MIAMI—Eury Pérez and Jakob Marsee. Two names, who, if they continue doing what they’ve done to this point in their young major league careers, could eventually find themselves receiving the honor that longtime second baseman Luis Castillo did on Sunday when the Marlins inducted him into their team’s Hall of Fame.
Pérez and Marsee topped the bill in Miami’s series finale against the Blue Jays, with the former carrying a shutout into the seventh inning of a 5-3 win to avoid the sweep. The Fish claimed their 61st victory of the season a month earlier than the 2024 team did.
Striking out four over his six-plus innings of work on a career-high 94 pitches, 12 of Pérez’s 18 whiffs on the day came on the four-seam fastball, a pitch that entered play with a plus-14 run value. In 14 starts since returning from Tommy John surgery, the 22-year-old owns a 3.44 ERA.
Miami would get out to an early lead when Eric Wagaman tagged Toronto starter Kevin Gausman (6 IP, 4 R) for a solo home run in the top of the third.
After an abysmal July that saw him OPS a mere .424, Wagaman has responded with a .928 OPS in August, with home runs in each of the club’s last two Sunday contests.
Fast-forward to the fifth inning, Marsee—already the owner of 15 extra-base hits and 20 runs batted in to that point—lined a three-run triple into the left-center gap of loanDepot park. Marsee’s 23 RBI are the most through a player’s first 23 games to begin their career in franchise history, besting his teammate, Liam Hicks, who had 17.
Looking to complete the seventh inning for the second time in his career, Pérez allowed a Bo Bichette ground ball to sneak by Wagaman at first base. He then walked Ty France after getting ahead 0-2.
Upon entering and inheriting the two runners to face Daulton Varsho, Lake Bachar would be tagged for a three-run home run which cut the Marlins’ lead to 4-3.
Needing insurance in the bottom of the seventh following the Varsho home run, Agustín Ramírez‘s single up the middle did just that, increasing the Miami lead to two. Ramírez also became just the fourth catcher in franchise history to steal 10-plus bases in a single season. He has done it with impressive efficiency (only 2 CS).
The tension reached a climax in the top of the eighth. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., playing in his first game in six days, stepped to the plate as a pinch-hitter representing the go-ahead run. Ronny Henriquez got him to pop up.
The day after firing 32 pitches, Tyler Phillips entered in the top of the ninth, ultimately locking down a 1-2-3 save, needing just six pitches to do so.
Looking Ahead
The Marlins will continue their nine-game homestand on Monday when they welcome the Atlanta Braves. Monday’s starter for Miami, Edward Cabrera (6-7, 3.52 ERA), will hope for more of the same against Atlanta after having struck out 11 and allowed just a pair of hits over eight innings against them back on August 8. Spencer Strider (5-11, 5.24 ERA) will oppose him for Miami.
First pitch from loanDepot park is slated for 6:40 EST.