MIAMI MARLINS NOTES:
MARLINS MINUTE
The Marlins today begin a four-game series at Atlanta. Is the second stop on their seven-game road trip after taking two of three in Cleveland. Following this series, return home for a six-game homestand against the Cubs (3 games) and Braves (3 games).
• After starting the year 1-4, the Marlins have won 11 of their last 16 contests.
• Lost their first two road games of the year coming in New York, going 5-2 since.
• Are looking to win their fifth straight series, a feat the organization has not accomplished since August 11-27, 2017, when they won five straight against Colorado, San Francisco, New York Mets, Philadelphia, and San Diego.
YESTERDAY’S RECAP
Miami dropped the series finale at Cleveland, 7-4. LHP Jesus Luzardo allowed 4 runs on 8 hits in just 4.1 innings of work, suffering his first loss of the year. 2B Jon Berti (1×4) hit his second HR of the year, a solo shot in the third to put the Marlins on the board. DH Avisail Garcia (1×4) added a two-out, three-run home run in the eighth. RF Jorge Soler (3×3) reached base four times in the game (also 1 walk).
STOP…HOMER TIME
The Marlins have scored 32 of their 72 runs this season via home runs (44.4%). Have hit 21 homers total over the first 22 games, homering in 16 of the contests, including eight of their nine road games.
DE LA CRUSH
OF Bryan De La Cruz had his career-high-tying nine-game hitting streak come to an end in Sunday’s loss at Cleveland (0x3 with a walk). Overall, has reached base in 14 of his 20 games this season, including each of his last 10.
• Owns a .480 (12×25) batting average when hitting cleanup in the order.
CATCH US IF YOU CAN
The Marlins have stolen 20 bases this season, ninth-most in the Majors (fourth in NL). Have been caught just three times, the third-best SB pct. in the NL (87%). Since the start of the 2020 season, the Marlins have combined to steal 161 bases on the road – the most for any Major League team over the stretch (Cleveland is second with 153 steals).
• CF Jazz Chisholm Jr. has stolen 7 bases this season (in 8 attempts). Marks the most SB on the team and fourth-most in the NL.
GOOD FIRST IMPRESSIONS
2B Luis Arraez has 32 hits in his first 20 games of the year (18 starts), with 10 multi-hit games (tied for fourth-most in MLB). Only Ronald Acuna Jr. (34), Nico Hoerner (33), and Bryson Stott (33) have more hits among Major Leaguers. Arraez’s .444 batting avg. (32×72) is tops in the Majors among all qualified hitters, and 70 points higher than the second-best (Acuna, .374).
• Is tied with Martin Prado (2016) for the second-most hits by a Marlins player through their first 20 games of a season in club history, trailing only Dee Gordon (34 hits in 2015). His batting avg. is tops in club history through 20 games (min. 70 plate appearances).
• Has struck out just 4 times in 81 plate appearances (.049), the lowes Edward Cabrera, 25, made 14 starts at the Major League level last year after being recalled from Triple-A Jacksonville on May 31, 2022.
• Made his fourth start of the season, achieving his first victory against the Giants on his last start.
• Ranked in the top three among rookie starters in several categories, including his .177 opponents batting average, 1.074 WHIP, and 3.01 ERA.
• His .177 avg. against was the lowest by a rookie starter with at least 10 GS. Among all MLB pitchers, ranked fourth behind Christian Javier (.170), Tony Gonsolin (.172), and Jacob deGrom (.175).
• In 7 starts at home in 2022, went 3-3 with a 4.58 ERA (35.1 IP/18 ER). Posted a 1.49 ERA (36.1 IP/6 ER) in 7 starts away, allowing 10 less hits than at home.
• Was named to MLB.com’s All-Rookie Second Team.
• Made four consecutive scoreless outings (22.2 IP) after returning from injury from Aug. 1 until Aug. 22, becoming the second pitcher in franchise history to make four consecutive scoreless starts, joining Chris Hammond in 1994.
• Set a new career-high with 8.0 innings pitched at Oakland on Aug. 22, 2022.
• In his first start back in almost 2 months on Aug. 5, 2022 tossed 5.0 no-hit innings against Chicago Cubs.
• Was the first pitcher in club history to pitch 6.0 innings or more and allow two hits or less in each of his first two starts of a season. Edward Cabrera, 25, made 14 starts at the Major League level last year after being recalled from Triple-A Jacksonville on May 31, 2022.
• Made his fourth start of the season, achieving his first victory against the Giants on his last start.
• Ranked in the top three among rookie starters in several categories, including his .177 opponents batting average, 1.074 WHIP, and 3.01 ERA.
• His .177 avg. against was the lowest by a rookie starter with at least 10 GS. Among all MLB pitchers, ranked fourth behind Christian Javier (.170), Tony Gonsolin (.172), and Jacob deGrom (.175).
• In 7 starts at home in 2022, went 3-3 with a 4.58 ERA (35.1 IP/18 ER). Posted a 1.49 ERA (36.1 IP/6 ER) in 7 starts away, allowing 10 less hits than at home.
• Was named to MLB.com’s All-Rookie Second Team.
• Made four consecutive scoreless outings (22.2 IP) after returning from injury from Aug. 1 until Aug. 22, becoming the second pitcher in franchise history to make four consecutive scoreless starts, joining Chris Hammond in 1994.
• Set a new career-high with 8.0 innings pitched at Oakland on Aug. 22, 2022.
• In his first start back in almost 2 months on Aug. 5, 2022 tossed 5.0 no-hit innings against Chicago Cubs.
• Was the first pitcher in club history to pitch 6.0 innings or more and allow two hits or less in each of his first two starts of a season.t mark in the Majors among qualified batters.
PEN TALES
Overall this season, Marlins relievers have combined for a 1.10 WHIP, the best mark in the NL and third-lowest overall in the Majors. Dating back to Apr. 11 at PHI, the Marlins bullpen ranks first in MLB with a 1.62 ERA (44.1/8) and 0.79 WHIP, while also tied with Houston for fewest hits allowed (22).
• RHP Dylan Floro has allowed just 4 baserunners (2 H and 2 BB) in 9 scoreless appearances (10.1 innings) with 10 strikeouts in 2023. Dating back to July 3 of last season, has posted a 1.43 ERA (46.0/7) with 51 strikeouts. 41 of 46 appearances have been scoreless.
• LHP Andrew Nardi, since April 7, has stranded 8 of 8 inherited runners and has not allowed a hit in his last 7 outings (7.0 IP), with 9 K. • LHP A.J. Puk has four saves in four chances. Has held opponents scoreless in his last 6 appearances with 6 strikeouts and 4 hits allowed.
GREAT WHEN LATE
The Marlins offense is batting .278 (66×237) in the seventh inning or later, the third-best mark in the Majors this season. 30 of Miami’s 72 runs scored this year (41.7%) have come in these final three innings, including 8 of the club’s combined 21 home runs.
DANCING ON A THIN LINE
Through 22 games this season, Miami is 12-0 when limiting opponents to 4 runs or less and has gone 0-10 when allowing 5 or more runs.
CUBANO GIGANTE
OF/DH Jorge Soler has already collected 8 doubles and 5 HR in his first 19 games of the year. His 13 XBH are tied for fourth-most in the National League, behind J.D. Martinez’s (15), Patrick Wisdom (14), and Brandon Marsh (14).
• Compiled a stretch of 10 consecutive hits going for extra bases from March 31-April 19 which tied Giancarlo Stanton (2010) for the second longest such streak in franchise history behind Todd Hollandsworth (11, April 25-May 10, 2003)
• 4 of his 5 HRs in ‘23 have tied the game or given the Marlins the lead; the Marlins are 4-0 when he homers.
TURNING THE TRENDING TIDE
The Marlins are 6-0 in one-run games in 2023, marking the most conseutive wins in games decided by one run to start a season in franchise history. Join Milwaukee (5-0) and Tampa Bay (3-0) as the only teams yet to lose a one-run game this season.
• Miami played 64 games decided by one run in 2022, the most such games in the Majors last season. Miami’s 40 one-run losses were the most in a season in club history, the most since the 1975 Astros (41), and just three shy of the single-season record for one-run losses during the Live Ball Era (since 1920) held by the 1968 White Sox (44).0
FAMILIAR FOES
This series ends a stretch in which Miami plays 10 straight games (3 vs. SF, 3 at CLE, 4 at ATL) against the three franchises they faced in the 1997 Postseason, en route to the club’s first World Series win. The Florida Marlins swept the San Francisco Giants, 3-0, in the NLDS and won 4 of 6 games against the NL East Division Champion Atlanta Braves before advancing to the Fall Classic where they won their first ring in a dramatic extra-inning affair in Game 7 on October 26, 1997.
TODAY’S STARTER – #27 EDWARD CABRERA
Edward Cabrera, 25, made 14 starts at the Major League level last year after being recalled from Triple-A Jacksonville on May 31, 2022.
• Made his fourth start of the season, achieving his first victory against the Giants on his last start.
• Ranked in the top three among rookie starters in several categories, including his .177 opponents batting average, 1.074 WHIP, and 3.01 ERA.
• His .177 avg. against was the lowest by a rookie starter with at least 10 GS. Among all MLB pitchers, ranked fourth behind Christian Javier (.170), Tony Gonsolin (.172), and Jacob deGrom (.175).
• In 7 starts at home in 2022, went 3-3 with a 4.58 ERA (35.1 IP/18 ER). Posted a 1.49 ERA (36.1 IP/6 ER) in 7 starts away, allowing 10 less hits than at home.
• Was named to MLB.com’s All-Rookie Second Team.
• Made four consecutive scoreless outings (22.2 IP) after returning from injury from Aug. 1 until Aug. 22, becoming the second pitcher in franchise history to make four consecutive scoreless starts, joining Chris Hammond in 1994.
• Set a new career-high with 8.0 innings pitched at Oakland on Aug. 22, 2022.
• In his first start back in almost 2 months on Aug. 5, 2022 tossed 5.0 no-hit innings against Chicago Cubs.
• Was the first pitcher in club history to pitch 6.0 innings or more and allow two hits or less in each of his first two starts of a season.
ATLANTA BRAVES NOTES:
SKID
Atlanta has lost each of its last four games, dropping the finale in San Diego last Wednesday before getting swept by Houston over the weekend. It is Atlanta’s longest losing streak since also losing four straight from August 14-18, 2021, 20 months ago. The club has not lost five straight games in over five years, last doing so with six straight losses from September 25-30, 2017. Atlanta’s run of consecutive division titles began the next season. The Braves are the only team in baseball without a five-game losing streak since the start of 2018.
TONIGHT’S GAME: The Braves and Marlins tonight open a four-game series in what is the first of 13 games between the teams this season…The two will meet again just five days after the conclusion of this series, May 2 in Miami.
• Atlanta went 13-6 against Miami last season, including wins in nine their final 11 games between the clubs…The Braves beat Miami, 2-1, on October 4 in the penultimate game of the season to clinch the NL East division title.
• Atlanta has won the season set against Miami for eight consecutive years, dating to 2015…Moreover, the Braves have won double-digit games over the Marlins in 17 of the last 19 full seasons…They went 9-10 in 2014 and 8-10 in 2009…Since 2015, the Braves are 91-51 (.641) against Miami.
• Since Truist Park opened in 2017, Atlanta has played to a 37-17 (.685) record against Miami in this building…The Marlins’ .315 winning percentage in that span is second lowest in baseball among teams with at least five games played here, better than just Pittsburgh (4-15, .211).
• RH Spencer Strider has never started against Miami, pitching just two career games against the club, both in relief…The 6-foot-0, 205-pound right-hander has allowed four hits and three runs in just 1.0 combined inning in his two appearances, and has not struck out a batter…Strider has made four starts for Atlanta this season and compiled a 2-0 record with a 2.45 ERA (6 ER/22.0 IP), while
the Braves are a perfect 4-0 in his starts.
• RH Edward Cabrera has started twice against the Braves in his career, pitching to a 3.12 ERA (3 ER/8.2 IP) without a decision…In his lone start against Atlanta last season, the 6-foot-5, 217-pound native of the Dominican Republic allowed just one run over 5.0 innings…In four turns this season, he has pitched to a 1-1 record with a 4.08 ERA (8 ER/17.2 IP).
LOSS: Atlanta lost to Houston, 5-2, yesterday to get swept by the Astros…It marked the first three-game sweep of Atlanta here at Truist Park since the Blue Jays did so in May of 2021.
• Atlanta carried a 2-0 lead into the eighth inning, before allowing five unanswered runs in the final two frames…The Braves entered play a perfect 11-0 when leading after seven innings.
• The Braves held a lead in all three games of the series, including multi-run leads on Friday and Sunday…Atlanta entered the series 14-0 in games in which it held a lead at any point, before dropping all three games in such fashion this weekend.
• With yesterday’s loss the Braves fell to 4-6 (.400) at Truist Park this season, compared to 10-2 (.833) record in road games…Atlanta has a -15 run differential in nine games at Truist Park, while posting a +40 differential in 12 games as visitors.
• The Braves went 55-26 at home last season, tied for the third-best home record in the majors
STRIDER STRIKEOUTS: RHP Spencer Strider enters tonight with 36 strikeouts on the season, tied for seventh most in the majors…Each of the six pitchers with more have made five starts on the season, compared to Strider’s four.
• Strider’s 14.73 SO/9.0 IP are most in the majors, and just one other pitcher (Jacob deGrom, 14.51) is over 12.50.
• He struck out nine batters in his last start, April 18 at San Diego, and has fanned exactly nine batters in each of his four starts this season…Since the Braves moved to Atlanta in 1966, no pitcher in baseball has fanned exactly nine batters in five straight starts… Just two others (Kenta Maeda in 2018 and Clayton Kershaw in 2014) did so in four straight.
• Strider has fanned at least nine batters in each of his last eight starts, dating to last season…The run is the longest active streak in baseball of at least nine strikeouts, and matches John Smoltz’s franchise-record run of such starts set in 1997.
• Just six pitchers in baseball’s modern era (since 1900) have a longer streak of nine-plus strikeout games, with Pedro Martínez (2) the only pitcher with multiple such runs.
• Nolan Ryan owns the major league record with 11 straight games of at least nine strikeouts, done in 1977.
OFFENSE: During Atlanta’s four-game losing skid, the Braves have batted .173/.245/.291 as a club, with three homers in the four games…They have totaled just nine runs, including scoring at least four runs in only one of the four losses.
• Atlanta is just 1-6 this season when scoring three of fewer runs.
• With runners in scoring position in this span, Atlanta is batting .100/.206/.167, going just 3-for30 with two doubles and five runs…The Braves have 13 strikeouts in these situations.
• During the first 18 games of the season, when Atlanta went 14-4, the club batted .269/.351/.458 and averaged 5.4 runs/game.
DOUBLE PLAYS: The Braves converted two double plays yesterday, first with a 5-3 twin killing in the second inning before recording a pair of outs on a 4-6-3 play in the sixth…Offensively, DH Eddie Rosario hit into a 4-6-3 double play in the ninth.
• Atlanta has turned 23 double plays this season, tied for the third most in the major leagues…Only St. Louis (27) and Washington (25) have turned more.
• Conversely, the Braves’ offense has hit into 22 double plays, tied for the fourth most in baseball… Miami has hit into 24 of them, leading the majors.
• Atlanta’s 45 double plays, both offensive and defensive, combine to be the second-highest duality in MLB…St. Louis has the most with 49 (22 offensive, 27 defensive).
Tonight’s Starting Pitcher – #99 Spencer Strider RHP
Today’s Game
• Strider is set to make his fifth start of the year and first outing against Miami in ’23.
• Has only made two career appearances against the Marlins; both were relief outings.
• Enters play with eight consecutive games of at least nine strikeouts dating to September 1, 2022.
• It is the longest active streak in baseball and is tied for eighth-longest in the modern era (since 1900).
• Tied Hall-of-Famer John Smoltz for the longest streak in franchise history.
• The most in MLB were 11 games by Hall-of-Famer Nolan Ryan.
• Among active pitchers, only Chris Sale, Gerrit Cole and Shane Bieber have recorded a longer streak of consecutive games with at least nine strikeouts.
• Leads the National League with a rate of 14.73 strikeouts per nine innings (min. four starts)…Trails only Boston’s Chris Sale (15.00 K/9).
• Struckout nine San Diego hitters over 6.0 scoreless innings of one-hit ball in his last outing.
• Has gone at least 5.0 innings in 11 consecutive starts and is pitching to a 1.97 ERA during that span.
2023 Recap
• Started the second game of the season for Atlanta and earned the win, fanning nine hitters while pitching 6.0 scoreless innings against Washington.
