​After Miami’s 2-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday night, Pete Fairbanks joked that the bullpen has settled into a calmer rhythm since Tyler Phillips moved into the starting rotation to help absorb the workload created by injuries. He offered a lighthearted explanation for one notable bullpen change this season, noting that with Phillips now in the rotation, the mood in the bullpen has quieted down a bit. “It’s way calmer down there without him,” Fairbanks said with a smile. “He’s filled in admirably into the rotation. He’s throwing the ball really well.” Fairbanks even teased that bullpen catcher Han might be reaping some benefits from the shift, though he quickly backtracked. “I would like to think that Han, our bullpen catcher, is living a bit of a better life,” Fairbanks quipped. “But I’m not so sure that that’s actually the case.”
The humor reflected the confidence emanating from a Marlins club that appears to be winning in every facet of the game. Phillips delivered five scoreless innings against Seattle, allowing four hits and two walks while rebounding from a rough outing in West Sacramento. In support, Cade Gibson followed with two perfect frames, Michael Petersen worked a clean eighth, and Fairbanks navigated a ninth-inning single to post his 13th save. The win pushed Miami to 51-42 and extended its winning streak to five games. The Marlins have been on an impressive roll since June 1, going 25-8 to lead the majors in that span, and they have recorded eight shutouts this season. Fairbanks attributed this success to the collective contribution of every unit. “It’s not often that you get all three in sync with each other,” he said, referring to the pitching staff, bullpen, and offense. “Anytime you get that, it makes it great to show up to the yard every day, and you’ve got to take advantage of that.”
Offensively, Miami’s surge continued behind Kyle Stowers, who blasted his fourth home run in as many games with a solo shot in the second inning. Xavier Edwards contributed an RBI triple in the third, and Otto Lopez added two more hits to raise his league-leading batting average to .345. The Marlins have dominated at home as well, winning 15 of their past 17 games at loanDepot park and taking six consecutive home series. Fairbanks acknowledged that maintaining emotional steadiness over a long season is challenging, especially for relievers whose opportunities can ebb and flow from day to day. As the team aims to complete a three-game sweep of Seattle on Thursday, Janson Junk is set to return from the injured list to start the series finale.