Free passes, lack of feel for arsenal sink Cabrera

MIAMI -- The good news is that Marlins right-hander Edward Cabrera felt physically fine on Monday night. The bad news: His command was nowhere to be found.

Cabrera was chased before recording an out in the fourth inning after walking six batters in the Marlins’ 4-2 loss to the Phillies at loanDepot park, as Miami (57-50) dropped a half-game behind Philadelphia (57-49) in the National League Wild Card standings.

It was a less-than-ideal start to the crucial four-game series, which began a stretch of 13 straight days with a game for the Marlins. It also kicked off a span of 22 consecutive contests against clubs also in the playoff hunt.

“You've got to think that it's something that already happened,” Cabrera said via interpreter Luis Dorante Jr. “So, [we’ve] got to focus. There's another three games. We’ve got to get set in and win the series."

Jorge Soler provided the Marlins with a two-run lead in the first with his first homer in 13 games, but that was all the club could muster in Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s return from the injured list. (Chisholm doubled in his first at-bat back.)

Handed the early advantage, Cabrera was able to stranded a pair of runners in each of the first three innings, but he couldn’t do the same in the fourth as manager Skip Schumaker pulled him following Trea Turner’s leadoff single and a walk to Brandon Marsh. Jake Cave bunted the pair into scoring position and No. 9 hitter Johan Rojas doubled them home against Steven Okert.

The 25-year-old Cabrera couldn’t command anything from his arsenal, throwing 76 pitches (37 strikes). He said it wasn’t his mentality -- he tried to attack the zone -- but the feeling was completely off.

“That was the issue,” Schumaker said. “The fastball, the curveball, the changeup -- when he threw it in the strike zone, it was extremely effective. There was swing and miss. He only gave up two hits. So three innings, two hits, six walks. It's just not like him.

“We've been talking about him since Spring Training, of how good he is. And when he's in the strike zone, he's as good as anybody in the Major Leagues. It was frustrating for him, frustrating for us, especially after scoring the two runs right out of the gate.”

Of the 10 walks Miami allowed -- its second most of the season -- three runners came around to score. In a closely contested matchup, that proved to be the difference. Tanner Scott issued a leadoff walk to Kyle Schwarber (who scored) in the seventh, then Huascar Brazoban’s two-out free pass came home on Alec Bohm’s RBI single in the eighth.

The inability to find the strike zone is nothing new for Cabrera this season. His 6.08 walks-per-nine rate is the second highest among Major League pitchers with at least 10 starts, behind just Toronto’s Alek Manoah. The series opener marked Cabrera’s third start with at least six walks. Unsurprisingly, the Marlins have dropped all three of those outings by a combined score of 19-7.

Overall, Cabrera has taken a step back in 2023 (4.79 ERA) after a promising ‘22 (3.01 ERA) despite possessing the same frontline stuff. Blisters have been a recurring issue for the youngster, who exited after two innings on Tuesday in St. Petersburg, and for the second straight year, Cabrera was sidelined by an injury -- this time, right shoulder impingement.

The Marlins have been linked to several starting pitchers ahead of Tuesday’s 6 p.m. ET Trade Deadline, and Cabrera’s outing served as a reminder as to why general manager Kim Ng has been shopping.

When asked whether the ballclub could afford Cabrera’s inconsistency, particularly with a taxed bullpen, Schumaker offered his support.

“We're not looking for other options,” Schumaker said. “We need him to go, and we're at the point in the season where it's pretty much Aug. 1 and what we have right now is good enough for me. These pitchers are good, and Cabby is good. He's throwing 97 mph with a really effective changeup and a really good curveball. He just needs to get in the strike zone.

“It's not like he hasn't done it before. That's what I think is frustrating. You had a really good start coming off the IL in St. Louis. He was going fine in [St. Pete], just the blister came up, and a hiccup here. He's just got to get in the strike zone, because when he's in the strike zone, he punches guys out. Or weak contact. So that's why he was frustrated, and I feel his pain.”