The Miami Marlins are eight games under .500 and are 15 games behind the National League East leaders Philadelphia Phillies, but their playoff hopes are still alive.
Miami looked at the 2025 season like an opportunity to start getting momentum with the hopes of building a competitive squad for years to come, and part of that process is starting to become a reality thanks to a young slugger.
Rookie third baseman Javier Sanoja, who has shown his power with four home runs and a spectacular .876 OPS on August. Onf of the Minor League Baseball’s bestac contact hitters, the Venezuela native is viewed as one of the best prospects in the last few years for the Marlins.
Marlins pitcher slaps himself multiple times
Before stepping on the mound against the Toronto Blue Jays Sunday night, Miami Marlins reliever Tyler Phillips hyped himself up by slapping his own face multiple times as the iconic wrestler Stone Cold Steve Austin theme blasted through the stadium.
In a postgame interview, Phillips revealed it’s all about getting locked in and finding that competitive fire before throwing a single pitch. It’s his unique way of flipping the switch and one that has worked so far for himself and the Marlins.
The ritual translated into Phillips closing the game with three quick outs for the save in Miami‘s 5-3 win. Fans won’t soon forget the entrance, or the result. And if it continues to work, Marlins followers would not mind seeing the cold entrance again and again.
A young pitcher elevates Miami
Young pitcher Eury Perez is on fire, as the 6’8 righty is 3-0 in five starts in August after Sunday’s win against the Toronto Blue Jays. The 22-year-old from the Dominican Republic went 3-1 in five starts in July with a 1.29 ERA, the second-lowest in the National League (minimum 25 innings).
“His slider was good today, he mixed in some really good changeups. I thought him and Liam [Hicks] did a nice job of utilizing his whole mix, but his ability to pound it with his fastball, and gain count leverage was a big reason why he was able to be so efficient. … Great outing,” manager Clayton McCullough said after Sunday’s game.
Pérez possesses a plus fastball (93 run value, per Statcast) that can reach 100 mph. His xBA number (.199) is elite — in the top 4 percent of pitchers leaguewide. He’s learning to spin his slider and complement the heater with other offspeed offerings.
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