MIAMI MARLINS NOTES:
MARLINS MINUTE
The Marlins today play the final game of a four-game series at Atlanta. Wraps up a seven-game road trip that started with Miami taking two of three in Cleveland. Following today’s game, return home for a six-game homestand against the Cubs (3 games) and Braves (3 games) starting tomorrow. • After starting the year 1-4, the Marlins have gone 11-8 since. Had won four straight series prior to this set vs. the Braves.
YESTERDAY’S RECAP
Miami fell in Atlanta, 6-4. Led 4-0 entering the bottom of the sixth. Hit a solo home run in three consecutive innings (second-fourth) – RF Jesus Sanchez (1×4), CF Jazz Chisholm Jr. (1×4), and LF Avisail Garcia (1×3) each going deep. RHP Sandy Alcantara held the Braves to just 2 runs on 4 hits in 5.2 innings, striking out 6. RHP Dylan Floro was charged with his first blown save, allowing 4 runs (3 earned) while recording just one out.
PROGRAMMING NOTE
On Friday, Marlins baseball will air on Bally Sports Sun. Over the weekend, the Marlins will play on national TV on Saturday, airing on FOX national and Sunday on Peacock.
ROLL TIDE
LHP Braxton Garrett makes his first career start in Atlanta today just 4 hours away from his hometown of Florence, Alabama. Is expected to have approx. 40 family and friends in attendance today.
INSIDE JOB
1B Yuli Gurriel raced around the bases in the ninth inning on Tuesday for the first inside-the-park-home run in MLB in 2023. Marked the 21st ITP homer in franchise history, second straight against Atlanta (Jazz Chisholm Jr., July 10, 2021 in Miami) and third overall against the Braves (also Derrek Lee, April 12, 2003 in Miami). Was the first ITP HR by a Marlins player in Atlanta and the first ever hit in Truist Park history.
• Marked his fourth career home run against RHP Jesse Chavez, his most against any opposing pitcher in the league (second-most is 3 HR against four different pitchers, including teammate Jesus Luzardo).
FLASHBACK FRIDAY
Tomorrow, when the Cubs come to town for a three-game series, the Marlins will harken back to their 2003 NLCS win against Chicago. In addition to wearing their 1993 teal pinstripe throwback uniforms, the Marlins will welcome alumni members Mike Lowell and Brad Penny, who were members of the 2003 Championship team.
STOP… HOMER TIME
The Marlins have scored 37 of their 80 runs this season via home runs (46.3%). Have hit 26 homers total over the first 25 games, homering in 18 of the contests, including 10 of their 12 road games.
CATCH US IF YOU CAN
The Marlins have stolen 21 bases this season, tied for eighth most in the Majors (tied for fourth in NL). Have been caught just three times, the third-best SB pct. in the Majors (87%). Since the start of the 2020 season, the Marlins have combined to steal 162 bases on the road – the most for any Major League team over the stretch.
• CF Jazz Chisholm Jr. has stolen 7 bases this season (in 8 attempts). Marks the most SB on the team and tied for fifth-most in the NL.
GOOD FIRST IMPRESSIONS
2B Luis Arraez has 32 hits in his first 21 games of the year (19 starts), with 10 multi-hit games (tied for fourth-most in MLB). Only Ronald Acuña Jr. (37), Bryson Stott (36), Nico Hoerner (35), Bo Bichette (36), and Vlad Guerrero Jr. (33) have more hits among Major Leaguers. Arraez’s .421 batting avg. (32×76) is tops in the Majors among all qualified hitters, and nearly 60 points higher than the second-best (Chapman, .364).
• Trails only Martin Prado (33, 2016) and Dee Gordon (36, 2015) for the most hits by a Marlins player through their first 20 gms of a season in club history. His batting avg. is tops in club history through 21 games (min. 70 plate appearances).
• Has struck out just 4 times in 85 plate appearances (.047 K/AB), the lowest mark in the Majors among qualified batters.
CUBANO GIGANTE
OF/DH Jorge Soler has already collected 8 doubles and 5 HR in his first 22 games of the year. His 13 XBH are tied for tied for sixth-most in the National League, behind J.D. Martinez’s (15), Patrick Wisdom (14), James Outman (14), Brandon Marsh (14), and Matt Olson (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.
GREAT WHEN LATE
The Marlins offense is batting .276 (76×275) in the seventh inning or later, the third-best mark in the Majors this season behind only Houston (.299) and the Cubs (.277). 33 of Miami’s 80 runs scored this year (41.3%) have come in these final three innings, including 9 of the club’s combined 26 home runs.
DANCING ON A THIN LINE
Through 23 games this season, Miami is 12-0 when limiting opponents to 4 runs or less and has gone 0-13 when allowing5 or more runs.
TURNING THE TRENDING TIDE
The Marlins are 6-0 in one-run games in 2023, marking the most consecutive wins in games decided by one run to start a season in franchise history. Is the only team 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).
TODAY’S STARTER – #29 BRAXTON GARRETT
• Braxton L. Garrett will make his fourth start of the season (fifth appearance) and his fourth career start against the Atlanta Braves.
• In his last outing on Apr. 22 at Cleveland (G2 of DH) and allowed 1 run on 5 hits in 5.2 innings pitched with 1 walk and 5 strikeouts. Earned his first win of the season.
• Has not made it through 6.0 complete innings since Sept. 23, 2022 at WSH (6.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 6 K).
• Made his final outing of the 2022 season vs. Atlanta on Oct. 4, 2022. Took the loss and went just 4.2 innings and allowed 2 runs on 6 hits with 5 walks and 7 strikeouts.
• Made 8 starts at loanDepot park in 2022, going 1-3 with a 2.63 ERA (41.0/12) with 53 SO.
• Made 17 starts at the Major League level in 2022 after entering the year as the Marlins No. 11 prospect. Went 3-7 with a 3.58 ERA (88.0 IP/35 ER) with 24 walks, 90 strikeouts, and 9 home runs allowed.
• In three starts in September, posted a 3.07 ERA (14.2 IP/5 ER). Struck out 12 against just two walks.
• Missed 23 games on the IL with a right oblique strain (8/17 to 9/12).
• In 15 career starts at home (16 apps), owns a 3.18 ERA (76.1 IP/27 ER) and has gone 3-6 with 88 strikeouts. In 14 starts away (15 appearances), is 3-4 with a 4.73 ERA (72.1 IP/38 ER) and 58 strikeouts.
ATLANTA BRAVES NOTES:
vs. N.L. East
This current four-game series started a run of 11 consecutive games against the N.L. East for Atlanta, and the Braves improved to 5-1 against divisional opponents with last night’s win. Since 2018, when Atlanta’s run of five consecutive division titles began, the Braves have gone 217-133 (.620) in intra-divisional games, by far the best record among N.L. East teams. New York has the second-best record in divisional games in that span, going 191-162 (.541). Miami is fifth, with a 144-213 (.403) mark against teams in the N.L. East.
TODAY’S GAME: The Braves and Marlins today conclude a four-game series in what is the fourth 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.
• The Braves beat the Marlins, 6-4, last night and have taken each of the first three games of this set.
• Atlanta went 13-6 against Miami last season, including wins in nine of 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 94-51 (.648) against Miami.
• Since Truist Park opened in 2017, Atlanta has played to a 40-17 (.702) record against Miami in this building…The Marlins’ .298 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 Kyle Wright has made five career starts against Miami, compiling a 2-2 record with a 3.75 ERA (10 ER/24.0 IP)…In a pair of turns last season, the 6-foot-4, 215-pound right-hander did not allow a run in 11.0 combined innings, going 2-0 with 17 strikeouts…Wright led the majors with 21 wins last season, but is looking for his first victory of 2023 after going 0-1 with a 5.93 ERA through three starts.
• LH Braxton Garrett has pitched in three career games against Atlanta, all starts, and is 0-2 despite a 3.29 ERA (5 ER/13.2 IP) versus the Braves…The 6-foot-2, 202-pound native of Foley, AL, made two starts against Atlanta last season, going 0-1 with with a 1.69 ERA (2 ER/10.2 IP)…He did, however, surrender 11 hits and eight walks for 19 total baserunners in just 10.2 innings versus the Braves.
WIN: Atlanta erased a four-run deficit to rally and beat Miami, 6-4, last night, the club’s largest come-from-behind win of the season…The Braves are now 5-8 (.385) in games in which they’ve trailed at any point.
• Atlanta last erased a deficit of at least four runs in a victory on September 25, 2021 at San Diego, rallying from a 7-3 hole to win, 10-8, in extra innings.
• Last night’s win was Atlanta’s first this season when trailing after seven innings…The Braves improved to 1-6 on the year when doing so.
• With the win, the Braves kept pace with the Pirates (also, 17-8) for the best record in the National League…Tampa Bay is the only team in either league with a better record, 20-5 (.800).
RALLIES VERSUS MIAMI: Atlanta erased a four-run deficit in last night’s win, including a two-run hole entering the eighth inning…The Braves plated four eighth-inning runs to secure the win, 6-4.
• Since the start of the 2018 season, Atlanta has trailed Miami by at least four runs in a game 15 times and has rallied to win four of those games…The Braves have gone 4-11 in these games in this span, playing to a .267 winning percentage.
• For context, from 2018 to 2023, teams trailing by four runs at any point in a game are 436-5,948 league-wide, a winning percentage of just .068.
• The Marlins led by two runs entering last night’s eighth inning, the 20th time they have held a multi-run lead over Atlanta after seven innings since 2018…The Braves are 3-17 (.150) in these games following last night’s rally.
• For context, from 2018 to 2023, teams trailing by multiple runs entering the eighth inning are 340-7,125 league-wide, a winning percentage of just .046.
WINS VERSUS MIAMI: Last night’s victory over Miami marked the 302nd win for Atlanta over the Marlins since the club was founded in 1993…Atlanta is 302-201 (.600) all-time against the franchise.
• Atlanta’s 302 wins versus Miami since the start of 1993 are its most against any one team in baseball…The Braves have 285 wins against the Nationals, 281 wins versus the Mets and 264 wins against Philadelphia in that span.
• Since 1993, only one MLB club has beaten another club more times than Atlanta has beaten Miami…The New York Yankees have beaten the Baltimore Orioles 310 times since that year.
• Research courtesy of the Elias Sports Bureau.
VERSUS LEFTIES: Atlanta is set to face LH Braxton Garrett today versus Miami, and is 6-2 (.750) against left-handed starters this season…That mark is tied with Chicago for the best record in the National League against lefties.
• Only Tampa Bay, at 6-1, has been better versus left-handers this season.
• The Braves went 37-17 (.685) against left-handed starters last season, the third-best record in the majors…Only Houston (42-12, .778) and St. Louis (24-11, .686) were better.
• Since 2018, the Braves are 118-81 (.593) against lefty starters, the second-best mark in the National League…Only Los Angeles (149-88, .629) has been better.
• As a team, Atlanta is batting .305/.378/.523 against all lefties this year, starters and relievers, and the club’s .900 OPS versus left-handers ranks third in baseball…Only the Cardinals (.938) and Rays (.907) have a higher mark.
Tonight’s Starting Pitcher – #30 Kyle Wright RHP
Today’s Game
• Wright slated to make his fourth start of the season and sixth of his career against Miami.
• Went 2-0 without allowing a run scored in two starts (11.0 IP) against Miami last season.
• Owns a career 3.75 ERA against the Marlins, the best against any single opponent (min. 5 appearances).
• In his last outing against Houston he gave up three earned runs in 5.0 innings pitched and was dealt his first loss since August 4, 2022 at New York (NL).
• The loss snapped Wright’s eight-game win streak, the longest in the National League.
• Prior to the loss, Atlanta had won their previous 11 consecutive games.
• It was just the fourth time in his career he failed to record more than two strikeouts and first since July 4, 2022 against against St. Louis.
2023 Recap
• The Braves returned Wright on April 11 from his rehabilitation assignment and reinstated him from the injured list.
• Wright opened the season on the injured list, being placed on the IL on March 27 with right shoulder inflammation.
• Allowed four hits, four runs and four walks with three strikeouts in 3.0 innings pitched during his season debut against Cincinnati.
• It was his shortest outing as a starter since tossing 2.0 frames on June 23, 2021 at New York (NL)
