In the category of “take your good news where you can get it,” the Miami Marlins resumed their lost season Friday night by returning from the All-Star break to edge the New York Mets 6-4.
However, while Miami made a successful playoff push last season, it’s relegated to a murky future and will continue to try to play spoiler Saturday against the Mets, who are in the thick of the wild-card hunt this year.
In a matchup of right-handers, the Mets’ Luis Severino will oppose the Marlins’ Roddery Munoz in the second of the four-game series.
The manager who helped the Marlins reach the wild-card round, Skip Schumaker, might not be around for a third year. Many observers assume Schumaker is displeased with management’s decision to tank the season early, but he said this week he is happy with owner Bruce Sherman and president of baseball operations Peter Bendix.
“I’m a free agent (after the season) just like there are player free agents,” Schumaker said, downplaying reports of a rift. “Time will tell what’s going to happen. There are no hard feelings. It never got personal.
“Bruce and his family have always been really great to me. If I’m not doing my job, they won’t want me back anyway,” said Schumaker, who is in his first stint as a major league manager.
If Schumaker isn’t back, it’s anticipated he won’t have much trouble getting another managerial opportunity. He is well-regarded around the sport and was last year’s NL Manager of the Year.
Schumaker will try to pilot the team to a third straight win behind the rookie Munoz (1-4, 5.47). He last pitched on July 11 in Houston, taking a 6-3 loss as he gave up six runs, four earned, on five hits and two walks over 6 2/3 innings. He fanned two.
The best of Munoz’s nine major league starts came on June 13 against the host Mets, who managed just one hit and one walk against him in six shutout innings. Munoz took a no-decision as the Marlins lost 3-2.
The Mets will try to bounce back behind Severino (6-3, 3.78), who was bumped up in the rotation after scheduled starter Jose Quintana came down with a fever Friday. Severino hasn’t pitched since July 10, when he earned a 6-2 win over visiting Washington with 6 1/3 strong innings, allowing just four hits and two runs.
Severino is 1-0 with a 2.89 ERA in three career outings against Miami. He has faced the Marlins twice this year, allowing six runs in 12 2/3 innings in a pair of no-decisions.
Friday night’s game was frustrating for New York, which fell behind 4-0 and then missed a spate of chances to complete a rally. The Mets were just 1 of 7 with runners in scoring position and stranded nine.
But they had to be pleased with the thunder coming from Jeff McNeil’s bat. The 2022 NL batting champion clubbed two homers to get the Mets back into the game, looking nothing like the .216 hitter he was entering the night.
“For him to go dead center and then driving the ball left-on-left is a good sign,” said New York manager Carlos Mendoza. “It’s good for him and it’s going to be good for us, too. He knows he’s a good hitter.”
–Field Level Media
