'It's crazy': Meyer joins Marlins legend Fernández with 14-K gem

MIAMI -- Max Meyer continued his recent string of quality starts with the first double-digit strikeout outing of his career.

The 26-year-old righty racked up an MLB season-high 14 strikeouts in the Marlins' 6-3 win over the Reds Monday night at loanDepot park. He did so while not walking a batter and allowing only five hits over six scoreless innings.

“It’s crazy. Obviously, a special start,” Meyer said. “It’s not going to happen too often. I hope it does.”

After the Reds scored 24 runs off 25 hits on Sunday in Baltimore, they couldn’t figure out Meyer. He fanned Elly De La Cruz and Gavin Lux three times each on his way to joining José Fernández as the only Marlins pitchers with at least 14 strikeouts in a scoreless outing.

Meyer's 14 K's are tied for the second-highest total in franchise history, trailing only Ricky Nolasco's 16-K game on Sept. 30, 2009, against the Braves. It's the most strikeouts by a Marlins pitcher since Sandy Alcantara also tallied 14 on May 28, 2022, against Atlanta.

“Maybe you have five starts a year that everything feels like it’s clicking and every pitch is doing exactly what you want it to do,” Meyer said. “When you get strike one, and then you can just kind of play around after. I hope to watch the video and do that every single game.”

The third overall selection in the 2020 MLB Draft, Meyer has completed six innings in each of his four April starts. Meyer didn’t allow a run in two of those four outings.

Meyer baffled the Reds with an assortment of fastballs, sliders and changeups. Reds hitters particularly struggled with Meyer’s slider, whiffing at it 16 times.

“You couldn’t have asked for a better start,” Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said. “He had everything working. His fastball played well. He had the hard breaking ball and really good changeup. It was really fun to sit back and watch him.”

Eric Wagaman and Kyle Stowers homered to back Meyer's gem, while Jesús Sánchez and Ronny Simon hit RBI singles for the Marlins, who won their second straight after a five-game skid.

Not overlooked in Meyer’s dominant outing was the performance of his batterymate, Agustín Ramírez. Promoted from Triple-A Monday, Ramírez singled, doubled and walked in his Major League debut.

“This is incredible, I can’t believe it,” Ramírez said. “So many emotions, and especially gratifying because we won. I proved the type of ballplayer I can be.”

Ramírez had the best view of Meyer’s performance. Ranked as the Marlins' No. 4 prospect per MLB Pipeline, Ramírez and Meyer established a bond when they teamed up during Spring Training.

“He told me he liked the way I worked with him in Spring Training,” Ramírez said. “Before the game, we talked and went over the hitters. He did a phenomenal job from the start.”

Ramírez and Simon, who also made his Major League debut Monday, singled in their first at-bats during a two-run second against Reds starter Nick Lodolo. Simon’s single also resulted in his first RBI, when the grounder up the middle plated Ramírez from second.

The Marlins have called up six players without previous Major League experience this season.

Wagaman hit a solo drive off Lodolo in the fifth to increase Miami’s lead, and Stowers broke it open with a pinch-hit three-run blast against Alexis Díaz in the seventh.

Meyer cruised through the first four innings before allowing a one-out single to Jake Fraley and a double to Noelvi Marte that advanced Fraley to third. But Meyer escaped the jam by striking out Jose Trevino and retiring TJ Friedl on a grounder to second.

“It’s a real sign of maturity on Max’s part,” McCullough said. “Just step off and collect himself some and go one pitch at a time. A good sign for him as he continues to grow and mature as a starting pitcher.”

Meyer put an exclamation on his outing in the sixth. After allowing a leadoff single to Matt McLain, Meyer struck out De La Cruz, Austin Hays and Lux in order to end his outing.