Marlins bullpen has gone from strength to weakness

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After a 5-3 loss to the San Diego Padres on Sunday, the Miami Marlins made franchise history with their 12th consecutive defeat.

The Marlins quickly went from firmly in the playoff picture to three games out, with five teams — including San Diego — to chase.

The Los Angeles Dodgers suffered an 11-game slide before finishing the 2017 season in the World Series. Miami is only one win from shifting back to a playoff contender hovering over .500.

The biggest problem for the Marlins recently has been their bullpen. Miami has been outscored 24-10 after the seventh inning during their losing streak. Two of their three losses against Milwaukee were walk-offs.

The Marlins were leading 3-1 in the eighth inning until home runs from Manny Machado and Jackson Merrill highlighted a 4-run Padres rally. That’s the issue with overusing the bullpen. While every other reliever went through their innings without a run allowed, it only takes one pitcher to get ambushed by opposing bats and change the game.

It was Lake Bachar on Sunday, but it was Tyler Zuber on Friday, when he gave up a go-ahead two-run homer in a 4-2 loss.

Overall, the bullpen has put up a 5.45 ERA since July 10, which is the fifth highest in baseball.

Fairbanks is solid at home, but when he’s on the mound anywhere but loanDepot park, his ERA jumps up to over 13.00. And this is the closer commanding the most money the Marlins ever spent on a relief pitcher in franchise history.

An argument can be made Fairbanks should’ve been on the mound in the eighth against San Diego’s heavy hitters instead of Bachar. Marlins manager Clayton McCullough indicated after the game he will continue to send out a variety of relievers in high-leverage situations, saying, “who you see pitch in the eighth inning one day might pitch in the sixth inning.”

“I’ve been using Pete in the ninth inning,” McCullough said. “Right now, [going to] continue to do that, and again, like Lake or whoever else we have down there, feel terrific about that. When you talk about [matching up with] parts of the order, but OK, if you get through the eighth, like someone’s going to throw the ninth, too. I think I just have to — and will — remain very confident in the group we have, and you know what? Right now, we’re just not getting it done.”

The Marlins’ bullpen hasn’t been the same since Tyler Phillips went from being their most reliable reliever to a solid starting pitcher. The unit is also suffering injuries in the form of Andrew Nardi and Anthony Bender. They almost lost reliever Michael Petersen (2.84 ERA) too. He left Sunday’s game with a right forearm contusion after being struck by a batted ball, but fortunately the X-rays were negative.

The Marlins will send Phillips (2-5, 3.52 ERA) on the mound against the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday.

Mets Continue Trend of Signing Former Marlins

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Once again, the Miami Marlins trash becomes the New York Mets’ treasure.

Shortly after being released by the Marlins, the Mets have agreed to a minor league deal with infielder Christopher Morel, reports Will Sammon of The Athletic. He will head to Triple-A Syracuse in hopes of finding his swing.

Morel reportedly has multiple opt-out dates available on the new contract, the first of which is July 15, reports ESPN’s Jorge Castillo. Such opt-outs are common on minor league deals for veteran players of this nature.

Morel, who recently turned 27, slashed .162/.219/.206 line with a 38.4% strikeout rate during his short time with the Marlins, who signed him to a $2 million contract over the offseason.

The Mets continue the trend of signing former Marlins players shortly after being let go by the team. The Mets recently brought in Austin Slater, who went 5-for-20 in nine games before moving onto the Tampa Bay Rays for seven more games.

The Mets are currently relying on former Marlins first baseman Eric Wagaman, who spent his first full season with the Fightin’ Fish last year. Wagaman is currently slashing .192/.276/.423 (5-for-26) with two home runs and four RBI in 17 games with the Mets, who sit last in the National League East.

Wagaman hit nine home runs with 53 RBI and a .250/.296./378 slash line in 140 games for the Marlins last year, including a .640 OPS through the first half. Had Morel produced such stats, he would still be with the Marlins.

The Marlins are still looking for a full time first baseman after Morel and Connor Norby (4 HR, 16 RBI, .638 OPS) didn’t live up to expectations. The current solution may be in Kyle Stowers, who moved from outfield to first base and is putting up an .857 OPS with five home runs and 21 RBI through the month of June.

With a win over the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday, the Marlins will finish the month of June with a MLB-high 20 wins, which would set a franchise record.

Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Kevin Garnett has harsh criticism of Milwaukee Bucks

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If there’s anyone qualified to speak on Doc Rivers’ coaching tenure, it’s Kevin Garnett. His credentials as one of the top 10 power forwards in history make the now podcast star one of the more insightful and entertaining commentators on NBA matters. He is arguably the main reason Rivers is a champion, and the two of them are tight.  

 

Recently, Garnett called the 2025-26 Milwaukee Bucks quitters and soft, in so many words, saying “I know what fight looks like. It didn’t look like that on a nightly basis.”

 

Forget how the messenger is partial. He’s not wrong and it is officially gut check time for whoever is left in Milwaukee past this summer. One can understand, tuning out Rivers, who doesn’t have any credibility as a big-time coach, but that doesn’t excuse the low efforts on defense. The team was 26th in defensive rating in 2025-26.

 

Pinning a specific problem, the Bucks were one of the three worst teams guarding the 3-point line, allowing 21.9 wide-open attempts per night. Opponents made 39.2 percent of those shots, and keep in mind that a wide-open look is six feet or more of space.

 

In 2025-26, the average 3-point attempts taken were 37 per game out of 89.1 shots. That’s 41.5 percent. There’s no way around the reality that any team that doesn’t care about guarding the 3-point line is not serious about winning. 

 

Still, the Bucks can make a significant improvement quickly by saving 10 points nightly. It would require strong thinkers as well as effort to limit drop coverage to non-outside threats, as well as staying closer to the corners and not biting on pump fakes, which often lead to three free throws. 

 

Of course, Giannis Antetokounmpo, the team’s best help defender, playing in just 36 games and the drama he has created with wanting to leave, is a significant reason why the Bucks were no good. There’s no excuses going forward because a new chapter will start for the Bucks when Antetokounmpo gets his wish, and they must eradicate the bad basketball culture while so many youngsters are around. 

 

 

Players getting comfortable, as Garnett said they were, is a concerning indictment; it means that they are just there for the check and cool with playing low-stakes hoops. Having a spot in the NBA is not like a regular job, so anyone doing the minimum is not worth the fans’ time, and must be traded. 

 

Marlins SS Otto Lopez Should be an All-Star

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MIAMI — While there is still a month’s worth of baseball to go, we have seen enough.

Miami Marlins shortstop Otto Lopez should be an All-Star.

Not just an All-Star, but the starting shortstop of the National League. After all, the third-year Marlin leads Major League Baseball in batting average (.341) and hits (89). He is also second among all shortstops in total bases (128) and OPS (.859), while being third in on-base percentage (.369).

With Cincinnati Reds star Elly De La Cruz currently on the injured list, the chase for the top spot at shortstop is between Lopez and CJ Abrams of the Washington Nationals.

After Lopez knocked in three hits, including the go-ahead single in the Marlins’ 10-6 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday, manager Clayton McCullough made the case for why he should be in Philadelphia on July 14.

“This has been a hitting machine since day one of the season, and he’s played a high-level defense,” McCullough said. “There’s hard to find someone at that position in our league that’s having a better year offensively than he is with the average, the clutch hits, and the extra base hits. He’s really doing it on both sides of the ball, and he’s making a very strong case for himself each and every day.”

Lopez is a success story in terms of Peter Bendix’s track record of finding diamonds in the rough. Lopez, born in the Dominican Republic but raised in Canada, spent his first two MLB seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays. The Marlins claimed Lopez off waivers from the San Francisco Giants in 2024, where he batted .270 with a .690 OPS, six home runs, and 39 RBI through 117 games.

Lopez’s slash numbers dropped in 2025, but his power rose with 15 home runs and 77 RBIs. Now, all of his numbers are up.

“I feel pretty good at the plate,” Lopez said. “All the work that I’ve been putting in that year to now, it’s all the experience that’s been working.”

Ruiz becomes secret weapon for speedy Marlins

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Speed is a weapon that has been well wielded by the Miami Marlins so far this season. 

Led by Jakob Marsee (13), the Marlins have demonstrated to be the fastest team on the base paths, leading MLB with 57 stolen bases. However, on the other side, the have also been caught stealing 17 times, which is among the highest in the big leagues. 

The Marlins player with the second most stolen bases doesn’t have everyday playing time. Outfielder Esteury Ruiz has been used as a secret weapon by the Marlins. He came into Saturday’s 10-5 win over the Tampa Bay Rays as a pinch runner to score in the 10th inning. The Marlins kept scoring that Ruiz ended having a plate appearance, in which he drove in a run on a base hit. 

Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said during his postgame press conference on Sunday that the Marlins “try each day looking at how to best utilize the 13-man position player group in one way.”

“Those guys that aren’t starting to be ready for whether they come off the bench to play defense in a game, pinch-hit, pinch-run, whatever it may be,” McCullough said. “Do something that day. Be ready for your moment that may come.”

Ruiz is 6-for-27 with two home runs in his limited opportunities but also has seven stolen bases and seven runs this season. He started the season on the injured list and didn’t make his Marlins debut until April 23.

“He has swung the bat well,” McCullough said. “He put together some good at-bats and handled himself well versus left thus far. It’s a nice dynamic to have him on our team, and he’s a great guy.” 

The Marlins acquired Ruiz over the offseason from the Los Angeles Dodgers in a trade for international pitching prospect Adriano Marrero. Adriano Marrero the other way. Ruiz’s potential for base stealing came in 2023, when he swiped 67 bags as a rookie with the Oakland Athletics.

The Marlins (21-26) went 2-4 during their recent road trip, including falling to the Rays in the Citrus Series this past weekend. The Marlins return home on Monday for a four-game series against the Atlanta Braves and a three-game series against the New York Mets. 

Marlins Have Key Rotation Decision to Make After Cutting Paddack

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MIAMI — After declaring support for the status quo on Sunday, the Miami Marlins have reportedly designated Chris Paddack for assignment. News of the transactions was first reported by The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal and confirmed by MLB.com.

Paddack signed with the Marlins for $4 million to provide a stable veteran presence in the starting rotation this season. Miami has lost every game he started and the one game the Marlins won with Paddack involved a bulk relief appearance against the New York Yankees on April 5. 

Paddack has a 7.63 ERA and 5.00 FIP in 30 ⅔ innings pitched through a season he described as a “roller coaster.” 

“It definitely sucks,” Paddack said on Sunday. “I feel like this year I haven’t been able to allow things to continue over. Right when we think we’re getting in a good place, I get hit in the mouth again.”

This past Sunday against the Philadelphia Phillies was his worst start. He lasted just 2.2 innings with seven runs on six hits allowed with three walks and a single strikeout. Six of his seven runs came in the first inning, dooming the Fish before the Phillies starting pitcher ever took the mound. 

“Outside of today, Chris is throwing the ball well,” Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said on Sunday. “He has probably ran against some tough luck in some outings, but he has thrown the ball and kept us in the games that he’s pitched. [Sunday] it was a tough one from pitch one till it was over.”

A decision will need to be made on who will take his spot. The decision is basically down between their top pitching prospect, and a longtime arm who has been one of the Marlins’ better pitchers since his big league debut. It may come down to scheduling.

Left-handed pitcher Robby Snelling (No. 2 prospect) last pitched on Friday against Durham, earning International League Pitcher of the Week honors tossing five no-hit innings with nine strikeouts in Triple-A Jacksonville’s 12-0 win. His next scheduled start lines up with when the Marlins need Paddack’s replacement to go on Friday against the Washington Nationals.

Snelling is tied for the International League lead in strikeouts (44) while ranking second in batting average against (.116), third in both ERA (1.86) and WHIP (0.90), and 14th in innings pitched (29.0). Snelling has a fastball that touched 100 last season, showing he has the raw stuff to take on Major League hitters. In four spring training appearances this year, Snelling threw 13 strikeouts in 8.1 innings pitched.

Braxton Garrett is the one who deserves the most to be called up, but is scheduled to start for the Jumbo Shrimp on Tuesday against Charlotte. Garrett has a 1.71 ERA and 26 strikeouts in 26.1 innings over five starts. Two of his five starts involved him throwing a combined 14 hitless innings. 

Garrett proved to be a solid pitcher for the Marlins since his MLB debut in 2020. His best season was in 2023, where he recorded a 3.66 ERA with an 8.79 K/9 in 31 outings, as well as starting in Game 2 of the National League Wild Card series against Philadelphia.

Garrett, who missed all of last year due to an injury, missed out on the starting rotation during spring training in favor of Janson Junk. That decision has paid off for McCullough as of Monday, as the right-hander went 5.1 innings with, six strikeouts, five hits allowed in a 1-0 loss.

Junk (2.82 ERA) has given up one earned run in the last three starts. That one run was Bryce Harper’s solo home run on Monday.

“I felt Janson overall was really terrific,” McCullough said on Monday. “Outside of that sweeper to Bryce that probably didn’t catch well and just kind of stayed more middle of the plate that he was able to put a swing on. To go out there and to get us to where he got there and one run, you should win that game.” 

Garrett didn’t exceed rookie limits until 2022, when he started 17 games with a career-best 3.58 ERA for the Marlins. Garrett, 28, is signed for $1.53 million this season and isn’t eligible for arbitration until 2027 and barring an extension, won’t hit free agency until 2029. 

Should Garrett pitch as scheduled on Tuesday, the logical logistics would point to Snelling getting the call up. If Garrett is scratched, he will most likely return to loanDepot park.

In the meantime, the Marlins will call up right-handed reliever William Kempner from Triple-A Jacksonville to fill Paddack’s spot in the roster, giving the bullpen a fresh arm leading up to a three-game series against the Baltimore Orioles. Kempner has struck out 34 batters in 15.1 innings pitched, but he also allowed 11 runs during his time with the Jumbo Shrimp.

The Marlins (16-19) are tied for second with the Washington Nationals after dropping 3-of-4 against the Philadelphia Phillies and interim manager Don Mattingly. They are welcoming a Baltimore Orioles team that is coming off being swept by the New York Yankees.

Move to 1B Working Out for Marlins’ Connor Norby

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MIAMI — Miami Marlins first baseman Connor Norby has been a jack of all trades ever since he turned pro. He was considered one of the premier second-base prospects in the Baltimore Orioles organization but also played numerous games in the outfield. 

The Marlins acquired the 25-year-old along with Kyle Stowers in a trade for Trevor Rogers in 2024 and were immediately shifted to third base, a transition he said was “not easy.”

“Learning going from second to third was extremely difficult,” Norby said. “I felt like I made a lot of good strides compared to the first month, six weeks that I had over there at the end of 2024.”

Norby posted a .924 fielding percentage during 30 games at third base in 2024 and improved to .954 through 82 games last year. He said he “worked really hard at third this spring,” knowing that he is competing for a full-time spot with a recipient of a Gold Glove as a utility fielder. He welcomed adding first base to his list of positions because the true goal is to “be in the lineup every day and putting up consistent at-bats and having my bat in the lineup.”

“I feel pretty good over there,” Norby said. “I almost treat it pretty much like second base. I just have to cover the base, and I think that’s really helped me a lot. Obviously, we have a really good second baseman, so that helps me even more. He covers a lot of ground, and the transition has been, honestly, not as bad, not as tough as I thought it would be.”

At a new position, 2026 has shaped up to be Norby’s best with a glove, turning in a .985 fielding percentage with two errors in 18 games at first base. It’s the first year that he has a positive run value (1). Norby said it’s about “being comfortable with your feet around the base,” and “knowing how our guys throw.”

“That’s more so the thing that I’m working through the most and getting as comfortable as I can,” Norby said. “But overall, I feel great.”

 The Marlins (15-16) return home for a 10-game homestand, starting with a four-game series against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Liam Hicks Emerging as Marlins Breakout Candidate

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Liam Hicks has quickly turned into the Miami Marlins’ next breakout candidate.

The second-year catcher hit his sixth home run of the season in the Marlins 5-4 road loss against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday. He hit six home runs through 119 games as a rookie last year.

Interestingly enough, the most home runs Hicks has hit in a season as a minor leaguer was also six.

“Liam is physically a different individual,” Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said. “He’s hitting the ball much more.”

Hicks has collected base hits in 11 of his last 13 games. With a .311 batting average so far this season (28-for-90), Hicks is tied with Atlanta Braves catcher Drake Baldwin for the highest average among qualified catchers in baseball.

With 27 RBI this season, Hicks leads the Marlins in the category and is second in the big leagues, behind only Cincinnati Reds rookie first baseman and Miami native Sal Stewart (29).

“Liam’s a good hitter,” McCullough said. “He has all the ingredients, the ability to control the strike zone, make a ton of contact, and use the whole field.”

Hicks entered Monday leading MLB in whiff percentage (6.4), in addition to ranking second in strikeout percentage (6.3), and third in squared-up swing percentage (40.3), per Baseball Savant.

Hicks was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the ninth round out of Arkansas State in 2021. He was part of a 2024 midseason trade with the Detroit Tigers for veteran catcher Carson Kelly. He was selected by the Marlins in the Rule 5 Draft that year and made the Opening Day Roster last year for his MLB Debut.

“Getting hits in the big leagues is hard,” McCullough said. “It’s probably never been harder just to get a base hit than it is right now. For us, it’s an important thing. You make a lot of contact.”

Otto Lopez and Xavier Edwards Emerging as Marlins Next Great Middle Infield Duo

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It’s ironic that while the Miami Marlins are bringing back the uniforms and colors of a glorified past, they are sporting the next iconic middle infield duo.

Like Luis Castillo-Alex Gonzalez and Dan Uggla-Hanley Ramirez before them, Otto Lopez and Xavier Edwards are emerging from low-key acquisitions as key parts of the Marlins lineup.

Lopez came to the Marlins in 2024 as a waiver claim. Just as the Marlins were slowly trading away pieces of their most recent playoff team, Lopez emerged as an intriguing rookie with a .270 batting average, 20 stolen bases, and elite defense at second base.

His bat has taken the next step this year, batting .337 with a .945 OPS through 22 games. He was a double shy of a cycle last Friday against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Marlins manager Clayton McCullough says Lopez is taking “less empty at-bats,” which is leading to better results.

“He’s a physically strong guy,” McCullough said of Lopez. “Maybe it doesn’t appear that way. It’s a really compact body. He’s strong. He’s got strong hands. There’s speed in his bat. So I think it’s not, to me, that completely shocking, that we’re seeing some of this.”

Around the same time, Edwards was also emerging alongside Lopez, batting .328 with 31 stolen bases in 70 games. Edwards didn’t replicate those numbers through the course of a full season in 2025 but his start to this season (.341/.423/.482) is signaling a return to his breakout season.

Edwards said during an interview with Five Reasons contributor Tyler Boronski that he has “been swinging at good pitches for the most part” and doesn’t feel the need to enter new seasons with statistical goals.

“I did that in years past and it’s kind of put pressure on myself to feel like I need to hit certain numbers,” Edwards said. “My goal this year is to play my game do my best every day and at the end of the year, I’ll look up and be happy with what I got.”

Unlike middle infield duos of the Marlins’ past, Edwards and Lopez switched positions and benefited from the adjustment.

“Otto has a bigger arm than me,” Edwards said. “We’re both really good defenders and pretty athletic so it’s a treat to play infield with him for parts of three years.”

Edwards came to Miami in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays leading up to the 2023 season. He was part of the Marlins’ fourth postseason appearance in franchise history (second since 2020) but became a key part of the rapid rebuild.

“We had a bit of an older team in 23 and now we’re one of the younger teams in the league,” Edwards said. “We made the playoffs that year and we got a good team this year, so looking to do the same this year. It’s been a lot of turnover but it’s a great group that we have here. It’s been a treat to come to the field with these guys and to suit up with them and spend time in the clubhouse. We got a great group.”

Miami Marlins Seeing Encouraging Signs From Janson Junk

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MIAMI – In his second season with the Miami Marlins, Janson Junk is pitching to his role, as the fifth starter.

Junk came onto the scene in 2025 as a minor league free agent and finished with a 4.17 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP in 110 innings pitched through 21 appearances (16 starts). Junk has posted similar numbers through four starts entering this season. 

Junk has a 4.50 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP in four starts this season. Before the Marlins’ 7-5 loss against the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday, McCullough said it’s “been very encouraging to see the velocity that he’s shown in the early goings.”

“We’ve seen his fastball at times in the mid-90s and just how that helps the breaking stuff then to be firmer and it helps the changeup play off of that,” McCullough said. 

The Marlins are counting on Junk to give them at least five innings each start, which is what he has done in the previous two outings. His second start of the season was the deepest of his career, when he went 7.1 innings with only two runs allowed. 

“Every time he takes the ball, we expect he’s not going to beat himself,” McCullough said. 

So far, even if Junk isn’t mainly to blame, the Marlins aren’t winning with him on the mound. The only time Miami was victorious with Junk starting was his first start against the Chicago White Sox, where he didn’t get the win because he was taken out before completing the fifth inning. 

Junk is projected to finish out the six-game homestand against the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday, at 12:10 p.m.