MIAMI MARLINS NOTES:
MARLINS MINUTE
The Marlins today play the final game of a three-game series at Philadelphia’s Citizens Bank Park. Wraps up their season-opening road trip in which they started by taking one of three against the Mets at Citi Field. Following today’s, return home for an off day on Thursday followed by a six-game homestand against Arizona (Fri-Sun) and San Francisco (Mon-Wed).
YESTERDAY’S RECAP
Miami rebounded for an 8-4 win at Philadelphia. 2B Luis Arraez (4×5) became the first player in Marlins franchise history to hit for the cycle. SS Jon Berti (2×3) put the Marlins on the board in the third inning with a solo home run, his first of the year. The Marlins collected a total of seven extra-base hits. LHP Jesus Luzardo earned his second win, limiting the Phillies to 3 runs in 6.0 innings, striking out 5.
CYCLE TIME
2B Luis Arraez on Tuesday became the first player in Marlins history to hit for the cycle, coming in the 4,700th game in franchise history during the 30th anniversary. Was baseball’s first cycle since St. Louis’ Nolan Arenado last July 1 vs. Philadelphia (with Skip Schumaker serving as Cardinals bench coach). There had been 111 cycles in the Majors since the Marlins franchise began play in 1993.
• Doubled in the first inning, tripled in the sixth inning, homered in the seventh inning and singled in the eighth inning. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, during the Expansion Era, was just the seventh cycle to be completed in the same order, also: Eddie Rosario (9/19/21 w/ATL at SF), Jake Cronenworth (7/16/21 w/SD at WAS), Freddie Freeman (6/15/16 w/ATL vs. CIN), Daryle Ward (5/26/04 w/PIT at STL), Keith Hernandez (7/4/85 w/NYM at ATL) and Mike Phillips (6/25/76 w/NYM at CHC).
• Is the first player to hit for a cycle in the month of April since Minnesota’s Jorge Polanco on April 5, 2019 at Citizen’s Bank Park, and the 20th to accomplish the feat within his team’s first 12 games of a season.
• Became the sixth Venezuelan-born player to hit for a cycle, joining Eduardo Escobar (6/6/22 w/NYM at SD), Pablo Sandoval (9/15/11 w/SF at COL), Carlos Gonzalez (7/31/10 w/COL vs. CHC), Carlos Guillen (8/1/06 w/DET at TB), and Cesar Tovar (9/19/72 w/MIN vs. TEX).
• Became the 19th player to hit for a cycle against the Philadelphia Phillies; the 25th player to hit for a cycle in Philadelphia (including the Philadelphia A’s) and the fifth to accomplish the feat at Citizens Bank Park, joining (Nolan Arenado, 7/1/22 w/STL), Jorge Polanco (4/15/19 w/MIN), Brad Wilkerson (4/6/05 w/WAS) and David Bell (6/28/04 w/PHI vs. MON) – credit: Elias Sports Bureau
GOOD FIRST IMPRESSIONS
INF Luis Arraez has 22 hits in his first 12 games of the year, with 8 multi-hit games. Marks the most hits among all Major Leaguers and his .537 batting avg. (22×41) is tops in the Majors among all qualified hitters.
• Arraez’s 22 hits are the most for a player in their first 12 games with the Marlins, ahead of the previous high of 20 held by Juan PIerre (2003), Cameron Maybin (2008), and Dee Gordon (2015).
• Are also the most for a player in the first 12 games of the season since Justin Turner’s 22×50 start with the Dodgers in 2021. The last player to have more hits in the first 12 games was the Dodgers’ Adrian Gonzalez in 2015 (23 hits).
• Became the second player in Marlins history to reach base safely as the starting leadoff hitter in each of the first four games to start a season, joining Hanley Ramirez in 2006 (credit: Elias).
• Has struck out just 3 times in 47 plate appearances, the least amount of strikeouts in MLB among players with at least 40 plate appearances.
• Has been very productive in his first at-bat of the game, going 6×9 (.667) with 2 walks in the first inning of games.
PASSING BYE
In the bottom of the seventh inning in Monday’s loss at Philadelphia, C Jacob Stallings was charged with a passed ball. Snapped a streak of 260 consecutive games without a passed ball. Is the longest streak all time (prev. best was held by Hall of Famer Johnny Bench). Had last permitted a passed ball on August 14, 2020 at Cincinnati with Pittsburgh (3rd inning).
FAU TO THE MOUND
On Sunday, the Marlins will congratulate Florida Atlantic University on their incredible run to the Final Four in a pregame ceremony before the Marlins’ 1:40 pm vs. Arizona. Owls head coach Dusty May will throw out the game’s ceremonial first pitch.
JACKIE ROBINSON CLASSIC RETURNS
Tonight, the Marlins and the Miami Marlins Foundation will host the second annual Jackie Robinson Classic at loanDepot park. Presented by NIKE, this year’s Classic will pit two Broward County teams – Piper High and South Broward High – against each other for a regular season game. The Classic will celebrate Jackie’s legacy as each student-athlete will wear a customized Marlins shirt with the number 42 on the back along with one of Jackie’s nine values. The South Florida community is invited to cheer on the teams at the complimentary event and jam along with the high school bands! Courtesy of JP Morgan, the students and bands from each school will enjoy a ballpark hot dog, chips and a drink.
COOP-A-LOOP
1B Garrett Cooper has hit safely in eight of his 11 games this season, going 14×42 (.333). Went hitless last night, snapping a streak of nine straight road games dating back to last season.
• Owns a .338 (25×74) career average at Citizens Bank Park, his third-highest mark at any opponents ballpark in which he’s played at least two series (Busch Stadium – .450; Coors Field – .429).
PHITIN’ THE PHILS
Of the 19 games played between the Marlins and Phillies last year, the Marlins had the lead at some point in 14 of the contests, but went just 7-12 vs. Philly. 11 of the contests between the teams were decided by two runs or less. The Marlins had 9 losses in ‘22 when tied or leading after the end of 7th inning – four of which came at Citizens Bank Park.
HOMER TIME
The Marlins have scored 23 of their 38 runs this season via home runs (61%). Have hit 14 homers total over the first 12 games, homering in 10 of the contests, including each of the last seven.
NOBODY MESSES WITH THE JESUS
LHP Jesus Luzardo earned his second win of the season yesterday at Philadelphia (6.0 IP, 3 ER, 1 BB, 5 K). His 20 strikeouts rank tied for third-most in the National League.
• Dating back to Aug. 1, 2022, owns a 2.80 ERA (90.0/28) with 99 strikeouts. 11 of his 15 starts have been quality starts (at least 6.0 IP and ER or fewer).
TODAY’S STARTER – #27 EDWARD CABRERA
• Edward Cabrera, 24, made 14 starts at the Major League level last year after being recalled from Triple-A Jacksonville on May 31, 2022.
• Walked 6 batters and allowed 2 runs in 4.0 innings on his first start of the season vs. New York Mets.
• 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.
PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES NOTES:
GAME #11 RECAP: The Phillies fell to the Miami Marlins, 8-4, at CBP in South Philly … Starter Aaron Nola (L, 0-2) went 5.2 innings and allowed 4 runs on 9 hits with 0 walks and 6 strikeouts … Offensively, Kyle Schwarber homered, Bryson Stott had another multi-hit game and raised his season AVG to .422 and Nick Castellanos reached base three more times, raising his season OBP to .404 … Marlins infielder Luis Arraez hit for the cycle, the fifth in CBP’s history: Nolan Arenado (7/1/22), Jorge Polanco (4/5/19), Brad Wilkerson (4/6/05) and David Bell (6/28/04).
LAW OF AVERAGES: Through 11 games, the Phillies have a .288 AVG and 110 hits (10.0 per game) which is the most through the first 11 games of a season for a Phillies club since 2011 (123 hits through 11 G) … Among all Phillies clubs in the modern era (since 1900), Philadelphia’s 110 hits through 11 games ranks 16th … For context, last year’s club had 87 hits through their first 11 games (7.9 per game) and a .244 average … Philadelphia’s .288 AVG through their first 11 games ranks 12th in the modern era among Phillies clubs (best: .318 AVG in 2011).
GREAT STOTT!: INF Bryson Stott has hit safely in all 11 games this season and has multiple hits in eight of those 11 games, including each of the last four (since 4/8) … Stott is 8-for-17 off left-handers (.471 AVG) and 11-for-28 off right-handers (.393 AVG) … Stott is the first Phillies player to hit safely in 11 straight to begin a season since Didi Gregorius in 2021 and with a hit today, he’d become the first to hit safely in 12 straight to begin a season since Puddin’ Head Jones (16 G) in 1950.
59 at CBP for 59: Last night marked Rob Thomson’s 59th game as manager for the Phillies at CitizensBank Park (since 6/3/22) … The Phillies went 38-21 in Thomson’s first 59 games at home (.644 win %) … In the 59 games at home prior to Thomson taking over, the Phillies were 29-30 at CBP (.492 win %, 7/28/21- 6/1/22).
REMEMBER THE FIGHTINS: Since Rob Thomson took over as Phillies manager on June 3, the Phillies are 36-22 in 58 games against the National League East (.621 win %) with a +68 run differential (292-224) and 11-4-2 series record … In those 58 games, the Phillies have committed only 15 errors in 2,054 total chances, good for a .993 fielding percentage.
SAINT NICK: Phillies right fielder Nick Castellanos ranks T-8th among all ML outfielders with 2 defensive runs saved (DRS) this season … Castellanos, who leads the Phillies in DRS (also: Realmuto & Stott, 2 DRS), ranks T-2nd among all ML right fielders, trailing only Teoscar Hernandez (4 DRS) … At the plate, Castellanos had seven doubles through his first 10 games played and became only the fourth Phillies player with seven or more doubles through 10 games in the modern era (since 1900), joining John Kruk in 1993 (7 2B), Bake McBride in 1981 (8 2B) and Puddin’ Head Jones in 1949 (7 2B).
STRIKE ONE, STRIKE TWO, GOOD LUCK: Phillies LHP Jose Alvarado extended his career-best scoreless streak to 17.2 innings on Sunday (18 G, since 8/26/22) … Over that stretch, he has struck out 34 of the 59 batters he has faced (57.6 %) while walking only three (5.1%) and holding opponents to a .073/.121/.073 slash line … This season, Alvardo has struck out 11 of the 13 batters he has faced (84.6%) including each of the last 10 … Per Elias, Alvarado is the first Phillies relief pitcher and only the third in MLB in the expansion era (since 1961) to strike out 10 consecutive batters within a single season, joining Eric Gagne (10 straight, 5/17-21/03) and Chad Greene (10 straight, 9/18-24/19) … Since Sept. 25, 2022, Alvarado has pitched 7.1 innings over 7 appearances – he has 19 strikeouts, 0 walks and only 2 hits allowed (both singles) in those 7.1 innings pitched … Starting with his last batter faced on 9/22/22 vs ATL, Alvarado has struck out 20 of the last 25 batters he has faced (80.0%), and in doing so, has joined Josh Hader (21 of 25, 9/3-21/18) as the only two relief pitchers in the expansion era to strikeout 20+ in a 25-batter span.
TOOLS OF BRILLIANCE: Since the second half of the 2022 season, J.T. Realmuto is slashing .295/.350/.559 with a .909 OPS, 15 HR and 49 RBI in 69 games (277 PA) … This year, he has caught four of 12 would-be base stealers (33.3%) and has the three fastest pop times among all MLB catchers to second base (1.73, 1.76, 1.77), four of the top 10 and eight of the top 17 … Last season, Realmuto was named AllMLB First Team last season, took home his third Silver Slugger Award and second Gold Glove Award and finished 7th in NL MVP voting … Additionally, he finished with 6.5 fWAR, 3rd in MLB history for a catcher aged 31 or older and led MLB with 1281.2 innings at catcher (regular and postseason combined) which was 240.0 innings more than HOU’s Martin Maldonado who ranked 2nd at 1041.2 … Finally, he became only the second catcher in MLB history with 20 HR and 20 SB, joining Hall of Famer Ivan Rodriguez (1999).
WELCOME BACK, JEAN: Prior to Monday night’s game, former Phillie Jean Segura was presented with his 2022 National League Championship ring … Segura spent four seasons with the Phillies (2019-22) and hit .281 with a .755 OPS over 427 games … In Game 1 of last year’s NL Wild Card Series against the Cardinals, Segura capped off a Phillies comeback with a 2-run , game-winning single on Oct. 8 at Busch Stadium … Per Elias, Segura had played in 1,328 career regular season games before debuting in the postseason – there are only three other players in MLB history with as many regular season games played who collected the game winning RBI in their first career postseason game: Carlos Delgado (1,711 games, 2006 NLDS Game 1 vs LAD), Ted Kluszewski (1,530 games, 1959 World Series Game 1 vs LAD) and Nick Markakis (1,365 games, 2014 ALDS Game 1 vs DET).
NEW TONIGHT, AT (THE) 6: On 12/8/22, the Phillies signed SS Trea Turner to an 11-year contract, taking him through the 2033 season … Last year with LAD, Turner was selected as an All-Star for the second time in his career, was named All-MLB First Team and won his first career Louisville Silver Slugger Award after slashing .298/.343/.466 with a 121 OPS+ and 27 steals in 30 attempts … Per Statcast, his average sprint speed of 30.3 feet per second ranked 5th out of 582 qualified players … In 2021, Turner led the majors in AVG (.328) and hits (195), led the NL in stolen bases (32) and total bases (319) and posted a career-best 6.8 fWAR (FanGraphs) which ranked 3rd among all ML position players.
TODAY’S STARTER – ZACK WHEELER • RHP #45
LAST START: 4/7 vs CIN: ND, 5.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 SO … Wheeler vs Greene … Pregame, Rhys Hoskins and Bryce Harper raised the 2022 National League pennant as the Phils opened their home slate of the 2023 season at CBP with a 5-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds … Trea Turner had 2 hits and scored twice, J.T. Realmuto and Edmundo Sosa both homered.
TODAY’S START:
• Citizens Bank Spark: Wheeler is 6-1 with a 1.59 ERA (13 ER, 73.2 IP), 0.91 WHIP and 81 SO to 19 BB in his last 12 home starts (since 4/28/22), the lowest in the NL in that span and 3rd-lowest in MLB behind Justin Verlander (1.43) and Shohei Ohtani (1.56) … He has not allowed a HR at home since 8/9/22 vs MIA … His 2.24 home ERA (63 ER, 253.1 IP) since joining the Phillies is also 2nd to only Alexander (2.04) among all Phillies pitchers with at least 25 starts at home since ER became an official NL stat in 1912 … Since Wheeler joined the Phillies, only Sandy Alcantara (2.16) has a lower home ERA among pitchers with at least 30 starts at home … In 2022, his 1.85 ERA (16 ER, 78.0 IP) in 13 home starts was the lowest by a Phillie with at least 13 home starts since 1917 (Grover Cleveland Alexander, 1.59)
• Miami Vice: Wheeler is 10-4 with a 2.41 ERA (33 ER, 123.1 IP) in 19 career starts vs MIA, and has allowed 2 ER or fewer in 15 of them …
Subtracting his 7 ER in 3.0 IP on 4/17/22, when he was making his 2nd start of the season after not facing any ML hitters in spring training, his career ERA vs MIA is 1.94 (26 ER, 120.1 IP) in the other 18 starts
• Battery Operated: Wheeler has made 58 starts with J.T. Realmuto behind the plate, more than any other catcher who has caught him … His 4.75 SO/BB ratio with Realmuto behind the dish is the highest among all catchers who have caught Wheeler for at least 10 games, and his 2.83 ERA (113 ER, 359.2 IP) is 2nd (best: Kevin Plawecki, 2.19 in 12 starts)
• Ace True Value: Since joining the Phillies in 2020, Zack Wheeler’s 13.6 fWAR is the 2nd-highest in MLB, trailing only Corbin Burnes’ 14.6 and is more than half a win over the 3rd place pitcher (Aaron Nola, 13.0) … Since 2020, he ranks 5th in MLB in BB% (5.6%) 7th in ERA (2.88, min. 400.0 IP) & IP (447.0), 8th in SO/BB (4.75) & 9th in WHIP (1.06)
• Couldn’t Have Done It Without Ya: In the 2022 postseason, Wheeler set a Phillies record and tied the ML record for most starts in a postseason with 6, done by 7 other pitchers … Wheeler had a quality start in each of his first 4 postseason starts, becoming the first pitcher in MLB to start his postseason career with 4 straight quality starts since Michael Wacha in 2013
• vs NL East: 39-32, 3.36 ERA (226 ER, 605.1 IP) in 98 starts
HOME:
• 2023: 0-0, 3.38 ERA (2 ER, 5.1 IP) in 1 start
• Career: 36-31, 3.36 ERA (229 ER, 613.0 IP) in 99 starts
• CBP: 20-9, 2.39 ERA (79 ER, 297.1 IP) in 46 starts
2022 SEASON:
• NL Rankings: 5th in SO/BB (4.79), 8th in BB % (5.6%) & BB/9.0 IP (2.00), 9th in SO/9.0 IP (9.59), 10th in SO % (26.9%) & OPP OPS (.626)
• His 2.82 ERA (48 ER, 153.0 IP) was 6th-best among NL pitchers with at least 150.0 IP; fell 9.0 IP short of qualifying for ERA leaders
• In his final 23 starts (since 4/28), went 12-4 with a 2.31 ERA (36 ER, 140.1 IP), 0.98 WHIP (30 BB, 108 H) and 152 SO (9.75 SO/9.0 IP), holding opponents to a .212/.261/.341 slash line
• Named NL Pitcher of the Month for May, going 2-0 with a 1.65 ERA (6 ER, 32.2 IP), 1.01 WHIP, 40 SO, 5 BB and an NL-leading 1.4 fWAR
• Was his first ever Pitcher of the Month Award and first by a Phillie since Cliff Lee in August 2011
• His 19.1-inning scoreless streak, 6/28-7/13, was the longest by a Phillie in 2022
• On the IL, 8/22-9/20, with right forearm tendinitis
• In his final three starts allowed one run on nine hits in 15.0 IP (0.60 ERA), BB, 15 SO while facing seven batters over the minimum
2022 POSTSEASON:
• Made six starts in his first career postseason, posting a 2.78 ERA (11 ER, 35.2 IP) and 0.73 WHIP (7 BB, 19 H) … His six starts were a Phillies single-postseason record and tied the ML record
• In Game 1 of the NLWCS at STL, became the second Phillie ever to toss at least 6.0 IP with two or fewer hits in his first-ever postseason start, joining Roy Halladay, who threw a no-hitter on 10/6/10 vs CIN
• Began his postseason career with 11.1 scoreless IP
• In Game 1 of the NLCS at SD, made just the 17th start in postseason history of 7.0+ scoreless IP, 1 or 0 hits, and only the second by a Phillie (Roy Halladay in no-hitter, Game 1 of 2010 NLDS)
• Was the first pitcher since 2013 (STL’s Michael Wacha) to begin a postseason with four straight quality starts
CAREER
• In 2021, finished 2nd to MIL’s Corbin Burnes in NL Cy Young Award voting, was named Second-Team All-MLB and was a NL Gold Glove Award finalist … Made his first career All-Star team in 2021 and set career highs in starts, IP, strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, complete games and shutouts … His 247 strikeouts were 10th-most ever by a Phillie
