Marlins lose two starters
Miami exited Friday’s split-squad games down two key pieces: All-Star outfielder Kyle Stowers left with a right hamstring issue and Esteury Ruiz with a left oblique strain — both injuries happened within a 30‑minute span and now cloud their Opening Day availability. Manager Clayton McCullough said evaluations are ongoing as both players’ statuses are considered in doubt. (mlb.com)
The Marlins scheduled imaging and additional testing for both players on Saturday to determine whether either will require an injured-list stint. (mlb.com) Stowers had been scratched from the Feb. 28 Grapefruit League lineup after earlier tightness, had last appeared on Feb. 26, and Friday’s outing was just his third game back this spring. (mlb.com) Earlier this month an MRI showed a “very minor” right hamstring strain for Stowers and the club estimated a one-to-two-week timetable for that issue. (mlb.com) Ruiz, acquired from the Dodgers in January, was in competition with Heriberto Hernández for one of the final bench spots and had recorded five stolen bases entering Friday’s game. (mlb.com) Stowers missed the end of the 2025 season with a left oblique strain, finishing that year with 25 home runs and 73 RBIs over 117 games — a reminder of his recent injury history. (mlb.com) FanGraphs’ Opening Day tracker currently lists Stowers as a projected lineup regular and Ruiz as a lineup/bench candidate, underscoring why their availability matters for Miami’s final roster decisions. (fangraphs.com)
