Offensive drought continues as reeling Marlins swept by Phillies to close out first half
The All-Star break has arrived.
It figures to be a memorable three days in Los Angeles for Miami Marlins’ Cy Young contender Sandy Alcantara and first-time All-Stars Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Garrett Cooper.
But the rest of the Marlins hope the respite is enough to course-correct a season in danger of slipping away if its current alarming trend continues.
Miami mustered only four hits - all singles - on Sunday afternoon during a 4-0 shutout loss to the Phillies on Sunday at loanDepot park, capping a three-game sweep by Philadelphia.
The Marlins now trail both the Phillies and the St. Louis Cardinals - who are tied for the third and final National League wild card spot - by 5½ games following their fifth loss in their past seven games.
“We’re expecting to come out of the break with a better attitude,” said Miguel Rojas, who had one of the team’s four hits on Sunday. “For us to be in the position we were before this homestand and not be able to come out with more of a sense of urgency is disappointing. But we can’t do nothing about it. We have to regroup and come out with a better attitude of getting things going before the trade deadline and anything else happens.”
The offensive ineptitude the Marlins (43-48) have shown of late is a major concern.
Miami scored only one run in three games against the Phillies and has not scored for 25 consecutive innings entering the break.
“Things look really bad when you’re not swinging the bats. It looks like your team has no energy,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. “It doesn’t mean guys aren’t trying but you go inning after inning and not get anything going, it’s hard to have that energy when nothing is going on.
“It might mean that guys are trying too hard and you can’t put it all together by yourself. You just have to have good at-bats. And that’s hard to do when you’re in a stretch like this.”
The Marlins’ power outage stretches even longer, and is reaching historic levels in franchise history.
The Marlins failed to hit a home run for the eighth consecutive game Sunday, which is one game away from tying the longest drought in time history which happened twice (April 6-15, 2013 and Sept. 25-Oct. 3, 1993).
Aaron Nola was the latest starter to stifle the Marlins’ bats, striking out 10 and walking just one batter.
“I think we’re falling short and we’re not a day-to-day club,” Mattingly said. “We’re a little streaky and kind of floating along instead of creating the momentum we need and we have to create that ourselves. When it doesn’t go well we have to fight it.”
The Marlins’ best chance came in the ninth when back-to-back singles by Joey Wendle and Brian Anderson ended Nola’s start after 8 1/3 innings and put runners on first and second. But Jose Alvarado entered in relief and picked up the save after striking out Cooper and inducing a fielder’s choice ground out by Bryan De La Cruz.
The Marlins’ lineup has had its share of bumps and bruises in recent weeks and has missed Chisholm’s presence. Since Chisholm was placed on the injured list on June 29, the Marlins have averaged 2.9 runs per game (52 runs in 18 games), have been shut out three times and have scored two runs or fewer in nine of those games.
“We don’t have a guy that’s carrying us (at the plate) right now and that’s been missing,” Rojas said. “When that happens, you put more pressure on ourselves to be that guy. These stretches are going to come and go and I’m happy we have these three days off...
“A lot of guys are tentative about not chasing and striking out and when you think like that good things aren’t going to happen. We have to come back with a [expletive] it attitude and say, ‘I have to follow the plan and do it my way.’ That’s what’s missing right now.”
Meanwhile on the mound, Trevor Rogers pitched past the fifth inning for only the fourth time in his past 18 starts, and threw six innings for only the second time this season. Rogers, however, gave up all four of his runs in the fourth en route to his ninth loss this season. Rogers struck out four and did not walk any batters, but allowed seven hits including back-to-back doubles to Alec Bohm and Matt Vierling and a two-run home run to Yairo Munoz in that frame.
A year after earning his first All-Star selection, Rogers is 4-9 with a 5.46 ERA in 84 innings and has allowed a career-high 11 home runs with 10 coming against his four-seam fastball. Opposing hitters entered the game hitting .318 against the pitch after hitting .222 against it last season.
“This has been the most trying time by far (in my career),” Rogers said. “I’ve talked to (pitching coach) Mel (Stottlemyre Jr.) about it and he’s told me how I’ll get out of it eventually. I’m not gonna lie, my patience has worn a little thin, but I trust that he’s been in this game a long time and seen it before and I just have to keep working and we’re gonna get there.”
▪ Jesus Aguilar was ejected in the second inning by home plate umpire Ron Kulpa for arguing balls and strikes. The Marlins players appeared to be visibly frustrated with Kulpa’s calls throughout the game.
This story was originally published July 17, 2022 at 4:25 PM.
