Max Meyer was the Blue Wahoos biggest star five years ago when he lived up to lofty expectations in the ballclub’s first season as a Miami Marlins affiliate.
From that point in 2021, his journey from being the third overall pick in the 2020 draft to becoming a Major League Baseball All-Star, has been a noteworthy example of perseverance.
After overcoming elbow surgery that caused him to miss the entire 2023 season, then other injuries which limited him the past two years, Meyer has returned as pitcher who constantly wowed Blue Wahoos fans during his one season in Pensacola.
Meyer’s resurgence earned him a spot among National League pitchers named for Tuesday’s 96th MLB All-Star Game being played at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. Meyer will not pitch in the game, as precaution to give him extra rest, but will be introduced and be part of the festivities.
The game is set for 7 p.m. and will be televised by Fox Sports. It is also available on Fox One, FoxSports.com and the Fox Sports app.
Meyer’s breakout season with the Marlins, highlighted by a franchise record nine consecutive wins this season, a 9-1 record with 2.58 earned run average, made him an easy choice.
Meyer is one of four players who wore a Blue Wahoos uniform to be part of the Midsummer Classic.
The others are led by San Francisco Giants second baseman Luis Arraez, who is playing with his fourth different MLB team and now in his fifth MLB All-Star Game.
Philiadelphia Phillies relief pitcher Jhoan Duran, a teammate with Arraez on the Blue Wahoos’ 2019 team, and Atlanta Braves reliever Raisel Iglesias, who did a injury rehab assignment with the Blue Wahoos in 2019 as a then-Cincinnati Reds reliever, are the two other players with Blue Wahoos connections in the game.
Meyer, 27, a Minnesota native with flaming red hair, missed his scheduled start Sunday with the Marlins, so that he can be available to pitch in the MLB All-Star game.
“It's pretty special,” said Meyer, speaking to media members in Miami when he was named to the National League All-Star team joining Marlins infielder Otto Lopez.
“Just kind of looking back at my career, a lot of injuries. I'm glad that it doesn't really feel like a personal award, because I have so many staff members that are always pulling for me, and the day-to-day stuff that just keeps me on the field and keeps me feeling good with all the boys, being so fun to be around. It feels special.”
Meyer made 20 starts for the Blue Wahoos in 2021, compiling a 6-3 record, 2.41 ERA and 113 strikeouts in 101 innings pitched. He was elevated to Triple-A Jacksonville the following season and made his MLB debut with the Marlins on July 16, 2022.
But later that season, elbow issues began and it led to Tommy John surgery, which caused him to miss the entire 2023 season. He made a combined 23 starts for the Marlins in 2024 and 2025, battling other injuries and raising questions of whether he could continue to be a starting pitcher, or would need to switch into a reliever.
That question was answered this year.
Until sustaining his only loss this season on July 1 against Colorado, Meyer was the last unbeaten pitcher in the Major Leagues among regular starters. He has the eighth lowest ERA at 2.58 among qualified starters and is tied for fourth among starters with lowest opponent batting average at .206.
Meyer did not make his scheduled start for the Marlins on July 12 in a decision reached by the Marlins as precaution and to provide Meyer extra rest time before the final push of the season.
This is already the most innings pitched and most games started for Meyer in any MLB season. Before this season, he had never thrown more than 64.2 innings. He is at 108 innings right now.
“Our reasoning there -- we're all certainly very aware of where Max is at this point -- and with the starts and the innings that he's already thrown, and us, certainly going to need to lean on him in the second half of this season,” said Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said. “So, [we] felt it came at a nice time for us, where again, we could use the four days after his last start, get some time as well with the All-Star break.
“He can go enjoy all the festivities in Philadelphia and be a fan in the dugout, and then just to give him a little bit of a breather here, as we continue to push him through his first real full season in the big leagues.”
Entering this breakout campaign, Meyer had never thrown more than 64 2/3 innings or made more than 12 starts in the big leagues since his debut in 2022 due to various injuries.
Arraez played 38 games for the Blue Wahoos in 2019, the team’s only season as a Minnesota Twins affiliate. He had a .342 batting average before getting called up to Triple-A Jacksonville, then made his MLB debut with the Twins that season.
He then played two seasons with the Marlins (2023-24) before traded in 2024 to the San Diego Padres. This is his first season with the Giants.
Duran was a starting pitcher with the Blue Wahoos in 2019, but has since transformed as a dependable reliever. He has made 34 appearances with the Phillies for a 1.38 ERA.
Milbrandt In Futures Game
The Blue Wahoos also had a connection in the MLB All-Star Futures Game, held Sunday in Philadelphia. In that game, former Blue Wahoos starting pitcher Karson Milbrandt started the sixth inning, making quick work of the two batters he faced by recording two outs on just four pitches.
Milbrandt, 22, was the Blue Wahoos No. 1 starter to begin the 2026 season, starting nine games with a 4-1 record and 1.34 ERA as the top starter in the Southern League. Since being called up to Jacksonville on June 2, Milbrandt is 0-2 in six appearances with a 5.48 ERA.
Blue Wahoos-MLB All-Stars
Max Meyer (RHP) – The 27-year-old Meyer went 6-3 with a 2.14 ERA in 20 starts for the Blue Wahoos in 2021. He was named Southern League Pitcher of the Year. This is his fourth MLB season and first-time named to All-Star Game.
Luis Arraez (2B) – Arraez played in 38 games to begin the 2019 season in Pensacola, before rising to Triple-A and making his MLB debut. He hit .342 with an .812 slugging percentage. Arraez has the second-highest batting average in MLB at .330, right behind Marlins’ All-Star Otto Lopez (.334). This is his 5th MLB All-Star Game with four different teams.
Jhoan Duran (RHP) – He started seven games for the Blue Wahoos in 2019, going 3-3 with a 4.86 ERA. This is his fifth MLB season and first time chosen for All-Star Game.
Raisel Iglesias (RHP) – Made three appearances and two starts in five total innings for the Blue Wahoos in 2019 while on injury rehab assignment from the Cincinnati Reds. This is his 12th season in MLB and first time chosen for All-Star Game.