Meet the Miami Marlins’ 2023 Opening Day roster
The 2023 MLB season is finally here.
And the Miami Marlins’ Opening Day roster is finally set.
The Marlins on Thursday, hours before first pitch against the New York Mets at loanDepot park, formally announced their 26-man roster to begin the season. The group includes seven players added via trade or free agency this offseason and five who are on an Opening Day roster for the first time in their MLB careers.
Here’s a quick position-by-position breakdown of the Marlins’ roster and what to expect from the group.
Catchers (2)
The players: Jacob Stallings, Nick Fortes
Analysis: Nothing has really changed here at any point. Stallings and Fortes were always going to be Miami’s two catchers as long as they were healthy. The tandem is a solid one-two punch behind the plate last season and have familiarity with the Marlins’ key pitchers.
This will be Fortes’ first time on an Opening Day roster.
First base (2)
The players: Garrett Cooper, Yuli Gurriel
Analysis: Cooper, when healthy, is a steady bat in Miami’s lineup. He’s a career .278 hitter with a .788 OPS and 161 RBI over 358 career MLB games, but has also been on the injured list nine times (not including stints for COVID-19) since 2018 and never started more than 66 games at first base in a season. Gurriel was Houston’s primary first baseman each of the past six years, starting at least 99 regular-season games there each full season and 54 of 60 games during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. He won both a Gold Glove and the AL batting title in 2021.
Second base (1)
The players: Luis Arraez
Analysis: The reigning American League batting champion returns to the position he primarily played in the minor leagues and where he has played the most in the big leagues (139 of 308 career starts), although he spent most of his time at first base last season with the Twins.
Shortstop (2)
The players: Joey Wendle, Jon Berti
Analysis: The two have spent their careers up to this point as utility players, with Wendle playing second, short and third while Berti added time in the outfield to those three infield spots. Together, they have just 103 career starts and 968 2/3 innings played at shortstop. Wendle will get the majority of the reps there. Berti, who led MLB with 41 stolen bases a year ago, will be the primary option behind him while also likely getting occasional starts at second and third as well.
Third base (1)
The players: Jean Segura
Analysis: The 11-year MLB veteran signed a two-year deal with a club option for the 2025 season in January and will now play a position he has rarely played in his big-league career. Segura has just 21 starts at the hot corner, all of which came in the 2020 season.
Outfield (5)
The players: Jazz Chisholm Jr., Bryan De La Cruz, Avisail Garcia, Jesus Sanchez, Jorge Soler
Analysis: Chisholm will play center field, while the other four will rotate among the two corner spots, designated hitter and the bench. De La Cruz can also play center field when Chisholm needs a day off. Sanchez is the only left-handed-hitter out of the non-Chisholm quartet.
Starting pitchers (5)
The players: Sandy Alcantara, Jesus Luzardo, Edward Cabrera, Trevor Rogers, Johnny Cueto
Analysis: Alcantara, the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner, is the undisputed ace and will start his fourth consecutive Opening Day. Luzardo and Cabrera both had solid 2022 seasons ... when they were pitching. Luzardo missed two-and-a-half months with a left forearm strain; Cabrera missed time with several injuries. Rogers looks poised for a bounceback season after struggling in 2022, and Cueto provides a veteran presence who can hopefully eat up innings to round out the rotation.
This is Cabrera’s first time on an Opening Day roster.
Relief pitchers (8)
The players: Matt Barnes, Huascar Brazoban, JT Chargois, Dylan Floro, Braxton Garrett, Andrew Nardi, A.J. Puk, Tanner Scott
Analysis: Injuries to left-handed pitcher Steven Okert (left adductor soreness) and right-handed pitcher Tommy Nance (right shoulder stiffness) opened the door for Brazoban and Nardi to each make their first Opening Day roster. Garrett, who had a breakout 2022 season but was squeezed out of the starting rotation, will begin the season in the bullpen as a long reliever/swing man/spot starter. The remaining five are all candidates for high-leverage situations.