Marlins outfielders face mounting pressure as Kyle Stowers nears return. Their early struggles now dictate futures on the roster.
MIAMI — It is still early in the 2026 season, but for some Miami Marlins outfielders, time is of the essence.
The Marlins started the season with their best hitter, left fielder Kyle Stowers, on the injured list (retroactive March 22) with a hamstring strain, with the expectation he would be out for three to four weeks. That meant at least one or two outfielders made the opening-day roster as a placeholder rather than by design or merit.
For those outfielders in question, these first few weeks of the season represent their chance for sticking with the team beyond Stowers’ imminent return. Outside of Owen Caissie, April has been a slow month for every Marlins outfielder.
Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said his players know what staying in the big leagues requires and that “there is pressure to that.”
“I think that there's a sense of urgency every day in the big leagues to perform, and it's handling the pressure to do that versus what things are going to allow you to have some success,” McCullough said.
Stowers’ return might come sooner than originally expected. He made an appearance with the team in uniform during batting practice on Monday, taking part in some of the drills. McCullough said Stowers and the other injured Marlins players are “all progressing” and a minor-league rehab assignment may come in the near future after the team's current four-game homestand against the Cincinnati Reds is in the books.
“Kyle is still here with us,” McCullough said. “He was running today, and looks like he's trending in a good spot, see how these next couple of days go, and then decide when and what a rehab assignment will look like.”
After Stowers went on the Injured List, the Marlins signed veteran right-fielder Austin Slater to a one-year deal and started him on opening day as their leadoff batter.
Slater has been batting leadoff every game the opponent sends out a left-handed pitcher. However, he has only two hits so far this season and most recently went 0-3 in Miami’s 2-0 loss to Reds on Monday afternoon.
In every game this season against left-handed starters, the Marlins sent out an outfield consisting of Slater, Heriberto Hernández, and Jakob Marsee. Hernandez is batting .111 with four RBI and Marsee is 4-for-38 with two RBI.
Marsee entered the season with the most promise after a strong start to his big-league career a year ago (.292/.363/.478, 55 games) but has recently been a victim of circumstance. He lined out three times in the last two days.
While this could apply to anyone in the Marlins’ struggling outfield, McCullough’s best advice for Marsee is to trust the process.
“I think with Marsee, you just keep going,” McCullough said. “As tough as it is, guys want results and I think you continue to stick to what is going to allow those results. They’re going to happen. These line drives are going to start to fall. He’s going to get on a good run. You just stick with what’s going to allow you to have that type of success and you stick there and just trust that over time it will start falling your way some.”
A good run at the plate from anyone could have a Fightin’ Fish earn his keep in time for the Stowers to return to the lineup. Until then, any cold bat is on the clock.
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