Scheduled to start in Sunday’s three-game, Opening Day Weekend series finale against the Philadelphia Phillies at an empty Citizens Bank Park, right-hander José Ureña was scratched. In total, four Marlins players reportedly tested positive for COVID-19 this weekend, the worst outbreak of its kind for any MLB team since the regular season got underway. Ureña’s replacement, Robert Dugger, the Marlins’ 30th-ranked prospect (per MLB Pipeline), struggled heavily early on, but an offensive fireworks display from the Marlins resulted in a series-winning 11-6 victory.
The right-hander Dugger coughed up four runs on five hits in a 28-pitch first inning, including a three-run shot from Bryce Harper.