MIAMI – A little more than a year ago, the Marlins dealt All-Star Jazz Chisholm Jr. to the Yankees for a three-prospect package. The headliner happened to be a Triple-A catcher named Agustín Ramírez.
When a ballclub trades away a star, the goal is to receive an undiscovered one in return. Ramírez might just be that for Miami.
The former Yankees prospect homered twice, and right-hander Eury Pérez went six innings in the Marlins’ 2-0 victory over the Yankees on Saturday in front of 34,645 at loanDepot park.
“That's what I want,” Ramírez said via interpreter Luis Dorante Jr. “I want to be a star, and I want to have a long career in MLB.”
Ramírez, who was Friday’s walk-off hero with a dribbler in front of the plate, recorded the third multihomer performance of his young career. He paces all National League rookies in doubles (24), homers (17), RBIs (50) and runs (48).
The 23-year-old demolished righty Cam Schlittler’s 97.8 mph four-seamer for a solo shot to left-center field in the first. Ramírez provided an encore in the fourth, sending Schlittler’s two-strike hanging sweeper over the center-field wall for a solo homer.
“We've seen Gus do some really incredible things throughout this season,” manager Clayton McCullough said. “Offensively, we've seen his ability to impact, and we think and believe that his offensive ceiling is not close yet, like we're going to continue to see a better version of him. …
“There's always a threat when Gus is in the box. You feel it. What a crazy sport where you're the hero one night for hitting the ball 6 feet, and then the next night you combine for further than 6 feet for the runs.”
There are other rising stars on Miami’s roster of relative unknowns.
Pérez, who was one of the NL’s top rookies in 2023 before undergoing Tommy John surgery in April 2024 and missing 628 days, allowed just two hits with three walks and five strikeouts.
The few times the Yankees threatened with a rally, Pérez buckled down, and the defense backed him.
Kyle Stowers cut down a run in the first by firing a 94.1 mph throw home on Giancarlo Stanton’s single. The ball easily beat Trent Grisham, who was trying to score from second. It was Stowers’ sixth assist of the season and fifth in left field, second most in the NL.
In the second, Paul Goldschmidt popped out to Xavier Edwards, who deked former teammate Chisholm at first base for the inning-ending double play.
Despite the calendar turning to a new month, the 22-year-old picked up right where he left off in July, when his 1.29 ERA was second lowest in the NL (min. 28 IP) and his 0.64 WHIP was the lowest in MLB.
“I don't know if they actually forgot about me, but we're working really hard to try to make sure they remember me again,” Pérez said via Dorante. “Every time I go out there, I try to perform to the best of my capabilities. And we're going to continue doing that as well.”
Righties Ronny Henriquez (seventh), Tyler Phillips (eighth) and Calvin Faucher (ninth) followed Pérez with an inning apiece to complete the club’s ninth shutout of the season and third of the week.
Miami, which has won four in a row and 12 of 16, improved to just one game below .500 (54-55) for the first time since April 25. The Marlins clinched their sixth consecutive series for the first time since 1997, the year the franchise captured its first World Series title. Miami has gone 10-1-1 over its past 12.
Since June 13, when the club began the day a season-high 16 games below .500, the Marlins have gone 29-14 – tied with the Brewers for the most wins in the Majors. They are 6 1/2 games back of the third and final NL Wild Card spot.
“I feel like every time they show up at the ballpark, there is an expectation now to win,” McCullough said. “The losses sting more, and that's a good thing. Not only believing you can do it, but also proving to yourself that you can go beat anybody home, road, and it's as much just the standard that you set with how you have to play to win games.
“They're seeing that and understanding that's what it takes every day. You don't get a day off in the big leagues. We have to keep our foot down on the gas here as we keep going on, but it's certainly a group that will show up tomorrow, and I expect them to come out and look to sweep.”