Mervis' birthday home run not enough to back Meyer in Marlins' loss to Diamondbacks

Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald on Apr 16, 2025

Published in Baseball

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MIAMI — First baseman Matt Mervis once again showcased his raw power at the plate on Wednesday with a solo home run — on his 27th birthday, no less — but the rest of the Miami Marlins’ lineup failed to come up with a clutch hit as the team fell, 6-2, to the Arizona Diamondbacks at loanDepot park.

Miami (8-9) has dropped both games in the series so far, which concludes at 12:10 p.m. Thursday.

Mervis’ home run, a 396-foot shot to right-center field in the fourth inning, temporarily tied the game at 1-1. It was Mervis’ team-leading sixth home run of the season, which is tied for second-most in MLB, and his fourth in his past five games.

His home run marked the fifth consecutive year that a Marlins player has homered on his birthday and the 13th time overall in franchise history.

Mervis’ power has been integral in a Marlins lineup that sorely lacks pop. He has half of the team’s 12 home runs and he entered Wednesday ranked among MLB leaders in average exit velocity (95 mph, 96th percentile), barrel percentage (19%, 93rd percentile) and hard-hit percentage (57.1%, 92nd percentile). He leads the team with 12 RBIs.

But outside of that fourth-inning home run, the Marlins’ offense fell flat. They didn’t score another run until the eighth inning when Otto Lopez hit an RBI double that plated Eric Wagaman, but the damage was already done at that point.

It spoiled another solid outing from starting pitcher Max Meyer, who held the Diamondbacks (11-7) to just three runs on five hits and two walks while tying a career-high with eight strikeouts over six innings. It was Meyer’s third consecutive quality start. All eight strikeouts came on his slider. Two of the three runs Meyer allowed were on solo home runs to Josh Naylor in the second inning and Pavin Smith in the sixth.

Through four starts this season, Meyer has a 2.63 ERA over 24 innings while striking out 27 batters, walking seven and holding opponents to a .222 batting average.

The Diamondbacks added to their lead with home runs from Tim Tawa in the seventh inning and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. in the eighth against reliever Tyler Phillips.