'A really beautiful moment for me': Ramírez's pinch-hit walk-off HR caps Marlins' comeback

MIAMI -- The way things have gone this season, Agustín Ramírez was going to savor this moment.

As Ramírez teleported a pitch off the facing of the Budweiser Bar deep in left-center field, he admired its trajectory before launching his bat and looking back at the home dugout at loanDepot park. On the same day Dontrelle “D-Train” Willis was inducted into the Marlins Legends Hall of Fame, Ramírez made the euphoric trip around the bases and approached his teammates surrounding home plate by motioning everyone to board the “Gus Bus.”

Ramírez’s two-run walk-off homer capped the Marlins’ 6-4 comeback over the Dodgers on Sunday afternoon in a cathartic moment for the second-year player.

“It's been a tough year for me, and that moment was a really beautiful moment for me, and I was enjoying every second,” Ramírez said via interpreter Luis Dorante.

Miami’s improbable rally against the two-time reigning World Series champions began in the eighth.

Trailing 3-0 with one out, Joe Mack and Esteury Ruiz singled. Following Kyle Stowers’ strikeout, Otto Lopez hit a two-run single up the middle to chase righty Edgardo Henriquez. In came former All-Star Marlins closer Tanner Scott, who struck out left-handed-hitting Griffin Conine to thwart the rally.

After the Dodgers made it 4-2 in the ninth, the Marlins answered back with heroics in the bottom half of the frame.

Xavier Edwards, who was reinstated from the 10-day injured list ahead of the series finale, reached on an infield single. Jakob Marsee followed with a bunt hit and Javier Sanoja pulled a game-tying two-run double down the left-field line to chase Scott.

Then came the chess match.

Marlins manager Clayton McCullough didn’t like the matchup of left-handed-hitting rookie Mack facing southpaw Scott, so he turned to the right-handed-hitting Ramírez off the bench. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts countered with righty Brock Stewart.

On the fourth pitch of the at-bat, Stewart left a 94.9 mph four-seamer over the heart of the plate that Ramírez didn’t miss for the game-winning swing.

“I’m 100% sure that he was prepared for that at-bat,” Sanoja said of his locker mate via Dorante. “We talk a lot. We share small things, small talks about the game. Just being able to do what he did out there, I’m very happy for him and, again, hoping he has more success in the future.”

Ramírez, who was the club’s Opening Day catcher but got demoted to Triple-A Jacksonville on May 4 to make way for Mack, has been scuffling since being recalled on Aug. 4.

At the time, Miami had dealt Liam Hicks to Tampa Bay and needed more thump against lefties, so the organization brought Ramírez back in the hope he could be that threat. It has been an adjustment serving as a backup catcher (only three starts) and a designated-hitter option while trying to learn first base in between.

Entering Sunday, Ramírez was batting .205/.310/.301 with four doubles, one homer, five RBIs, 11 walks and 22 strikeouts in 84 plate appearances since his return in August. His inability to elevate pitches to go along with his elite exit velocity was stunting his potential.

Sunday’s swing is a step in the right direction and shows the tantalizing power Ramírez is capable of. He became the sixth Marlin to hit a pinch-hit walk-off homer, and the first since Donnie Murphy (July 19, 2010).

Miami’s seventh walk-off win of 2026 also helped the club secure its first season series against Los Angeles since 2021. It ended a disappointing 3-6 homestand -- which saw the club all but fall out of National League Wild Card contention -- on a high note. The Marlins now embark on a three-city, nine-game trip to the D-backs, Padres and Cubs.

“It is important,” McCullough said of Ramírez’s end to 2026. “A swing like today, and seeing him do that, he's capable. … Still believing in the bat, but then also you need to perform here, and so I think that's kind of where Gus is. There's still a lot of belief in the ability and the age, and a lot of that. But then it's, [if] you keep getting opportunities, just making the most of those. Don't look too far ahead, but as far as reestablishing yourself in some sense back up here. It's offensively performing closer to the level we think he's capable of.”