JUPITER, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 25: Miami Marlins manager Skip Schumaker looks on prior to a spring training game against the Washington Nationals at Roger Dean Stadium on February 25, 2024 in Jupiter, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images)
The Miami Marlins will be hosting the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday as their 2024 season begins.
Here's everything you need to know about the Marlins' Opening Day:
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GAME TIME AND LOCATION: 4:10 p.m. EDT at LoanDepot Park
PITCHING PROBABLES: Pirates: Mitch Keller (0-0); Marlins: Jesus Luzardo (0-0)
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BOTTOM LINE: Miami had an 84-78 record overall and a 46-35 record at home last season. The Marlins averaged 8.8 hits per game last season while batting a collective .259.
Pittsburgh had a 76-86 record overall and a 37-44 record in road games last season. The Pirates slugged .392 with a .315 on-base percentage as a team in the 2023 season.
TOP MARLINS HITTERS: 2B Luis Arraez (MLB-best .354, 10 HRs, 69 RBIs, .861 OPS), 3B Jake Burger (.250, 34, 80, .828 OPS with White Sox and Marlins), OF Bryan De La Cruz (.257, 19, 78, .715 OPS), CF Jazz Chisholm Jr. (.250, 19, 51, .761 OPS), OF Jesús Sánchez (.252, 14, 52, .777 OPS).
PROJECTED MARLINS ROTATION: LH Jesús Luzardo (10-10, 3.58 ERA), LH A.J. Puk (7-5, 3.97, 15 saves), RH Eury Pérez (5-6, 3.15), RH Edward Cabrera (7-7, 4.24), LH Trevor Rogers (1-2, 4.00, missed most of season with multiple injuries).
KEY MARLINS RELIEVERS: LH Tanner Scott (9-5, 2.31 ERA, 12 saves), LH Andrew Nardi (8-1, 2.67, 3 saves), RH Anthony Bender (Tommy John surgery), RH Bryan Hoeing (2-3, 5.48).
OUTLOOK: The Marlins will be without their ace and 2022 NL Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcantara for the entire 2024 season after he underwent Tommy John surgery in October to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. Still, the team boasts a pretty deep rotation that will be led by Luzardo.
Peter Bendix, newly in charge of baseball operations, did not add many flashy pieces during the offseason but did sign Tim Anderson, a former AL batting champion, to a one-year contract. Miami made the postseason last year for the first time in a full season since 2003 thanks to Arraez's hitting and Manager Skip Schumaker's guidance.
