Max Meyer, the former third overall pick, delivered a historic performance Monday night at loanDepot Park, striking out a career-high 14 batters to lead the Miami Marlins to a 6-3 series opener over the Cincinnati Reds.
Meyer, who has now made four consecutive quality starts, dominated for six shutout innings. The 26-year-old right-hander allowed only five hits, no walks, and 14 strikeouts, the most by any pitcher in Major League Baseball this season.
“He was gross,” Marlins manager Clayton McCullough told reporters after the game. “That’s a good offensive club, and you could tell he was in control from the start. I can’t think of a better way to start.”
Meyer’s performance put him in elite company, making him only the second pitcher in MLB history to record 14 or more strikeouts with zero walks in a six-inning or fewer start, joining Hall of Famer Randy Johnson, who last did so in 2001. He also became the first Marlin since the late Jose Fernández to have ten strikeouts in the first four innings of a game.
“It was obviously a special start for me,” Meyer told reporters. “You may have five starts a year where everything feels right and everything is clicking, and every pitch does exactly what you want it to do. So I hope to study video and try to do that every game,” the right-hander told reporters afterwards.
Meyer, who was selected third overall in the 2020 MLB Draft, was initially viewed as a future late-inning reliever due to his size and two-pitch repertoire, which included a wipeout slider and an above-average fastball — tools typically associated with a bullpen role. Meyer, on the other hand, flipped the script quickly.
Meyer earned a spot in the Marlins’ rotation after a dominant spring training and has since established himself as the team’s most consistent starter. Through five starts this season, he has a 2.10 ERA in 30 innings and 41 strikeouts, tied for second in the Majors behind Nationals starter Mackenzie Gore.
Agustin Ramirez, the Marlins’ top position player prospect, caught Meyer on Monday and made his major league debut. The 23-year-old backstop, acquired last summer in the trade that sent Jazz Chisholm Jr. to the Yankees, impressed in his first big-league appearance, going 2 for 3 with a walk and a steal.
“Obviously was awesome having Ramirez back there – big target and really good hitter so it’s fun to see him doing these things up here now,” Meyer said of the catcher.
While Ramirez’s defence is still a work in progress (he led the International League in passed balls prior to his call-up), the Marlins believe his bat is major-league ready and can provide long-term offensive value at a position that has lacked stability since All-Star J.T. Realmuto was traded in 2019.
“He looked in control and calm the entire night in the box,” McCullough said of Ramirez. Ramirez’s second hit was a 110.4 mph rocket off the center-field wall in the seventh inning.
On Monday, utility player Ronny Simon made his major-league debut, scoring Ramirez with an RBI single in the second inning, giving the Marlins their second run of the game. Kyle Stowers went on to hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the seventh inning.
The Reds threatened in the eighth inning against reliever Tyler Phillips, but Miami’s bullpen held firm to preserve the win, giving the Marlins their 10th victory of the season. For context, Miami didn’t reach ten wins last year until May 5.
