MIAMI MARLINS NOTES:
MARLINS MINUTE
The Marlins tonight play the first of four games at Nationals Park on this brief one-city road trip. Are coming off a 1-4 homestand vs. the Nationals (1-2) and Rays (0-2). Following this series, have Labor Day off before returning home for a quick one-series, three-game homestand vs. the Dodgers.
FISH BYTES
- The Marlins offense has struck out a combined 1,053 times this year, the 5th-lowest total in MLB and 3rd-lowest in the NL behind Washington (951) and Arizona (1,041). The last time the Marlins ranked in the top 10 in the Majors in fewest strikeouts was 2017 (10th). Miami ranks 3rd in the NL with a .257 batting average (8th in the Majors), behind Atlanta (.276) and Philadelphia .261), and ranks 4th in the NL with 1,162 hits. The Marlins pitching staff leads the NL with 1,245 strikeouts (3rd most in Majors behind Minnesota and Toronto). Miami established a club record last year with 1,437 strikeouts. The Marlins have never led the NL in strikeouts in a season. The Marlins enter play today with a sub-.500 record for the first time since the start of play on Friday, May 26 at Los Angeles-AL (25-26). Swept that series from the Angels.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
Of the Marlins’ 29 remaining games, 17 are on the road (58.6%). The Marlins are 4-4 in their last 8 road games. However, have fallen in 18 of their last 23 games away from Miami.
ZEUS STRIKES
LHP Jesus Luzardo has held opponents scoreless in each of his last two starts – 6.0 innings on Aug 22 at San Diego and 6.0 innings last night vs. Tampa Bay – combining to allow just 3 hits and 3 walks to 41 batters faced. Marks the second time this season and his career he has tossed at least 6.0 scoreless innings in back-to-back starts (also June 23 & 29) Has held opponents to 1 or 0 ER in 13 of his starts, tied for the most such starts in MLB with SD’s Blake Snell, PIT’s
Johan Oviedo, LAA’s Shohei Ohtani, and TOR’s Yusei Kikuchi.
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT
The Marlins are making their second visit of the year to the Nation’s Capital, having swept the previous three-game series here June 16-18. Dating back to their final visit to D.C. in 2021, Miami has won 14 of the last 17 games at Nationals Park.
FIRST THINGS FIRST
Marlins pitching has surrendered just 52 first-inning runs this season – 5th fewest among Major League staffs. Their 1.18 combined WHIP in the first inning is lowest among all NL teams.
10 TIMES
Miami on Tuesday vs. Tampa Bay collected 10 hits, marking just the fifth time in the month of August the club recorded 10+ hits and the first since Aug. 13 vs. NYY (11 H). Miami had 11 such games in both June and July. Miami is tied with Washington for 4th in the National League with 49 games in which the team has collected at least 10 hits. Had just 43 such games in all of 2022.
HOMER HAPPY
Since Aug. 18 at the Dodgers, the Marlins have scored 18 of their 28 runs via the home run (64%).
DUCKS ON THE POND
The Marlins are batting just .187 (59×315) with runners in scoring position since the All-Star break, the lowest mark in the Majors. Batted .266 with RISP prior to the break, the 4th-highest such average in the National League.
CATCHING ON
C Jacob Stallings has doubled in his last 3 games, marking the third time in his career he has recorded at least 1 extra-base hit in 3 consecutive games (April 11-13, 2021 and July 5-10, 2021). Stallings has also caught 2 of 3 basestealers in this same span of 3 games (Aug. 26-29).
BURGER KING
3B Jake Burger is batting .326 (31×95) with a .842 OPS in 25 games since joining the Marlins on Aug. 2. Has 7 doubles, 2 home runs, and 11 RBI in this span, reaching base safely in 22 of the 25 games with 8 multi-hit efforts. Has not committed an errors in 66 total chances at third base in 219.0 innings since joining the Fish.
GREAT SCOTT
Marlins reliever LHP Tanner Scott leads all National League relievers with 84 strikeouts (5th in MLB), second most among all left-handed relievers behind Aroldis Chapman (91). His 26 multi-strikeout appearances are tied for the most in the NL and the fifth-most such outings in baseball. Is 6 strikeouts shy of his career-high 90 strikeouts in 2022 which rank as the 3rd-most strikeouts by a reliever in club history. Only Robb Nen (92, 1996) and Kyle Barraclough (113, 2016) have struck out more batters in relief.
ON DECK
Of Miami’s remaining 29 games, 16 are against teams currently in postseason position (55%). Following this series in DC, will play their next 13 games against playoff contenders (LAD, PHI, MIL, ATL).
NICE TO SEE YOU
The Miami Marlins have surpassed last year’s attendance total (907,487) as the 2023 season total stands at 969,829 through 69 home games. Attendance at loanDepot park is up 25% this season compared to the 2022 season.
FALSE STARTS
The Marlins have gone 16-27 in the 1st game of a series, dropping 12 of their last 15 series openers, including 7 of their last 8 on the road.
PODER SOLER
DH Jorge Soler ranks 5th in the National League and tied for 6th in MLB with 35 home runs. Marks the most home runs by a Marlin since 2017 (Ozuna – 37 & Stanton – 59) and marks the 6th-most homers in a single season in club history. His 19 go-ahead homers lead MLB. Each of his last 5 home runs have given the Marlins a lead. Is tied for the MLB lead with 10 home runs in the month of August (also, Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper and Corey Seager). Is tied for the second-most homers by a Marlin in the month of August with Giancarlo Stanton in 2012. The record is 18, set by Stanton in 2017.
TODAY’S STARTER – #29 BRAXTON GARRETT
- Braxton Garrett, 26, will make his 25th start (26th app.) of the season today. Marks his sixth career start against the Washington Nationals. In his most recent start on Aug. 25 vs. Washington, allowed 3 runs on 7 hits (1 home run) over 6.0 innings. Struck out 3. The Marlins are 18-7 in Garrett’s starts this year, including 8 consecutive wins from May 31 – July 8 and 4 consecutive wins from July 28 – Aug. 14. Ranks first among NL pitchers with a 6.43 (135/21) K/BB ratio (min. 100.0 IP). Has allowed 3 runs of fewer in 8 of his last 10 starts. Is tied for fifth in MLB with 12 starts of allowing 1 or 0 earned runs; trails teammate Jesus Luzardo and 4 others who each have 13. RHB vs. Garrett in 2023: .272 AVG (110×405), .305 OBP, .769 OPS. LHB vs. Garrett: .218 AVG (26×119), .279 OBP, .632 OPS. In 13 starts (14 apps.) at loanDepot park this season, owns a 4.94 ERA (71.0/39) and has gone 3-3 with 72 strikeouts. In 12 starts away, is 4-2 with a 2.86 ERA (63.0/20) and 63 strikeouts. In 27 career starts (28 apps.) at loanDepot park, owns a 4.09 ERA (138.2/63) and has gone 6-9 with 154 strikeouts. In 24 starts away (25 apps.), is 6-6 with a 3.96 ERA (125.0/55) and 111 strikeouts.
WASHINGTON NATIONALS NOTES:
OPPONENT – MIAMI MARLINS
The Nationals and Marlins will play 13 times this season (7 in D.C., 6 in MIA)…Trevor Williams (2nd rd., 2013) and Stone Garrett (8th rd., 2014) were drafted by the Marlins…Hunter Harvey’s dad, Brian, saved 45 games and was an All-Star for the Marlins in 1993, his first of three seasons with them (1993-95)…Bullpen coach Ricky Bones capped his 11-year MLB career with the Florida Marlins (2000- 01)…Robert Garcia made his Major League debut with the Marlins earlier this season….Marlins first baseman Josh Bell spent two seasons (2021-22) in D.C,
DISTRICT BASEBALL
The Washington Nationals open a nine-game, 11-day homestand on Thursday night against the Miami Marlins…In addition to the four-game series against Miami, this homestand includes series against the New York Mets (2 G) and Los Angeles Dodgers (3 G). The Nationals are coming off a 5-4 road trip that included series victories over the Marlins (2-1) and New York Yankees (2-1) before their five series winnings streak was snapped by the Toronto Blue Jays (1-2).
WINNING WAYS
The Nationals have won six of their last 10, nine of their last 14, 12 of their last 18 games and are 34-25 (.576) since June 24. Since July 8, Washington is 28-18 (.609), the fourth-best record in the National League and tied for the sixth-best record in Major League Baseball.
START ME UP
Washington’s starting rotation has pitched to a 3.23 ERA (27 ER/75.1 IP) and a .202 opponents average over its last 14 starts, the third-best ERA and fourth-best opponents batting average in Major League Baseball since Aug. 16…The Nationals are 9-5 in these 14 starts. In 11 games since Aug. 19, the rotation 3.05 ERA (20 ER/59.0 IP), the second-best mark in the NL. The Nationals have used just seven starting pitchers this season, tied with the Toronto Blue Jays for fewest in MLB this season…Washington is also the only team in baseball to have five pitchers make 20 or more starts…The fewest number of starting pitchers the Nationals (2005-pres.) have ever used in a season is eight (2012, 2014)…Washington matched a team record last season with 15.
JOEY BATS
Joey Meneses is tied for fifth in the National League with 32 doubles, eighth with 145 hits and ninth with a .285 batting average…Additionally, he ranks fifth in the National League with a .364 average with runners in scoring position. He is 22-for-63 (.349) with seven doubles, 13 RBI, three walks and 11 runs scored in his last 16 games.
MR. CARTER
Since returning to the Major Leagues for the first time since 2021, Carter Kieboom has hit safely in five of seven games, going 7-for-26 (.269) with a double, three homers, five RBI, one hit by pitch and four runs. Two of the three home runs were with the score tied at 0-0 and gave the Nationals the lead in games they would go on to win.
BORN TO RUN
Since being moved to the leadoff spot on July 7, CJ Abrams is hitting .275/.327/.429 with six doubles, a triple, seven homers, 15 RBI, nine walks, six hit by pitch, 27 stolen bases and 32 runs scored. His 27 stolen bases since moving to the leadoff spot on July 7 are the most in Major League Baseball ahead of Ronald Acuña Jr. (20)…On the season, he ranks third in the National League with 38 stolen bases. Of his 14 home runs this season, five have given the Nationals the lead at the time.
RUIZ IS RAKING
Keibert Ruiz leads Major League catchers in average (.333), on-base percentage (.391) and is second in slugging percentage (.546) and third in hits (47) since July 9. Ruiz is hitting .346/.414/.603 with five doubles, five homers, 16 RBI, eight walks and 13 runs scored over his last 21 games. He ranks sixth in the National League with a .363 average with runners in scoring position.
DOWN, BUT NEVER OUT
The Nationals have recorded 12 wins when tied or behind after the sixth inning since the All-Star break, the most in Major League Baseball, according to the Elias Sports Bureau…Prior to the All-Star break, they had just six wins in the same fashion. Washington has scored 56 runs in the ninth inning, tied for fourth-most in Major League Baseball.
STARTING PITCHER – #60 JOAN ADON
Right-hander climbed to the No. 7 prospect in Washington’s system per Baseball America entering the 2022 season…Began his professional career as a reliever but converted to the starting rotation for the 2019 season…In 2021, became the 21st pitcher drafted/signed and developed by the Nationals (2005-pres.)… Did not start playing baseball until he was 14 years old.
LAST START
Tossed 6.0 scoreless innings, allowed three hits, did not walk any hitters and struck out three on August 25 at Miami…He earned his second win of the season in the Nationals’ 7-4 victory.
vs. MIAMI
Faces the Marlins for the second time this season…He earned the win last Friday at IoanDepot Park …Adon is 1-2 with a 5.93 ERA (9 ER/ 13.2 IP) with seven strikeouts in three career starts against Miami.
AS A STARTER
Adon has allowed three earned runs or fewer in three of his four starts this season…He has a .197 opponents’ average, 16 strikeouts, four walks and a 0.95 WHIP in four Major League starts.
NEARLY PERFECT
In his best start of the season, Adon retired retired 18 of 22 batters he faced on August 25 at Miami…He allowed just three hits and logged three strikeouts in 6.0 innings of work to earn the win.
2023 IN TRIPLE-A
In his last two start with Triple-A Rochester, Adon was 1-0 with a 3.24 ERA (4 ER/11.0 IP) with 13 strikeouts and five walks…Those starts include a scoreless 6.0-inning outing in which he allowed just two hits and struck out six on July 21 against Durham (TBR)…In all, Adon went 3-5 with a 4.62 ERA (45 ER/87.2 IP) with 80 strikeouts and 40 walks in 17 starts in Triple-A this season.
