NEW YORK — With the Miami Marlins reaching the midway point of their 2022 season Thursday, there was one overarching theme manager Don Mattingly knew his team would need to remedy if they wanted to stay in the thick of the playoff race.
“We’ve been hot, “Mattingly said, “and then as we come out of those [winning streaks], we don’t sustain.”
Thursday’s 10-0 loss to the New York Mets — their most lopsided loss of the season — to begin a four-game series at Citi Field merely magnified that point.
The Marlins (39-42) have had three separate winning streaks of at least five games this season, including a six-game streak that was snapped Wednesday with their 5-2 loss to the Los Angeles Angels.
How Miami fares in its attempt to bounce back this time will be telling considering the aftermath of the first two of those streaks did not go in the Marlins’ favor.
They rattled off seven consecutive victories from April 23-30 ... only to lose 11 of their first 14 in May.
They won five in a row from June 7-11, which included a sweep of the Washington Nationals and a pair of wins over the Houston Astros on the road ... only to lose six of their next eight.
The Marlins (39-42) have had three separate winning streaks of at least five games this season, including a six-game streak that was snapped Wednesday with their 5-2 loss to the Los Angeles Angels and followed with another loss to the Mets — now six in eight games this season.
“Usually,” Mattingly said, “if you can put some wins like that together, then you can start rattling off series and get consistent with your play after that. That’s really where we’ve fallen short for me.”
On Thursday, Daniel Castano gave up six runs — including a three-run home run to James McCann — over four innings for his worst start since being inserted into the rotation last month. Jimmy Yacabonis gave up a fifth-inning grand slam to give the Mets (52-31) a double-digit lead and have Mattingly opt to sub out shortstop Miguel Rojas, second baseman Joey Wendle and right fielder Avisail Garcia over the next two innings.
And the offense managed just two hits against Mets starter Trevor Williams — a Miguel Rojas one-out double in the third and a Jesus Aguilar two-out single in the seventh with him being thrown out trying to leg out a double.
Pop’s progress
The Marlins have all but solidified their primary high-leverage relievers with Tanner Scott serving as their closer while righty Anthony Bass and lefty Steven Okert serve as the other main options at this point in late-and-close situations.
They also might have found a reliable middle-inning option in Zach Pop.
Since being recalled to the active roster on June 23, Pop has pitched 7 1/3 scoreless innings over seven relief appearances, including a scoreless sixth inning on Thursday, while stranding eight of nine runners he has inherited.
This includes three outings in which he entered a game with multiple runners on base and stranded them all.
Pop showed flashes of this type of production as a rookie last season — his first pitching in live games in two years after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2019 — but struggled with consistency outing to outing as he went through his lumps in the big leagues as a player with Rule 5 Draft restrictions.
“I can compete and do really well at this level,” Pop said. “It’s just a matter of trusting your stuff and trying to get better every time out there.”
With a year in the big leagues under his belt, and a couple months to refine his craft in the minors with less pressure, he is starting to find his consistency.
“For me,” Pop said, “it’s just a matter of going after the hitters and really attacking them with my best stuff.”
Pop has relied more heavily on his sinker so far this season compared to 2021. His velocity has ticked up with the pitch as well, averaging 96.3 mph and touching 99 mph compared to averaging 95.4 mph last season. Pop attributes this to being further removed from Tommy John surgery.
“You see a more confident guy and a guy that’s a little more polished,” Mattingly said. “It was just a matter of getting him more comfortable with situational baseball.”
Injury updates
— Right-handed pitcher Edward Cabrera threw a 30-pitch bullpen on Thursday in Jupiter.
— Second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. participated in groundball drills as well as running, core and mobility work in Jupiter.
— Right-handed pitcher Louis Head is scheduled to play in a Florida Complex League game on Saturday
— Left-handed pitcher Jesus Luzardo’s next bullpen is scheduled for a 35-pitch bullpen Friday that will include an up-down to simulate going to the mound for a second inning. Right-handed pitcher Sixto Sanchez has a bullpen scheduled for Saturday where he will throw about 30 pitches.
— Right-handed pitcher Cody Poteet’s next rehab assignment game is scheduled for Friday with Triple A Jacksonville.
— Outfielder Jorge Soler is doing tee work as well as running and agility exercises in Jupiter.
