JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — Lewis Brinson and Garrett Cooper, two players acquired during the Miami Marlins' offseason rebuilding trades, learned on Sunday they had made their first opening day rosters.A South Florida native, the 23-year-old Brinson was the key piece in the deal that sent Christian Yelich to Milwaukee.He will start in center field and hit leadoff when Miami opens its season on Thursday against the Chicago Cubs."It's going to be an emotional day, I think, for me and my parents and everybody that's kind of been with me through the ride, and everybody that saw me play Little League and grow up loving the Marlins," Brinson said. "I just wanted to play in the big leagues, but to get the opportunity to play in the big leagues for the Marlins, that's going to be pretty awesome."Cooper came to Miami in the deal that sent Giancarlo Stanton to the New York Yankees. He's expected to serve primarily as a utility player, manning left and right fields, along with first base."It's everyone's... [More]

Capsules of National League East teams, listed in order of finish last year:___Washington Nationals2017: 97-65, first place, lost to Cubs in NLDS.Manager: Dave Martinez (first season).He's Here: 1B-OF Matt Adams, C Miguel Montero, RHP Jeremy Hellickson, RHP Joaquin Benoit, INF Matt Reynolds.He's Outta Here: Manager Dusty Baker, LF Jayson Werth, 1B-LF Adam Lind, C Jose Lobaton, RHP Matt Albers.Projected Lineup: SS Trea Turner (.284, 11 HRs, 45 RBIs, 46 SBs in 98 games), LF Adam Eaton (.297, 2, 13 in 23 games), RF Bryce Harper (.319, 29, 87), 3B Anthony Rendon (.301, 25, 100, 41 2Bs), 2B Daniel Murphy (.322, 23, 93, 43 2Bs; expected to begin season on DL recovering from knee surgery), 1B Ryan Zimmerman (.303, 36, 108, 33 2Bs), CF Michael A. Taylor (.271, 19, 53), C Matt Wieters (.225, 10, 52).Rotation: RH Max Scherzer (16-6, 2.51 ERA, NL-high 268 Ks, 200 2/3 IP, 3rd Cy Young Award), RH Stephen Strasburg (15-4, 2.52, 204 Ks), LH Gio Gonzalez (15-9, 2.96, 79 walks), RH Tanner Roark (13-11,... [More]

Capsules of National League East teams, listed in order of finish last year:___Washington Nationals2017: 97-65, first place, lost to Cubs in NLDS.Manager: Dave Martinez (first season).He's Here: 1B-OF Matt Adams, C Miguel Montero, RHP Jeremy Hellickson, RHP Joaquin Benoit, INF Matt Reynolds.He's Outta Here: Manager Dusty Baker, LF Jayson Werth, 1B-LF Adam Lind, C Jose Lobaton, RHP Matt Albers.Projected Lineup: SS Trea Turner (.284, 11 HRs, 45 RBIs, 46 SBs in 98 games), LF Adam Eaton (.297, 2, 13 in 23 games), RF Bryce Harper (.319, 29, 87), 3B Anthony Rendon (.301, 25, 100, 41 2Bs), 2B Daniel Murphy (.322, 23, 93, 43 2Bs; expected to begin season on DL recovering from knee surgery), 1B Ryan Zimmerman (.303, 36, 108, 33 2Bs), CF Michael A. Taylor (.271, 19, 53), C Matt Wieters (.225, 10, 52).Rotation: RH Max Scherzer (16-6, 2.51 ERA, NL-high 268 Ks, 200 2/3 IP, 3rd Cy Young Award), RH Stephen Strasburg (15-4, 2.52, 204 Ks), LH Gio Gonzalez (15-9, 2.96, 79 walks), RH Tanner Roark (13-11,... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — As the 25th anniversary of the Marlins' first game draws near, the franchise can look back on two World Series titles, a move into a new ballpark and eight seasons with prodigious slugger Giancarlo Stanton.Yet in South Florida, the baseball team inspires either apathy or antipathy."It's a complicated history, right?" Derek Jeter says.Yes, and even more so since Jeter's ownership group bought the downtrodden franchise in October. The former Yankees captain and new Marlins CEO traded away half the starting lineup, including Stanton, acquiring a passel of prospects to replenish the farm system and also reducing payroll to ensure a profit despite perennially awful attendance."This team hasn't been in the playoffs in 14 years," Jeter says. "That's the bottom line. And people weren't coming here. We need to fix that. People may disagree with some of the moves that we've made, but we're trying to fix something that has been broken."___With the franchise's latest reboot underway, here... [More]

Capsules of National League East teams, listed in order of finish last year:___Washington Nationals2017: 97-65, first place, lost to Cubs in NLDS.Manager: Dave Martinez (first season).He's Here: 1B-OF Matt Adams, C Miguel Montero, RHP Jeremy Hellickson, RHP Joaquin Benoit, INF Matt Reynolds.He's Outta Here: Manager Dusty Baker, LF Jayson Werth, 1B-LF Adam Lind, C Jose Lobaton, RHP Matt Albers.Projected Lineup: SS Trea Turner (.284, 11 HRs, 45 RBIs, 46 SBs in 98 games), LF Adam Eaton (.297, 2, 13 in 23 games), RF Bryce Harper (.319, 29, 87), 3B Anthony Rendon (.301, 25, 100, 41 2Bs), 2B Daniel Murphy (.322, 23, 93, 43 2Bs, expected to begin season on DL recovering from knee surgery), 1B Ryan Zimmerman (.303, 36, 108, 33 2Bs), CF Michael A. Taylor (.271, 19, 53), C Matt Wieters (.225, 10, 52).Rotation: RH Max Scherzer (16-6, 2.51 ERA, NL-high 268 Ks, 200 2/3 IP, 3rd Cy Young Award), RH Stephen Strasburg (15-4, 2.52, 204 Ks), LH Gio Gonzalez (15-9, 2.96, 79 walks), RH Tanner Roark (13-11,... [More]

JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — Miami Marlins right-hander Dan Straily has mild right forearm inflammation and will not throw for five or six days, raising the possibility his first start of the season will be delayed.Straily, who tied for the NL lead with 33 starts last year, had been scheduled to pitch in the Marlins' second game March 30 against the Chicago Cubs. He complained of arm stiffness and had an MRI that revealed the inflammation.His ailment further muddles the Marlins' uncertain rotation. Highly regarded right-handed prospect Sandy Alcantara was optioned to Triple-A New Orleans on Tuesday, although he could rejoin Miami early in the season.Jacob Turner, Odrisamer Despaigne, Justin Nicolino and Caleb Smith remain in contention for rotation spots, along with opening day starter Jose Urena.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — Jose Urena will make Miami's opening day start against the Chicago Cubs and Dan Straily gets the ball the following day.Beyond that? It' a bit of a mystery that the Marlins have about a week to solve.Manager Don Mattingly had already announced Urena as Miami's first starter prior to the 26-year-old righty tossing three shutout innings Saturday in a 6-6 tie with Houston.Miami, though, has five pitchers still vying for the final three rotation spots — and that's after they sent three pitchers to minor league camp on Friday."I think we have an idea of what we want to do," Mattingly said. "I think more than anything you just want to make sure it doesn't go totally sideways for somebody and that would change our mind."Sandy Alcantara remains the most intriguing of the five candidates. The biggest name in the deal that sent big-hitting outfielder Marcell Ozuna to St. Louis, Alcantara and his high-90s mph fastball showed glimpses this spring of why he could make the opening... [More]

JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — Miami Marlins pitchers and catchers were still gathering in the midday sun to begin the first spring training workout Wednesday when someone asked manager Don Mattingly if he had decided on an opening day starter.After all, the Los Angeles Dodgers already announced Clayton Kershaw will start their opener."I didn't see any Kershaws on our roster," Mattingly said with a laugh.So no, Mattingly doesn't have a No. 1 pitcher yet. And three of the five jobs in the rotation are open, with more than a dozen pitchers having a shot to make the starting staff.Mattingly and his coaches will spend spring training evaluating the candidates, including several prospects acquired in trades during the Marlins' offseason payroll purge.Not among the rotation contenders to begin the season: injury-plagued left-hander Wei-Yin Chen, the Marlins' highest-paid pitcher as he enters the third season of an $80 million, five-year contract. He is not expected to be ready for opening day, but the... [More]

LHP Justin Nicolino struggled during a short outing against the Phillies on Wednesday night, failing to make it out of the third inning of an 8-0 loss. Nicolino was tagged for six runs on eight hits in 2 1/3 innings. He dropped to 2-2 on the season as his ERA rose from 4.11 to 5.45.

LHP Justin Nicolino (1-1) beat the Rockies on Saturday. He allowed six hits, four walks and two runs, one earned, in 5 1/3 innings. He earned his first win at Marlins Park since May 3, 2016.

LHP Justin Nicolino (0-1, 5.31 ERA) is expected to start Saturday's game against the Rockies, his first career against Colorado. He will make his seventh appearance with the Marlins this year, including his sixth start. Nicolino has had various chances in the past three years to grab a rotation job, but he has failed each time. His career record is 8-11 with a 4.61 ERA.

LHP Justin Nicolino, who pitched with the Marlins earlier this year, is 5-5 with a 3.19 ERA in 14 starts this year for Triple-A New Orleans. He last pitched Sunday for New Orleans and went five innings and did not allow a run. "The reports have been good," manager Don Mattingly said. He was 0-1 with a 5.31 ERA in six games (five starts) for the Marlins before he was sent down. He was a second-round pick in 2010 by the Toronto Blue Jays and made his major league debut in 2015.

LHP Justin Nicolino will remain in the starting rotation for Triple-A New Orleans for the foreseeable future, Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. Nicolino was sent down a night earlier to clear room for Tom Koehler, who took Nicolino's spot in the rotation Saturday at Milwaukee. Nicolino has bounced back and forth between the rotation and the bullpen, but he will keep starting in New Orleans in order to stick to a routine, Mattingly said.

RHP Justin Nicolino was optioned to Triple-A New Orleans on Friday night following the Marlins' 3-2 loss at Milwaukee. Nicolino has made five starts for Miami this season, posting an 0-1 record with a 4.95 ERA, and six appearances overall. Nicolino will join the starting rotation at New Orleans, manager Don Mattingly said.

LHP Justin Nicolino (0-1, 4.95 ERA in five starts) was removed from Miami's rotation. He was sent to the bullpen where he got one out Wednesday and allowed one run. The Marlins will need a starter Saturday and it could be RHP Tom Koehler, who is on a minor league rehab assignment.

LHP Justin Nicolino allowed seven hits, three runs, two earned, in four innings against the Cubs on Saturday, escaping with a no-decision. He has made five starts and gone four innings or less in four of those. That kills bullpens, and it wouldn't be a surprise if the Marlins send Nicolino back down to Triple-A New Orleans soon.

LHP Justin Nicolino (0-1, 5.06 ERA) will make his fifth start of the season on Saturday when he faces the Chicago Cubs for the first time in his brief career. Nicolino's numbers per nine innings are poor across the board -- too many hits allowed (11.3), too many homers (2.3), too many walks (3.9) and too few strikeouts (5.6).

LHP Justin Nicolino made his first appearance since returning from the disabled list, where he had landed after suffering a finger blister. Nicolino, though, did not pitch well on Monday against Washington, allowing seven hits -- including two homers -- in just three innings. He also gave up one walk and six runs, three earned. Nicolino (5.06 ERA) escaped with a no-decision, but his lack of velocity (90-91 mph on his fastball) continues to haunt him.

LHP Justin Nicolino will make his fourth start of the season on Monday and first since May 30, when he left the game after three innings when he bruised his left index finger on a bunt. His longest start has a been a six-inning stint against the Braves on May 14. Nicolino (0-1, 4.15) has made two career starts against the Nationals, going 0-2 with a 6.55 ERA.

LHP Justin Nicolino is slated to come off the 10-day disabled list and start for the first time since May 30 against the Nationals in Miami on Monday or Tuesday. Forced to the DL by a blister on the index finger of his pitching hand, he worked six innings in a rehab outing for Single A Advanced Jupiter and experienced no issues. Nicolino has made three starts for the Marlins, going 0-1 with a 4.15 ERA.