The Arizona Diamondbacks, after hitting a total of seven homers the past two days, will be looking for a sweep when they close a three-game series against the host Miami Marlins on Thursday afternoon.
The finale will feature a matchup of pitchers looking for their first win of the season: Miami right-hander Edward Cabrera (0-0, 3.18 ERA) and Arizona lefty Eduardo Rodriguez (0-2, 4.86).
Cabrera, who turned 27 on Sunday, missed the start of this season due to a blister on his right middle finger.
He made his 2025 debut on Friday, getting a no-decision in a 7-4 loss to the Nationals. Cabrera lasted 5 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on four hits and three walks with five strikeouts.
Cabrera, who is 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA in two career starts against Arizona, has dealt with injuries for most of his career.
He has never made more than 20 starts in any of his four previous seasons, although he reached exactly that milestone in each of the past two years.
For his career, Cabrera is 11-7 with a 3.90 ERA at home. He is just 6-15 with a 4.70 ERA on the road. He also tends to pitch better in the second half of seasons (3.64 ERA) as opposed to the first half (5.32 ERA).
A hard thrower, Cabrera worked this past winter on adding muscle, getting in better shape and improving on the mental side of pitching.
“Edward is a special talent,” Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said. “When you have his fastball and changeup and the spin on his breaking ball, it’s a good version of Edward Cabrera.”
Rodriguez, a 32-year-old native of Venezuela, didn’t make his 2024 debut until Aug. 7 due to lat injury. Normally, though, he is a reliable starter who went 19-6 for the Red Sox in 2019, finishing sixth in American League Cy Young Award voting.
He also won 13 games in 2018, 2021 and 2023.
Rodriguez, who is 1-1 with a 7.84 ERA in two career starts against Miami, is just 3-6 since the start of 2024. Lately, according to scouts, his issue is allowing high exit velocities.
He will hope to get some offensive support from one of his slumping teammates, Eugenio Suarez.
The third baseman, a pull hitter who strikes out a lot, is in the midst of a slump that has seen his batting average fall to .159. in his past 13 games, Suarez is 5-for-45 (.111) with no RBIs and 18 whiffs.
When he is right, he is a dangerous slugger who had 30 homers and 101 RBIs last season. In fact, he averaged 98.5 RBIs over the past two years.
“It’s only a matter of time before he figures it out,” Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said. “He’s in a little bit of a drought, but I’m encouraging him to swing at good pitches and to try not to chase base hits or results.
“Just chase the good part of the process and stay with your routine.”
As for the Marlins, they traded corner infielder Jonah Bride to the Twins for cash considerations prior to the Wednesday game.
Bride, who was out of options, batted just .100 (4-for-40) for Miami this year.
With Bride gone, the Marlins could activate infielder Connor Norby from the injured list for the Thursday game. He has been sidelined for the season’s opening weeks due to an oblique strain.
Norby, 24, could slide back into his role as Miami’s starting third baseman. He produced a .760 OPS with eight doubles and seven homers in 36 games for the Marlins late last season after he was acquired in a trade with the Baltimore Orioles.
–Field Level Media
