A few minutes after noon on Opening Day, the majority of the Miami Marlins’ 25-man roster poured into the home clubhouse at Marlins Park and for the next half our or so the room buzzed. The position players in the starting lineup — many of whom had never come into a season expecting such a large role — talked about what the opportunity meant to them. Pitchers mingled with one another, taking their time to get ready for the first game of the 2019 season.
They were all just a few hours away from being on the wrong end of a 6-3 loss to the Colorado Rockies on Thursday, but Miami went into Opening Day feeling better about the season than outside expectations might suggest.