Picking off runners at Marlins camp reason to celebrate

JUPITER, Fla. – “Chipotle!!!!”

Marlins right-hander Eury Pérez couldn’t contain his excitement when he picked off a pair of runners during last week’s simulated game at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. He sauntered off the field and made the long walk back to the clubhouse at the Jupiter Academy knowing how he would celebrate.

“It's something that we're all working on,” Pérez said via interpreter Luis Dorante Jr. “Holding runners is very important. Not only getting guys out, it's mostly the keys to hold the runners. And [field coordinator Aaron Leanhardt] has been very vocal about that during the whole Spring Training."

In 2025, the Marlins ranked last among Major League teams in net bases prevented (-39), which is a sum of advances prevented and outs added that is assigned to a pitcher. The formula is as follows: (stolen base and balks) - (CS and pickoffs) when that pitcher was on the mound versus the average based on the attempts seen.

Miami also allowed 191 steals, the third-highest total of any team in a single season during the Wild Card Era (since 1995). Sandy Alcantara (35 steals, most of all MLB pitchers), former Marlin Edward Cabrera (35) and Pérez (15, tied for 36th in half a season) had the most trouble.

So over the offseason, the players – from the pitchers to the infielders to the catchers – decided to make a collective effort to improve controlling the running game.

“Any way in which we can heighten, especially in practice, the intensity a little bit, the concentration, put some stakes on there," manager Clayton McCullough said. "Guys like to compete. Ultimately, we want those things and [to] see them play out during the season for us to help us. Love to steal outs when you don't have to throw a pitch."

The Marlins aren’t reinventing the wheel in order to improve. They’re being intentional with practice, replicating game situations as much as possible in pitch design sessions, live batting practices and sim games.

According to Leanhardt, pitchers can practice their picks while working on the slope. Throws to the plyometrics wall get mixed into their warmups to emphasize a shorter arm stroke. During certain sessions, targets and a fake first baseman will be positioned near the bag for visualization.

“It was the guys that probably needed to work on this the most,” Leanhardt said. “I'll be honest, the two guys throwing today, Max Meyer and Tyler Zuber, have probably hit the pickoff target at first base more than any other pitcher in camp. So credit to them for already being good at this.

“Maybe some of the guys where you see it set up more frequently ... maybe those are the guys that took it upon themselves to work on it, because they realized it was something they really needed to work on. Credit to those guys for putting in that work. It's a team-wide and org-wide concept, but then we still do at least try to make sure each practice session is tailored to the individual pitcher’s needs.”

Whether it be Pérez or lefty reliever Cade Gibson, the pitchers are trying to do their part. How quick are their times to the plate? Are they synced up with the infielders? Are they keeping tabs of the runners?

In 2025, Miami played 102 games decided by three runs or fewer -- tied for fifth-most in MLB -- and went 52-50. Flip a few of those losses and maybe the club winds up as a National League Wild Card.

“It's super important,” Gibson said. “It decides more ballgames than you would think, especially when we come in after a starter and they have runners on base. ... You may not pick them off, but it's important to not give them a free 90 feet, because that can decide a ballgame. I equate it to last year. You look at it and we're only probably a few ballgames away from being in the playoffs. And so those ballgames are important when they're close, to just keep those runners where they're at and not let them score. Obviously, you've got to make pitches, but I think holding them where they're at is even more important.”