Nate Karzmer

DUNEDIN—Back in November, the Miami Marlins began the annual revamp of their social media and marketing approach. While it might have been easy to miss the new fonts, designs, etc., to those who don't pay attention to those sorts of things—unlike some nerds out there— they have fully leaned into one particular phrase for the 2026 season: "Fightin' Fish." The term was popularized decades ago shortly after the team's inception, but it got real legs again a season ago when Kyle Stowers said it to a stadium full of Marlins faithful following his Opening Day walk-off. "Fightin' Fish" picked up more steam as the season rolled on. MLB's youngest roster was projected to finish near the 100-loss mark scratched, only to claw to a 79-83 record on the backs of absurd comeback wins and all-around team performances to take down giants across the league. As observed during Thursday afternoon's 8-7 win in Dunedin against the reigning AL champion Toronto Blue Jays, the mantra indeed carried over from 2025, and it doesn't stop at the big league level. Miami's starting nine combined for only six hits and two runs. The improbable, late-inning rally was fueled by spring training non-roster invitees and even minor league camp players. "The group that came in for the back half of that game for them to come out and play the way, it just shows a lot about not just what we saw a lot at the major league level last year, but also how guys go about it, I think just organizationally," said Marlins skipper Clayton McCullough postgame. "We have a lot of players that just love to compete and play the game the right way." In the top of the eighth inning, a couple of walks, a hit by pitch and a single set the table for Jesús Sánchez trade acquisition Chase Jaworsky, and the 21-year-old delivered with a bases-clearing triple. An inning later, a Bennett Hostetler single and Chris Arroyo RBI groundout put the Marlins on top, and for good, to clinch their third win of the spring. "Fightin' Fish," added McCullough with a smile. "Our guys are proud of the fact that what we get known for is that you just hang in there and you play, you play every game out all the way 'til the end, no matter what. That's your job. But, also it becomes you find yourself in some situations like today, where you do enough to find a way win games that didn't look so so great there towards the end." Brax is Back It would be common practice to assume that once you've done anything 65 times, you would be quite comfortable doing said action. Alas, when said task is stepping on a major league mound and going opposite the best players in the world for the first time in nearly two years, it's not that easy. "I was definitely a little nervous," said southpaw Braxton Garrett minutes after his first big league outing since June of 2024 and spring training appearance since 2023. "Adrenaline was going. I say nervous, but I'm really excited. It's been a long time pitching on the big league mounds, where I've dreamed of my whole life. It's been a long time, so I definitely felt some nerves getting back out there for the first time." The first-round pick from a decade ago enjoyed a sound 2023 campaign, making 31 starts while boasting a 3.66 ERA. Then the injury bug bit him repeatedly, just as he began to find his footing. Garrett didn't make a start in the spring of 2024 due to a shoulder impingement before being sidelined a few months later with what ended up turning into his second Tommy John surgery in December 2024. Although Garrett allowed two runs to pass due to shaky defense and back-to-back walks to kick off his start, there was much more gratitude than frustration once removed. The southpaw ended up going just one inning, allowing two hits and notching one strikeout looking. "It felt awesome. It was really cool," Garrett added. "Getting in front of the fans again, facing big league hitters. It's a lot of fun, a lot of adrenaline—stuff I haven't been used to in the last year. I was trying to get aggressive in the zone. I wasn't very successful with that early. I'm not happy about that, but trying to keep good perspective. It's been a long time since I've been out there. We got some stuff to work on, but we have a lot of time to do it." Notes and Quotes - Fish On First's #1 and #13 prospects in Thomas White and Karson Milbrandt, respectively, made their spring debuts following Garrett's departure. Like Garrett, White allowed two runs to score in contrast to Milbrandt's two-strikeout, one-hit frame. A visibly frustrated White told the media his "mechanics felt off" with his four-seam, but something that will be focused on and corrected. - Continuing a trend from a year ago, Liam Hicks produced with two outs and runners in scoring position in the third, plating Miami's first run of the afternoon. "He had a great offseason," said McCullough. "Right now, Liam just looks physically different, and we're seeing the great early signs with he is getting some balls, and the authority which he's hitting them to the pull side is a great sign that's going to give us a chance to see Liam tap into some more power and some more slug to go along with already what is a really good ability to discern the strike zone and put the ball in play. And I think now he's just gaining more confidence." - Stowers recorded his first Grapefruit League hit of 2026, a single up the middle against two-time All-Star Kevin Gausman in the first. - Joe Mack picked up his third hit of the spring with a knock to right. The backstop is up to .429 with a grand slam in three games. - Thursday's matchup between Miami and Toronto was the first time the two have met in spring since 2009, and the first since at least 2003 that the Fish have traveled to TD Ballpark. Up Next The Fish wrap up their once-a-year west coast trip down the road in Clearwater on Friday afternoon against the division rival Philadelphia Phillies. Robby Snelling is lined up to make his second start of the spring, coming off a 1-2-3 inning in game one against the New York Mets. First pitch from BayCare Ballpark is slated for 1:05. View full article

An important step in his comeback from Tommy John surgery, Marlins left-hander Braxton Garrett speaks with the media after starting Thursday's spring training game against the Toronto Blue Jays. View full video

The Miami Marlins swung a trade with the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday for right-handed starting pitcher Bradley Blalock, as first reported by Jeff Passan of ESPN. The Rockies received minor league arm Jake Brooks in exchange, according to Francys Romero. In a corresponding roster move, the Marlins designated Osvaldo Bido for assignment. Blalock, 25, posted a 9.36 ERA in Denver a season ago throughout 14 appearances, 12 of which were starts. In a similar workload with Triple-A Albuquerque, his strikeout rate was nearly doubled, but his results were also dreadful (8.60 ERA). The 32nd-round pick in the 2019 MLB Draft made his debut in Milwaukee in 2024 before being shipped to the Mile High City in late July of that year. In terms of a reclamation project, the Loganville, GA, native has appeal. Blalock boasts a five-pitch arsenal—four-seam, slider, splitter, curveball, cutter—and one of the highest arm angles in all of MLB at 62 degrees. With Edward Cabrera and Ryan Weathers off to the North Side of Chicago and the Bronx, respectively, Blalock will be an interesting follow in spring training. Daniel Moskos and Co. are tasked with tapping into what they did a year ago with low-profile pitching acquisitions like Tyler Phillips, Janson Junk, etc. Blalock has one minor league option remaining. Departing the organization is Brooks, who despite being around six months younger than Blalock, just arrived at the Double-A level in 2025. Selected in the 11th round of the 2023 draft, the former UCLA Bruin was stellar to begin his pro career in Low-A Jupiter, assuming the role as the team's ace while boasting for a 2.28 ERA on the season. A bump in competition to High-A Beloit and AA Pensacola was unfriendly to Brooks, as evidenced by a ERA spike and opponents batting .274 between both levels, though he continues to show great command of his sinker/slider/changeup mix. Bido had just been claimed by Miami on Friday. View full article

Sandy Alcantara's seventh consecutive start completing six or more innings pushed the Marlins to a sweep-clinching victory against the Rockies on Thursday from Coors Field. A few months or even weeks ago, that sentence would've come across to some as unbelievable. Now, with the Marlins playing some of their best ball all season, it's just another day as they try to complete a miraculous ride to the postseason. Alcantara and the Fish avenged the embarrassing sweep they suffered three months ago in Miami at the hands of these same Rockies, capped off by a 9-7 victory that was much more one-sided than the score suggests. Alcantara, who has done a complete 180 since the middle of August, was indeed the tone-setter. After stumbling in the second, Miami's ace was spectacular for the remaining 4 ⅔ innings he pitched. In his 30th start of the season, the 30-year-old punched out eight, relying mostly on his changeup and four-seam. His ERA continues to fall, now sitting at 5.48 on the season—that is more than a full run lower than it had been seven starts ago. h6t6h9.mp4 Alcantara is projected to pitch only once more in 2025 (likely during next week's series in Philadelphia). Liam Hicks was the ringleader at the plate for Clayton McCullough's bunch, collecting four RBI and his sixth long ball of the season. Otto Lopez went back-to-back with Hicks in the third and Heriberto Hernández added what ended up being a key two runs on his ninth blast of the year. Valente Bellozo's struggles in the ninth inning (0.2 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, 0 BB, 0 K) brought the potential tying run to the plate, but Calvin Faucher induced a grounder back to the mound for the final out and earned his 14th save in the process. Now sitting at 73-80 with still a minuscule chance to sneak into the postseason, the Fish embark east to Texas where a weekend matchup with the Rangers awaits. Friday's series opener is set for 8:05 ET. View full article

MIAMI—Two short years ago, the pitching matchup in Saturday afternoon's middle game between the Marlins and division-rival Phillies would have struck many as unimaginable. Sandy Alcantara and Jesús Luzardo were the respective ace and number two atop a stellar Miami rotation during their 2023 playoff campaign. Alas, following a calamitous 2024 season, the club decided to ship Luzardo north. Saturday was a solid showing from both flamethrowers, who twirled six frames apiece, although Luzardo and the Phillies prevailed, 4-2. "He did great today," Alcantara said of his teammate of three seasons. "He won the battle, so I don't feel good about it, but I feel good for him, because I have had him for a couple of years. I know the way he competes. Tremendous job by Luzardo today." Plagued by soft contact all afternoon, Alcantara persevered to his fourth consecutive outing reaching the sixth. Outside of a first-inning long ball off the bat of Phillie superstar Bryce Harper, Alcantara only ran into trouble in the fourth, where three of the base hits he forfeited were all struck below 85 mph. When asked by manager Clayton McCullough how he felt with 94 pitches following the fifth, Miami's ace gave as on-brand of a response as you'd expect. "Always, always I feel good. It doesn't matter how many pitches I got. He gave me the opportunity to go back out there in the sixth and I was executing my best stuff out there." "For him to still be able to get through six innings and have the baseball game where it was when he went out, we needed that start today to get that type of length," said his manager. "So for me, it's another really good outing from from Sandy." Alcantara utilized his five-pitch arsenal fairly evenly, throwing each offering at least fifteen times, while leaning on his changeup and curveball the most. He registered ten whiffs, with his four-seam responsible for four. During this outing, Alcantara surpassed 900 strikeouts in his Marlins career, which only Ricky Nolasco had previously done. Sunday will be his 30th birthday. In contrast to the man he once played second fiddle to, Luzardo relied heavily on his revamped sweeper all day—and for good reason. The southpaw tossed the spinner a remarkable 48% of the time, collecting ten of his fourteen whiffs with the pitch in addition to six of his eight punchouts. Miami was only able to get to the hometown kid in the aforementioned fourth, courtesy of an Eric Wagaman double and Javier Sanoja infield single. When Luzardo previously pitched against the Fish this season, the opposing starters were Connor Gillispie and Cal Quantrill, neither of whom overlapped with him in South Florida. Postgame, Luzardo had high praise for his former teammate. "Sandy is a great leader and a great pitcher over there, so it was great," he said when asked what going opposite Alcantara was like. "I like going to battle. So, just my hat's off to him. It was fun." McCullough's group aims to avoid a sweep on Sunday afternoon at 1:40. Miami has yet to announce a starting pitcher for what will be a bullpen game. View full article

The 2025 Marlins have more wins than the infamous 2024 squad and they got there with 28 games to spare. They cooled the streaking Mets Thursday night in a gritty 7-4 victory. Miami forfeited leads of 1-0 and 4-2 early, but a three-run seventh and rock-solid relief appearances from Cade Gibson, Ronny Henriquez and Calvin Faucher put the nail in New York's coffin. All night, Miami's offense did just enough to get on base and sustain rallies. The Fish eked out three infield hits while New York assisted their division-rival's efforts with three errors. Each Met blunder directly led to runs to the dismay of the home crowd. In the third, a softly hit Troy Johnston ground ball was dropped on the transfer from Pete Alonso to pitcher Clay Holmes. Liam Hicks was able to cross as Holmes scrambled to recover. Four frames later, lightning struck twice. Moments after Alonso took his eye off a potential double play ball, Brandon Nimmo scuffled to field a missile off the bat of Agustín Ramírez, opening the door for Jakob Marsee to cross, putting Miami back in front. It was the sure-handed Nimmo's first error of the season. 48c53c31-b19ffba6-6f0a4b08-csvm-diamondgcp-asset_1280x720_59_4000K.mp4 Unqualified for a decision due to getting an early hook after only four frames, Adam Mazur impressed in his second look as a Marlin. The 24-year-old surrendered an immediate two runs in his first inning of work, but settled in nicely, delivering a scoreless final three. Mazur flashed an improved four-seam, as the pitch averaged 95.7 mph on the gun compared to 94.8 his first go-around in mid-June. Mazur's heater was responsible for two of his eight whiffs, with four coming on his wipeout slider. Winning any of the three remaining games of the series would secure at least a split for the Marlins. That'd be significant for a slumping club that has dropped seven consecutive series dating back to August 4. Friday night's second game features two arms destined to haunt opposing NL East teams' nightmares for a decade in Eury Pérez and Jonah Tong—the latter making his MLB debut. First pitch is slated for 7:10. View full article

As first reported by The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal, veteran right-hander Cal Quantrill was placed on outright waivers by the Marlins on Tuesday afternoon. Over the course of the next 48 hours, the other 29 MLB teams will have the chance to claim him. Quantrill is owed slightly over $700k from what was originally a one-year, $3.5 million contract. Signed early in spring training on February 12, Quantrill was brought in under similar circumstances as Tim Anderson a season ago. Miami was buying low on the 30-year-old and banking on a solid first half in hopes of shipping him off for prospects at the trade deadline. The first month of the Canadian's Marlins tenure was rough—he owned an ERA of 8.10 by the end of April. However, he turned things around with a stretch of allowing three earned runs or less in his next fifteen starts from May through the trade deadline, highlighted by throwing the first immaculate inning of 2025 and only the second in franchise history. He was durable and relatively consistent, which looked like it would be enough to salvage something in a trade. Apparently not. President of baseball operations Peter Bendix held onto Quantrill. Contenders were offering next to nothing for his services, per Craig Mish of FanDuel Sports Network Florida. Perhaps his jarring struggles when opposing lineups faced him for the third time persuaded buyers to shop elsewhere. Quantrill has completed six innings only once in 24 opportunities. Quantrill's three post-deadline starts have gone poorly, inflating his ERA to 5.50 in 109 ⅔ total innings pitched. Although the Marlins are allowed to keep him on their roster if he clears waivers, the expectation is that they will use the final six weeks of the season to evaluate younger alternatives. Because Quantrill has more than five years of MLB service, the remainder of his salary is fully guaranteed. If the Marlins outright him to the minor leagues, he'll reject the assignment, elect free agency and seek employment elsewhere. Beginning this weekend, there will be a void in the rotation. The obvious choices to fill it on the Marlins 40-man roster are Adam Mazur and the newly acquired Ryan Gusto. They have made one start apiece for the big league club this season. The more intriguing—although unlikely—option would be Robby Snelling. Since he joined Triple-A Jacksonville, Snelling has been incredible, boasting a 1.33 ERA in 33 ⅔ innings of work. The 21-year-old has put together two dominant eleven-strikeout performances, leaning on a tremendous mid-90's fastball with ride. With the Marlins' 2025 playoff hopes evaporating during their recent 4-11 stretch and Snelling potentially being a headliner in their rotation for years to come, the front office will be tempted to delay his debut until early 2026 to gain an additional season of club control over him. View full article

JACKSONVILLE—In his own words, Joey Wiemer is "unorthodox." Anybody who's seen as much as one swing from the tall, bulky outfielder would concur. Preluded by a funky routine in the on-deck circle, Wiemer utilizes an open, Tony Batista-esque stance. The also-awkward Hunter Pence is another influence on him, the 26-year-old tells Fish On First. Wiemer made his Miami Marlins debut during Sunday's victory over the Boston Red Sox, called up in a corresponding roster move when All-Star outfielder Kyle Stowers was placed on the injured list. N1ozMWJfQjFOTUJnVkFFbGRmRlJGYkFraENXRk1SX0FWQlZVMXhTVVFBQURWUURCQUFBQUZVSEFBTldVUVVBQmdjR0FWVUJVbFZkQUFCVA==.mp4 A University of Cincinnati product, Wiemer was selected in the fourth round of the shortened 2020 MLB Draft by the Brewers. Back-to-back twenty-homer seasons between all levels of the minors propelled him from the #26 prospect in Milwaukee's system (per Baseball America) all the way up to #3 come Opening Day 2023. Wiemer had previous stints in the big leagues with the Brewers (2023-24) and his hometown Reds ('24), combining for a .201/.279/.349 slash line with 13 home runs and a 125/38 K/BB ratio. Before being claimed off waivers by Miami on August 2, Wiemer endured a brutal first half with the Triple-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals, OPS'ing .603 in 182 at-bats. That made his stellar ten-game stint in Jacksonville all the more intriguing. Wiemer mashed to the tune of a 1.185 OPS with a significantly improved 8/7 K/BB split. He also became the first Jumbo Shrimp to take home International League Player of the Week honors following his first series in the navy blue and red on the back. "There's been plenty of adjustments throughout the season. The last couple of weeks, I've felt really good." Wiemer said of his corrections since being in Jacksonville. "It's just a lot of correct swing decisions, doing damage with the ball, just playing the game the right way." In an admittedly tiny sample, Wiemer was extremely disciplined, chasing only 13.8% of pitches outside of the strike zone. Also, his ground ball rate with Jacksonville (36.0 GB%) was lower than it had been with any previous MiLB affiliate. "Whatever it takes to be successful, I'm here to put in the work every day, and things will play out," he added. In addition to resembling Stowers in appearance, the two beach blonde-haired outfielders were evaluated similarly as prospects. MLB Pipeline gave 45-hit and 60-power grades to both players. Wiemer was actually the more highly rated prospect overall because of his potential in the outfield and on the bases. A 55-grade fielder with a phenomenal 70-grade cannon of a right arm make the ex-Bearcat an interesting watch in a Marlins outfield that’s flashed fantastic defense all season. In 2023, Wiemer used his 60-grade speed to swipe 11 bags in the bigs. The coaching of first-year Marlins Pedro Guerrero and Derek Shomon has significantly helped other players with high swing-and-miss—Stowers, Griffin Conine, etc.—so there is precedent to believe that Wiemer can build off his success as a Jumbo Shrimp. Just maybe, he will be the latest waiver wire pickup under Peter Bendix to emerge as a major league contributor. View full article

By way of only meeting once a year, the Marlins and their fans alike don't get to see much of Guardians superstar third baseman and seven-time All-Star José Ramírez. After Tuesday night's series-opening game at Progressive Field, perhaps that's a good thing. For the first time since early June, Miami has dropped four in a row following a two-home run performance from Ramírez, the latter coming with two outs in the bottom of the eighth of a tied game off a Calvin Faucher cutter. The top of the lineup went down in order in the ninth, capping off their second subpar offensive effort in as many games in a 4-3 defeat. Merely a week after completing their treacherous climb back to the illustrious .500 mark, the Marlins have fallen back to five games under. The 32-year-old Ramírez not only concluded the fun at Progressive Field—he commenced it with 381-foot blast in the opening frame off Janson Junk. The subsequent Kyle Manzardo moonshot put Miami in an early hole. After forfeiting an additional run in the second, Junk settled in for three scoreless innings courtesy of his patented spectacular command and ability to induce weak contact. Although the right-hander hasn't been as effective since returning from the All-Star break, an overall mark of a 4.06 ERA in fifteen games between starting and relieving is certainly serviceable from a player who broke camp on a flight to Jacksonville. Junk's final line: 5.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO, 2 HR, 86 NP. Sticking to their status quo, Miami's offense was able to catch up and knot the score at three following a fifth inning pronounced by two-out hitting. Big swings from the slumping Dane Myers and surging Heriberto Hernández were just what the doctor ordered for an offense that entered the contest having only mustered one run in their previous eleven innings. The rest of the way, though, issues from the previous disastrous series in Atlanta persisted. Inability to cash in with runners on base plagued Clayton McCullough's group the rest of the way, with Agustín Ramírez being the lone Fish to record a hit. His attempt to drive in the potential go-ahead run in the form of Eric Wagaman was thwarted by Gold Glover Steven Kwan, who gunned down Wagaman at the plate. Looking to avoid their third consecutive series defeat, Miami turns to Eury "Baby Goat" Pérez on Wednesday night (first pitch at 6:45). Dating back to July, the 22-year-old has lived up to the nickname and sky-high expectations, boasting a 2.06 ERA across 39 ⅓ innings. View full article

Six short days ago, 32,299 fans at loanDepot park bore witness to the finest win of the Marlins' fascinating 2025 campaign. The 13-12 barnburner featured twists, turns and a plethora of faults from the Yankees, amounting to an exhilarating comeback victory. Thursday's first of five games in Atlanta featured the same tropes as seen in last week's instant classic. This time, though, Miami was on the other side of things. The Fish jumped out to an early lead, only to crumble in the later innings at a ballpark and against an opponent they know all too well. Atlanta, which owned MLB's worst record since June 22, bested the hot Marlins, 8-6, in a disheartening defeat. Miami falls to 56-58 on the season. Jakob Marsee, Eric Wagaman and a long ball from Georgia's own Graham Pauley combined to drive in five Marlins runs in the second inning. Eury Pérez entered the bottom of the sixth with a four-run lead and only 63 pitches used. At that moment, Miami had an estimated 91% chance to win, per Baseball Savant. A seemingly harmless missed call would kickstart an unforeseen breakdown. On a 1-2 count to leadoff man Jurickson Profar, Pérez painted a backdoor slider up and away, clipping every part of the zone. Home plate umpire Chris Guccione, however, didn't see enough to send Profar packing. d2VXNlZfVjBZQUhRPT1fQmxWUkJsSURWd0lBQUZRRVhnQUhVd0ZYQUZnQ1YxQUFWRjBIQ0FVQUIxWlNVUVZR (1).mp4 Profar ended up drawing a walk and Matt Olson followed with a single. Agustín Ramírez's direct competition for NL Rookie of the Year, Drake Baldwin, cashed in for Atlanta with his second long ball of the night one batter later, drawing the home team within one. Perez's final line: 5.1 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 1 SO, 3 HR. In the following frame, Marlins manager Clayton McCullough trotted out Josh Simpson—who entered Thursday's game having allowed six earned runs in his past 3 ⅓ innings pitched—against the top of the Braves' order. Atlanta made McCullough pay. Unforced errors—a hit by pitch and walk—set the scene for Baldwin, yet again. In a surprise to nobody, the 24-year-old delivered. Baldwin's opposite field single knotted things at six, and an error from Otto Lopez off the bat of former Marlin Marcell Ozuna put the home team in the lead for good. Miami's offense sputtered in its final six outs, brutally departing Truist Park. For an inexperienced team like Miami, it's important for one game not to snowball into the remaining four games in three days in Braves Country. Luckily for McCullough's group, Edward Cabrera is slated to toe the slab in game two on Friday at 7:15. View full article

MIAMI—In the first two contests between the Marlins and AL West-leading Astros, Miami's bats floundered, combining for twelve hits between Monday's and Tuesday's losing efforts. On Wednesday alone, the Fish collected 14, rebounding for a 6-4 victory. "We were showing the resiliency this group has shown on a number of occasions," Marlins manager Clayton McCullough told the media postgame. "Really good sign again for our guys to come back and win this game, finish off the homestand with a winning record." After falling into an early 2-0 deficit, Miami wasted no time in the bottom of the first, singling six times and scoring three off Astros starter Spencer Arrighetti, who returned to the mound for the first time since early April after fracturing his right thumb on a stray ball in batting practice. Insurance came in the second, third and fifth, all courtesy of rookies, with Heriberto Hernández and Graham Pauley blasting solo shots in the two latter frames. Five of the first-year Fish in the lineup combined for half of Miami's hits in the finale: Agustín Ramírez, Liam Hicks, Jakob Marsee, Hernández and Pauley. Hernández, who has done nothing but put together competitive plate appearances and show up in big moments since being promoted back in late May, is now slashing .308/.369/.513 in 117 at-bats. For McCullough, though, it's the attitude that the big outfielder possesses that continues to leave a mark on him. "All Bert's done is hit," said McCullough. "He's hit versus right. He's hit versus left. He's hit for power. He's come up with hits with runners in scoring position. Him and (hitting coach) Pedro (Guerrero) even in the last couple of days put in some really good work, and Bert's been doing great. I think you see him elevate the ball to the pull side like he did—the kind of spin that he got on it for a home run is a good sign. I think there's more in there with him. There's a chance to even tap into more power." Pauley joined in on the fun with his first blast at loanDepot park after collecting his inaugural as a Marlin last week in St. Louis. The 24-year-old spoke highly of the relationships him and his fellow rookies have, saying "we got a lot of really good characters. I think the bond that we have, it goes beyond just the field. We've spent a lot of time together here, which helps a lot. And we're all kind of in the same spot. A lot of young guys trying to make a name for themselves. We're always playing for each other." Outside of the least-experienced Marlins, third-year player Xavier Edwards showcased his game on full display at the top of Miami's order. Edwards collected four hits, stole a base and corralled a game-saving catch with two outs and the bases loaded in the top of the eighth, moments after Calvin Faucher's heroics. "We've seen a real aggressiveness a lot from X," noted McCullough. "Seen him get the head out on a number of occasions and pull the ball for some extra-base hits. And that's what X does—he's just a really good hitter, and count on him putting together a really good at-bats when he goes up there. He takes some shots early in counts, too. And once he gets into an at-bat, he really makes the pitcher work, so I think we just see the version of X that we expect—a guy who just sets the table at the top, moves the ball around." Since returning from the IL and moving to second base in May, Edwards has a .313/.371/.415 slash line. In addition, he has played exceptional defense at his new position, boasting six defensive runs saved. Back to one game under .500 at 56-57, Miami embarks on its second trip of the season to what has been a house of nightmares in seasons past, Truist Park in Atlanta. Due to a rainout in their first meeting back in April, these division rivals are set to play five games in four days (Saturday will feature a doubleheader). "It's going to be a tough stretch physically and mentally for both sides," said McCullough. "It's a lot of baseball coming on the back end of this, six games in a row going into that, but all we can do is come out ready tomorrow. We'll have Eury (Pérez) on the mound and try to play well in game one." View full article

The Miami Marlins have considered trading Edward Cabrera in the past. As it turns out, they're fortunate that nothing materialized from those conversations, because Cabrera is in the midst of a career year in 2025. The 27-year-old right-hander has learned to channel his immense talent into consistent results and he's a huge reason why the rebuilding Marlins are only five games back of a National League playoff spot in late July. There is no urgency for the Fish to move on from Cabrera at this year's deadline—they would need to be overwhelmed by an offer. However, the Boston Red Sox are well-equipped to meet their asking price. After the 2005 season, these teams consummated a seven-player swap. Veterans Josh Beckett and Mike Lowell went to Boston, where they won a World Series title together in 2007; Florida received a prospect package that featured Hanley Ramírez and Aníbal Sánchez, both of whom were instantly impactful as rookies and remained in South Florida until 2012. Two decades later, are the ingredients there to cook up another win-win deal? How Cabrera fits in Boston The Sox highlighted their 2024-25 offseason by bolstering their starting rotation, acquiring Garrett Crochet and Walker Buehler through trade and free agency, respectively. While the former has been exceptional, boasting a 2.19 ERA through 21 outings and generating Cy Young buzz, the latter has been a liability. Buehler would rank dead last among American League starters in both ERA (5.72) and FIP (5.67) if he had enough innings pitched to qualify. Add Lucas Giolito's inconsistencies and various injury setbacks, Boston is desperate for another high-end starter. Beyond trying hard to cling to a 2025 AL Wild Card spot, the Red Sox are also playing the long game with a young core of star-caliber position players. They'll be prioritizing trade candidates that they can build around over pending free agents. Under team control through 2028, Cabrera, fellow Dominican Brayan Bello and Crochet could spearhead a rotation marked by heat, heat and more heat for the foreseeable future. If Cabrera were to continue the run of success he's currently enjoying, there aren't many organizations with a checkbook like Boston's to keep him around on a lucrative extension. "The Password" is key With a nickname derived from the complexity of his first name, Jhostynxon García would fit right in with the Marlins' deadline acquisitions of a year ago. García has been tearing the cover off baseballs since being promoted to Triple-A in late May, posting a .295/.370/.530 slash line and 134 wRC+ with 11 long balls and a 21/56 BB/K ratio. He has a knack for pulling the ball and hits the ball with great backspin, allowing him to out-slug his exit velocities. An impressive all-around player, the 22-year-old possesses a 60-grade cannon of an arm to couple with 55-grade field and 50-grade run tools. He has shown the ability to play a good center field. That has propelled him to the Futures Game and consensus Top 100 MLB prospect status. Baseball America ranks him seventh among current Red Sox prospects. The biggest concern evaluators have about García is his ability to make consistent contact and tame an aggressive approach at the plate. Under normal circumstances, García's call-up to the highest level would seem plausible in the coming weeks. But similar to the predicaments that Connor Norby and Kyle Stowers previously faced in Baltimore, he is essentially blocked. Roman Anthony, Jarren Duran and Wilyer Abreu are already roaming the outfield in Fenway Park, with Ceddanne Rafaela capably moving between center and second base as needed. Though Duran's name has frequently come up in trade rumors this year, recent reporting suggests Boston plans to keep him. It would be much easier for García to fit in Miami's plans, especially if Jesús Sánchez vacates right field in a separate trade. Complementary pieces The Marlins have the leverage to ask for additional players from the Red Sox beyond the headliner García. Connelly Early, 22, is a high-floor southpaw with a five-pitch mix that features a plus changeup (#11 Red Sox prospect, per BA). Selected in the fifth round back in 2023, Connelly has added strength and fastball velocity since being in the Sox's system, now consistently sitting 93-94 mph, topping 96. The ex-Virginia Cavalier flexes an additional sweeper—ideal for the Marlins organization—slider and curveball. Early's calling card is his command, with ability to work north-to-south and east-to-west, warranting a 55-grade on his control, per Baseball America. Thus far in 2025, Connelly has dominated in Double-A Portland with a 2.51 ERA through 71 ⅔ innings, punching out 96 while forfeiting just three home runs. It's not often the throw-in piece of a deal of this magnitude is the most well-known amongst the average baseball fan, but Blaze Jordan (#24 Red Sox prospect) would be an exception. Since the age of 11, Jordan has been generating hype online for swatting unfathomable blasts in youth home run derbies across America. In January 2016 at 13 years old, the Mississippi native launched a 461-foot tank to win the competition at, you guessed it, loanDepot park. Almost a decade later, Jordan's adjustments have the 22-year-old surging. Hindered by a high chase rate for much of his minor league career, Jordan put in plenty of work in after an injury-riddled 2024 to correct his approach. It's paid off in 2025. Between Double-A and Triple-A, Jordan has already walked 31 times compared to 18 a season ago, raised his OBP from .305 to .373 whilst maintaining serious power, depositing 11 balls into the seats. Defensively, there's still plenty to be desired as evidenced by a 40-field and 30-run. Still working at third and first base, Jordan's range is limited, leading to most scouts believing a permanent home at DH is the most likely scenario moving forward. David Sandlin (#12 Red Sox prospect) is an 11th-rounder selected by the Kansas City Royals in the 2022 draft and traded to Boston in February 2024 for bullpen arm John Schreiber. Sandlin has a four-pitch-mix of a high-octane fastball, slider, cutter and splitter. In 78 innings this season, he has posted a 3.68 ERA with a 3.35 FIP. Sandlin has been able limit home runs unlike prior seasons, which has come at the cost of strikeouts, but made him a more effective pitcher. Sandlin has a degree of reliever risk, but the Marlins may be able to develop him into a strong No. 4 in a rotation or decent No. 3. A 2024 fourth-round pick, Zach Ehrhard (Red Sox #29 prospect) has already found his way to Double-A. The former Oklahoma State Cowboy shared the outfield with New York Mets first-rounder Carson Benge. Ehrhard has had a productive season between High-A and Double-A, slashing .274/.373/.443 with a 138 wRC+ and .379 wOBA. Making great contact and pulling the ball in the air, his hitting data shows a lot of promise. He is good on the basepaths with 23 stolen bases in 2025, fitting what the Marlins have been doing all year long throughout the organization. thqrji.mp4 Ehrhard is a potential everyday outfielder, or a fourth outfielder who can play the corners well and sub in at center field with his athleticism. Nate's mock trade: Edward Cabrera to the Red Sox for OF Jhostynxon García, LHP Connelly Early and 1B/3B Blake Jordan Sean's mock trade: Edward Cabrera to the Red Sox for OF Jhostynxon García, RHP David Sandlin and OF Zach Ehrhard View full article

MIAMI—Edward Cabrera's five-year career in South Florida has been a captivating rollercoaster. He has had nagging injuries coupled with inconsistent command, leading to skepticism that the former top prospect might never reach his incredible potential. The Marlins have been patient with him because of the seductive highs—putting his incredible arsenal to use, dominating opposing lineups as prophesied. In 2025, the ride has reached an unforeseen peak. In what could've been his last time donning the home white jerseys at loanDepot park on Tuesday night, Cabrera was once again terrific against a veteran-led, star-studded Padres team. The 27-year-old, coming off an injury scare in Baltimore before the All-Star break, missed out on a quality start by the skin of his teeth, dealing five and two-thirds innings of one-run ball, striking out six. He walked zero for the third consecutive start. Aided by big swings off the bats of Kyle Stowers, Heriberto Hernandez and Javier Sanoja, Miami evened their series against the visiting Friars with a 4-3 victory. "He looked strong," raved manager Clayton McCullough postgame. "He had swing-and-miss with multiple offerings, really crisp on his breaking pitches, threw some really good changeups as well. Looking at that entire outing, him and Gus (Ramírez) did a really nice job of using his his full mix, and again, another outing of no walks and getting into the sixth inning. That's another good start from Cabby. I think now we've just come in to expect him to pitch in that type of that manner and to go deep into a game and give us a real shot to win." As alluded to by his skipper, Cabrera thrived courtesy of a well-orchestrated game plan between him and his catcher. After jumping on teammate Eury Perez's fastball in game one, Cabrera attacked San Diego's lineup with a curveball-heavy mix—throwing the spinner 31% of the time—while flashing a sharp sinker, slider and changeup. Each pitch was responsible for a whiff, with the curveball and changeup recording six and four, respectively. Cabrera also succeeded mightily with his first-pitch offerings, boasting a 70% number when it was all said and done. "Attacking them was the best part about today," said Cabrera through translator Luis Dorante Jr. "Getting that first-pitch strike—that was the goal". Although finding the zone consistently displays the maturity of Cabrera well, the right-hander's ability to work out of multiple jams puts into perspective how far he's come from years past, most notably the final out he recorded. With his pitch count creeping into the mid-80s and runners on the corners, Cabrera bounced off the mound at the sight of a Xander Bogaerts dribbler and made a barehanded play to get Luis Arraez at the plate, keeping his team in the lead. "Once you see the ball, you go start running and try to make the play, can't wait for anybody else in that situation," said Cabrera. "I'm always aggressive for any situation that presents [itself]. I try to be aggressive and get the out." Cabrera's ERA in July sits at 2.66 to go along with a season-long mark of 3.48. He has faced 94 batters this month and walked only one, an unprecedented stretch of strike-throwing for him. Naturally, this performance warrants the attention of nearly every contender in the sport. There have been a surplus of rumors regarding the possibility of Cabrera being dealt. A multitude of scouts were on site for this most recent outing. A critical decision looms for the Marlins front office—whether to trust him to sustain this success moving forward or flip him for a package headlined by a premium prospect. Regardless, Cabrera's name being engulfed in trade talk is all white noise to him. "At the end of the day, it's something that is completely out of my control, so there's no point of thinking too much about it." View full article