Garrett Mitchell has often been on the injured list since his major league debut in August 2022, but he has been healthy this season as he and the Milwaukee Brewers go for a three-game sweep of the host Miami Marlins on Sunday.
“I’m just happy with the way he’s staying healthy,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said of Mitchell, who drew three walks, stole one base and scored one run on Saturday in Milwaukee’s season-high fourth straight win. “He’s responding after bad results.
“Garrett gives you tough at-bats. He sees a lot of pitches.”
Mitchell, a 27-year-old Californian with elite tools, was Milwaukee’s first-round pick (No. 20 overall) in 2020. In 18 games this year, he has an .877 OPS, which is on pace to exceed his career high of .832 from 2022. He’s getting regular playing time in part because center fielder Jackson Chourio and DH/outfielder Christian Yelich are on the injured list.
As for Sunday’s pitching matchup, it will be a battle of two tall right-handers with triple-digit fastballs: Miami’s Eury Perez (1-1, 5.40 ERA) against Jacob Misiorowski (1-1, 3.32).
Perez, listed at 6-foot-8 and 220 pounds, is 0-1 with a 3.72 ERA in two career starts against the Brewers.
The Marlins are 3-1 this season when starting Perez, although he has pitched past the fifth inning just once. Perez has elite extension and easy velocity, topping out between 98 and 101 mph. He also has a deadly slider, and his confidence in his other secondary pitches appears to be growing.
Misiorowski, listed at 6-foot-7 and 201 pounds, has never faced Miami.
The Brewers are 2-2 this season when pitching Misiorowski, who has lasted at least five innings in all four of his starts.
Misiorowski, who reaches 100 mph with his fastball, was Milwaukee’s second-round pick in 2022. He made his major league debut last year, going 5-3 with a 4.36 ERA in 15 games, including 14 starts, and being selected for the All-Star Game. He struck out 87 in 66 innings, showing off some of the most electrifying stuff in MLB.
This season, he has 33 strikeouts in 21 2/3 innings.
On Sunday, he will be facing a Marlins squad that has lost seven of their past eight, including a season-high four in a row.
In Saturday’s 5-2 loss to Milwaukee, the Marlins had eight hits — all singles — and five came after the seventh inning.
“I wish I had the magic pill to determine which innings we’re going to do it,” Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said. “I think it’s just the ebb and flow of games.
“You will see times when we cash in with runners in scoring position. And you will see games when we get opportunities, and we just don’t come through.”
–Field Level Media
