Soler provides another reminder: No left-handed pitcher is safe when facing Marlins’ slugger

Jorge Soler learned his lesson in his first at-bat on Tuesday. The Miami Marlins’ slugging outfielder watched a 96.2 mph fastball from San Diego Padres left-handed starting pitcher and National League Cy Young Award contender Blake Snell whizz past him for a called strike 3 for the first out of the game.

He didn’t let the same mistake happen twice.

So with a full count in the third inning, Soler swung with all his might at a middle-away 97.3 mph fastball.

And then he admired his work as the ball carried 442 feet to straightaway center field for a solo home run that started Miami’s rally in a 3-0 win over San Diego at Petco Park.

“I knew it was a long one,” Soler said of the home run, which he capped with a bat drop before rounding the bases. “I didn’t see the whole thing, but at the end, I saw it was really far away, all the way in the back.”

That home run was also his latest round of success against left-handed pitching, which he has feasted on all season.

Entering Wednesday, Soler leads MLB with 14 home runs and a .733 slugging percentage against southpaws. Nine of those 14 home runs have traveled at least 400 feet, the second most in MLB behind only the Baltimore Orioles’ Ryan Mountcastle (10).

And it’s not just run-of-the-mill left-handed pitchers Soler is hitting home runs against. In addition to Snell, who has only given up 15 home runs this season, some of Soler’s southpaw victims have included the Houston Astros’ Framber Valdez (16 home runs allowed in 154 2/3 innings) as well as the Philadelphia Phillies’ Ranger Suarez (10 home runs allowed in 97 1/3 innings) and Jose Alvarado (two home runs allowed in 27 innings).

“I see the ball better with lefties,” Soler said. “It’s something that’s always been like that over the years. I’ve been able to hit better against lefties.”

Of course, Soler has been hitting home runs against almost everyone this year. His 33 home runs overall are tied for fifth in MLB. Of those 33 home runs, 25 have gone at least 400 feet. Only Shohei Ohtani (33), Matt Olson (33) and Pete Alonso (26) have more.

Seventeen of Soler’s home runs, including the solo shot on Tuesday, have been go-ahead home runs..

Avisail Garcia update

The Marlins pregame Wednesday placed outfielder Avisail Garcia on the 10-day injured list for his left hamstring strain, which he sustained trying to run out a groundball in the third inning Tuesday.

Garcia underwent an MRI on Wednesday but the results were not yet disclosed.

“Not great,” Schumaker said. “He’s obviously really frustrated. Just a tough year so far for him. ... He’s doing everything the right way, preparing to get his body right and pulls up with a hamstring. It’s in the belly of that thing, so not ideal.”

It’s the latest injury in Garcia’s trying two-year stretch with the Marlins. He played just 98 games last season while dealing with hamstring injuries. This year, he missed 78 games due to back tightness and finally returned to the active roster on July 30.

“I feel mad, frustrated,” Garcia said. “Being hurt for like three months and then now I have this new injury. I feel made because I’ve been doing everything with my exercises and in the gym. Even on the day off, I went to the gym to do my routine and this still happened. It’s out of my control. I’ve just got to keep working and try to come back as soon as I can.”

With Garcia on the injured list, the Marlins recalled utility player Garrett Hampson. They also activated right-handed relief pitcher Tommy Nance from the 60-day injured list and optioned left-handed pitcher Ryan Weathers to Triple A Jacksonville.