With 17 Marlins experiencing first Opening Day, McCullough’s advice: Savor the moment
As the Miami Marlins begin the 2025 season on Thursday against the Pittsburgh Pirates, the majority of their roster is experiencing Opening Day at the MLB level for the first time in their careers.
Of the 26 players who made the cut for Miami’s initial roster, 17 are on their first Opening Day roster.
First-year manager Clayton McCullough said he talked with the team on Wednesday and gave them one piece of advice: Savor and enjoy the moment.
“They’re all very special,” McCullough said, “but the first one is one you’ll always remember. So take some time today, look around when your name gets called. And then once the game starts and you run out there, it becomes baseball again, but everything leading up to it, try to savor it and enjoy it. It’ll be something you remember forever.”
McCullough will remember this one, too. While he’s been part of Opening Day festivities before during his four-year stint as the Los Angeles Dodgers’ first base coach, this is his first time leading a big-league team. He said during his pregame media availability as his team began to take the field for warmups that things were “feeling more real.”
“Opening Day is a special time for everyone,” McCullough said. “To be here at home, beautiful day, roof open, I was excited for the regular season to get going.”
As for the roster itself, the Marlins formally announced the 26-person team a few hours before first pitch.
Among the notables to get the final roster spots: Infielder prospect Graham Pauley, who is starting at third base on Thursday with Connor Norby starting the season on the injured list; right-handed pitcher Tyler Phillips, who the team acquired Wednesday from the Philadelphia Phillies and will provide length out of the bullpen; and left-handed pitcher Anthony Veneziano, the only southpaw among the Marlins’ 13 pitchers with starter Ryan Weathers and high-leverage reliever Andrew Nardi both injured.
Breaking down the starting lineup
McCullough deployed four left-handed hitters, plus switch-hitter and leadoff man Xavier Edwards, in his Opening Day lineup to counter Pirates ace Paul Skenes.
Those four lefties: left fielder Kyle Stowers, batting second; first baseman Matt Mervis, batting fourth; right fielder Griffin Conine, batting sixth; and Pauley, batting eighth.
The full lineup:
Shortstop Xavier Edwards
Left fielder Kyle Stowers
Designated hitter Jonah Bride
First baseman Matt Mervis
Second baseman Otto Lopez
Right fielder Griffin Conine
Center fielder Derek Hill
Third baseman Graham Pauley
Catcher Nick Fortes
Starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara
Miami Marlins’ Opening Day roster
Starting pitchers (5): Sandy Alcantara, Valente Bellozo, Connor Gillispie, Max Meyer, Cal Quantrill
Relief pitchers (8): Lake Bachar, Anthony Bender, Calvin Faucher, Ronny Henriquez, Tyler Phillips, George Soriano, Jesus Tinoco, Anthony Veneziano
Catchers (2): Nick Fortes, Liam Hicks
Infielders (6): Jonah Bride, Xavier Edwards, Otto Lopez, Matt Mervis, Graham Pauley, Javier Sanoja, Eric Wagaman
Outfielders (4): Griffin Conine, Derek Hill, Dane Myers, Kyle Stowers
Prior to finalizing the roster, Miami placed pitchers Edward Cabrera (right middle finger blister), Weathers (left flexor muscle strain) and Declan Cronin (left hip strain) on the 15-day injured list as well as outfielder Jesus Sanchez (left oblique strain) and Norby (left oblique strain) on the 10-day injured list.
This story was originally published March 27, 2025 at 11:24 AM.
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