Defensive miscues show where Marlins need to improve for 2027

SAN DIEGO – Whether coincidental or prophetic, manager Clayton McCullough spent some time during Sunday’s pregame availability discussing the importance of defense to the club’s future success.

Miami has seen firsthand the difference defense can make, especially when separating contenders from pretenders.

Remember the clinic Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong put on in Miami earlier this month? Or what the Major League-best Brewers did in Milwaukee immediately after the All-Star break?

“It matters,” McCullough said. “Unfortunately, we won't get to see it live in October, but you're going to see it in October. You have to play defense to win championships, and you have to play good defense. …

“It's got such a domino effect that sometimes it's not just the errors. Big league defense has a high standard, and it should. I just don't see how we ultimately get over the hump without being a very buttoned-up group defensively.”

Shaky defense reared its head in the Marlins’ 7-3 loss to the Padres on Sunday afternoon at Petco Park.

In a two-run fourth inning, two defensive mishaps played a role in costing ace Sandy Alcantara his first quality start since Aug. 24.

When Jackson Merrill hit a comebacker off Alcantara, second baseman Javier Sanoja barehanded the ball and fired it low to first baseman Deyvison De Los Santos, who couldn’t hold onto it. The ball deflected off Merrill and into right field, allowing him to reach third on a two-base error.

“It was a little frustrating for me,” the reigning National League Gold Glove-winning utility player Sanoja said via interpreter Luis Dorante. “I think I put him in a bad position, and I wasn’t able to make a better throw in that situation.”

Two batters later, Jake Cronenworth sent a sinking liner to left, where Heriberto Hernández couldn’t make the catch. The ball got past him and rolled to the wall for an RBI double. Samad Taylor followed with his own RBI double to make it a 4-0 ballgame.

There was also a scary moment in the fifth on Merrill’s grounder to the right side of the infield. Sanoja fielded the ball, but De Los Santos didn’t get back to the bag in time. Alcantara was covering and tagged Merrill, who fell on the collision. Everyone came out of it unscathed.

“Thank goodness I was able to keep my head high and do a better job on the second play, and a great assist by Sandy,” Sanoja said. “We will continue to work with these young players that continue to come up and try to put them in a good position so they can succeed.”

Though the Marlins entered Sunday ranked 14th in fielding run value (three), nine of the 13 teams ahead of them would reach the postseason if the regular season ended Sunday. Two others have a better record than the Marlins.

Here is a breakdown by position of the Marlins’ outs above average:

First base: -5 (tied with five teams for 19th)
Second base: -4 (tied with four teams for 21st)
Shortstop: 12 (seventh)
Third base: 2 (11th)
Left field: 2 (tied with three teams for third)
Center field: 7 (tied with four teams for 10th)
Right field: -8 (tied for 27th)

As for defensive runs saved, the Marlins rank 23rd (-8 DRS).

Why did the Marlins stick with Jakob Marsee during his months-long slump? His center-field defense.

Why did the Marlins call up rookie Joe Mack in early May? His Gold Glove-caliber arm behind the plate.

In defense – pun intended – of some of the players, they are learning new positions on the fly. Kyle Stowers and Griffin Conine are new to first base this season, as were Connor Norby, Leo Jiménez and Christopher Morel.

“There's definitely some nuances that we're still working through that's really hard to replicate in practice,” infield coach Blake Butler said earlier this season. “We watch a ton of video and do as much practice design as we can, but there's still some things that come up.”

Plus, outside of Marsee, Edwards and All-Star shortstop Otto Lopez, guys are playing multiple positions.

“As a team, to get better, it's being in the right place on the field,” McCullough said. “It's hitting cutoff men. It's understanding when to take some chances and when it's better to put some things in your pocket and try to limit the damage on the opposition. There's an individual component of guys just continuing to get better on their defense, and then as a team, how do we understand what the scoreboard is, where we are in a lineup and think through those things to make the best decision you can?”