After three-plus weeks on the road, they can finally say it: Play ball from Marlins Park
The players soaked in the moment Friday as they took batting practice swings on their home field against first-base coach Billy Hatcher and assistant hitting coach Robert Rodriguez. In a few hours, Pablo Lopez will throw out the first pitch, the Miami Marlins will test out Marlins Park’s new synthetic grass surface and adjusted outfield dimensions, and a three-game series between the top two teams in the National League East will commence.
They felt the emotions a little more as the pre-game introductions took place. All 28 Miami Marlins players heard his name called as he trotted down the third-base line before the team took the field to face the Atlanta Braves. It’s a customary practice for any home opener, even if this one came in mid-August and on the heels of a three-plus-week road trip to start the season.
A video montage thanking South Florida frontline workers in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic served as the ceremonial first pitch. A moment of silence to honor the late Cuban Baseball Hall of Famer Tony Taylor and Wichita Wind Surge majority owner Lou Schwechheimer as well as those who lost their lives to COVID-19. The team also unveiled a center-field banner recognizing racial equality rounded out the festivities before the game was played.
But as the hoopla and the pomp and circumstance and the euphoria of finally being back in Miami subsided, the fact that Friday was the Marlins’ first game in their home ballpark seemed secondary in nature.
“I think this year just kind of has its own feel to it,” third baseman Brian Anderson said. “Our guys kind of know that as well.”
After a 23-day trip with ‘a little bit of everything,’ Marlins’ home opener on the horizon
The way this season has unfolded so far can have that effect.
Opening Day delayed four months due to the coronavirus pandemic. The season, as a result, shortened from its usual 162 games to 60 to create a sprint to the playoffs (which were expanded to 16 teams).
A week in quarantine three games into the delayed season after the team had its own COVID-19 outbreak that infected 18 players (a large contingent of whom have applied for reinstatement).
Twenty-three days on the road, criss-crossing the northeast with a slew of new players to get a dozen games under their belt and start making up for lost time before finally returning home.
So as Lopez threw the first pitch to the Braves’ Dansby Swanson to usher in the Marlins’ first game, he did so amid empty royal blue chairbacks and with artificial crowd noise cheering him on.
“With what we’ve been through,” Anderson said, “we’re just happy to sleep in our own bed and get some sort of a routine down again at home.”
And, of course, find a way to keep winning despite their whirlwind start to a season. The Marlins entered Friday leading the National League East with an 8-4 record. The Braves, at 11-9. sat in second based on win percentage.
“They’re all big series,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. “That’s really kind of the mentality that we want. We know the Braves have been the class of the division and we’ve had our troubles with them, but these are new times. It’s one day. It’s one game. And then you move on. ... Pennant race baseball.”
This and that
▪ One quick roster move: The Marlins placed right-handed relief pitcher Mike Morin on the 10-day injured list with a right elbow UCL injury ahead of the home opener and recalled Josh D. Smith to take Morin’s spot on the active roster. Morin left Wednesday’s win against the Blue Jays after throwing just two pitches in the sixth inning before showing discomfort in his right arm.
▪ Daniel Castano is slated to start Saturday with Elieser Hernandez closing out the three-game series against the Braves on Sunday.
▪ The Marlins on Thursday night acquired right-handed pitcher Jesus Tinoco from the Colorado Rockies in exchange for minor league right-handed pitcher Chad Smith. Tinoco was added to the Marlins’ 40-man roster (which now at 38 players counting against it). He reported to the Marlins’ Alternate Training Site in Jupiter.
