MIAMI MARLINS NOTES:
MARLINS MINUTE
The Marlins today open the second half of their 2023 campaign with a six-game, two-city road trip that begins with three games in Baltimore this weekend before a three-game set in St. Louis starting Monday. Are coming off the second-best first-half winning percentage in franchise history (.571) that concluded with the Fish winning three of four against the Cardinals and taking two of three from the Phillies during their final homestand before the break.
FISH BYTES
- At 53-39, Miami set a franchise record for the most wins prior to the All-Star Break. The previous record was 50 wins, accomplished in 2008 (50-45) and 1997 (50-36).
- Is the second-best start to a season through the club’s first 92 games in franchise history.
- The Marlins have the second-most wins in the NL, behind Atlanta (60).
- Have won 5 of their last 7, 10 of their last 15, and 15 of their last 23.
O TOWN
The Marlins are 28-10 (.737) all-time against Baltimore, the club’s highest winning pct. against any team. Own a 14-7 (.667) mark at Oriole Park, winning 7 of their last 9 in Charm City since the start of 2018. The .667 winning pct at Camden Yards marks their highest winning percentage at any opponent’s ballpark.
WINNING WAYS
Miami sits at 14 G over .500, matching its season-high mark. Marks just the 3rd season the Marlins have been at least 14 games over .500 at any point (also ’97 – finished 22 games over; and ’03 – finished 20 games over).
FISH IN THE SEA
Miami sent two players to Seattle for the Midsummer Classic, the second straight year the club sent more than one player to the All-Star Game, as the National League took home their first ASG victory since 2012, 3-2, over the AL.
- 2B Luis Arraez started at second base for the NL, going 2×2 with hits on the first pitch he saw in each of his at-bats, including a game-tying RBI single in the fourth inning. He became just the fourth player in Marlins’ history to record multiple hits in the All-Star Game, joining Hanley Ramirez (2008), Mike Lowell (2002), and Gary Sheffield (1993).
- DH/OF Jorge Soler entered the game as a pinch-hitter in the sixth, reaching on an error in his only plate appearance.
305 ON THE RISE
The Marlins completed the 2023 MLB First-Year Player Draft, selecting 21 players: 14 pitchers, 4 outfielders, 2 infielders, and 1 two-way player (OF/RHP), highlighted by the No. 10 overall selection RHP Noble Meyer out of Jesuit HS (Ore.).
- Meyer, 18, was named the 2022-2023 Gatorade Oregon Baseball POTY, leading his team to the state title with a 10-1 record, 0.33 ERA, 128 strikeouts, and 19 walks over 63.0 innings. At 6’5″ out of West Linn, Ore. was ranked No. 7 overall by Baseball America, No. 8 by MLB Pipeline, No. 9 by ESPN.com, and was the top-rated prep pitcher in the draft.
- Miami selected LHP Thomas White out of Phillips Academy (Mass.) with the 35th overall pick and 1B Kemp Alderman from the University of Mississippi with their second-round (47th overall) pick.
INTER-STELLAR
The Marlins are 20-7 (.741) in Interleague play this year, the highest such winning pct. among MLB teams. Miami’s winning percentage this year is the second-best in club history, behind the 1997 team that went 12-3 (.800). Heading into this season, the Marlins owned a 103-148 record in Interleague play dating back to 2010, which ranked as the worst in MLB.
LA REGADERA
2B Luis Arraez enters the second half leading MLB with his .383 AVG (126×329), .434 OBP, and 126 hits. Has struck out just 19x in 362 PA, a .052 K/PA, the lowest mark in MLB among qualifiers. Is hitting .462 (30×65) with RISP, also the best mark among qualifiers.
- His 35 multi-hit games rank 2nd in MLB and came one shy of the club record for most multi-hit games prior to the All-Star Break set by Miguel Cabrera in 2006.
- His .383 AVG was the highest by any Major Leaguer at the All-Star Break since 2000 (Darin Erstad, .384 and Todd Helton, .383).
- Marks the most hits and highest average by a Marlins player through his first 86 games of a season.
SOLER POWER
DH/OF Jorge Soler ranks 4th in the NL with 23 HRs this season. Marked the most home runs by a Marlins player prior to the All-Star break since 2017 – Marcell Ozuna (23) and Giancarlo Stanton (26). Mike Lowell owns the club record for most home runs before the All-Star break, with 28 in 2003. 13 of his 23 homers (57%) have tied the game or given the Marlins the lead.
ON THE MOUND
- The Marlins pitching staff, which leads the National League with 868 strikeouts, also broke a couple first-half Marlins records: starters combined to strike out 509 batters, the most in club history prior to the All-Star Break. Relievers combined to strike out 359 batters, good for the second-most prior to the Break in club history (365 in 2018).
IN THE BOX
- Miami ranks 3rd in MLB with its .265 AVG trailing only Atlanta (.271) and Texas (.274). Marks the fourth-best AVG at the Break in Marlins history and the highest since 2017 (.269).
ALLOW ME TO INTRODUCE MYSELF
OF Dane Myers (who was taken by the Marlins in the minor league phase of the 2022 Rule 5 Draft) has reached base safely in 5 of his first 6 career games with 4 multi-hit contests, batting .409 (9×22) with 5 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, and 6 RBI.
ARMS RACE
Marlins starters have combined to limit opponents to 1 or 0 earned runs 39 times – most by any NL starting staff in 2023.
GOLDEN GLOVES
Marlins infielders have combined for a .989 fielding position in 2023, committing just 19 errors in 1,789 total chances. Matches the D-Backs for the second-best fielding pct. by an infield in the Majors behind the Padres (.992).
TODAY’S STARTER – #22 SANDY ALCANTARA
- The reigning NL Cy Young Sandy Alcantara will make his second career start against the Baltimore Orioles today. Will mark his 19th start of the season.
- In his only career start against Baltimore at Camden Yards on July 27, 2021, earned the win, holding the Orioles to 3 runs in 6.0 innings with only 1 walk and 5 strikeouts. Did not allow a hit over the first 3 innings.
- In his last start before the All-Star Break vs. Philadelphia on July 7, allowed 1 run on 8 hits over 6.2 innings. Struck out 5 and did not record a walk.
- Is tied for fourth in MLB with 7 apps. of 7.0+ IP (behind SF’s Logan Webb – 10, HOU’s Framber Valdez – 9, and ARI’s Zac Gallen – 8).
- In 18 starts before the All-Star Break in 2023 has a 3-7 record, with a 4.72 ERA (114.1/60), 94 SO, and 11 HR. In 19 starts before the All-Star Break in 2022 had a 9-4 record, with a 1.76 ERA (138.1/27), 123 SO, and 6 HR.
- Has 822.0 IP w/ Marlins (5th on Marlins all-time list behind A.J. Burnett – 853.2). Is just the sixth player with 800+ innings pitched as a Marlin.
- Left-handed batters are hitting .264 (57×216) vs. Alcantara in 2023 with 5 home runs and a .731 OPS while right-handed batters are hitting .244 (53×217) with 6 home runs and an .664 OPS.
- In 2022, became the first Cy Young winner in Club history. Won Baseball Digest’s MLB Pitcher of the Year Award.
BALTIMORE ORIOLES NOTES:
SWEEP DREAMS: The O’s defeated the Twins on Sunday, 15-2, to take a five-game winning streak into the All-Star break…Marked the fifth sweep of the season for the O’s and first sweep of at least three games in Minnesota since a four-game set from August 22-25, 2011…Baltimore recorded season highs in runs, home runs (6), and total bases (38)…Seven Orioles recorded two hits, including Anthony Santander who tallied his 12th career multi-homer game…Kyle Gibson tied a career high with 11 strikeouts to earn his ninth win.
The Birds scored seven runs in the fifth inning and six runs in the sixth, their most combined runs in consecutive innings since also scoring 13 on April 11, 2002 vs. Tampa Bay (1 in the 5th, 12 in the 6th), per the Elias Sports Bureau; the sixth capped a 32-inning span in which the O’s scored at least five runs in one frame five times.
The 13-run winning margin is tied for the largest by the O’s this season, joining July 6 at New York-AL.
Adley Rutschman hit a 461-foot home run in the sixth inning, the longest of his career, per Statcast.
COMEBACK KIDS: The O’s trailed briefly on Sunday before recording their 32nd comeback win of the season, second-most in MLB behind Cincinnati (33)…Their 68 victories when trailing since the start of 2022 are also second-most in MLB behind Los Angeles-NL (69).
FINE FIRST HALF: Baltimore finished the pre-All-Star schedule at 54-45 (.607), the third-best record in MLB (see box at right)…The winning percentage is the eighth-best in club history (since 1954) before the break and the best since 1997 (55-30, .647).
HOME COOKING: The O’s are 26-18 (.591) at Oriole Park this season and have the sixth-best home record in MLB despite dropping four of the last five games at Camden Yards…The Orioles are set to host the Marlins (53-39) and Dodgers (51-38) on this homestand and have the seventh-toughest remaining schedule in MLB with opponents having a combined .511 winning percentage, per the Elias Sports Bureau.
AGAINST THE MARLINS: The Orioles and Marlins are meeting for the only time in the regular season this weekend…They last met in 2021 with teams splitting a four-game season series…The Birds have lost 10 of the last 13 games and 21 of the last 27 to the Fish… Baltimore is just 10-28 (.263) against Miami since the Marlins joined MLB in 1997…The winning percentage is the lowest by the O’s against one active franchise.
PITCH PERFECT: O’s starting pitchers have a 2.28 ERA (14 ER/55.1 IP) with 40 hits (6 HR), 15 total runs, 16 walks, and 50 strikeouts in nine games this month, including seven quality starts and five in a row…Oriole starters have thrown at least 6.0 innings in seven straight games since July 3, the longest such stretch since also doing so in seven consecutive from August 5-11, 2016 and have not done so in eight straight since May 11-20, 2015…Overall, Baltimore’s 2.48 ERA (22 ER/80.0 IP) in July is the second-best in MLB this month.
ON THE OFFENSIVE: Baltimore is batting .309/.390/.537 (58-for-188) with 12 doubles, two triples, nine home runs, 44 runs scored, and 24 walks as a team in the last five games since July 5…Behind 14-run and 15-run outbursts, the Orioles lead MLB in runs scored during that time, nine more than any other team…In the previous five games from June 30 to July 4, the O’s scored an MLB-low 10 runs.
YOUNG GUNN: On July 6 at New York-AL, Gunnar Henderson recorded his first career leadoff home run and set career bests with four hits and five RBI…He also matched career highs reaching safely four times and scoring three runs…He’s the fifth O’s rookie (sixth occurrence) with a leadoff home run, joining Cedric Mullins (2x), Joey Rickard, Ryan Flaherty, and Matt Angle…Became the fourth Orioles rookie with four hits and at least two homers in a game, joining Ryan Mountcastle, Chris Richard, and Curt Blefary…Also became the first MLB player with four hits and two home runs in the first four innings of a game since Matt Carpenter did so for St. Louis on July 20, 2018 at Chicago-NL…Became the youngest O’s batter (22-007) to log a multi-homer performance since Manny Machado (20-082) on September 26, 2012 vs. Toronto, and the youngest to do so on the road since Orioles Legend and Hall of Famer Eddie Murray (21-219) on October 1, 1977 at Boston.
He is slashing .278/.366/.444 (10-for-36) with two homers, five runs scored, seven RBI, four walks, and one hit-by-pitch in the last eight games, all from the leadoff spot…In 18 career starts batting leadoff (16 this year), he is batting .291/.341/.582 (23-for-79) with two doubles, seven home runs, 12 runs scored, 18 RBI, five walks, and one hit-by-pitch.
Henderson is slashing .307/.358/.570 (35-for-114) with four doubles, one triple, eight home runs, 15 runs scored, 23 RBI, eight walks, and three stolen bases in 29 games since the start of June…During that time, he ranks among AL leaders in slugging (5th), homers (T-5th), and OPS (T-6th, .928).
He was voted the AL Rookie of the Month for June, his first monthly award and sixth O’s rookie to earn the honor; named AL Player of the Week for the week of June 5-11, his first career weekly award.
HAYS OF OUR LIVES: Austin Hays is batting .352/.403/.521 (25-for-71) with six doubles, two homers, 13 runs scored, eight RBI, five walks, and one hit-by-pitch in the last 19 games (18 GS) since June 13…He ranks among AL leaders (min. 75 PA) during that time in batting average (6th), on-base percentage (9th), and OPS (10th).
WICKED WESTBURG: Jordan Westburg has hit safely in a career-high five straight games while slashing .381/.435/.667 (8-for-21) with two doubles, two triples, six runs scored, three RBI, and two walks since July 4…He is one of 12 O’s in team history (since 1954) with at least 13 hits in his first 11 games with an at bat and the first since Ryan Mountcastle in 2020… Westburg is also one of eight players in Orioles history to score at least eight runs in his first 11 games and the first since Cedric Mullins in 2018.
He tripled on Sunday to become the third Oriole in club history with two triples in his first 11 career games, joining Al Bumbry (1972) and Bobby Grich (1970); Bumbry did so in his first eight games with an at bat while Grich did so in his first nine.
GENUINE DRAFT: The Orioles selected 22 players in the 2023 MLB First-Year Player Draft: 13 pitchers (12 RHP, 1 LHP) and nine position players (6 OF, 2 INF, 1 C)…Vanderbilt center fielder Enrique Bradfield Jr. was the first O’s selection at No. 17 with North Carolina outfielder Mac Horvath (No. 53) and Florida State right-hander Jackson Baumeister (No. 63) rounding out Day One.
Marked the first time since 2018 that the Orioles did not have a top-five pick.
STARTING PITCHER – RHP 64 DEAN KREMER
QUICK HITS: Scheduled to make his 19th start of the season, 10th at home, and first career start against the Marlins tonight…Made a career-high 22 appearances (21 GS) in 2022, 11 appearances at home (10 GS), and 11 on the road…Owned an 8-7 record with a 3.23 ERA (45 ER/125.1 IP) and 87 strikeouts…Made six starts of 5.0-or-more scoreless innings, tied for seventh-most in the AL…Acquired by the Orioles along with INF Breyvic Valera, OF Yusniel Diaz, RHP Zach Pop, and INF Rylan Bannon in exchange for INF Manny Machado on July 18, 2018…Originally selected by the Dodgers in the 14th round of the 2016 First-Year Player Draft out of UNLV.
LAST TIME OUT: Earned the win in his last start on July 5 at New York-AL, allowing two runs (1 ER) on four hits (1 HR) with one walk and a career-high 10 strikeouts in a season-high-tying 7.0 innings (also: 6/24 vs. SEA)…Marked his ninth victory of the season, setting a new single-season career high…Also marked his eighth quality start of the year, matching his total from 2022…Threw 103 pitches, 67 strikes.
CAREER AGAINST THE MARLINS/NL EAST: Making his first career start against the Marlins and fourth against the NL East…Earned the win in his last start against
the division on May 5 at Atlanta, allowing one run on six hits with two walks and three punchouts in 6.0 innings…Threw 93 pitches, 55 strikes…Owns a 3-0 record
with a 2.04 ERA (4 ER/17.2 IP) and two quality starts through his first three career outings against the NL East.
‘KREM’ OF THE CROP: Kremer has pitched to a 7-3 record with a 3.95 ERA (30 ER/68.1 IP) and seven quality starts in his last 12 assignments since May 5…Has completed at least 5.0 innings in 11 of those games and has allowed three earned runs-or-fewer in 10 of his last 12 outings…Tied a career high with three straight
wins from May 5-21 (also: 6/12-7/9/22)…Completed 7.0 innings on June 24 vs. Seattle and July 5 at New York-AL…Tossed a career-high 10 strikeouts on July 5 at New York-AL.
GET A WHIFF OF THIS: Kremer collected a career-high 18 swings and misses on July 5 at New York-AL; his previous best was 15 (5x, last: 5/21/23 at TOR)…His 92 strikeouts this season are also a career high, surpassing his total from 2022 (87)… Has recorded 27 punchouts in his last four outings since June 18, his most in a four-game span in his career.
ENJOYING THE NIGHT LIFE: Owns an 8-2 record with a 4.40 ERA (30 ER/61.1 IP) and six quality starts in 11 night assignments this season…His eight victories after dark are tied for the most in MLB entering tonight’s game…The Orioles own an 8-3 edge in his night starts, including wins in six straight from April 18 to June 2.
INTERLEAGUE WARRIOR: Making his ninth career Interleague start; has gone 6-2 with a 3.86 ERA (19 ER/44.1 IP) and four quality starts in his eight career outings against the National League…Earned the win in his last Interleague start on June 18 at Chicago-NL…Allowed three runs (1 ER) on three hits (2 HR) with two walks and a seven strikeouts in 5.0 innings…Threw 92 pitches, 58 strikes.
HOME SWEET HOME: Making his 10th home start of the 2023 campaign tonight… Has pitched to a 4-2 record with a 5.51 ERA (30 ER/49.0 IP) through his first nine outings at Oriole Park this season…Dealt the loss in his last home start on June 30 vs. Minnesota…Allowed a career-high-tying seven runs (also: 9/30/20 at BOS) on seven hits (2 HR) with two walks, a hit batter, and five strikeouts in 3.0+ innings, tied for his shortest start of the season (also: 4/1 at BOS)…Left with two runners on base, who later scored…Threw 89 pitches, 53 strikes.
