By Dan Glickman
After a rough series in Worcester, the Rochester Red Wings return home this week to host the Miami Marlins’ AAA affiliate, the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp.
The Red Wings, who had been on a seven-game winning streak, swiftly fell back to Earth against the Worcester Red Sox, who outscored them 45-23. Although the Wings saw some success at the plate from players like third baseman Brady House (who went 8-for-22 for a .364 batting average with two home runs) and on the mound from Cade Cavalli (who pitched five innings of two-hit scoreless ball on Sunday), they lost every game, getting swept in the six-game series.
The Red Wing also ended up getting national attention in a bad way due to the play of WooSox outfielder Roman Anthony, the top prospect in baseball according to MLB.com Pipeline. Although the Wings held the Floridian to a 2-for-17 (.118) week at the plate during the series, both of those hits were back-breaking home runs: a game-tying shot in the bottom of the ninth of the series opener (which the Wings later lost in extra innings), and a 497-foot grand slam in the eighth inning of Saturday’s contest that put the game out of reach for the Wings. Anthony was called up to Boston on Monday.
Rochester will hope to put that series behind it quickly with this homestand. The Red Wings have won seven straight home games. Their opponent this time will be one far less familiar to them than most of their foes this year.
That’s because it’s the first time a team from Jacksonville has visited Rochester since the 1960s. Jacksonville, often referred to as the Jacksonville Suns, was a member of the AA Southern League from 1970 through 2020, when it was elevated to AAA as part of Major League Baseball’s takeover and reorganization of Minor League Baseball.
The Jumbo Shrimp are 37-26 this season, six games back of Lehigh Valley for the first-half lead in the International League. The Shrimp have been successful largely because of their pitching: they’ve held opponents to a .220 batting average this season, the best in the league. Their 3.40 ERA is tied for the second-lowest in the league, and their 1.24 WHIP (Walks and Hits per Innings Pitched) is similarly second in the IL. Right-handed closer Seth Martinez is tied for third in the league in saves, with six. While not as strong offensively, Shrimp who have reached the basepaths have been dangerous, leading the circuit with 141 stolen bases, including league-leader Jakob Marsee, with 31.
Although Miami’s prospects are primarily in lower levels of the minors, Red Wings fans will still see some well-regarded future Marlins in the coming series. Chief among them is catcher Joe Mack– who is no stranger to Western New York. The No. 5 Marlins prospect was born and raised in Buffalo-area Williamsville, attending Williamsville East before getting drafted in 2021. While he’s struggled hitting for average this season since reaching AAA (.230 batting average in 135 at-bats), the left-handed hitter is well-regarded defensively and was one of the best power-hitting catchers in the minors last season, knocking 24 out of the park. Other top-30 prospects for the Marlins on the active Jacksonville roster include righter-handed starter Adam Mazur (No. 12 prospect), middle infielder Maximo Acosta (No. 18), and the outfielders Marsee (No. 22) and Andrew Pintar (No. 28).
For many fans, the big draw this week will be the promotions. Tuesday’s game is a “Napoleon Night 2.0”, a tribute to the cult movie Napoleon Dynamite. Efren Ramirez, who played Pedro, and John Gries, who played Uncle Rico before finding more recent fame for his role as Greg/Gary in The White Lotus, will be signing autographs for $15 or participating in a photo opportunity for $25. The first 1,000 fans will receive a replica jersey on Wednesday for 80s Night.
Heading to the weekend, Friday will play host to Salute to the Negro Leagues Night, as well as a dual bobblehead of Darren Baker and Dusty Baker, postgame fireworks, and Bruce the Bat Dog. Saturday is also a fireworks night, with a baseball hat giveaway. Finally, Sunday will feature an autograph signing with Dusty Baker, as well as a baseball giveaway and a postgame catch game.
After the coming series, the Red Wings will head to Lehigh Valley before returning to Rochester to host Syracuse in the final week of June.
The recent series against the Woosox was one of the worst 6 game stretches of the season. 5 of the 6 games were winnable but the bullpen, the biggest culprit of the 2025 season failure, was about as bad as a staff could be. They pitched 20 1/3 innings and gave up 21 runs (earned and otherwise…doesn’t matter) 16 of those 21 runs came in the 8th inning or later, turning winnable games into sorry losses.
If the Wings are to be remotely competitive when the league re-sets for the second half, Washington is going to have to find some pitchers who can actually retire AAA hitters.
Looking thru my memorabilia, I found a ticket stub from opening day 1962…against the Jacksonville Suns and the game was played on May 1st. That was certainly a sane date to open a season up north…not late March like in recent seasons.