Connor Norby has been making a significant impact since his arrival in Miami, and he continued his impressive performance on Sunday afternoon.
The Marlins infielder wasted no time making his mark, hitting a 418-foot, two-run home run in the second inning to give his team an early advantage over the Philadelphia Phillies. Despite a pop-out to first base in his previous at-bat, Norby redeemed himself in the third inning with another two-run homer, this time blasting the ball 401 feet to left-center field.
Norby concluded the game with a strong showing, going 2-for-4 with two home runs and four RBIs, contributing to the Marlins’ decisive 10-1 victory.
The summer has been eventful for Norby, who made his Major League Baseball debut with the Baltimore Orioles in June. He was traded to the Marlins in a deal involving former All-Star pitcher Trevor Rogers just before the trade deadline in July. Norby officially joined the Marlins’ big league roster on August 19.
In his 18 games with Miami, Norby has been performing exceptionally well, batting .329 with six home runs, seven doubles, 13 RBIs, and two stolen bases, coupled with a remarkable 1.043 OPS. As of Sunday, he holds a 0.7 WAR.
MLB.com’s Sarah Langs reported that Norby’s 13 extra-base hits are the second most by a Marlins player in their first 18 games with the team. Charles Johnson holds the record with 15 extra-base hits, set back in 2001.
Norby’s contributions have been pivotal for the Marlins, who managed to salvage a split in their four-game series against the Phillies. Since Norby joined the team, the Marlins have improved their record to 8-6 from August 25 onwards, a notable turnaround from their pre-Norby season standing of 46-78.
Looking ahead, Norby and the Marlins are preparing for a seven-game road trip, starting with a series against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday. The first pitch is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. ET, as the Marlins look to continue their momentum and build on their recent success.