Marlins Open New Season At Home Against Detroit
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MIAMI (CBSMiami/SportsDirect) – Opening Day is upon us and both teams playing at Marlins Park are hoping for a better year than in 2015.
An offseason of heavy investment is how the Detroit Tigers reacted to finishing last in the American League Central following four consecutive division titles, and the journey to validate that expenditure begins in Tuesday's season opener at the Miami Marlins.
Detroit's 74 victories in 2015 marked its lowest total since 2005, but closer Francisco Rodriguez, left fielder Justin Upton and starter Jordan Zimmermann represent a $259.75 million investment Detroit hopes pays dividends come October.
"I'm confident in the team," Detroit manager Brad Ausmus told reporters during spring training. "The health issue is always a concern."
The Marlins look to push the Washington-New York duo at the top of the National League East, bringing in new manager Don Mattingly and new hitting coach Barry Bonds while seeking good health from right fielder Giancarlo Stanton and a return to form from center fielder Marcell Ozuna.
Even with second baseman Dee Gordon hitting .333 en route to winning the NL batting title, the Marlins finished next-to-last in the NL in runs scored in going 71-91.
"They were a team that hit for a pretty high average and got a lot of hits, but didn't score a lot of runs," Mattingly told reporters this spring in summarizing his new offense.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FSN Detroit, FSN Florida (Miami)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers RH Justin Verlander (2015: 5-8, 3.38 ERA) vs. Marlins LH Wei-Yin Chen (2015: 11-8, 3.34)
After missing the first two months last season with a triceps injury, Verlander makes his eighth opening day start in the past nine years, seeking to build on a strong finish.
The 33-year-old posted a 2.27 ERA and a .207 opponents' batting average in his final 14 starts, capping a season in which Verlander made 20 starts – the first time in a full season he has not made 30 or more starts.
Verlander had made one career appearance against the Marlins, giving up three hits with 10 strikeouts in six shutout innings of a no-decision in 2013.
Some were surprised Mattingly elected to go with Chen in the opener instead of Miami ace Jose Fernandez, but Chen has made 30 or more starts three times in his first four years.
The 30-year-old finished seventh in the AL in ERA with Baltimore a season ago (3.34) and his strikeout-to-walk ratio ranked 10th (3.73), but he surrendered 28 homers a year ago (eighth in the AL).
Chen has posted a 7.53 ERA in three career starts against the Tigers, going 1-0 with 12 runs on 19 hits allowed (five homers) in 14 1/3 innings.
WALK-OFFS
- Gordon is reunited with Mattingly after the second baseman was traded from the Dodgers to Miami after the 2014 season; Gordon led the majors with 205 hits a season ago and his totals of 64 steals in 2014 and 58 in 2015 were tops in the majors.
- The Tigers made it through camp with their big names who have been bitten by injuries – Miguel Cabrera, Victor Martinez and Anibal Sanchez – healthy and ready for the opener.
- Miami closer A.J. Ramos, who struggled at times during spring training, told reporters Saturday he is ready after converting 32-of-38 save opportunities in 2015.
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