Star outfielder Kyle Stowers returned with a bang, delivering clutch hits and rejoining the lineup, proving crucial to the Marlins' victory.
MIAMI — The vibes at the ballpark feel different when the star returns.
Everything was working for the Miami Marlins on Sunday. Not only did the mystical teal uniforms attract over 24,000 fans into the normally cavernous loanDepot park, but star outfielder Kyle Stowers made his season debut.
Stowers did not disappoint in his return, going 2-for-3 with a double for his first hit of 2026, as the Marlins defeated the Milwaukee Brewers 5-3 to avoid a series sweep.
“You just feel like a part of things,” Stowers told reporters after the game. “For me, that’s what I really missed. Obviously, you always want to play well but you know you get a little of FOMO (fear of missing out) when you’re not out there with the boys.”
In the face of big-league pitching, Stowers said, “You have no choice but to be present.”
"Sometimes I feel like in the big leagues, these guys that we face are so good, there's just no choice but to lock into the moment,” Stowers said. “It's the only way that you're going to have a chance. And so I think it was kind of weirdly like the perfect situation.”
Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said during his postgame press conference that Stowers coming off the injured list to “collect a couple hits was huge.”
“The swings looked very aggressive. He looked balanced,” McCullough said. “Great to have Kyle back help lengthen out our lineup.”
Stowers was one of the reasons why the Marlins went from losing 100 games in 2024 to winning 79 in 2025. The 28-year-old led the team with 25 home runs while driving in 73 runs in 117 games before an oblique injury ended his All-Star campaign in August.
“He’s someone who’s gonna drive in a bunch of runs. He’s gonna be on base a ton,” Marlins catcher Liam Hicks told Marlins radio on Sunday. “And he’s just a great clubhouse guy. He’s a leader on the team. He’s someone that the team looks to. It’s very nice having him back in the dugout.”
Stowers’ return didn’t come without a scare. He stepped to the plate for the first time and had the bases loaded, primed for him to take one major swing and make an impact. One wild pitch led to a run scored and then the eighth pitch of the plate appearance came at 101.5 mph and hit Stowers right on the fingers.
McCullough and the athletic training staff visited Stowers to verify the damage. Fortunately, he stuck around for the first inning. Stowers said he tested his hand out in the batting cage during the next inning and after missing so many games between last year and this year, it was time to “just give it a roll.”
“I don't think it's broken,” Stowers said. “You do those couple tests, and then, one of those things, just pain tolerance thing.”
Stowers missed the first 21 games due to a hamstring strain suffered during spring training. He spent some time with the team, taking batting practice drills during their previous homestand before going to Jacksonville for a quick five-game minor league rehab assignment.
“The hamstring injury was new for me, something I never really experienced, so just going through the whole process I've never done before,” Stowers said pregame. “I didn't really particularly know exactly what to look for, what not to look for. Just wanted to be comfortable playing.”
The Marlins host the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday through Wednesday before going on a west coast road trip at the end of the month.
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