Miami Marlins: Miguel Rojas to the rescue, ace trumps Nats

Plenty went right for the Miami Marlins against the Washington Nationals this week, but starting pitching and a big game from Miguel Rojas stand out.

Last month, the Miami Marlins used a sweep of the Washington Nationals to help get their season back on track. Unfortunately for Miami, that course correction didn’t last.

Fortunately for Miami, plenty of games against Washington remain on the 2022 schedule. The Marlins took advantage once again of the team looking to be the least of the East, securing their first series win in May after four straight series losses to open the month. May has historically been a rather unkind month for Miami, and this one has proved no exception.

But with the Nationals now in the rear view mirror, what mattered most from this series? What can the Miami Marlins hope to build on heading into a daunting eight-game stretch against the defending champion Atlanta Braves and a Tampa Bay Rays team Miami has beaten just twice since 2018? Plenty.

For starters, starting pitching continues to be Miami’s strength. On Monday, that was highlighted by an eight-inning gem from staff ace Sandy Alcantara. On Tuesday, the ace-like effort came from a rather un ace-like source. Spot starter Cody Poteet went nearly five scoreless innings before handing things off to the bullpen after departing due to a wonky fingernail. Miami’s development of pitchers these past few seasons remains unmatched.

However, what could arguably be even more important than continued excellence on the mound, was a strong showing from team captain Miguel Rojas. He’s the unquestioned leader in the clubhouse, but his play has been anything but inspirational so far in 2022. He came up big in Game 2, though, going 3-for-4 with a home run. Now with three extra base hits in his last four games, he’s back on the right side of the Mendoza line, and has his highest average and OBP since Opening Weekend. While some have been saying Miggy’s days as an everyday player could be nearing an end, there’s no question the Marlins are better off with their leader contributing.

Lastly, Rojas wasn’t the only scuffling Marlin to have a strong showing against Washington. Much has been made of the slow starts from … well … from almost every offensive acquisition Miami made this offseason. Yet Avisail Garcia, Jorge Soler, and Jacob Stallings all played key roles this week. Stallings rode a seven-game hitting streak into Wednesday’s action, and Garcia had hit safely in nine of his last 10. If the team’s big additions are really starting to click, then Miami has a chance to be back at .500 when the calendar turns to June. Then again, Garcia and Stallings did go a combined 0-for-9 in Wednesday’s loss. More of the same will just mean the same results in the win-loss column.

Bottom-line, Miami is going to need their offense to do some damage against the Braves and Rays over this next week. If their previously dormant bats can stay hot, they just might start turning some heads.