Miami, Florida- The happiest and most exciting day of the baseball season has finally arrived, Opening Day. A fresh start and a clean slate for all 30 MLB teams, ready to embark on another 162-game marathon. It was more than a clean slate for the Miami Marlins as they overhauled the roster last season and the offseason for the newest edition of a Marlins fire sale. Out of the 26 players on the Opening Day roster, 17 of them experienced their first Opening Day.
No flyover in this year’s Opening Day but Jon Secada killed it singing the Star-Spangled Banner @LemonCityLive pic.twitter.com/lEZlAJjTZs
— Alex “Milo” Aguirre (@aguirrethecap33) March 27, 2025
After going 62-100 last season, Miami is projected to once again finish at the bottom of the NL East standings, fielding one of the youngest and inexperienced teams in baseball when it comes to MLB experience. To put it in a financial perspective on how the Marlins roster is currently constructed, their payroll is less than the payroll 20 years ago in 2005.
Given the direction Miami is taking, beginning another rebuild with President of Baseball Operations Peter Bendix entering his second year with the organization, there will be a lot of ups and downs and growing pains with such an inexperienced team.
However, the Marlins did not wait to give fans something to cheer for in what will most likely be the highest-attended game all season. The stars aligned perfectly for the Marlins’ Opening Day. Starting from the ceremonial first pitch, the return of their ace, Sandy Alcantara, the comeback, the walk-off, and the post-game celebrations.
Dan The Man Marino throwing out the ceremonial first pitch to kick off the 2025 season for the @Marlins @LemonCityLive @MiamiDolphins pic.twitter.com/jn5t3LfEeC
— Alex “Milo” Aguirre (@aguirrethecap33) March 27, 2025
Welcome Back Sandy
The 2025 Marlins starting rotation will be led by 2022 National League Cy Young Award winner, Sandy Alcantara. The right-hander missed all of the 2024 season recovering from Tommy John surgery and made his first MLB start since September of 2023. It’s a fresh start for him as well, looking to prove to the rest of the league that he can still lead a rotation and be one of the top arms in the MLB. Fans couldn’t have asked for a better pitching matchup for Opening Day as Sandy went head-to-head against the reigning National League rookie of the year, Paul Skenes, and neither disappointed.
Alcantara was rolling from the very first batter he faced, striking out leadoff hitter Tommy Pham looking on a 98 mph fastball. He continued to dominate the Pirates’ lineup and retired the first six batters he faced. He walked Endy Rodriguez to start the top of the third inning, but worked around it by striking out the following three batters, Ke’Bryan Hayes, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, and Tommy Pham for the second time.
Con esta recta a 99 MPH, Sandy Alcántara abrió la temporada ponchando a Tommy Pham.
Es su primera apertura en Grandes Ligas desde 2023. pic.twitter.com/cvR1PLtcYS
— Daniel Álvarez-Montes (@DanielAlvarezEE) March 27, 2025
Miami’s offense was also able to scratch off a run against Skenes in the bottom of the third thanks to an RBI fielder’s choice by Xavier Edwards, bringing in Derek Hill. Edwards recorded the first RBI of the season for Miami after Hill recorded the first hit of the season, lining a double down the left field line. Sandy kept the lead and shutout intact in the top of the fourth, inducing three groundouts, working around a one-out walk to Oneil Cruz, and did not allow a hit up to that point.
3 innings in the books for #OpeningDay and the #Marlins have a 1-0 lead against the #Pirates @LemonCityLive
pic.twitter.com/FIqQJ8beFJ— Alex “Milo” Aguirre (@aguirrethecap33) March 27, 2025
Ran Out of Gas
Sandy entered the fifth inning still holding on to a 1-0 lead and did not seem to be slowing down, striking out the first two hitters in the frame, Nick Gonzales and Endy Rodriguez. It would have been nice to see Sandy complete five shutout innings in his first outing in over a year, but the Pirates had other plans.
With two outs, Ke’Bryan Hayes singled to right field and then stole second base. Isiah Kiner-Falefa drew a walk to give Pittsburgh runners on first and second. The Pirates pulled off a successful double steal, giving them two runners now in scoring position. Alcatara walked Tommy Pham to load the bases, and up came Bryan Reynolds. After falling behind in the count 3-1, Alcantara had to throw a pitch in the strike zone with the bases loaded, and Reynolds capitalized, lining a single to center field to bring in Hayes and Kiner-Falefa.
Bryan Reynolds delivers 💥
Bases loaded single puts the @Pirates on top! pic.twitter.com/CZaEnLW11m
— SportsNet Pittsburgh (@SNPittsburgh) March 27, 2025
That base hit would knock Sandy out of the game with Miami trailing 2-1. Lake Bachar was the first reliever out of Miami’s bullpen, inheriting runners on first and third with two outs. The right-hander escaped the jam, striking out Oneil Cruz looking. He kept Miami in the game and limited the damage on Sandy’s final stat line: 4 2/3 innings pitched, two earned runs, two hits, four walks, and seven strikeouts. It obviously wasn’t the way Sandy intended to complete his outing. Still, there is definitely a lot to build off of and something to be proud of, seeing him complete his comeback from Tommy John Surgery.
That’s gonna be it for Sandy on #OpeningDay
Reynolds single that brought in two runs was the final batter he faced in the fifth inning.His final line: 4 2/3 innings, 2 hits, 2 earned runs, 4 walks, and 7 strikeouts on 91 pitches 57 strikes @LemonCityLive pic.twitter.com/JZw66ZKDgv
— Alex “Milo” Aguirre (@aguirrethecap33) March 27, 2025
Miami’s Bullpen: Bend But Not Break
After completing the fifth inning, Bachar was back out for the sixth inning. He hit Joey Bart to start the inning, but retired Andrew McCutchen to get the first out of the inning. Nick Gonzales was the following batter, and Bachar was unable to retire him as Gonzales launched a two-run home run over the left field wall to give Pittsburgh a 4-1 lead.
First home run of 2025 goes to Nick Gonzales 👏 pic.twitter.com/uIkSoM3o4c
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) March 27, 2025
Bachar completed the inning after giving up the home run, striking out Endy Rodriguez and getting Hayes to fly out. The two runs given up by the home run were the only runs allowed by Miami’s bullpen, shutting out the Pirates for the following three innings. They did have their chances, however.
After Miami scored in the bottom of the sixth on a passed ball to cut Pittsburgh’s lead to 4-2, they sent out reliever George Soriano to handle the seventh inning. Kiner-Falefa drew a walk to lead off the inning. Pham was hit by a pitch to give the Pirates runners on first and second with no outs. The big inning was avoided, and Soriano held off a Pirates’ rally, retiring the heart of their lineup in order. Reynolds flew out, and Cruz and Bart grounded to end the inning.
Opening Day Comeback
Soriano pitched a scoreless eighth inning, working around a one-out walk. Thanks to Soriano’s efforts out of the bullpen to keep the game close, it gave Miami a chance to put together a rally in the bottom half of the eighth.
Kyle Stowers led off the inning with a walk and advanced to second on Jonah Bride‘s groundout. Matt Mervis struck out for the second out of the inning with Stowers still in scoring position. Otto Lopez was next in the lineup, and with two strikes, he lined a single to center field, bringing in Stowers and cutting Pittsburgh’s lead to one run. Lopez was also able to advance to second base on Cruz’s throw home.
Otto Lopez puts the Marlins within one on an RBI single, driving in Kyle Stowers.
Pirates lead, 4-3#Marlins #OpeningDay pic.twitter.com/yEQujcl6Le
— Kevin Barral (@kevin_barral) March 27, 2025
After Dane Myers struck out in the bottom of the sixth with the bases loaded, trailing 4-2, he had another chance to bring in a run in the eighth. Myers came through this time around and singled up the middle to center field with two strikes, plating Lopez. With two outs, the Marlins rallied to tie the game 4-4 heading into the ninth inning.
Jesus Tinoco entered for the ninth inning and pitched a scoreless frame. Like Soriano, Tinoco had to tightrope his way out of danger. With runners on second and third and two outs, Tinoco struck out Joey Bart to end Pittsburgh’s threat and would end up being the winning pitcher in tonight’s ballgame.
Katy Taylor legend Dane Myers with a big hit for the Marlins on Opening Day pic.twitter.com/6hDNQjbVnu
— Ari Alexander (@AriA1exander) March 27, 2025
Opening Day Celebration
In the bottom of the ninth, Miami wasted no time putting pressure on the Pirates. Catcher Nick Fortes tripled to lead off the inning, which was misplayed off the wall by Cruz, allowing Fortes to get his first triple since 2022. Edwards was intentionally walked and stole second base with the infield playing and no one covering the base.
Stowers was due up next, and up to that point in the game, he was having a rough time in the batter’s box, striking out twice today. All that was washed away, and against Pittsburgh’s closer and two-time All-Star David Bednar, Stowers turned on a 96 mph fastball on an 0-2 count, singling down the right field line to bring in the winning run, sealing the Marlins’ Opening Day victory, and loanDepot Park erupting with over 30,000 fans.
Kyle Stowers delivers the first walk-off of the 2025 season! #OpeningDay pic.twitter.com/zUuXcGdJN5
— MLB (@MLB) March 27, 2025
In a season where many expect Miami to lose over 100 games, they gave fans in attendance and watching something to cheer and celebrate on a special night. This young, scrappy team looks ready to battle every time they step foot on the field. Unlike last year’s team, a two or three-run deficit won’t faze them. It’s the least you can ask for as fans when we all know this season is going to have its peaks and valleys, but one thing is for sure: the Marlins will not start the season 0-9 like last year.
The hero for tonight’s game, Kyle Stowers. He talks about the atmosphere and the energy the fans brought for today’s game and breaks down his at-bat that sealed the win for the #Marlins @LemonCityLive pic.twitter.com/uyBfx4eaS7
— Alex “Milo” Aguirre (@aguirrethecap33) March 28, 2025
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