MIAMI MARLINS
(LHP Daniel Castano; Spring Debut)
at
HOUSTON ASTROS
(RHP Brandon Bielak; Spring Debut)
THE BALLPARK OF THE PALM BEACHES, WEST PALM BEACH, FL
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2021 – 1:05 P.M.
BROADCAST: MARLINS.COM
TODAY’S GAME: The Marlins open their 2021 Spring Training schedule today at the Astros, the first of six meetings between the teams this spring. Today’s starter is LHP Daniel Castano, followed by RHP Nick Neidert. Today’s game will be seven innings.
WHERE WE LEFT OFF: The Marlins last played a spring game on March 12, a 3-0 loss at the Cardinals. Following the game, the entire sport came to a halt as Spring Training play was suspended and the start of the season was delayed. The Marlins recorded a 12-6-2 record at the time Spring Training was halted – good for second in the Grapefruit League behind Philadelphia. On March 15, CEO Derek Jeter met with Marlins players and coaches in Jupiter and closed the complex in the best interest of the players’ and staff’s health and safety. All minor league coaches and players were also sent home.
2021 SCHEDULE
April
1-3: Tampa Bay
5-7: St. Louis
8-11: at New York-NL
12-15: at Atlanta
16-18: San Francisco
20-21: Baltimore
22-25: at San Francisco
26-28: at Milwaukee
30: at Washington
May
1-2: at Washington
4-6: Arizona
7-9: Milwaukee
10-13: at Arizona
14-16: at Los Angeles-NL
18-20: at Philadelphia
21-23: New York-NL
24-27: Philadelphia
28-30: at Boston
June
1-2: at Toronto
3-6: at Pittsburgh
8-10: Colorado
11-13: Atlanta
14-16: at St. Louis
18-20: at Chicago-NL
22-23: Toronto
24-27: Washington
29-30: at Philadelphia
July
1: at Philadelphia
2-4: at Atlanta
5-8: at Los Angeles-NL
9-11: Atlanta
12-15: ALL-STAR BREAK
16-18: at Philadelphia
19-21: at Washington
22-25: San Diego
27-28: at Baltimore
30-31: New York-AL
August
1: New York-AL
2-5: New York-NL
6-8: at Colorado
9-11: at San Diego
13-15: Chicago-NL
16-18: Atlanta
19-22: at Cincinnati
24-26: Washington
27-29: Cincinnati
31: at New York-NL
September/October
1-2: at at New York-NL
3-5: Philadelphia
7-9: New York-NL
10-12: at Atlanta
13-15: at Washington
17-19: Pittsburgh
20-22: Washington
24-26: at Tampa Bay
28-30: at New York-NL
1-3: Philadelphia
2020 VISION: The Marlins are coming off a 2020 season which saw them go 31-29 (.517) to record their first winning record in a season since 2009 and earn a trip to the postseason for the first time since 2003. The 16- year playoff drought had been the second-longest in MLB at the time. The Marlins swept the Cubs (2-games to-0) in the Wild Card round before getting swept by the Braves in the NLDS.
– Miami had their season put on hold after a series win in Philadelphia over the first weekend of play when 21 players and staff tested positive for COVID. After 8 days, the Marlins resumed play and won five straight gms.
– The Marlins concluded the regular season playing 28 games over the final 24 days of the campaign from Sept. 4-27 with no off days (went 15-13). Included in the stretch was a 15-game homestand over 11 days which featured four doubleheaders over a 10-day stretch.
HOT SPRING: Going back to 2019, Miami has won 23 of its last 35 Spring Training games (includes three ties in that span: 23-8-3).
Lowest Win % Season Before Making Postseason
| Team | Prev. Yr. | Win % |
| Miami Marlins | 2020 | 352 (57-105) |
| Minnesota Twins | 2017 | 364 (59-103) |
| Diamondbacks | 2011 | 401 (65-97) |
| Diamondbacks | 1999 | 401 (65-97) |
| Braves | 1991 | 401 (65-97) |
FEELING BULLISH: The Marlins retooled their bullpen options during the offseason, adding six arms to their 40-man roster: acquired RHP Paul Campbell and RHP Zach Pop in the Rule 5 draft; signed LHP Ross Detwiler and RHP Dylan Floro; and acquiredRHP Adam Cimber from Cleveland and RHP John Curtiss from the Rays. Floro and Curtiss, who faced off in the 2020 World Series, combined to strike out 44 batters in 49.1 innings, while walking only 7.
ADDED POWER: During the 2020 season, the Marlins hit 60 HR in 60 games in the regular season, averaging a HR every 32.25 AB. Was their second highest such mark in the last 12 yrs behind 2017 (28.88). Last spring, the Marlins hit 19 home runs in 20 games, good for seventh in the Grapefruit League, after a Spring Training low 23 in 29 games in 2019.
THE OUTLOOOK AHEAD: The Marlins will open their 2021 Championship Season on Thursday, April 1, hosting the Tampa Bay Rays at 4:10pm. This year will be the second time in franchise history the club will begin the year against an AL opponent (also Detroit in 2016). Will open and close the season at Marlins Park for the first time since the inauagural year of the ballpark (2012).
– The Marlins will play 36 of their first 60 gms (60%) on the road, including back-to-back-to-back three-city, trips April 22-May 2 (SF, MIL, WAS), May 10-20 (ARZ, LAD, PHI) and May 28-June 6 (BOS, TOR, PIT). Overall, will play 48 of their 91 gms (53%) on the road prior to the All-Star Break.
– Of the club’s final 36 games, 21 will take place at home at Marlins Park.
YOUNG GUNS
The Marlins’ rotation was by far the youngest in the Majors in 2020, nearly two years younger than the next closest team .
| Team | Years-Days |
| Miami Marlins | 24-291 |
| Colorado Rockies | 26-134 |
| SeattleMariners | 26-163 |
| Atlanta Braves | 26-246 |
| Kansas City Royals | 26-247 |
CURTISS’ CONNECTION: The Marlins acquired RHP John Curtiss on Feb. 17 from TB. Curtiss was born on April 5, 1993 – the same day the Marlins played their first ever game in franchise history (a 6-3 win vs. the Dodgers). Curtiss is the only player ever to appear in a MLB game to have been born on this day.
MARLINS BY THE NUMBERS: The Marlins have invited a total of 72 players to camp – 3 pitchers (27 RHP / 11 LHP / 16 NRI); 8 catchers (6 NRI); 13 infielders (4 NRI); 14 outfielders (6 NRI). Of the 72 players invited:
o 33 are attending their first camp with the Marlins: Barstad, Bass, Bender, Bleier, Burdick, Campbell, Cimber, Curtiss, Detwiler, Devers, Dunand, Duvall, Eder, Fishman, Floro, Guillen, Hoyt, Leon, Pop, King, Madero, L. Marte, S. Marte, McCambley, Misner, Morimando, Meyer, Nicolas, Nunez, Poteet, Roberson, Scott, Thompson o 24 were born outside the U.S. with 8 nationalities represented (Bahamas, Canada, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Venezuela). o 24 of the invited players appear in the Marlins’ most recent MLBPipeline Top 30 prospects.
o 15 were drafted by the Marlins or signed as non-drafted free agents or international free agents: Anderson, Banfield, Barstad, Bleday, Burdick, Cabrera, Dunand, Eder, Encarnacion, Fortes, Garrett, Holloway, King, Lee, McCambley, Mesa, Meyer, Nicolas, Nunez, Poteet, Roberson, Rogers o 8 are age 21 or younger – catcher Cameron Barstad (born Nov. 29, 2000) is the youngest player among the pitchers and catchers (also C Will Banfield, INF Jose Devers, RHP Zach McCambley, RHP Max Meyer, INF Nasim Nunez, RHP Kyle Nicolas and OF Connor Scott)
o Only 7 own more than 5 yrs of MLB service time; Ross Detwiler longest tenured overall (8.011); Starling Marte is longest tenured position player (7.162)
o 7 first-round picks are in camp, including each of the Marlins’ last five first-round selections (OF JJ Bleday-2019; OF Lewis Brinson-2002, TEX; LHP Ross Detwiler-2007, WAS; LHP Braxton Garrett-2016; RHP Max Meyer-2020; LHP Trevor Rogers-2017; OF Connor Scott-2018)
o 6 hail from South Florida: Alvarez (Miami), Bleier (Miami Beach), Brinson (Coral Springs), Dunand (Miami), Eder (Boynton beach), Eveld (Coral Springs)
KIM-POSSIBLE: On November 13, 2020, the Marlins announced the hiring of Kim Ng as the organization’s General Manager, becomes the fifth person in club history to hold the top position in baseball operations. Ng is the highest-ranking woman in baseball operations among the 30 MLB teams and is believed to be the first woman hired to the General Manager position by any of the professional men’s sports teams in the North American Major Leagues. Ng (pronounced ANG) brings extensive knowledge to the Marlins’ baseball operations team with more than 30 years in MLB, including a combined 21 years of experience in the front offices for the Chicago White Sox (1990–96), New York Yankees (1998–2001), and Los Angeles Dodgers (2002–11). She has been an integral part of eight postseason appearances, including six League Championship Series and three World Championships.
MR. MANAGER: Manager Don Mattingly returns for his 6th season at the helm of the Marlins. Was selected as the 2020 NL Manager of the Year by the BBWAA following the 2020 season, becoming the second Marlins skipper to win the honor (also Jack McKeon in 2003). Has managed more games (706) and won more games (307) than anyone else in franchise history.
BRIGHT FUTURE: According to MLBPipeline.com, the Marlins organization ranks fourth in Major League Baseball for their prospects and was the most improved club in 2019, after they were not ranked in the top 15 to begin 2019 Miami boasts five players on the Top 100 Prospects list: No. 15 RHP Sixto Sánchez, No. 20 OF JJ Bleday, No. 28 RHP Max Meyer, No. 66 INF Jazz Chisholm and No. 68 RHP Edward Cabrera. All five were invited to big league camp and joined by 20 more players on the Marlins Top 30 Prospects list: No. 7 LHP Braxton Garrett, No. 8 INF Lewin Diaz, No. 9 LHP Trevor Rogers, No. 10 OF Monte Harrison, No. 11 RHP Nick Neidert, No. 13 INF José Devers, No. 17 OF Jerar Encarnación, No 20 INF Nasim Nunez, No. 21 Kyle Nicolas, No. 22 RHP Zach McCambley, No. 23 LHP Jake Eder, No. 25 RHP Paul Campbell, No. 26 RHP Jorge Guzman, No. 27 RHP Jordan Holloway, No. 28 OF Víctor Víctor Mesa and No. 30 C Will Banfield.
ROUND OF INTRODUCTIONS
The Marlins had 18 players make their MLB debuts in 2020. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the prev. club record was 16 in 2010. The 18 debuts came within the team’s first 44 gms. Also according to Elias, entering 2020, no team had as many debuts over a team’s first 60 gms.
Had 12 pitchers make their MLB debut in 2020, including five as starting pitchers (went 2-1, 3.92 ERA – 20.2 IP, 17 H, 9 ER, 26 K – in those five gms.
2021 SPRING DAY-BY-DAY
| DAY | Date | Opponent | Time | Location |
| Sunday | February 28 | Houston | 1:05 p.m.* | West Palm Beach |
| Monday | March 1 | NEW YORK | 1:05 p.m.+ | JUPITER |
| Tuesday | March 2 | ST. LOUIS | 1:05 p.m.+ | JUPITER |
| Wednesday | March 3 | Washington | 1:05 p.m.* | West Palm Beach |
| Thursday | March 4 | OFF DAY | ||
| Friday | March 5 | HOUSTON | 1:05 p.m.+ | JUPITER |
| Saturday | March 6 | WASHINGTON | 1:05 p.m.+ | JUPITER |
| Sunday | March 7 | New York | 1:10 p.m. | Port St. Lucie |
| Monday | March 8 | St. Louis | 1:05 p.m.+ | Jupiter |
| Tuesday | March 9 | OFF DAY | ||
| Wednesday | March 10 | HOUSTON | 6:05 p.m.+ | JUPITER |
| Thursday | March 11 | WASHINGTON | 1:05 p.m.+ | JUPITER |
| Friday | March 12 | New York | 1:10 p.m. | Port St. Lucie |
| Saturday | March 13 | ST. LOUIS | 1:05 p.m.+ | JUPITER |
| Sunday | March 14 | OFF DAY | ||
| Monday | March 15 | Houston | 1:05 p.m.* | West Palm Beach |
| Tuesday | March 16 | Washington | 6:05 p.m.* | West Palm Beach |
| Wednesday | March 17 | NEW YORK | 1:05 p.m.+ | JUPITER |
| Thursday | March 18 | St. Louis | 1:05 p.m.+ | Jupiter |
| Friday | March 19 | OFF DAY | ||
| Saturday | March 20 | Washington | 6:05 p.m.* | West Palm Beach |
| Sunday | March 21 | HOUSTON | 1:05 p.m.+ | JUPITER |
| Monday | March 22 | ST. LOUIS | 1:05 p.m.+ | JUPITER |
| Tuesday | March 23 | New York | 1:10 p.m. | Port St. Lucie |
| Wednesday | March 24 | OFF DAY | ||
| Thursday | March 25 | WASHINGTON | 6:05 p.m.+ | JUPITER |
| Friday | March 26 | Houston | 6:05 p.m.* | West Palm Beach |
| Saturday | March 27 | St. Louis | 6:05 p.m.+ | Jupiter |
| Sunday | March 28 | NEW YORK | 1:05 p.m.+ | JUPITER |
YOUR RADIO HOME FOR MARLINS’ BASEBALL: The Marlins return to WINZ 940 AM, which is the radio broadcast home for all 162 games in the regular season. Hall of Fame broadcaster Dave Van Horne and Glenn Geffner will return to the broadcast booth, and will be joined by analysts JP Arencibia, Gaby Sanchez and Kelly Saco.
