Bases loaded in a big situation? No problem for the Marlins’ Andrew Nardi
Andrew Nardi has been in this position before. The Miami Marlins’ left-handed reliever makes his trot out to the mound from the bullpen and before he even throws his first pitch, the bases behind him are already loaded in a high-leverage situation.
He faced that scenario again in the seventh inning Tuesday after the New York Mets hit three singles against A.J. Puk before manager Skip Schumaker opted to make a pitching change.
And like he has all season, he made quick work getting out of the jam. Nardi needed just five pitches to get the Mets’ Ronny Mauricio to hit into an inning-ending groundout. He then stayed in the game and tossed a scoreless eighth.
“I don’t know what the numbers are as far as how many times he’s been out there with bases loaded with inherited runners ... but it feels like he’s had a lot of those,” Schumaker said after the game, a 4-3 Marlins walk-off win. “And he’s gotten out of them.”
Tuesday marked the fourth time this season Nardi has entered a game with the bases loaded, with the other instances coming on May 2 against the Atlanta Braves, June 5 against the Kansas City Royals and Aug. 30 against the Tampa Bay Rays. He has stranded all three runners all four times.
Only one pitcher has done that more this season than Nardi: Sam Moll, who has inherited six bases-loaded situations that he has gotten out of without allowing a runner to score.
Overall on the season, Nardi has stranded 35 of 39 inherited runners. He is one of just three relievers this season to inherit at least 35 runners and allow fewer than 15 percent of them to score, along with the Colorado Rockies’ Justin Lawrence and Cleveland Guardians’ Nick Sandlin.
“Honestly, I’m not doing anything special out there,” said Nardi, who has a 2.72 ERA with 66 strikeouts against 19 walks this season. “I just think of it as a fresh inning. ... All you have to do is make one good pitch.”
Arraez out again
Marlins All-Star second baseman Luis Arraez is out of the starting lineup for a second consecutive game due to a left ankle sprain. The team is listing him as day-to-day.
The injury occurred during the Marlins’ pregame defensive drills on Tuesday when Arraez stepped on a ball while fielding grounders at second base ahead of batting practice. Arraez sat in the infield with team trainers momentarily before walking off on his own power and leaving the field.
“I felt so bad there,” Arraez said postgame Tuesday of the injury. “I knew something happened with my ankle, but I hope I feel good tomorrow.”
Arraez entered Wednesday leading MLB with a .354 batting average and logged his 200th and 201st hits of the season on Monday.
Xavier Edwards started at second base in Arraez’s place on Tuesday and Jon Berti was at second on Wednesday.
Don’t call it a comeback?
The Marlins on Tuesday recorded their 40th comeback win and ninth walk-off win of the season.
This marks the sixth time in franchise history the Marlins have had at least 40 comeback wins in a season. The others were in 2017 (40), 2009 (41), 2008 (43), 2007 (42), 2000 (41) and 1997 (43).
The nine walk-off wins are tied for the seventh-most in franchise history. The franchise record for most walk-off wins in a season are 16 by the World Series-winning 1997 team. The Marlins had 11 walk-off wins in 2014 and 2008. The 2010, 2008 and World Series-winning 2003 teams each had 10 walk-off wins.
This story was originally published September 20, 2023 at 8:37 AM.
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