TORONTO — Sometimes it’s much bigger than baseball.
After learning of his grandmother’s death, Marlins manager and family member Skip Shoemaker informed his baseball club after batting practice Friday afternoon that he would be away from the team for the remainder of the season.
The Marlins battled back with a 15-5 win over the Blue Jays at Rogers Center, their highest point of the season. They won three of four games on their season-ending road trip.
According to a report from ESPN’s Jeff Passan, Shoemaker went further and told the team that he would not return to the team next season after his current contract ends. Shoemaker heads to Southern California on Saturday morning, so bench coach Luis Urueta will serve as acting manager for the final two games of the season.
“It meant a lot,” Shoemaker said of the club’s reaction before the game. “When we spoke, when I spoke to the team, it was emotional there. It was emotional because you care so much and the players were so impressed with the way you spoke and the way you spoke to people. I think you can tell if it’s bullshit by the way they call it. They know there’s no fluff. They know we all care, and that’s what you signed up for. All you have to worry about is whether there are really good people in that clubhouse, and there are. There are really good people in that clubhouse.
“The game is the game. It’s what we build during the season, after the season and for years to come that matters most. So I think what they did to me and what they did to me in today’s meeting is what they did to me and what they did to me in today’s meeting. I will continue to keep in touch with all of them and am truly grateful for all the relationships we have built over the years.”
What made Friday’s series opener all the more emotional was that this was a Marlins uniform for Shoemaker, whose decision to wear a Marlins uniform had been uncertain all season as his 2025 team option expired. It was likely to be the last game in which he would wear it.
If so, the Marlins have made Shoemaker proud with their efforts. Miami was dominant from the start despite arriving at the hotel just after 5 a.m. ET on Friday, as they won 13 against Minneapolis on Thursday. This was symbolic of the culture Shoemaker has built since taking office in October 2022.
Xavier Edwards tied the major league record with three triples in a game, the first since Yasiel Puig in 2014. Jonah Bryde recorded his first multi-home run and reached the double-digit home run mark for the first time in his career. Meanwhile, former Blue Jays farm hands Griffin Conine and Otto Lopez combined for four hits and three RBIs.
“It was a really fun win last night and we talked about bringing that energy to the clubhouse today,” Bride said. “In the last meeting, we said, ‘Let’s send Skip off today,’ and obviously we’re all thinking about him and really enjoying playing for him. ”
It’s been an emotional year for Shoemaker, 44. Due to his late father’s poor health, he returned to his hometown twice during spring training to spend time with his family. He has worn the No. 45 jersey in his honor at each series opener.
“I believe God puts people in your life for a reason,” said Jake Berger, who looked to Shoemaker for guidance on how to be a great husband, father and leader. “I didn’t realize it until a little later this year. I think he put Skip in my life for a purpose. He not only helped me a lot on the field, but off the field as well. That’s who he is. I think God gives some of the most powerful warriors some of the greatest challenges, so obviously he’s going through turbulent times. I’m going through it, but I think God has the ability to deal with it.”
A year ago, Shoemaker led the Marlins to a surprise postseason berth as a first-time captain and was named National League Manager of the Year. Due in large part to a myriad of injuries while pitching, Miami experienced its fourth 100-loss season in franchise history this season.
“What I remember most is that we continued to stick to our process,” Shoemaker said. “Coaching staff, if you walked in there, you would never realize we lost 100 games with the way they attacked and the way they ran the game. When you walk through the clubhouse, you see each player going about their job. , you’ll never know what it’s like to try to win every game.
“So even though we had a tough win-loss record, we try to maintain that as much as we can. I wasn’t going to let anything slip, and the players and coaching staff weren’t going to let anything slip. We held each other accountable and it made us better.”