MIAMI MARLINS NOTES:
MARLINS MINUTE
The Marlins today play the final of four games at the Rockies. Continues a three-city, 10-game road trip that started with three at San Francisco, where Miami took one of three, and wraps up back in California with three games at Los Angeles (AL).
• Miami is in a current stretch of 13 straight days with games until their next off day on Memorial Day (May 29).
- Are looking to avoid their fourth straight series loss at Coors Field.
YESTERDAY’S RECAP
Miami burst open offensively to take game three at Colorado, 10-2. RHP Sandy Alcantara settled in after a rocky first inning to allow just 2 runs over 6.0 innings with 3 strikeouts. The Marlins scored a season-high 10 runs on 14 hits (matching season-high), powered by 7 extra-base hits (also matching season-high). C Jacob Stallings (2×4, 1 R, 2 2B, 1 RBI), RF Jorge Soler (2×4, 2 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI), CF Jonathan Davis (3×4, 2 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI), and 1B Yuli Gurriel (4×4, 2 R, 1 3B, 1 RBI) all recorded multi-hit games, the sixth time this season at least four different Marlins put up multiple hits.
SANDY STOPPER
Has started four games this season following at least three straight Marlins losses, including last night’s victory in which he tossed 6.0 innings and allowed 2 runs on 4 hits.
- The other three such starts in 2023: April 4 vs. the Twins – tossed a 3-hit shutout to end a Marlins three-game losing streak, April 26 at Braves – went 5.2 innings and allowed 2 runs, and May 7 at Cubs – tossed a shutout into the ninth inning before surrendering 2 runs in the bottom of the ninth to send the game to extra innings. Miami has gone 2-1 in these starts with Sandy boasting a 1.56 ERA (23.0 IP/4 ER).
DO YOU LIKE PIÑA COLADAS?
1B Yuli Gurriel recorded his eighth career 4-hit game last night, a season-high, and his most since Sept. 12, 2021 vs. LAA. Marks second straight multi-hit game after not recording more than 2 hits in his first 26 gms this season.
- His sixth-inning triple yesterday marked the sixth of his career and his first since Aug. 14, 2020 vs. Seattle.
10 MARKS THE SPOT
Miami scored a season-high 10 runs in last night’s contest at Colorado, beating the previous high of 8 runs scored on April 11 at Philadelphia when Miami won 8-4. Marked the first time since Game 162 of last season that Miami scored 10 or more runs (12-9 W vs. Atlanta on Oct. 5). Miami scored 10 or more runs nine times in 2022.
- Miami recorded 14 hits last night, matching a season-high (April 11 at Philadelphia). Marked the fourth consecutive game in which the Marlins’ offense recorded 10 or more hits. Is the first time since 2019 the club has recorded a streak of 10+ hits in more than 3 games (also, 4 from June 1-5, 2019).
MIAMI MARLIN, JONATHAN DAVIS
OF Jonathan Davis joined the team earlier this week in Colorado and made his first start in center field last night after making his Marlins debut as a pinch-runner in Wednesday’s game.
- Davis went 3×4 with 2 runs scored and a 2-run homer to boost the Marlins to victory last night. Became just the eighth player in club history to record at least 3 hits in first start as a Marlin, and the first since JB Shuck’s 4×4 debut in 2018.
DE LA CRUZIN’
OF Bryan De La Cruz has hit safely in 18 of 21 gms played in May, batting .351 (26×74) with 12 runs scored, 5 doubles, 3 HR, 9 RBI, and a .941 OPS. Has raised his batting avg. from .253 entering May to .297 for the season.
- De La Cruz’s 12 multi-hit games are tied for 2nd on the team with Soler and are behind only Arraez’s 18. Ranks t-4th in MLB with 6 games of 3+ hits (7-way tie, with also Arraez)
- Is batting .364 (8×22) with 4 runs, 1 home run, and 3 RBI on this road trip (6 gms).
PODER SOLER
DH/OF Jorge Soler has collected 9 home runs and 20 RBI in his last 19 games, hitting safely in 14 of the contests with 7 multi-hit efforts. Is slashing .320/.393/.707 with a 1.100 OPS in this span. Is now tied for 3rd in MLB with 14 HR.
- Has hit 5 home runs that have traveled at least 430 ft. (tied for 2nd in MLB with Atlanta’s Marcell Ozuna) and is behind only Atlanta’s Robert Acuna Jr.’s 7 such home runs.
- Leads MLB with 8 HR, 1.081 slugging, and 1.558 OPS vs. left-handed pitching this season.
- 8 of his 12 home runs this season have tied the game or given the Marlins the lead.
- Recorded fourth career 4-hit game Sunday and first since Sept. 11, 2019 at Chicago-AL.
- With Sunday’s home run, Soler has now homered in 7 of Luzardo’s 10 starts this season, including 2 multi-HR games. Owns a .500 batting avg. (20×40) in these starts with 9 HR and 21 RBI.
YOU HAVE A NIGHT!
In the last 4 days, DH/OF Jorge Soler, OF Bryan De La Cruz, and 1B Yuli Gurriel have each recorded 4-hit games. Marks the first time since 2005 that three different Marlins have recorded 4-hit games within a 4-day span (Juan Pierre and Paul Lo Duca on June 15 and Luis Castillo on June 17). Miami now has 5 4-hit games by a batter; had 2 all of last year.
GOOD FIRST IMPRESSIONS
2B Luis Arraez leads MLB with his .371 batting avg. (63×170), ranks 3rd with a .422 OBP and t-3rd with 62 hits. Is tied for 4th with 18 multi-hit gms. Has struck out 9 times in 187 PA (.048 K/ PA), the lowest mark in MLB among qualified batters.
- Is the highest avg. through a player’s first 46 gms to start a season since Cody Bellinger’s .405 avg. through his first 46 gms with the Dodgers in 2019.
- Only Dee Strange-Gordon (74) has more hits for a Marlins player through his first 45 games of a season.
- Is batting a National League-best .381 (31×81) on the road this season. Has hit safely in 17 of 21 games away from Miami. Only NYY’s Aaron Judge has a higher road avg. (.386).
- Marks the best start to a stint with a new ballclub through 46 gms since Daniel Murphy’s .394 avg. with the Nationals in 2016 after they signed him as a free agent.
- With two hits last Wednesday, reached the 500-hit plateau, becoming the seventh active player to reach 500 hits within their first 428 career gms. Joined Bo Bichette (407), Mookie Betts (408), Mike Trout (423), Jose Altuve (426), Whit Merrifield (426), and Jose Abreu (428).
DANCING ON A THIN LINE
Thus far in 2023, Miami is 24-3 when limiting opponents to 4 runs or less and has gone 1-22 when allowing 5 or more runs.
HE’S HERE AND HE’S PERFECT
RHP Eury Perez made his third Major League start Tuesday at Colorado, becoming the youngest starting pitcher in Coors Field history and third-youngest pitcher (TOR’s Elvis Luciano at 19 yrs, 105 days on May 31, 2019 and LAD’s Julio Urias at 19 yrs, 357 days on Aug. 3, 2016).
- Made his Major League debut on May 12 at 20 years and 27 days, becoming the youngest pitcher in Marlins history. The previous youngest pitcher was Jose Fernandez, who debuted at 20 years and 250 days.
TODAY’S STARTER – #29 BRAXTON GARRETT
- Braxton Garrett, 25, will make his third career start against Colorado and his ninth start (10 apps.) of the 2023 season. Owns a 3.12 ERA (8.2 IP/3 ER) with 10 strikeouts against COL.
- In his last start vs. Colorado on June 23, 2022, tossed 4.2 innings and allowed 9 hits, 2 runs, and finished with 7 strikeouts on 94 pitches (68 strikes).
- In his most recent start on Saturday, May 20 at San Francisco, tossed 6.1 scoreless innings and allowed only 1 hit with 8 strikeouts and 1 walk.
- In 17 career starts (18 apps.) at home, owns a 4.10 ERA (85.2 IP/39 ER) and has gone 3-7 with 99 strikeouts. In 17 starts away (18 apps.), is 3-5 with a 4.34 ERA (87.0 IP/42 ER) and 75 strikeouts.
- In 4 G (3 GS) at home this year, owns 7.50 ERA (18.0 IP/15 ER). In 5 starts away, owns a 2.52 ERA (25.0 IP /7 ER).
- Has allowed 2 runs or less in 5 of 9 starts.
- Career, RHB vs. Garrett: .289 AVG, .353 OBP, .829 OPS. LHB vs. Garrett: .234 AVG, .316 OBP, .627 OPS. Has allowed only 2 HR in 158 AB against lefties.
- Made 17 starts at the Major League level in 2022 after entering the year as the Marlins No. 11 prospect. Went 3-7
COLORADO ROCKIES NOTES:
WHEN THE HEARTACHE IS OVER
- The Colorado Rockies play the fourth and final game of a four-game series this afternoon against the Miami Marlins … welcome the New York Mets to town Friday-Sunday to conclude the homestand.
- The Rockies are in the midst of a stretch of 17 straight games without an off-day from May 19-June 4, their longest stretch without an off day this season.
- Colorado has won four of their last six series since May 2 and five of their last eight series since April 24 … had lost or split each of their first seven series of the season prior to this stretch.
- The Rockies are 13-9 over their last 22 and 15-12 through their last 27 since April 24, a .577 winning percentage that is the fifth-best mark in the NL over that span.
LET’S STAY TOGETHER
- The Rockies will welcome back three alumni to Coors Field over the weekend as part of their 30th anniversary celebrations throughout the season … outfielder Brad Hawpe and pitchers Jason Jennings and Ubaldo Jiménez will be at the ballpark Saturday and Sunday, and will throw out the ceremonial first pitch prior to Sunday’s game.
PROUD MARY
- The Rockies have won 13 of their past 17 home games over the Marlins since Sept. 26, 2017, and 10 of 12 since 2019 … overall, the Rockies are 108-118 against their fellow expansion team, 69-45 at home.
- In 21 career games against the Fish, Elias Díaz is slashing .367/.441/.800 with six doubles, one triple, six home runs and 13 RBI … Charlie Blackmon is slashing .306/.373/.463 with 11 doubles, one triple, seven home runs and 28 RBI in 61 career games against Miami.
WE DON’T NEED ANOTHER HERO
- Rockies Manager Bud Black is sitting at 438 wins with the Rockies since his first season with the club in 2017, two wins shy of tying Don Baylor for the second-most managerial wins in franchise history … Baylor, the Rockies’ first manager in franchise history, went 440-469 in six seasons at the helm from 1993-98.
PRIVATE DANCER
- Outfielder Jurickson Profar holds an active 32-game on-base streak since April 15, the longest active streak in the Majors and the second-longest streak this season, trailing Yordan Álvarez (36 games) … it is tied for the 12th-longest on-base streak in franchise history, the longest since Connor Joe’s 35-game on-base streak last season (tied for the seventh-longest).
- Profar is slashing .268/.356/.425 through the streak with 18 walks … over his last 14 games since May 7, is slashing .333/.397/.579 with eight doubles, two home runs, nine RBI and eight multi-hit games.
OVERNIGHT SENSATION
- Despite playing in only 24 games, Brenton Doyle’s four home runs are tied for seventh-most among NL rookies.
- Has stolen a club-best seven bases, tied for the third-most among all NL rookies and tied for the 12th-most among all NL players … is one of seven Major Leaguers with at least seven stolen bases and no caught stealings.
THE BEST
- Catcher Elias Díaz ranks second in the Majors with a .343 batting average and ranks fourth with a .452 batting average (19-for-42) with runners in scoring position.
- Díaz is hitting a Major League leading .397 (31-for-78) at home … has gone 14-for-24 (.583) with 14 RBI with runners in scoring position at Coors Field.
- Has appeared in 42 games at catcher, the second-most in the Majors … his 10 catcher caught stealing are third in the Majors, while his 40.7 caught stealing percentage ranks second (min. 20 games).
IT TAKES TWO
- Jake Bird ranks second among Major League relievers with 32.2 innings pitched (first in the NL) and tied for fifth with 34 strikeouts (tied for second in the NL) … his 34 strikeouts are tied for second among NL relief pitchers.
- Brent Suter’s 30.2 innings of relief are third in the Majors and second in the NL behind Bird … his 0.88 ERA (30.2 IP, 3 ER) is the fourth-lowest in the Majors among relievers and the lowest by any Rockies reliever through their first 20 appearances of a season in franchise history (min. 20 IP).
WHAT’S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT
- The Rockies are the only team in the Majors to have an undefeated record (19-0) when leading after seven innings, while going 20-0 when leading after eight … alternatively, the Rockies are 0-24 when trailing after seven innings, one of three teams without a win when trailing after seven (also: New York NL and Texas).
ROCKIES STARTING PITCHER – #21 KYLE FREELAND LHP
DENVER KID
- Kyle Freeland will make his 11th start of the season today, his seventh at Coors Field.
- The 30-year-old Denver native graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School, 15 minutes south of Coors Field … selected in the first round of the 2014 First Year Player Draft (eighth overall), the third player in University of Evansville history to be drafted in the first round.
- The Rockies announced on April 19, 2022 that they agreed to a five-year contract extension with Freeland covering the 2022-26 seasons … the extension includes two arbitration years and three years of free agency.
ALL MY EX’S LIVE IN…
- Shortest start of the season last time out on May 20 at Texas, being tagged for eight runs (five earned) on a nine hits across 2.0 innings … the nine hits were a season-high and his most since Sept. 25, 2022 vs. San Diego, a start in which he only went 2.2 innings … entering the game, had allowed just two runs over his previous three starts (18.0 IP).
- Marked the only start of his career in which he didn’t issue a walk or record a strikeout … sixth career start with no strikeouts.
FISH & GAME
- Has gone 2-0 (Rockies 3-2) in five career appearances (three starts) against Miami, logging a 3.60 ERA (20.0 IP, 8 ER) with two walks and 16 strikeouts … 3.32 ERA (19.0 IP, 7 ER) as a starter and 9.00 ERA (1.0 IP, 1 ER) out of the bullpen.
- Last start against the Fish came June 23, 2022 at loanDepot park in a 3-2 Rockies loss, allowing two runs across 7.0 innings with no walks and five strikeouts on 107 pitches.
- Beat Miami at Coors Field on Aug. 8, 2021, allowing four runs over five innings in a 13-8 Rockies win … also made two relief appearances against the Marlins at Coors Field in his rookie season, 2017.
- Has made 32 career appearances (29 starts) against the NL East, posting a 3.30 ERA (163.2 IP, 60 ER) with 53 walks and 139 strikeouts.
HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS
- Has not allowed a run in either of his last two starts at Coors Field, tossing a combined 11 scoreless innings with seven hits, one walk and 13 strikeouts … franchise record fourth time with consecutive scoreless starts at Coors Field … Jason Hammel the only pitcher in franchise history to have three-straight scoreless starts at home (June 6-18, 2010).
- Has gone 3-2 with a 3.34 ERA (32.1 IP, 12 ER) in six starts at home overall this season … quality starts in four of his six.
- Career record of 31-26 (Rockies 49-35) with a 4.66 ERA (445.2 IP, 231 ER) in 84 appearances (81 starts) at Coors Field … ERA seventh all-time at Coors Field among pitchers with at least 40 starts.
DONUT
- Has six games this season in which he has tossed at least five scoreless innings, already tied for the second-most such games in a single season in franchise history … his next game of five-plus scoreless innings will tie him with Ubaldo Jiménez in 2010 for the most in franchise history.
ROCKY MOUNTAIN FEELS
- Ranks fifth in franchise history with 160 career starts, 13 shy of tying teammate German Márquez for fourth … passed Jason Jennings (156) for the fifth-most starts in franchise history in his May 3 start vs. Milwaukee.
- His 53 career wins rank are tied for seventh in franchise history with Jon Gray and Pedro Astacio … Ubaldo Jiménez ranks sixth with 56 wins.
- His 679 strikeouts are the seventh-most in franchise history … trails Jeff Francis in sixth with 742 strikeouts.
- Career 4.24 ERA ranks fourth all-time among Rockies starting pitchers (min. 75 starts) … 109 career opponent grounded into double plays are the third-most in franchise history.
THE HOME RUN HIGHWAY
- Ten of his 23 earned runs this year have come off of home runs, with six of them being solo homers.
- His 19 home runs allowed in 2022 were his fewest since 2018 (17) … his 0.98 HR/9 was the 13th-lowest in the National League in 2022 … his lowest HR/9 rate since he posted a 0.76 clip in 2018.
BEST FOOT FORWARD
- Began his season with two scoreless outings, the first pitcher in franchise history to toss at least six scoreless innings in each of his first two appearances of the season … allowed his first run of the season in the first inning of his third start, ending a 13.0 inning scoreless streak to begin the season, tied with Jason Jennings (2001) for the second-longest streak to begin a season in franchise history, behind Jhoulys Chacín (14.1 IP, 2010).
- His 0.96 ERA through his first three starts of the season was the lowest in the National league and the lowest in franchise history through a starting pitcher’s first three starts of the season.
