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Miami Marlins: 9 memorable moments from the 2021 season

By Matt Melton |
SAN DIEGO, CA - AUGUST 9: Lewis Brinson #25 of the Miami Marlins hits a two-run home run during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on August 9, 2021 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Denis Poroy/Getty Images)
SAN DIEGO, CA - AUGUST 9: Lewis Brinson #25 of the Miami Marlins hits a two-run home run during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on August 9, 2021 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Denis Poroy/Getty Images)
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Miami Marlins first baseman Jesus Aguilar (Photo by Eric Espada/Getty Images)
Miami Marlins first baseman Jesus Aguilar (Photo by Eric Espada/Getty Images) /

As we begin to close the book on 2021, and officially turn the page to 2022, let’s pause and take a moment to look back at some of the best Miami Marlins moments from the 2021 season.

9 memorable moments from the Miami Marlins 2021 season

NOTE: This list is in no particular order/ranking, but are nine moments in-particular from 2021 that you could argue stick-out above the rest.

Lewis Brinson’s early-August

Remember when Brinson was one of, if not the, hottest hitter in baseball for a two week stretch in early-August?

From August 1-15, Brinson slashed a combined .365/.411/.692 with four home runs and 17 RBI’s across a combined 14 games. Included in that two week span were seven multi-hit games, as well as a phenomenal three-game series in San Diego where Brinson went a combined 6-for-12 with three home runs and six RBI’s.

Jesus Aguilar walk-off HR against the Dodgers

After taking the first two games of a four-game series against the Dodgers in Miami, the Marlins were tied 6-6 in the bottom of the ninth when Aguilar launched a three-run walk-off home run off Edwin Uceta on July 7 to take game three 9-6.

The Marlins would go-on to drop game four the next day, but would pick up an impressive four-game series win in early-July over the Dodgers.

Welcome to Miami, Bryan De La Cruz

One of the multiple moves made by the Marlins at the trade deadline was sending closer Yimi Garcia to Houston, and in return Miami received two players, one of which was 24-year-old major league ready outfielder Bryan De La Cruz.

Joining the Marlins instantly for his major league debut, De La Cruz would excel with Miami across his first month in the organization where he slashed a combined .384/.413/.512 across 26 games during the month of August. Included in that month of August were 10 multi-hit games, as well as three separate five-game hitting streaks.

Miami Marlins relief pitcher Anthony Bender (Photo by Edward M. Pio Roda/Getty Images)
Miami Marlins relief pitcher Anthony Bender (Photo by Edward M. Pio Roda/Getty Images) /

Adam Duvall’s four game series in Atlanta

Signed by the Marlins as a free agent in the offseason, Duvall reversed his slow start to the season with a massive four-game series in Atlanta from April 12-15 against his former team, the Braves.

Across those four games, Duvall went a combined 7-for-14 offensively with three home runs and nine RBI’s, as well as collecting a hit in all four games. Included in that span was also a 4-for-5 showing with two home runs and seven RBI’s during Miami’s 14-8 win on April 13.

Anthony Bender’s two appearances in Atlanta

Speaking of performances in 2021 in Atlanta, it didn’t come in the same series as Duvall previously, but Bender also posted two memorable relief appearances against the Braves on July 2 and 4.

Despite the Marlins dropping both games, Bender pitched a combined three scoreless innings in which the right-hander struck out eight batters with no walks and only one hit. Headlining this series in Atlanta for Miami was Bender’s phenomenal showing on July 2 where he pitched two innings of relief striking out all six batters he faced.

Nick Fortes MLB debut

A former fourth round pick by Miami back in 2018, the Marlins called up Fortes for his MLB debut in mid-September, and the young catcher would not disappoint in that major league debut. Debuting on September 18, Fortes would single in his first-ever major league at-bat, and would then hit his first-career home run in his next at-bat.

Going 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBI’s in his debut, this would start an impressive stretch for Fortes to conclude the 2021 campaign where he hit four home runs across 14 games.

Miami Marlins outfielder Garrett Cooper (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images)
Miami Marlins outfielder Garrett Cooper (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images) /

Jazz Chisholm homers off Jacob deGrom

One of the earliest memorable moments of the season came in the top of the second inning back on April 10 when Chisholm turned a 100 mph fastball from Jacob deGrom into a no-doubt home run into the upper deck in New York, his first of the season.

This was only the first of what-was many memorable offensive moments from Chisholm across the remainder of the 2021 season.

Garrett Cooper walk-off HR against the Mets

Speaking of memorable Marlins home runs from 2021, there are few that are more-notable than Cooper’s walk-off blast against the Mets on May 22. Tied 1-1 in the bottom of the ninth, Cooper would blast a long ball to left-center off Mets reliever Drew Smith to give the Marlins a 3-1 win.

This also put the finishing touches on what-was a solid day for Cooper offensively as he went 3-for-4 at the plate with a home run and two RBI’s.

The rise of Eury Perez

We end with what is not necessarily a specific moment, but more of something overall that happened in 2021 – the rise of Eury Perez as a prospect.

dark. Next. 10 first round targets for the Marlins in 2022 Draft

In what-was an MLB season full of breakout campaign’s from prospects across baseball, there were few more impressive than Perez who posted a phenomenal 1.96 ERA across 20 starts between Low-A Jupiter and High-A Beloit with 26 walks and 108 strikeouts. Because of this, the 18-year-old ended the season as Miami’s No. 6 prospect.

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