Eury Pérez’s recent run has been defined by more than just the numbers in the ERA column.
The Marlins right-hander kept rolling Sunday afternoon at Great American Ball Park, working six scoreless innings in a 7-1 win over the Reds. Since coming off the injured list in June with an inner right thigh strain, Pérez has posted a 1.80 ERA across 10 starts, and he’s looked every bit like one of the most difficult arms in the game to deal with.
Still, the most important adjustment in this stretch isn’t something that shows up in a traditional box score.
At 6-foot-8, Pérez can overpower hitters, but his long frame has also made him vulnerable to runners on the bases. Entering Sunday, opponents had swiped 25 bags against him this season, the most in MLB.
He had also allowed seven straight attempted basestealers to get to the next base, with his last caught stealing coming June 30. That trend pushed pitching coach Daniel Moskos and field coordinator Aaron Leanhardt to work with him on speeding up his slide step.
Pérez used that move more heavily in his last outing, and the Pirates never tried him.
The Reds did, and early. Elly De La Cruz broke for second on Pérez’s 12th pitch, and although the right-hander threw a low curveball - not the easiest pitch to pair with a quick throw to the bag - the shorter leg lift gave catcher Brian Navarreto enough time to throw De La Cruz out at second.
In Other News...
Marlins Face A Tough Prospect Decision Before The Lockout
The looming MLB lockout is forcing the Marlins to weigh more than just roster protection when they sort through their prospect decisions. A spot on the 40-man roster usually brings a step closer to the majors, but it also changes the day-to-day reality in a shutdown, since those players would lose access to team coaches and medical staff while prospects still outside the roster can stay connected and keep working in minor-league settings.
Miami does plan to get right-hander Jace Beck onto the 40-man roster before the freeze, but the broader picture is less straightforward. With the organization trying to balance development, roster flexibility and the realities of a lockout, the decisions it makes now could shape which young players remain easiest to manage once baseball operations are put on hold. [Read more 🡒]
Marlins Wild Card Push Suddenly Has A Joe Mack Problem
Joe Macks rapid rise has given the Marlins a steadier presence behind the plate, which is part of why his absence has landed with extra weight during a competitive stretch in the NL wild card race. The rookie catcher has been a regular starter because of his defensive skills, but he is now out for a second straight game with a sore right shoulder, leaving Miami to piece together the position with Brian Navaretto and Agustn Ramrez.
Clayton McCullough has described Mack as day-to-day, which keeps the door open for a quick return if the shoulder responds the way the club needs it to. For now, though, the Marlins are still sorting through the bigger question that comes with any catcher injury in September: whether they can avoid a longer absence, or whether Macks status will force a more serious roster move just as Miami is trying to hold its place in the race. [Read more 🡒]
Marlins Fans Finally Get An Early Look At Their New Jupiter Infield
The Marlins have already injected a wave of new talent into the system from the 2026 MLB Draft, but for now the early buzz in Jupiter is centered on a very small group. Only three draftees are active in minor league games, and with the pitching side still expected to lag behind until 2027, the first real on-field glimpse has come from the position-player side at Low-A Jupiter. That has made the Hammerheads a useful early snapshot of how Miamis newest class might start to settle into place.
First-round pick Jacob Lombard has wasted little time getting into professional action, and the early returns have given the organization something to watch closely as the season unfolds. The bigger picture in Jupiter is still being sorted out around the middle infield, where the early alignment says plenty about how the club is choosing to deploy its newest names and where there may still be room for movement once the dust settles. [Read more 🡒]