If the Miami Marlins were looking for a way to stop the bleeding, Saturday didn’t offer one.
Miami dropped its 11th straight game, a 7-2 loss to the San Diego Padres that tied a franchise mark for consecutive defeats. The only other Marlins teams to hit that number did it in 1998 and again in 2011.
The timing makes the slump sting even more. Just before the slide started on July 10, Miami had swept the Seattle Mariners and Athletics and finished a 20-6 June that pushed the club 10 games over .500 and into a wild-card spot. That feels like a different season now.
“I think every game is kind of its own chapter in a story,” Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said. “We had some chances early the last couple of days-first inning with some guys on, and you're not able to cash in. I think for the most part, we just haven't done enough within these games to find a way to get on top and to win.”
This one was also the most one-sided loss in the streak. The previous 10 all came by three runs or fewer, but San Diego stretched the margin and kept Miami from ever getting comfortable.
The numbers behind the skid are ugly, and Saturday didn’t help. Over the first 10 games of the losing streak, Miami’s .273 on-base percentage was the worst in the majors.
The Marlins also sat second-worst in batting average at .214 and in wRC+ at 70. Against the Padres, they managed just five hits, all singles.
Miami did have a chance to make things interesting in the third inning. Down 2-0, Otto Lopez lifted a sacrifice fly to right with runners at the corners, and Esteury Ruiz scored from third when the throw hit the backstop.
But Marsee, who was at first, hesitated before trying to advance to second. By the time the ball had reached pitcher Randy Vásquez, Marsee broke for the bag and was thrown out.
What could have been a rally still had life in it instead ended with one run and a missed opportunity.
“He reads a lower trajectory coming in from (right fielder Gavin Sheets) there and hold,” McCullough said. “And then it gets by the catcher.
Give Vásquez credit for backing it up. (Marsee tried) taking a shot to get into scoring position and he got thrown out.”
The Marlins hurt themselves again in the eighth. Lopez tried to go first to third on a Kyle Stowers single and was thrown out, even though Ruiz crossed from third to make it 6-2. Instead of keeping pressure on with one out and two runners aboard, Miami wound up with two outs and just a runner at first.
“It's hard to like fault guys for trying to make plays,” McCullough said. “The number of outs you got left, and somewhat weighing the risk versus reward.
Again, guy makes a really good baseball play and gets you. Chalk it up to that, and just continue to discuss those things, and all become better from it.”
There was at least one bright spot. Eury Pérez kept his turnaround going with another quality start, allowing three runs over seven innings and walking just one. Since coming off the injured list, the 23-year-old has a 1.75 ERA in six outings, third among qualified NL starters over that stretch.
Now Miami heads into Sunday afternoon trying to avoid back-to-back-to-back-to-back series sweeps and a new low in franchise history. Janson Junk is the probable starter.
In Other News...
Joe Mack May Be Giving Marlins Fans The Answer They Needed
Joe Mack has spent his first full season giving the Marlins something they have not had much of lately: a young catcher who looks like he belongs. The 23-year-old rookie has become a meaningful part of Miamis lineup during a season that has otherwise been defined by losses, and the organizations belief in him goes back to when it used a competitive balance pick on him in 2021. What has made the difference lately is not just the promise, but the production, with Mack showing real improvement at the plate since June 1.
For a club still sorting through its future, that matters. Macks recent stretch has helped reinforce the idea that he is more than just a developmental piece, and it has only strengthened the sense that he fits into Miamis long-term plans. The Marlins still have plenty to sort out, but at catcher they may already have one answer in place, and the way Mack has handled himself over the past few weeks has made that answer look a lot more convincing. [Read more 🡒]
Braxton Garrett Suddenly Feels Like The Marlins' Next Deadline Decision
Braxton Garrett has quietly become one of the more interesting names sitting on Miamis deadline board, even though his path back has been anything but smooth. After injuries stalled his progress over the past couple of seasons, the left-hander has put together a strong run at Triple-A in Jacksonville this year, enough to remind evaluators why he once looked like a meaningful part of the Marlins pitching future.
The problem for Miami is that Garrett does not appear to be pushing his way back into the picture at the major league level, and that has only sharpened the trade buzz around him. With the deadline approaching on Aug. 3, the Marlins are weighing a pitcher who has drawn significant interest and could appeal to clubs looking for a low-cost arm with upside, leaving Miami to decide whether to keep waiting or turn the rebound into something more useful. [Read more 🡒]
Marlins Can't Afford To Get Kyle Stowers Wrong At The Deadline
Kyle Stowers has become one of the more important pieces of Miamis lineup since arriving in a 2024 trade with the Orioles, and the Marlins have already seen enough to know he is not just a short-term fill-in. He was an All-Star last year, and even in a season where the numbers have been more uneven, he still gives the club a left-handed bat with real power and a track record that makes him hard to replace.
At the deadline, that kind of player can become a tempting chip for a team looking to retool, especially when there is no extension in place yet. But Miami also has to weigh what happens if it moves on too quickly from a player it spent real capital to get and has spent the past year building around, because getting Stowers wrong could leave the lineup thinner now and the long-term picture even murkier. [Read more 🡒]