been nothing short of amazing for a Marlins team that has been desperate for innings. He now has a 3.78 ERA over 47.2 IP in nine starts. "Bellozo was outstanding tonight. He's kind of a magician, honestly," said manager Skip Schumaker postgame. "There's just enough movement to miss the barrel. Tonight was as good of an outing as you can get." Bellozo's final line was: 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER 2 BB. Nationals starter MacKenzie Gore was even more dominant early on as he didn't allow a single base-runner until the bottom of the sixth inning. "I thought we were getting no-hit there for a minute with the way Gore was throwing the baseball, so to come out of that with a win is pretty awesome," said Skip. After a seven-pitch walk to Griffin Conine in the sixth, Nick Fortes drilled an RBI double for the first run of the game. The following inning, Otto Lopez added an RBI double of his own to extend the lead to two. To the surprise of no one, the Nationals didn't go down quietly. The aforementioned Baumann allowed three base-runners to open the eighth, all of which came around to score and give the Nats the lead. While trailing 3-2 in the bottom half of the frame, Jake Burger tied the game with an RBI single off All-Star reliever Kyle Finnegan. "Big at-bat by Burger. He's become the leader in that clubhouse because of all the trades," said Schumaker. "He's not going to tell you this, but he's put a little pressure on himself but he's come through, which shows you that he's ready for that role as a leader." After a scoreless ninth inning, John McMillon was able to strand the Nationals placed runner in the 10th. McMillon earned the first win of his Major League career on Wednesday. In the bottom half, Fortes advanced Miami's placed runner to third with a groundout and Xavier Edwards drove him home with an RBI single, securing Miami's 52nd win of the season. "I thought his timing was a little bit off since he's come back [from the IL], but the at-bats have gotten better. I think he's shown he's an everyday player," added Schumaker. Edwards' walk-off was the first of his Major League career. Wednesday marked the 18th extra-inning game for the Marlins this season, the most in MLB. Miami improved to 52-87 while the Nationals fell to 62-77. Miami will open a four-game series on Thursday against the Philadelphia Phillies. Right-hander Adam Oller will oppose lefty Ranger Suárez. View full article

Miami completed their worst defensive game in three years as they fell in Colorado, 8-2. Following their most exciting win of the 2024 season, the Marlins looked to keep the momentum going at Coors Field on Wednesday night behind Max Meyer. Unfortunately, rough defense behind the young-right-hander contributed to Miami's 85th loss of the season. Max Meyer Coming off his best start since being recalled by Miami on July 27, the former third overall pick was back on the mound on Wednesday, this time in the league's toughest pitching environment. After a crisp eight-pitch, 1-2-3 bottom of the first inning, Meyer had to labor the rest of the way, throwing 88 pitches through the rest of his 4+ innings pitched. "First four innings were really strong. Strike percentage up with a lot of strikes and strikeouts," said manager Skip Schumaker "But the fifth and sixth innings were, you know, a different story." Meyer, 25, walked a career-high four batters in Wednesday night's contest. Through the first four frames, Meyer was able to navigate through rough defense and shaky command, limiting the Rockies to two runs through those four innings. "It's not just Max, but we just had too many walks in general, and most of them scored," emphasized Skip. To lead off the fifth, Aaron Schunk tee'd off for his first big league home run, the 12th long ball allowed by Meyer this season in ten starts. "It was a missed location. I think it was like two balls inside and he's obviously hunting fastball. I tip my cap, but I'm not looking for handouts there, I missed the spot and need to execute that better," added Meyer. After completing five on 86 pitches, Miami sent him back out to pitch the sixth where he didn't record an out. After he allowed a single and a walk, Skip went to get his pitcher. "The walk to get him out of the game was kind of the last straw, but I think the leadoff walks in general are going to hurt, especially with nobody on base and no outs, they hurt you at this level," added Schumaker postgame. Meyer's final line: 5+ IP, 5 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 6 SO. In a high-altitude environment where breaking balls tend to flatten out, Meyer still generated 10 of his 18 whiffs on his signature slider against the Rockies. His first four strikeouts came on the slider, with the final two coming on his changeup and fastball. Additionally, Meyer was able to keep the ball on the ground as he only surrendered two fly balls - one being the Schunk home run. Now two years removed Tommy John surgery, Meyer threw a season-high 96 pitches on Wednesday night. "I thought I was able to locate my slider pretty well and was able to throw some really good changeups and fastballs, just have to finish," said Meyer following the game. Meyer's ERA on the season is now 5.44 on the season, far from where he wants it. "Hitters get paid, too," said the Minnesota native. "I think I'm better than a lot of them and I know once I get 100% confident and everything is flowing, I feel like I'm going to be very dominant." Defense For the first time since September 2, 2021, the Marlins committed four errors in a ballgame. Playing clean, sound baseball is critical in an environment like Coors, where runs will be aplenty. Unfortunately, Miami did everything but that in their 8-2 loss in Colorado. The messiness began in the bottom of the third inning. After Drew Romo flared a single to center, Christian Pache overran the baseball, which allowed Romo to reach second base. Error #1. Before another pitch was thrown, Meyer attempted to pick off Romo at second and instead, threw the ball into the outfield. "I wanted him to get a bigger lead, but yeah, threw it a little bit arm-side and made it a tough catch for him [Norby]. That's on me," said Meyer. Error #2. In the bottom of the sixth inning, with the game still within reach, Kent Emanuel came in to mitigate a messy situation left by Meyer. With runners on second and third and one out, Romo grounded a ball to Otto Lopez at short, who threw the ball to the backstop, which allowed both runners to score. That extended Colorado's lead to 8-2. Error #3. Finally, in the bottom of the seventh, a harmless two-out, bases-empty ground ball hit to Connor Norby was thrown away, allowing Brenton Doyle to reach safely. Error #4. "Really ugly game, defensively," said Schumaker. "When you give away outs at this level, especially in this ballpark, you're going to get hurt, and the Rockies made us pay for it," Recent call-ups continue to hit! On the bright side, Connor Norby continued his nine-game hit streak to begin his Marlins career, the third longest streak in franchise history (Pierre and Sheffield at 12). He slashed a double off the right field wall in the top of the fifth, his eighth extra-base with Miami. He's now slashing .333/.385/.667 as a Marlin. Griffin Conine registered his first big league RBI on Wednesday night, depositing a 109.4 mph single to center that scored Jonah Bride. The 27-year-old is now 3-for-8 to begin his big league career. Miami will look to salvage a series split on Thursday afternoon behind Valente Bellozo. He and the fish will take on Bradley Blalock. View full article

In this Flipped Fish interview, Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Josh Bell describes being traded at the deadline and shares the favorite memory from his Marlins tenure. View full video

Prior to making his Marlins debut on Monday, Connor Norby spoke to the media at loanDepot park about his development as a player, transitioning to a new organization and embracing third base. View full video

Recently-acquired infielder Connor Norby made his Marlins debut on Monday night as he went 1-for-4 with a run and an RBI in Miami's 9-6 loss at loanDepot park. MIAMI, FL—A very active trade deadline brought 15 young players to the Marlins. At the expense of their current big league roster, Miami felt like they added a strong layer of talent that they hope will be a stepping stone for sustainable success in the future. Infielder Connor Norby was one of the most significant pieces they acquired. Norby, 24, came to Miami in a trade with the Baltimore Orioles on July 30. He, along with Kyle Stowers, was sent to the Marlins in exchange for left-hander Trevor Rogers. Fish On First ranks Norby as the #2 prospect in Miami's system. After 14 games with Triple-A Jacksonville, where he split time at second and third base, Norby was recalled on Monday to make his Marlins debut against the Arizona Diamondbacks. In 94 AAA games with Baltimore and Miami, Norby slashed .293/.382/.493 with 17 home runs and 60 RBI. "I can add a little bit of everything," said the North Carolina native before Monday's 9-6 loss. "I think I can do many different things and I can impact the game both defensively and offensively. A year ago, I probably would have said only offensively." While spending most of his professional career at second base, Miami wants to give him reps at third base as well. "Anytime you make a position change, it's not easy. He has high character and incredible makeup, and when you have those two qualities, defense is a lot easier to get better at," said manager Skip Schumaker pregame. "There's no doubt in my mind that after talking with him and coaches that have been around Connor, he's going to do everything he can to be an above-average third baseman." The Orioles promoted Norby to the Majors for the first time on June 3, and he struggled. In nine games, he went 6-for-32 with two home runs and a 37.5 K%. He did hit two home runs, one ironically being against the Marlins at loanDepot park. However, In 387 career minor league games, Norby has a slash line of .285/.367/.494. Norby singled in his first Marlins AB on Monday. In the bottom of the sixth, he drove in a run and later scored on a Stowers base hit. "The bat is going to play up here, I really believe that," added Schumaker. "I think the edge in that clubhouse is really going to play. There will be some learning moments, for sure, at third base, but I don't think that's going to be an issue at all for him." After a decent all-around debut, Schumaker said, "his baseball IQ is really high. You can just see how he goes about his business on the field. He's just a good all-around baseball player. I'm really excited to watch him the next six weeks and watch him grow here." In his first game with the Marlins, he did have a familiar face hitting behind him in the lineup in Stowers. "I couldn't get away from (Stowers) too long," said Norby jokingly. "He's the best and is a super-talented player. I know he's scuffling a little bit, so when I saw him this morning, I told him, 'You're going to start raking now that I'm here.'" After going 5-for-52 in his first 16 games with Miami, Stowers indeed started to rake. He collected his first multi-hit game with the Marlins, going 3-for-4 with two runs and an RBI on Monday. "His BP has been better, the early work is better. Mabry and the guys are getting through to him and he's digesting it, it just takes a little time," said Skip. Adam Oller made the start for Miami in what was his team debut as well against Brandon Pfaadt. After a couple of scoreless innings, Oller ran into trouble. A couple of hit-batsmen and a base hit loaded the bases for Miami native Adrian Del Castillo, who lifted a grand slam to straight-away center field. Del Castillo would add two more RBI in the seventh to put the game away. Miami was able to put together good at-bats against Pfaadt as they recorded nine hits against the right-hander. "I thought we did a pretty good job, honestly. Up and down the lineup, even the guys that didn't get hits, hit the ball really well. They have a good pitching staff, so overall, I thought it was a really good offensive day." Following their series-opening loss, Miami will turn to Edward Cabrera on Tuesday night. He will oppose Eduardo Rodriguez. View full article

Fish Unfiltered—Episode #61 Special guest: Craig Mish (SportsGrid and Miami Herald) For the second year in a row, Marlins insider Craig Mish is gracious enough to join Fish On First's Kevin Barral, Isaac Azout and Ely Sussman for a thorough review of the team's trade deadline activity. Read more of Craig's reporting on the deadline in the Miami Herald. Topics covered during our conversation: Most surprising Marlins move Jazz Chisholm Jr. Trevor Rogers and Connor Norby Tanner Scott going for "quantity over quality" Sandy Alcantara's rehab from Tommy John surgery September call-up candidates The Marlins' obsession with Jun-Seok Shim The time Xavier Edwards was almost traded Peter Bendix's leadership Questionable Bryan De La Cruz decision Find Fish Unfiltered 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, Swimming Upstream, Big Fish Small Pod and more. The Fish On First podcast is 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. One more time, here's a visual of the Marlins' numerous additions and subtractions during the week leading up to Tuesday's deadline: Follow Craig (@CraigMish), Isaac (@IsaacAzout), Kevin ( @kevin_barral ), 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