The Miami Marlins’ 2026 breakout has plenty of familiar headliners. Max Meyer’s numbers have drawn attention, and Sandy Alcantara’s comeback has been part of the story too. But the arm that could end up swinging the stretch run - and maybe a short postseason series - is Eury Perez.
At 23, Perez is still only beginning to show what he can become for Miami and manager Clayton McCullough. The results have been uneven in the simplest sense - he is 5-7 - but the underlying picture is far more encouraging. Perez owns a 3.78 ERA and has piled up 95 strikeouts over 85.2 innings, and the Marlins have seen enough flashes to believe another frontline starter may be taking shape.
His most eye-catching outing came on July 5 against the Athletics, when he spun seven perfect innings before McCullough had to remove him before the eighth because of a pitch limit tied to a recent injury. It was the kind of outing that hinted at a ceiling Miami can still keep unlocking.
“You can tell the package is starting to come together,” McCullough said of his starter. “Since he’s come back from that IL stint, he’s done nothing but deliver quality outings.
We’ve seen the four-seam and the two-seam, and now his breaking ball is continuing to trend. You can tell the package is starting to come together.”
McCullough also pointed to the growth Perez has shown as the season has gone on.
“I’ve seen him mature as a starting pitcher as this season has moved along,” McCullough said. “He’s managing his own emotions much better and filling up the zone much more consistently. There are less stretches where he sprays and misfires."
That matters for a Marlins team that already has Meyer and Alcantara handling the heaviest lifting. Perez doesn’t need to be the one carrying everything. But if he settles in as a third or fourth starter, that gives Miami a real edge in the kind of short series it could face this fall.
For a club that has become one of the National League’s surprise teams, Perez’s rise fits the moment. The Marlins are heading toward the postseason with momentum, and their most dangerous pitcher down the stretch might be the one few people saw coming.
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