How Marlins Built Opening Day Roster to Compete for Playoff Spot
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The Miami Marlins don't play their opening day game until Friday when they host the Colorado Rockies, but Major League Baseball mandated that they complete their 26-man roster on Wednesday.
The reason? Because the San Francisco Giants and the New York Yankees played their opening day game on Wednesday. MLB mandates that all rosters be set before the first game played of the regular season.
Fortunately, the Marlins had a good read on how their opening day roster would shake out. There was one significant move going into the deadline and that was the signing of outfielder Austin Slater to a Major League deal. He made the roster, along with 25 other players that were largely expected to make it.
Miami Marlins Opening Day Roster
Pitchers: Sandy Alcantara, Lake Bachar, Anthony Bender, Pete Fairbanks, Calvin Faucher, Janson Junk, John King, Max Meyer, Andrew Nardi, Chris Paddack, Eury Pérez, Michael Petersen, Tyler Phillips
Catchers: Liam Hicks, Agustín Ramírez.
Infielders: Xavier Edwards, Otto Lopez, Connor Norby, Graham Pauley, Javier Sanoja.
Outfielders; Owen Caissie, Griffin Conine, Heriberto Hernández, Jakob Marsee, Christopher Morel, Austin Slater.
The Marlins will start Alcantara on opening day. The rest of the rotation features Meyer, Paddack, Pérez and Junk. Of the five, Junk is the most vulnerable to a potential promotion of one of the team’s top pitching prospects such as Robby Snelling. But for now, the rotation looks formidable, especially at the 1-2 punch of Alcantara and Pérez.
Fairbanks will be the closer. The bullpen had previously been announced, with Nardi considered the most interesting story as he's missed considerable time due to injuries.
The middle infield is set with Edwards and Lopez. The corner infield positions could be interesting on opening day, though Morel is expected to be the first baseman. The injury to Kyle Stowers forced the Marlins to get creative with their outfielders late in spring training, and that included taking Norby out of the infield and putting him in the outfield.
It's not clear who will start in left field. It could be Hernández, who played a handful of games at the position last season. It could also be Conine or Slater. What seems clear is that Marsee will start in center field in Caissie, who was acquired in the Edward Cabrera trade, will start in right field. The former Cubs star prospect had a great run with Team Canada in the World Baseball Classic.
