In the Miami Marlins’ 4-2 win over the New York Mets on Sunday, closer Tanner Scott recorded his 16th save in 18 chances with a 1-2-3 ninth inning that lowered his ERA to 1.27.
But how much longer will Scott be around to lock down the team’s infrequent wins?
Miami is 35-64 and going nowhere, so the team is thought to be dangling Scott to contenders ahead of the July 30 trade deadline.
It might have another chance to showcase him on Monday night when it tries to secure a series win against visiting New York.
The left-handed Scott touched 99.8 mph with his fastball on Sunday and used his wipeout slider to fan Brandon Nimmo for the final out. Scott has made the transition from a thrower who didn’t know where the ball was going to a pitcher who consistently dominates hitters.
“Proud of who he is today and what he’s doing in this game,” Marlins pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre Jr. said. “He’s wiping the best hitters out in baseball.”
Should Scott wind up saving August and September games somewhere else, Miami could turn to setup man Andrew Nardi or veteran Huascar Brazoban. Nardi threw a scoreless inning of relief in Saturday’s 1-0 loss to the Mets and credited Scott for helping him with his slider.
“He told me to throw my sliders harder than my fastball,” Nardi said. “I just took that cue and (it) helped out.”
As for Monday night’s game, the Marlins will run Yonny Chirinos (0-1, 5.76 ERA) out for the start.
Chirinos’ latest appearance resulted in a loss on July 12 to the Cincinnati Reds, who tagged the right-hander for eight hits and seven runs over 5 2/3 innings.
Chirinos is 1-1 with an 8.68 ERA in two career appearances (one start) against New York.
The Mets will counter with left-hander David Peterson (4-0, 3.09), who has given their starting rotation a much-needed boost.
In his most recent start, Peterson earned a win against the Washington Nationals on July 11 after logging six shutout innings. He surrendered four hits.
Peterson is 3-2 with a 2.70 ERA in eight career appearances (seven starts) against Miami. That includes a victory over the Marlins on June 12, when Peterson allowed four runs and eight hits in five innings.
That the Mets can at best salvage a split of their four-game series with Miami may surprise some who expected them to have more success against the team with the National League’s worst record.
But the Marlins have traditionally played tough against New York, illustrated by their 5-4 advantage in the season series.
In terms of winning percentage, the Mets currently sit in a three-way tie for the third and final NL wild-card spot and will be looking to add players at the trade deadline, preferably without mortgaging too much of their future.
Players like designated hitter J.D. Martinez know the impact that adding key pieces can have on a team.
“Obviously, there’s a price and a cost. That has to be reasonable,” he said. “But it’s definitely big. I know teams feel it, clubhouses feel it.”
