Our Noticias, 5/5/19: Bad luck Cooper, Chip Bowers let go, Marlins rotation can be special

With the door closing on another week of baseball, we look at the biggest Miami Marlins news, stories and analysis that caught the eye of the fans.

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Marlins Game Recaps

Another trying week for the Marlins as they finished their series finale against the Philadelphia Phillies, played two against the Cleveland Indians and started a series with the Atlanta Braves. For the week, the Marlins went 1-4 and overall, for the season, they now sit at 9-23.

April 28—Phillies 5, Marlins 1; Pablo Lopez started this game for the Marlins pitching 5 ²⁄₃ innings giving up four runs on three hits and three walks with four strikeouts. The Marlins out-hit the Phillies with seven hits but were not able to score more than a run which came on a Miguel Rojas RBI single. Phillies pitcher Zach Eflin tossed a complete game in the win against the Marlins.

April 30—Indians 7, Marlins 4; Sandy Alcantara took the mound against the Indians and went 5 ¹⁄₃ innings giving up six runs (four earned) on seven hits with three walks and one strikeout. The Marlins got five hits with Alcantara, Martin Prado and Brian Anderson contributing an RBI apiece and Curtis Granderson hitting a Solo HR.

May 1—Marlins 4, Indians 2; The Marlins sent Caleb Smith to get a victory against the Indians and Smith delivered. He cruised through seven innings allowing four hits, one run and two walks with eight strikeouts.

Rosell Herrera broke out with two hits and 3 RBIs while Brian Anderson also got two hits and an RBI for the Marlins.

May 3—Braves 7, Marlins 2; In a game that was watched closely as Jose Urena started against the Braves for the first time since he hit Ronald Acuna Jr. Urena ended up pitching six innings giving up five runs on six hits and three walks with four strikeouts in the loss against the Braves. Rosell Herrera and Neil Walker had the RBIs with the Marlins getting six hits total. What stood out this game was that Atlanta pitcher Kevin Gausman threw behind Jose Urena while he was batting leading to an immediate ejection for Gausman without a warning.

May 4—Braves 9, Marlins 2; Trevor Richards got the ball against the Braves on Saturday. He managed to shut out the Atlanta hitters for 4 ¹⁄₃ innings on two hits. An elevated pitch count and three walks got him removed early on in the game, but with a 2-0 Marlins lead.

The 2 RBIs came on a recently recalled Peter O’Brien single and that was one of only 3 Marlins hits for the game. Nick Anderson and Tyler Kinley together gave up nine runs in two innings which allowed the Braves to not only take the lead but eventually win.

Roster/Injury Updates

Right-hander Austin Brice (gastroenteritis) returned from the IL. In a corresponding move, left-hander Jarlin Garcia was optioned back to Triple-A.

It felt long overdue, but the Marlins finally sent down Lewis Brinson to Triple-A as well. He’ll be starting in center field regularly and tasked with overhauling with approach at the plate.

Garrett Cooper (left calf strain) was reinstated from the IL to fill the void. Unfortunately, Cooper’s opportunity didn’t last long—he got hit in the left hand by the Indians’ Trevor Bauer, resulting in even more time on the shelf. Peter O’Brien has since been recalled to take his place.

Just so that we’re all on the same page, here is the current Marlins roster. Blue names indicated left-handed pitchers/left-handed batters, red names are switch-hitters, and names below the line are on the major league injured list:

Marlins Part Ways with Chip Bowers

On Friday, it was announced that the Marlins had parted ways with president of business operations Chip Bowers. Chief executive officer Derek Jeter said the move did not have to do with the attendance problems that the Marlins have faced this year. There were high expectations for Bowers, according to Jeter, and despite hard work, they felt he wasn’t the right man for the job moving forward.

Drew Steckenrider Pitching Better Than Results Show?

Wells Dusenbury of the Sun Sentinel wrote an article on Marlins reliever Drew Steckenrider, who has been roughed up this season, but remains confident in a turnaround. Steckenrider has really been bitten by the long ball, with five of the eight hits he has given up being HRs. Steckenrider’s curveball has become a weapon for him (in contrast to the slider he used frequently in 2018).

Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Overall, the right-hander owns a 6.57 ERA, 7.35 FIP and career-high 28.0 K% in 12.1 IP.

New Podcast Episodes

The Fish Stripes podcast—available on Apple Podcasts, Google, Spotify, Stitcher or whichever service you prefer—landed exclusive interviews this week with outfielder Monte Harrison (Earning their Stripes) and right-hander Chris Vallimont (A-Ball with Erik Oas). They have been two of the most productive prospects in the Marlins farm system so far in 2019.

Every pod episode every week is also posted here on the website for easy sharing!

MLB Draft Profile: Andrew Vaughn

The latest mock draft from MLB Pipeline surprising matched collegiate first baseman Andrew Vaughn with the Marlins at the No. 4 overall selection. Right on cue, our own Hector Rodriguez released a profile of the junior first baseman.

Why the Marlins’ Rotation Could be Special

Even with a bad record this season, the Marlins’ starting pitching remains a bright spot. Joe Frisaro describes their potential and reports on how they continuously learn from each other and help in any way they can. The full article can be read here.

Why the Marlins Won the J.T. Realmuto Trade

Jeremy Taché of Five Reasons Sports Network is already smitten with Jorge Alfaro as the new Marlins starting catcher. So much so, he believes that the Marlins can already declare themselves winners of the J.T. Realmuto trade that brought him to Miami. Alfaro has the tools to be a leader, both on and off the field, and he’s been proving his worth this season. The Colombian slugger will remain under club control through at least 2023, whereas Realmuto is eligible for free agency three years sooner.

Expanding on that topic, Daniel Martinez analyzed Alfaro’s hot start and unique tendencies to determine whether or not he can be counted on to produce for the Marlins long term. Is he fishy or for real?

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As the Marlins continue to try and win games, regardless of how much farther down the division standings they fall, stay tuned to Fish Stripes for all your Miami Marlins news, stories and analysis.