Fish Stripes: All Posts by Juan PáezCovering the Marlins every day in our own wayhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/52814/Screen_Shot_2018-12-07_at_12.32.35_PM..png2022-09-02T07:00:41-04:00https://www.fishstripes.com/authors/juan-paez/rss2022-09-02T07:00:41-04:002022-09-02T07:00:41-04:00Marlin of the Month: August 2022
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<img alt="Miami Marlins starting pitcher Edward Cabrera (27) delivers a pitch during the fourth inning against the San Diego Padres at loanDepot Park." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Z6CTjWu_Quw7G4qA1Wf6aFogIQo=/0x0:3720x2480/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71316312/usa_today_18879223.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Despite an awful month, it’s time to pick your best Marlins player from August!</p> <p id="v2C2Q3">August was a really difficult month for Marlins fans. The offense was a thousand miles from being decent, the whole team took 20 losses—their highest total since August 2019 (22)—and only eight wins were added to their record in the eighth month of the year. The Marlins averaged an abysmal 2.2 runs per game. Nonetheless, we are going to vote for the best performer in August among four candidates (unsurprisingly all pitchers).</p>
<p id="dvZ551">As usual, we have chosen four names who performed the best for the Marlins over the past month based on statistical production and signature moments. The polls are open here on fishstripes.com and on our Twitter account (<a href="https://twitter.com/fishstripes">@fishstripes</a>). The leading vote-getter will be recognized in the site’s <a href="http://fishstripes.com/awards">awards section</a>.</p>
<p id="Ej4ZFM">Your options for August, in alphabetical order...</p>
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<h2 id="847Vpr"><strong>Finalists</strong></h2>
<p id="51euNU">RHP <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/alcansa01.shtml"><strong>Sandy Alcántara</strong></a> (August: 2.72 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 29 K in 36.1 IP)</p>
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<p id="4nXXC4">Alcántara has been the Marlin of the Month for the past three months thanks to his memorable season which makes him the frontrunner for the NL Cy Young award. In August, Sandy threw two complete games—more than 28 of the 30 MLB teams in August—with one of them being a shutout. Alcántara’s ERA would have been 1.38 had not been for his ugly August 21 outing against the Dodgers (6 ER over 3.2 IP). Even though the Marlins averaged 2.8 runs in Sandy’s August starts, he managed to win thrice.</p>
<p id="Rn5ztL">RHP <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/cabreed02.shtml"><strong>Edward Cabrera</strong></a> (August: 1.91 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 33 K in 28.1 IP)</p>
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<p id="Jt6p79">Cabrera led all Marlins pitchers (at least five starts) in ERA throughout August. He only allowed 13 hits and held opponents to a .137 batting average. But here’s the best part: Cabrera’s six earned runs came on his last start (Sunday against Dodgers). Before that one, he had thrown 22 <sup>2</sup>⁄<sub>3</sub> shutout innings with eight hits allowed and 28 strikeouts. Cabrera’s August performance went a long way toward establishing him as a worthy member of the rotation for 2023.</p>
<p id="siJHEu">LHP <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/luzarje01.shtml"><strong>Jesús Luzardo</strong></a> (August: 2.97 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 32 K in 36.1 IP)</p>
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<p id="mCRECi">In what’s been a difficult year plagued by injuries, Luzardo has shown what he can do on the mound when healthy. Despite not throwing since May 10, Luzardo made his comeback in August and looked pretty solid for the Fish. He finished the month with three consecutive quality starts. His WHIP and his opponent batting average (.189) tell us even more about Luzardo’s return to form.</p>
<p id="lDzgyL">LHP <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/o/okertst01.shtml"><strong>Steven Okert</strong></a><strong> </strong>(August: 0.93 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, 11 K in 9.2 IP)</p>
<p id="JlLOXw">Okert kept going as one of the Marlins best relievers in 2022 with a strong performance in August. He began the month allowing his lone run across 11 appearances. Then, he went 8 <sup>2</sup>⁄<sub>3</sub> scoreless innings of five hits, one walk, and 10 punchouts. Even better, his opponents posted a weak .161/.188/.194/.381 slash line since August 5.</p>
<p id="t4AMNK">Here are your options. Time to vote!</p>
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<p id="binKtl"><strong>Honorable Mentions</strong></p>
<ul>
<li id="0U4GhR">Charles Leblanc—led the team in hits with 20.</li>
<li id="RC44BX">Tommy Nance—had a 0.87 ERA across 10 <sup>1</sup>⁄<sub>3</sub> innings with 12 strikeouts.</li>
</ul>
https://www.fishstripes.com/23333914/marlin-of-the-month-august-2022Juan Páez2022-08-15T12:25:05-04:002022-08-15T12:25:05-04:00Why 2022 should be Miguel Rojas’ final season as Marlins’ everyday shortstop
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<img alt="Miguel Rojas #11 of the Miami Marlins sits in the dugout during the game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on July 28, 2022 in Cincinnati, Ohio." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/EcXiHMhPqYkzAiUZenqbQPRKcKk=/0x0:7603x5069/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71245375/1412266487.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>He’s been durable and steady defensively, but Rojas isn’t producing enough at the plate to be a starter moving forward.</p> <p id="pewsTN">After an ineffective 2021-22 MLB offseason and quiet trade deadline earlier this month, it’s fair to worry that the Marlins are going nowhere. They have hesitated to make tough decisions and the team has suffered because of it. Steps need to be taken this coming winter if they want a real chance to be competitive. One of those tough decisions might be to upgrade at shortstop, removing <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=rojasmi02,rojas-004mig&search=Miguel+Rojas&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=&utm_medium=referral">Miguel Rojas</a> from the everyday role he has held for several years.</p>
<p id="IkiydF">No one can question Rojas’ leadership and how well he’s established in the Marlins’ fanbase. But the Marlins need more than that and they could take advantage of what is projected to be another great class of free-agent shortstops. Making a big splash by signing a star at a premium defensive position would legitimize this rebuilding process and send a message to everybody on the team.</p>
<p id="08gSRm">Trea Turner and Dansby Swanson will see their club-controlled years expire at the end of the season while Carlos Correa and Xander Bogaerts are expected to opt out of their deals with the Twins and Red Sox, respectively. That gives the Marlins options capable of bringing a winning mindset and refresh the clubhouse.</p>
<aside id="gIsANi"><div data-anthem-component="readmore" data-anthem-component-data='{"stories":[{"title":"Trea Turner is Fish to Catch This Offseason | Louis Addeo-Weiss","url":"https://www.fishstripes.com/2022/8/5/23291485/mlb-free-agency-trea-turner-marlins"}]}'></div></aside><p id="jerujz"></p>
<p id="a69tBD">In his eighth year as a Marlin, Rojas is declining offensively. The 33-year-old is slashing just .235/.288/.332 and shows a poor .620 OPS across 102 games. His OPS+ is at 75, his worst mark since 2016. His performance hasn’t gotten any better lately. He has grounded into four double plays since the All-Star break (tied for most on Miami), and across 11 August games entering Monday, he is 6-for-40 with no extra-base hits, just two RBIs, seven strikeouts, and a .150/.239/.150 slash line.</p>
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<p id="FwsBYg">Before this campaign got underway, the Marlins did make some moves, acquiring Joey Wendle, Avisaíl García, and Jorge Soler, for example. However, they can’t be satisfied with what they’ve done and won’t be allowed by their fans to just bring back the same roster in 2023, hoping for better outcomes. </p>
<p id="mwrljO">You should expect the Fish to make a major acquisition during this upcoming offseason via trade or signing. We all know they were listening to offers for Pablo López before the trade deadline and this might be the perfect timing to structure a deal around him that sends MLB-ready talent back to Miami. Trading a starting pitcher away to revitalize the <a href="https://www.fishstripes.com/2022/8/15/23305125/marlins-news-low-scoring-streak-sandy-alcantara">struggling offense</a> looks inevitable.</p>
<p id="yWWn01">So, going back to Rojas, he’s set to make $5 million in the final year of his contract in 2023. Securing a new shortstop would not force him off the Marlins—he has the skill set to continue contributing, even if it’s in a smaller role. Defensive metrics love what he’s done with the glove this season and he has a history of playing first base, second base and third base when needed. At this stage of his career and knowing the kind of professional Miggy Ro is, it’s hard to think he won’t accept such a decision considering it could be what’s best for the team.</p>
<p id="YV9ETF">I’ve always said the Marlins need to improve position by position and that means learning to say goodbye to some players and opening the doors for others. Rojas’ time to go could be approaching. Regardless, the Marlins should be active <em>now</em> in searching to find a game-changing shortstop at the right price.</p>
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<h2 id="WDrziH"><strong>What do you say?</strong></h2>
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https://www.fishstripes.com/2022/8/15/23305573/miguel-rojas-final-season-as-marlins-shortstopJuan Páez2022-08-02T16:25:58-04:002022-08-02T16:25:58-04:00Marlin of the Month: July 2022
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<img alt="Anthony Bass #52 of the Miami Marlins in action against the New York Mets at Citi Field on July 08, 2022 in New York City. The Marlins defeated the New York Mets 5-2." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Oq-EVCMMwUvPq5ufM8M37wwfVk0=/110x0:2546x1624/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71201405/1408139233.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>After a difficult month for the Marlins, here are your top performers of July.</p> <p id="PpKcGR">Well, in a month where the Marlins had a 13-15 record, the offense was poor, and their pitching allowed 122 runs (against 83 scored by their offense), someone still has to be the Marlin of the Month, right? After winning five straight games to begin July, the Marlins went 8-15 to finish the month. However, there were some individual performances that are worth the look.</p>
<p id="Ure3ax">As usual, we have chosen four names who performed the best for the Marlins over the past month based on statistical production and signature moments. The polls are open here on fishstripes.com and on our Twitter account (<a href="https://twitter.com/fishstripes">@fishstripes</a>). The leading vote-getter will be recognized in the site’s <a href="http://fishstripes.com/awards">awards section</a>.</p>
<p id="zgFcph">Your options for July, in alphabetical order...</p>
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<h2 id="LpbYDi"><strong>Finalists</strong></h2>
<p id="SgReQV">RHP <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/alcansa01.shtml"><strong>Sandy Alcántara</strong></a> (July: 2.12 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 41 K in 34.0 IP)</p>
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<p id="jLb6Yd">Perennially on this list, Alcántara had five starts in July and struck out at least 10 hitters in three of them. Led all Marlins pitchers in strikeouts, innings pitched, ERA (among qualified pitchers), and quality starts (4). During his first three outings of the month, Sandy’s ERA was 0.78 across 23 innings with three walks and 26 punchouts. The Marlins of the Month in May and June has another strong case.</p>
<p id="aKU48e">RHP <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bassan01.shtml"><strong>Anthony Bass</strong></a> (July: 0.66 ERA, 0.80 WHIP, 17 K in 13.2 IP)</p>
<p id="T5Alzm">Before being <a href="https://www.fishstripes.com/2022/8/2/23289069/blue-jays-marlins-trade-jordan-groshans">traded</a> on Tuesday to the Blue Jays, Bass made sure to shine throughout his final month as a Marlin. Besides being brilliant all season long, Bass led all Marlins pitchers in games (14), ERA (among pitchers with at least 10.0 IP), and strikeouts as a reliever (17). Plus, he only gave up three walks and surrendered only one earned run with no home runs.</p>
<p id="gbq536">LHP <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/garrebr01.shtml"><strong>Braxton Garrett</strong></a> (July: 3.00 ERA, 0.80 WHIP, 33 K in 30 IP)</p>
<p id="HhP5hc">Before allowing five runs over five innings on July 27 against the Reds, Garrett was pretty outstanding in four starts, posting a 1.80 ERA with 25 punchouts in as many innings with only five free passes. In his first four outings, opponents hit for a weak .131 batting average off the left-hander. Then, he failed to finish the month strong, but what he did from July 4-22 still counts.</p>
<p id="SRrXQO">2B <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/wendljo01.shtml"><strong>Joey Wendle</strong></a> (July: .277/.314/.351, 7 2Bs, 10 RBIs in 25 G)</p>
<p id="czY8sc">It wasn’t easy to include a hitter on this list. Wendle was the most acceptable candidate on the team. In his first 20 games in July, the infielder knocked 23 hits with five doubles and nine runs batted in, along with a remarkable .319/.354/.389 slash line. However, he went 3-for-22 in his final five games of the month. Even with that slump, Wendle led all Marlins hitters in hits (26) and doubles (7), plus he ranked second in ribbies.</p>
<p id="bINRmI">Here are your options. Choose wisely.</p>
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<p id="fM12qj"><strong>Honorable Mentions</strong></p>
<ul>
<li id="6Hn4lT">Dylan Floro—had a 1.59 ERA over 12 appearances (11.1 IP), recorded two saves, and K’d 13 hitters while giving up two walks.</li>
<li id="1XWTMr">Richard Bleier—struggled to keep runners off base, but figured things out to win twice and post a 1.64 ERA.</li>
</ul>
https://www.fishstripes.com/23289268/marlin-of-the-month-july-2022Juan Páez2022-07-16T09:15:43-04:002022-07-16T09:15:43-04:003 reasons to be fired up about Max Meyer’s MLB debut
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<img alt="Max Meyer #63 of the Miami Marlins delivers a pitch in the third inning against the New York Mets in the Spring Training game at Roger Dean Stadium on March 21, 2022 in Jupiter, Florida." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/g_yyvLuV3WG8PhQJ26RbwfnnInY=/0x38:3744x2534/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71131490/1387253421.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The 23-year-old prospect will make his MLB debut on Saturday as the Marlins starter against the Phillies.</p> <p id="kvXHag">Finally, it happened. To face the Phillies on Saturday, the Marlins will call up 23-year-old right-hander <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=meyer-001max,meyer-000max&search=Max+Meyer&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=&utm_medium=referral">Max Meyer</a> to make his highly-anticipated MLB debut. Meyer represents a powerful addition to a Marlins starting rotation that is already good, posting a 3.56 ERA that is ranked fifth in the Majors and second in the National League.</p>
<p id="dek1mV">Meyer was a fast riser to the Major Leagues. He was drafted in 2020 and made the jump after one-and-a-half season and 172 innings, just like his talent would have projected.</p>
<p id="HyKRYn">Why should you be so excited to see Meyer take the mound for the Marlins for the first time? Let’s take a look…</p>
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<h2 id="nvcUyt"><strong>1. Meyer has thrived in the Minors</strong></h2>
<p id="j3u7mP">After finishing with a 6-4 record, a 2.27 ERA, and 130 strikeouts over 111 innings during his Minors debut in 2021 across Double-A and Triple-A, Meyer picked up where he left off this year. After his first six outings in Jacksonville, the Minnesota born was sporting a 1.72 ERA and a .429 OPS allowed through 31 <sup>1</sup>⁄<sub>3</sub> innings and 39 strikeouts.</p>
<p id="L8nMeV">Then, he had two consecutive ugly outings and he was injured with right ulnar nerve irritation that made him miss one month of action. However, since he came back to Triple-A, Meyer has been lights out again: 1.96 ERA, .374 OPS allowed, and 21 punchouts over 18 <sup>1</sup>⁄<sub>3</sub> innings.</p>
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<p id="NOAv7b">His overall MiLB numbers: 35 starts, 9-8 record, 2.77 ERA, 61 walks, 199 strikeouts, 172 innings, 1.11 WHIP, 0.7 HR/9, 3.2 BB/9, 10.4 SO/9.</p>
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<h2 id="WxqH3V"><strong>2. He’s got prospect pedigree</strong></h2>
<p id="9NIQxR">The Marlins invested more in Meyer ($6.7M signing bonus) than any other draftee in franchise history. The righty was selected third overall in the 2020 MLB Draft—after Spencer Torkelson (Tigers) and Heston Kjerstad (Orioles)—and was the first pitcher off the board. He will be just the fourth 2020 first-rounder to become a major leaguer, along with Torkelson, Reid Detmers (Angels), and Garrett Crochet (White Sox).</p>
<p id="w2oZfx">“When I just got drafted, I felt a little pressure,” Meyer said on Friday’s Bally Sports Florida broadcast, “but then when I go out and know that everything’s the same—it’s just a baseball game—it kinda takes all that away.”</p>
<p id="BhMZK3">Meyer is the second-best prospect in the Marlins organization according to MLB Pipeline, behind only Eury Pérez. In the opinion of scouts, his slider is his best pitch (with a 65 grade) and it is followed by his fastball (60) and his changeup (50). Meyer’s fastball velocity has trended in the right direction this season, sitting in the mid-90s and reaching triple digits when needed. Meyer brings the flames!</p>
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<h2 id="Mn2ACm"><strong>3. Dream rotation coming together</strong></h2>
<p id="DmL4mj">Meyer is the latest player to debut from a brilliant Marlins system, one that has proven particularly proficient at developing MLB starting pitchers. The timing of his call-up should give hope to Marlins fans that the front office has some common sense. Miami already had a full starting rotation in the Majors, but made room for Meyer anyway for the right reasons: he has the potential to be even better than their existing options. With a 2022 postseason berth still a possibility, they are putting as much talent on the field as possible.</p>
<p id="CZq9kU">For 2023 and beyond, the Marlins should have plenty of great starting pitching candidates. Sandy Alcántara will lead a group that could feature not only Meyer, but Pablo López, Trevor Rogers, Sixto Sánchez, Edward Cabrera, Jesús Luzardo, and the phenomenal Pérez, who will be just 20 years old that season.</p>
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<p id="YYZwn3">Saturday should be a special day for Meyer, the Marlins, and their fans. Try to make it to the ballpark early to soak it all in!</p>
https://www.fishstripes.com/23220500/max-meyer-mlb-debutJuan Páez2022-07-13T17:20:48-04:002022-07-13T17:20:48-04:00It’s time for the Marlins to buy
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<img alt="Manager Don Mattingly #8 of the Miami Marlins argues a call during a baseball game against at the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on July 3, 2022 in Washington, DC." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/gL6hYM2SZdtZm-TLJhRVkNCYqwc=/326x135:1769x1097/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71107636/1408264337.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>With some important pieces returning from the IL and a friendly schedule around the corner, the Marlins should be aggressive now instead of waiting for the trade deadline.</p> <p id="WqvSYe">The Marlins have what looks to be a friendly schedule in the coming weeks that will take them up to and through the August 2 MLB trade deadline. That’s good news for an inconsistent team that enters Wednesday with a 41-45 record, five games back of the nearest National League postseason spot. But for them to take full advantage of these winnable games, I believe Miami should begin to make moves as soon as possible, improving the roster with more impactful and complementary players.</p>
<p id="kceXDF">The Marlins are close enough to keep competing for 2022 thanks to the expected returns of several important pieces from <a href="https://www.mlb.com/injury-report">the injured list</a>. The absences of sluggers Jorge Soler and Jazz Chisholm have badly hurt the team’s offense. Fortunately, Soler is in the middle of a rehab assignment, only days away from being activated; Chisholm should be back with the Fish right after the All-Star break.</p>
<p id="y65rIv">A thin Miami pitching staff can look forward to contributions from reliever Cody Poteet and eventually starters Edward Cabrera and Jesús Luzardo. Second-ranked Marlins prospect Max Meyer would be a major leaguer already if not for his own injury setback, but that isn’t bothering him anymore.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Cody Poteet’s latest Triple-A rehab appearance:<br><br>3.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K (40 pitches) <a href="https://t.co/yWBf0a6pQB">pic.twitter.com/yWBf0a6pQB</a></p>— Fish Stripes (@fishstripes) <a href="https://twitter.com/fishstripes/status/1546998378978054144?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 12, 2022</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">“We see Max as a playoff starter”-DJ on what they see Max Meyer becoming. The team has no interest in putting him in the pen. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Marlins?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Marlins</a></p>— Isaac Azout (@IsaacAzout) <a href="https://twitter.com/IsaacAzout/status/1547315064121819137?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2022</a>
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<p id="jjM0EM">Evenly the highly touted Sixto Sánchez is progressing toward facing live batters in the near future.</p>
<p id="8BesJd">Including Wednesday, 15 of the next 22 Marlins games are against rebuilding clubs: the Pirates (5), the Reds (7), and the Cubs (3). We’re talking about three of the weakest opponents in baseball this year! Simply winning these series isn’t enough—the Marlins must <em>dominate</em> them like they have the Nationals (12-1).</p>
<p id="U8xLDr">Plus, the Marlins have 12 total games left against the Phillies, who sit above them in the battle for the third NL Wild Card spot. Miami has a recent history of doing well when facing the Phils head to head.</p>
<p id="c2kT9l">It is not crazy to imagine an Avisaíl García resurgence at the plate and good second halves from Soler and Jesús Sánchez (they both finished strong in 2021). But they could use some outside help regardless. </p>
<p id="iBzZ0k">A Marlins team that adds one or two good hitters—especially those who produce against lefties and/or play center field—and an experienced arm capable of closing games can reach the playoffs this year. They just need to recognize that beginning now, every day is precious. Make some moves before it’s too late.</p>
https://www.fishstripes.com/2022/7/13/23208299/marlins-mlb-trade-deadline-buyersJuan Páez2022-07-02T06:40:04-04:002022-07-02T06:40:04-04:00Marlin of the Month: June 2022
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<img alt="Miami Marlins starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara (22) delivers during the first inning against the New York Mets at loanDepot Park." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/jtqvYxYVyHsyk5SFpgO4N1gm_bA=/0x0:2856x1904/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71040760/usa_today_18588292.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Alcántara moved to the top of the NL Cy Young race, but teammates Cooper, Chisholm, and Bass were also great for the Marlins. It’s your call!</p> <p id="02MTK9">After an awful showing in May with a 7-19 record, the Marlins figured things out to play much better baseball in June, going with a 15-13 record. Their month featured a four-game series split against the Giants, a sweep against the Nationals, a series win at Houston, and another sweep against the Rockies. </p>
<p id="JnYv3J">As usual, we have chosen four names who performed the best for the Marlins over the past month based on statistical production and signature moments. The polls are open here on fishstripes.com and on our Twitter account (<a href="https://twitter.com/fishstripes"><strong>@fishstripes</strong></a>). The leading vote-getter will be recognized in the site’s <a href="http://fishstripes.com/awards"><strong>awards section</strong></a>.</p>
<p id="V3x4Mz">Your options for June, in alphabetical order...</p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="9BHI2L">
<h2 id="L9gc6A"><strong>Finalists</strong></h2>
<p id="IvQf8r">RHP <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bassan01.shtml"><strong>Anthony Bass</strong></a> (June: 0.69 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 9 K in 13.0 IP)</p>
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<p id="0nd9rp">Bass had 12 appearances in June and 11 of them were scoreless. After surrendering his lone earned run of the month on June 13, Bass pitched seven innings of four hits and one walk. Throughout the month, opponents hit for a .298 slugging percentage and a .543 OPS off Bass. Seven of his 10 hits allowed were singles. The 34-year-old used June to keep building his strong 2022.</p>
<p id="ROYnQf">1B/DH <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/coopega03.shtml"><strong>Garrett Cooper</strong></a> (June: .378/.418/.511, 2 HR, 16 RBI in 23 G)</p>
<p id="4kltv7">Cooper is finally proving what he can do when healthy. In June, he led the Marlins in hits (34), doubles (6), batting average, on-base percentage, and OPS (.929). Plus, he was second in RBIs (16) and slugging percentage. As a remarkable note, Cooper had six multi-hit games in a row from June 3-9, the longest streak for a Marlins hitter since 2017 (Dee Strange-Gordon).</p>
<p id="u2xcIM">2B <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/chishja01.shtml"><strong>Jazz Chisholm Jr.</strong></a> (June: .225/.333/.525, 7 HR, 18 RBI in 24 G)</p>
<p id="ZY9V3g">Unfortunately, Jazz was placed on the injured list due to a lower back strain, but before suffering that injury, all he did was rake. Despite lacking a bit of consistency, the second baseman was the top power source for the Marlins in June, leading the team in both homers and runs batted in. Out of his 18 hits, 10 went for extra bases. He also drew 10 walks and hit multiple homers in two games. The Marlins went 6-0 in games when Chisholm drove in at least one run.</p>
<p id="RjD9DR">RHP <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/alcansa01.shtml"><strong>Sandy Alcántara</strong></a> (June: 1.89 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, 34 K in 47.2 IP)</p>
<p id="wvSQsO">Alcántara kept his steady dominance and had another outstanding month in June, showing why the baseball world is beginning to consider him one of its best pitchers. Sandy won three of his six outings, threw a complete game, and pitched at least seven innings in all of his starts. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Sandy Alcantara convinces Don Mattingly to let him keep going...<br><br>2 on, 1 out, 1 run lead in the 9th...<a href="https://twitter.com/Marlins?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Marlins</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MakeItMiami?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MakeItMiami</a> <a href="https://t.co/ZoPQ2JdyoK">pic.twitter.com/ZoPQ2JdyoK</a></p>— Bally Sports Florida: Marlins (@BallyMarlins) <a href="https://twitter.com/BallyMarlins/status/1542332988792475650?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 30, 2022</a>
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<p id="ZFZoXA">The 26-year-old righty held opponents to a .199 batting average and a .542 OPS. He worked 47 <sup>2</sup>⁄<sub>3</sub> innings, the second-most innings in a calendar month in Marlins history—Dontrelle Willis threw 50 <sup>1</sup>⁄<sub>3</sub> back in September/October 2005.</p>
<p id="LKjhfs">Vote below:</p>
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<p id="WBMhpi"><strong>Honorable Mentions</strong></p>
<ul>
<li id="UpUSnL">Tanner Scott—Won three games and picked up seven saves while striking out 20 hitters over just 10 <sup>2</sup>⁄<sub>3</sub> innings.</li>
<li id="vM3MGO">Steven Okert—Also won three games and registered a 1.93 ERA with a .176 opponent batting average in 11 appearances.</li>
<li id="vsx1dS">Jon Berti—Stole 18 bases out of 19 attempts, the second-most for a Marlins player in a calendar month throughout their history. Berti also finished second in hits (30) and had a .360 on-base percentage.</li>
</ul>
https://www.fishstripes.com/23191526/marlin-of-the-month-june-2022Juan Páez2022-06-16T09:00:00-04:002022-06-16T09:00:00-04:00Jazz Chisholm is following in Dan Uggla’s footsteps
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<img alt="Jazz Chisholm Jr. #2 of the Miami Marlins rounds bases after hitting a solo home run during the seventh inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on June 14, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/22NBnwW7hMt92lERtQgnCx2CKAc=/0x0:3500x2333/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/70982671/1402985666.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The 24-year-old has become one of the Marlins’ biggest power sources and is about to make history among the team’s all-time second basemen.</p> <p id="trWBA0"><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/chishja01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=&utm_medium=referral">Jazz Chisholm Jr.</a> is doing something hardly ever seen before by the Marlins: he’s playing second base and also hitting for big power. On Tuesday, Chisholm ripped a game-tying home run for his 13th long ball of the season, leading the Fish in that department. Really, the only precedent for production like this is beloved former Marlins stud <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/u/ugglada01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=&utm_medium=referral">Dan Uggla</a>.</p>
<p id="1HqoFr">Uggla was a star for the then-Florida Marlins, swatting 154 bombs—a franchise record before Giancarlo Stanton came along—while serving as the everyday second baseman from 2006 to 2010. He recorded four 30-homer and four 90-RBI campaigns. Uggla went to the All-Star Game twice and even won a Silver Slugger award.</p>
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<p id="KSMgKg">Playing his third season in the Major Leagues and with only 196 career games under his belt, Chisholm has rapidly emerged as the top power source for the Marlins. Like Uggla did at some point, Chisholm is carrying the Fish lineup in the company of Garrett Cooper, Jorge Soler, and Jesús Aguilar.</p>
<p id="eEhCA2">Pulling the ball is a key for Chisholm to get so many balls over the fence. His 51.1% pull rate in 2022 is <a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=bat&lg=all&qual=y&type=2&season=2022&month=0&season1=2022&ind=0&team=0&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0&startdate=2022-01-01&enddate=2022-12-31&sort=14,d">among the highest in MLB</a>, similar to Uggla’s 47.5% rate as a Marlin.</p>
<p id="RgjSaC">Beyond the home run department, Chisholm leads the team in triples (4), runs batted in (41), scored runs (33), and total bases (100). He is tied with Soler for the most extra-base hits (24). He’s connecting for a home run every 14.38 at-bats. And as if that wasn’t enough, Jazz leads all Marlins position players in bWAR (2.2), well above Cooper and Miguel Rojas (1.2).</p>
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<p id="GbLmcQ">Throughout their history, the Marlins have not had many powerful second basemen—Luis Castillo, Omar Infante, Starlin Castro, and others had more conventional offensive approaches. Uggla still stands as the only Marlin ever to hit 15+ long balls while defending second base. He recorded 27 in 2016, 31 in 2007, 32 in 2008, 31 in 2009, and 33 during his final Florida season in 2010.</p>
<p id="q1Lbkw">And that’s what Jazz is going after, it seems. He’s currently on pace for 35 four-baggers. That would not only break Uggla’s record as a second baseman, but the electrifying Bahamian would also become just the fourth Marlins hitter—regardless of position—to go deep 35-plus times in a season.</p>
<p id="hbbbOn">More than a decade removed from Uggla’s final game as a Marlin, Jazz Chisholm is the closest thing that the franchise has had to a successor.</p>
https://www.fishstripes.com/2022/6/16/23170097/jazz-chisholm-dan-uggla-home-runs-marlinsJuan Páez2022-06-01T16:35:19-04:002022-06-01T16:35:19-04:00Marlin of the Month: May 2022
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<img alt="Jorge Soler #12 of the Miami Marlins celebrates his two-run home run with manager Don Mattingly #8 against the Atlanta Braves in the seventh inning at Truist Park on May 29, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Eu7lONj2t1EKs8UqP-HCQk6zEuA=/0x0:2772x1848/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/70933041/1240988618.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Brett Davis/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Jorge Soler had an outstanding power month in May, plus three other Marlins made important contributions.</p> <p id="roHYCu">After having a successful April, the rollercoaster went down for the Marlins as they lost 19 of their 26 games in May (7-19). However, there were some individual performances that stood out regardless. Like every month, it’s your turn to choose the Marlin of the Month in May.</p>
<p id="eVfPK5">Fish Stripes is excited to introduce a new “Marlin of the Month” tradition! We will choose four finalists based on statistical production and signature moments, then open the polls here on fishstripes.com and our Twitter account (<a href="https://twitter.com/fishstripes"><strong>@fishstripes</strong></a>). The leading vote-getter will be recognized in the site’s <a href="http://fishstripes.com/awards"><strong>awards section</strong></a>.</p>
<p id="jgwZv7">Your options for May, in alphabetical order...</p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="zuRsNK">
<h1 id="LvXOQE"><strong>Finalists</strong></h1>
<p id="fIe4Cm">1B/DH <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/coopega03.shtml"><strong>Garrett Cooper</strong></a> (May: .289/.350/.456, 2 HR, 12 RBI in 25 G)</p>
<p id="6HwWCd">Cooper led the team in hits (26, tied with Jesús Aguilar), doubles (7), walks (9, tied with Jorge Soler), batting average (.289), and on-base percentage (.350) in May. Even though he didn’t have a good start to the month (.217 AVG, .602 OPS through his first 16 games), he thrived at the plate in his final nine games, slashing .433/.500/.700 with five extra-base hits.</p>
<p id="IFNDa1">RHP <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/lopezpa01.shtml"><strong>Pablo López</strong></a> (May: 2.78 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 38 K in 35.2 IP)</p>
<p id="poVAOR">Despite showing a bit of inconsistency, López was still great in May over his six starts. He was second among Marlins starters in ERA with 2.78 and added three quality starts to his totals. His performance featured an eight-inning game and two seven-inning performances. López finished May as the National League ERA leader (1.83).</p>
<p id="7Uz5vm">RHP <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/alcansa01.shtml"><strong>Sandy Alcántara</strong></a> (May: 2.13 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 43 K in 42.1 IP)</p>
<p id="24pgZ4">After two initial rough outings against the Mariners and the Padres, Sandy was just filthy in May. He followed those two shaky lines with four starts of 0.84 ERA, three wins, and at least seven innings in every one of them. Alcántara led all Marlins hurlers in ERA (2.13), innings (42.1), wins (3), strikeouts (43), and WHIP (0.90).</p>
<p id="5xVIOp">LF <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/solerjo01.shtml"><strong>Jorge Soler</strong></a> (May: .253/.330/.609, 9 HR, 19 RBI in 23 G)</p>
<p id="p2jDsq">Soler was a pure slugger at his best in May, swatting a team-leading nine homers and also leading the squad in RBIs. No one in the Marlins had more runs than him (13) nor a better OPS (.939). In 17 games between May 7 and 30, Soler posted a .284/.351/.702 slash line with four doubles, eight long balls, and 17 runs batted in. On May 29, he had his first multi-homer game since July 26, 2021.</p>
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<p id="pitQDk">Vote below:</p>
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<p id="TtJg9L"><strong>Honorable mentions:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li id="8ZAwYj">Jesús Aguilar had 26 hits (including 11 extra-base hits) and 14 ribbies despite struggling with consistency.</li>
<li id="fe6K2i">Louis Head was money for the Marlins bullpen with 10 <sup>2</sup>⁄<sub>3</sub> innings of two-run ball and 12 strikeouts.</li>
<li id="xGs1HA">Jazz Chisholm Jr. scored 12 times and drove in 12 runs, also hit four doubles, one triple, and three home runs, good for a .447 slugging percentage. If not for his week-long battle with hamstring tightness, he’d be a strong Marlin of the Month contender.</li>
</ul>
https://www.fishstripes.com/23149335/marlin-of-the-month-may-2022Juan Páez2022-05-31T08:00:04-04:002022-05-31T08:00:04-04:00Jorge Soler is back in his World Series MVP form
<figure>
<img alt="Jorge Soler #12 of the Miami Marlins runs the bases after hitting a solo homerun against the Milwaukee Brewers during the third inning at loanDepot park on May 15, 2022 in Miami, Florida." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/BnTkA3IisdjexsKrag_8cqlbnHY=/0x0:5616x3744/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/70926544/1397404769.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Soler has recovered from a rough April to be one of the Marlins’ best players in May.</p> <p id="rPFOAc"><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/solerjo01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=&utm_medium=referral">Jorge Soler</a> did not have a good April. His season-opening slump quickly stirred up pessimism among fans that the Marlins had yet again whiffed on one of their premium offseason acquisitions. But something clicked offensively for Soler as soon as May arrived. Even as the team’s overall performance has slipped (7-19 record this month), the Cuban stud is doing his part.</p>
<p id="URcDHn">In April, Soler was a disappointing hitter that posted a .171/.284/.303 slash line over 20 games. He was 13-for-76 with four doubles, two home runs, six runs batted in, 25 strikeouts, and a poor .587 OPS which was well below his career mark of .795. </p>
<p id="ewK1f9">Most of his peripherals in the first month of the regular season weren’t too encouraging either. See below how they compared to September 2021, Soler’s final month with the Braves:</p>
<p id="TiQYla"><strong>Average exit velocity: </strong>88.0 MPH (90.3 MPH in Sept. 2021)</p>
<p id="9dLjEF"><strong>Barrel rate:</strong> 7.8% (10.3%)</p>
<p id="iKcUsf"><strong>BABIP: </strong>.224 (.284)</p>
<p id="lBkalC">That all changed almost immediately since the first day of May. Including Monday’s loss against the Rockies, Soler is averaging .253/.330/.609 across 23 games (22-for-87). He has carried the entire Marlins lineup at times, registering four doubles and nine home runs this month (team-leading 13 extra-base hits), along with 19 ribbies and 13 runs. While Soler has struck out 25 times, he’s also drawn nine walks. The 30-year-old outfielder has had a nine-game hitting streak, a multi-homer game, and a four-RBI game.</p>
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<p id="xx9KD1">Soler’s peripherals are telling a similarly positive story:</p>
<p id="bcZkOY"><strong>Average exit velocity: </strong>94.3 MPH</p>
<p id="Xy3wUJ"><strong>Barrel rate:</strong> 20.3%</p>
<p id="66eLub"><strong>BABIP: </strong>.241</p>
<p id="1v0DwT">Soler is hitting 47.5 percent of his balls up in the air (FB%). Plus, his HardHit% went from 41.2 to 49.2. His Isolated Power has nearly tripled month-to-month, from .132 to .356.</p>
<p id="iugJ63">The overall numbers are now where they’re supposed to be for the $36 million man. Soler has become the Marlins’ leader in home runs (11) and is on pace for 39 long balls, which would be the third-highest single-season total in franchise history—Giancarlo Stanton had 59 in 2017 and Gary Sheffield had 42 in 1996.</p>
<p id="00P9eO">Soler’s nine dingers in May are the most by a Marlin during the cited month since Justin Bour launched 11 in 2017. All across the National League, there aren’t many more dangerous hitters right now. He is just a notch below the Dodgers’ Mookie Betts and the Cardinals’ Paul Goldschmidt (established superstars making about doubled his salary). </p>
<p id="HDayfl">Soler has begun to look like a good signing for the Marlins. Now, it’s time for them to take advantage of his production and get some wins.</p>
https://www.fishstripes.com/2022/5/31/23147949/jorge-soler-marlins-hot-streakJuan Páez2022-05-11T20:00:45-04:002022-05-11T20:00:45-04:00Time to worry? Marlins’ big offensive acquisitions are still struggling
<figure>
<img alt="Miami Marlins right fielder Avisail Garcia (24) singles in the third inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/zN1bIL5H-xZZexDP9P5hkWs4MNc=/0x0:4770x3180/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/70859203/usa_today_18246950.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Jorge Soler and Avisaíl García haven’t been meeting expectations in their first season with the Marlins.</p> <p id="PB7ywN"><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/solerjo01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=&utm_medium=referral">Jorge Soler</a> and <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/garciav01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=&utm_medium=referral">Avisaíl García</a> were supposed to be huge improvements for the 2022 Marlins’ lineup. Overall, the team is off to a better offensive start than 2021—they have a 103 wRC+ through the first 31 games compared to a 87 wRC+ through the same period last year.</p>
<p id="SQdj36">However, Soler and García have had very little to do with that. They entered Wednesday with a 0.4 bWAR and -0.2 bWAR, respectively. The Marlins devoted most of their offseason spending to the pair of veteran outfielders with the expectation that they would be everyday players, which has made their underperformance impossible to ignore.</p>
<p id="JR1Y0C">Soler has been the most productive one of the two. The World Series MVP is slashing .178/.271/.347 with five doubles, five homers, 14 runs batted in, 10 runs, 14 walks, 38 strikeouts, and a .618 OPS. Soler’s production has been better against lefty pitchers as you can see below:</p>
<ul>
<li id="MCwy6Y">
<strong>Soler vs. RHP:</strong> .181/.269/.301, .570 OPS, 5 RBI</li>
<li id="Ax3Jjh">
<strong>Soler vs. LHP:</strong> .167/.286/.500, .786 OPS, 9 RBI</li>
</ul>
<p id="icFCT5">Soler is not the best contact hitter and definitely won’t hit for a high average. But his solid career slash line (.242/.328/.460/.788), his typically normal .293 BABIP (compared to .213 as a Marlins), and his above-average 90.2 exit velocity average suggest he should be better soon. </p>
<p id="SsN39G">Regarding García, he’s been unrecognizable if we compare him to last year’s self. He actually might be having the worst start of his career. After 27 games, Avisaíl is a .204/.241/.291 hitter with an awful 32/3 K/BB ratio. Coming off a 29-homer, 86-RBI campaign, García had only gone deep once with four ribbies in 2022 prior to mashing this long but meaningless three-run shot on Wednesday.</p>
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<p id="eN2DMZ">García’s 29.6 strikeout percentage is the worst of his career by far. He’s struggling to hit everything that is not a fastball:</p>
<p id="gGl5H3"><strong>García vs. breaking pitches:</strong> .104 BA, .125 SLG, 15 SO, 48 PA</p>
<p id="SldfcA"><strong>García vs. offspeed pitches:</strong> .143 BA, .286 SLG, 4 SO, 9 PA</p>
<p id="cknhM3">His latest homer was indeed against a 94 mile-per-hour fastball.</p>
<p id="MP5386">At the top of the list of adjustments that García has to make, he should begin with being more patient at the plate. This year, the 30-year-old outfielder is being as aggressive as ever but with the lowest contact percentage of his career (62.2%). <a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=bat&lg=all&qual=y&type=5&season=2022&month=0&season1=2022&ind=0&team=0&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0&startdate=2022-01-01&enddate=2022-12-31&sort=8,a">Among qualified major leaguers</a>, only Chris Taylor of the Dodgers is missing the ball more frequently.</p>
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<p id="ZxbFkr">Look at how García is putting himself in a position to fail in the batter’s box:</p>
<p id="SP6zJx"><strong>2022:</strong> Chase%: 44.4 | 1st-pitch swing %: 59.2 | Swing %: 63.9 | Whiff %: 38.9</p>
<p id="aCleWD"><strong>Career:</strong> Chase%: 38.6 | 1st-pitch swing %: 46.8 | Swing %: 57.6 | Whiff %: 32.4</p>
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<p id="x07lkW">García and Soler are both quality hitters who need to produce so that the Marlins can win more consistently. Their stats suggest that adjustments can help them improve in the short run. Soler had two home runs on the last road trip and García is carrying a five-game hitting streak. That brings hope to Marlins fans who are anxious to see what these two can do at the peak of their powers.</p>
https://www.fishstripes.com/2022/5/11/23067163/marlins-avisail-garcia-jorge-soler-strugglingJuan Páez