Marlins week in review: 4 stats from Miami’s season-opening series against the Mets

Runs were at a premium for the Miami Marlins in their first series of the 2023 season. The Marlins went 1-3 against the New York Mets and were outscored 17-8 over the set to begin Skip Schumaker’s managerial tenure.

Here are four stats that sum up the four-game series:

.563 vs. .180: The first number is Luis Arraez’s batting average. He went 9 for 16 with a double, an RBI, a walk and two runs scored with just one strikeout as Miami’s leadoff hitter in four games against the Mets. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Arraez is just the second player in Marlins history to reach base safely as the starting leadoff hitter in each of the first four games to start a season. Hanley Ramirez also did it in 2006.

The second number is the batting average for the rest of the Marlins lineup excluding Arraez. Miami’s non-Arraez hitters went 20 for 111 in four games against the Mets.

Arraez getting on base is key — and a welcomed sight. The rest of the lineup producing consistently behind him is the next step for the Marlins.

25: The Marlins left 25 runners on base over the course of the Mets series.

While it’s a positive that Miami created opportunities for itself, the team failed to turn those opportunities into runs.

Case in point: Miami went 4 for 27 with runners in scoring position against the Mets.

Also case in point: Six of Miami’s eight runs came via four home runs, two of which were solo home runs.

41 and 13: The Marlins struck out 41 times total over their four games against the Mets: 12 times each in their losses on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, plus five times in their win on Friday.

Of those 41 strikeouts, 13 came when the batter had a full count.

“If I could find one thing that we’ve got to maybe think about is that 3-2 count out of the zone,” Schumaker said. “We’re chasing a little bit more than we should be right now.”

23: Marlins pitchers walked 19 batters and hit another four over four games against the Mets. Seven of those 23 ultimately came around to score runs.

The 19 walks allowed is tied for the sixth-most by the Marlins through the first four games of a season.

Game recaps from the week

▪ Thursday — Mets 5, Marlins 3: Garrett Cooper hit a game-tying home run to cap a three-run sixth inning, but the Mets scored two runs in the seventh to take the Opening Day win.

▪ Friday — Marlins 2, Mets 1: Jorge Soler and Jazz Chisholm Jr. each hit solo home runs and Marlins pitching did the rest for the first win under new manager Skip Schumaker.

▪ Saturday — Mets 6, Marlins 2: Nick Fortes hit a two-run home run, but Miami left 10 on base and went 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position.

▪ Sunday — Mets 5, Marlins 1: Miami squandered a first-inning scoring opportunity and never got another real chance to score after that.

More stories from the week

▪ A cart ride, beer, ‘cheering and hollering’: How the Marlins celebrated Skip Schumaker’s first win

▪ Skip Schumaker ‘had all the traits’ to be a manager. Now, Year 1 as Marlins skipper begins

▪ How building an ‘alter life’ has helped Jazz Chisholm Jr. breed confidence

▪ Sandy Alcantara’s struggles with command costly in Marlins’ Opening Day loss to Mets

Down on the Farm

While the focus of the weekend was the start of the MLB season, minor-league baseball is also getting underway. The Triple A season began Friday, and the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp got off to a strong start, beating the Gwinnett Stripers (the Atlanta Braves’ Triple A affiliate) in two of three games.

After losing 8-5 in walk-off fashion on Friday, Jacksonville won 8-7 in 11 innings on Saturday and 13-12 in 11 innings on Sunday.

Offensively, catcher Austin Allen, outfielder Peyton Burdick and infielder Charles Leblanc each slugged two home runs, while outfielder/first baseman Jerar Encarnacion had seven RBI. Shortstop Jacob Amaya had four hits and four runs scored.

The Marlins’ other three full-season affiliates — Double A Pensacola, High A Beloit and Single A Jupiter — begin their seasons next weekend.

Sandy’s Beach

During Alcantara’s run to winning the first National League Cy Young Award in franchise history last season, the Marlins started a new branding experience at the ballpark: Sandy’s Beach. Section 22 at the ballpark just beyond the team’s dugout became a support section for the Marlins’ ace, who wears No. 22, during each of his home starts that included an exclusive T-shirt and matching strikeout placards.

Sandy’s Beach is returning to loanDepot park this season but the moniker is extending beyond the ballpark.

On Friday, the city of Miami Beach declared the area between Lummus Park and Sixth Street as “Sandy’s Beach” and unveiled a special beachfront sign.

Alcantara called the honor special even though going to be beach isn’t necessarily on the top of his list of preferred activities.

“I like to go there, sitting and relaxing,” Alcantara said, “but I don’t like getting in the water. ... I can’t wear [goggles] and when I get in the water, my eyes hurt.”

The first “Sandy’s Beach” at loanDepot park this season will be Tuesday when the Marlins host the Minnesota Twins.

Quotable

“I love the teal. Teal is the sickest thing in the world. I wish we could play in the teal every day, but, hey, once a week is fine with me for right now.” - Jazz Chisholm Jr. on the Marlins’ throwback jerseys they are wearing on Friday home games for Flashback Fridays as team celebrates its 30th anniversary.

Schedule for this week

Monday: Marlins vs. Twins, 6:40 p.m.

Tuesday: Marlins vs. Twins, 6:40 p.m.

Wednesday: Marlins vs. Twins, 1:10 p.m.

Thursday: Marlins @ Mets, 1:10 p.m.

Friday: OFF

Saturday: Marlins @ Mets, 4:10 p.m.

Sunday: Marlins @ Mets, 1:40 p.m.