WR Smith becomes second Miami commit from Palmetto

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The wave continues. Miami is one step closer to the pipe dream of landing the “Palmetto 5” as two of those five are now committed to the Canes.

On Sunday afternoon, three-star WR Brashard Smith went public with his commitment to Manny Diaz and the Hurricanes. A very underrated receiver out of Palmetto High, he had been rumored to be on the fence about Florida and Miami before deciding.

 

Smith is on the shorter end of the stick at 5’8.5”, but the kid can flat out fly. Ranked as the 57th-best receiver in the country, he has sub-4.5 speed and is a threat to score whenever the ball is in his hands. Heck, 247Sports’ Andrew Ivins gave Tyreek Hill as his NFL comparison. It is more than likely that OC Rhett Lashlee plans to line him up at the slot to get the most out of his playmaking ability. 

 

Speaking of the Palmetto 5, the Canes now await the decisions of five-stars DT Leonard Taylor and CB Jason Marshall, as well as S Corey Collier. Taylor is scheduled to announce on August 6th at 1 PM on CBS Sports, while Collier will announce on the 10th and as of right now, Marshall does not have a set date. Current commitment and four-star DT Saivion Collins will also make his final decision some time next month between Miami and Florida.

 

Stay tuned to Five Reasons Sports for your Miami Hurricanes coverage.

 

Marlins beat Phillies

Marlins Beat Phillies 11-6, Take Opening Series

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About 90 minutes before game time, a seismic rumble rolled through the Marlins clubhouse. Don Mattingly scratched Jose Urena from his scheduled start, and regular starters Harold Ramirez and Garrett Cooper were pulled as well. However, despite the uncertainty surrounding the club, the Marlins rallied to beat the Phillies, 11-6.

Miguel Rojas spurred the comeback, going 3-for-4 with a home run, triple, hit-by-pitch, three runs scored and four RBI. He fell a double shy of what would have been the first cycle for the Marlins franchise (4,306 games).

“It was a whole group of guys just relentless and not quitting,” said Rojas. “I’m so proud of the way we approached the day today. It was a weird day, a lot going on in the morning. This group of guys showed character.”

Rojas emphasized the team effort. “Everybody did their part to win the game.”

Marlins Bats Come Alive

The Marlins beat the Phillies thanks, in large part, to the bottom of the order. Rojas hit in the eight-hole. Isan Diaz (hitting seventh) went 2-for-5 with two runs scored. He made solid contact in two of his other at-bats in addition to the hits.

Magneuris Sierra, who made the 30-man roster over the likes of Monte Harrison and some of the other outfield prospects, demonstrated his value as well. Sierra (hitting ninth) went 2-for-3 with two RBI, a double, triple and walk. He played a great centerfield.

Most think Sierra made the team because his out of minor league options, but he does sport game-changing speed. Sierra hit .350 in 15 game after a September 3rd call-up last season.

New additions Corey Dickerson and Jesus Aguilar continued their hot start as Marlins. Dickerson went 2-for-5 with a towering home run in the sixth. He scored twice and drove in one. Aguilar hit his second homer of the season and finished 2-for-3 with two walks, an RBI and a run scored.

For the three game set, the Marlins hit five home runs, four doubles and two triples for 27 total hits and 17 runs.

Pitchers Played their Role

Robert Dugger made the surprise start in place of Urena. He learned about the change in the morning and called the moment “a shock. I had a little bit of time to mentally prepare. Everyone had confidence in me. You just got to adapt and be that guy for the team that day.”

Dugger surrendered a three-run home run to Bryce Harper in the first inning, but saw his teammates get all those runs back in the second. Dugger settled in to give up just one more run, ultimately going 3.1 innings.

Jordan Holloway, a 20th round pick for the Marlins in 2014, made his MLB debut. He walked his first batter but induced a deep fly ball out from Bryce Harper to register his first out. He gave up a pair of singles before coming out but did not surrender a run.

Holloway is the first pitcher to make the leap from Single-A since Jose Fernandez. He throws hard, working from 95-98 mph peaking at 100 with his fastball. In 2019, Holloway posted 93 strikeouts but 66 walks over 95 IP.

Seven pitchers went for Miami in this one. The Phillies managed baserunners often, but relievers only surrendered one run. Philadelphia loaded the bases in the fifth, six and eighth innings, but managed to push across just one run.

Walks continued to be an issue for the ‘pen, as they issued six free passes on the day. Luckily, none of the those walks came around to score for Philadelphia.

Marlins Beat Phillies Despite COVID Uncertainty

“It was a huge day for us,” Mattingly said. “Losing our starter, getting down four, the boys just bounced back. It would’ve been very easy to feel bad for yourself, so it’s was a big win from that standpoint.”

The Marlins changed their travel plans after the game and will stay in Philadelphia for the night. That decision is likely COVID-19 related, as the team awaits test results. Prior to the game Urena, Ramirez and Cooper were all pulled from the lineup, and while the team hasn’t confirmed this, several reports have surfaced that all three players have tested positive.

The Marlins already have Jorge Alfaro on the 10-day IL dealing with COVID related issues. Lewis Brinson and Matt Joyce did not work out with the team during summer camp and remain on the IL. Brinson has returned to workouts in Jupiter, as has prospect Jazz Chisholm, who also had a bout with COVID.

The team will fly home tomorrow to face the Baltimore Orioles. Pablo Lopez is scheduled to start for the Marlins. Asher Wojciechowski should go for Baltimore.

Since the Marlins beat the Phillies 11-6, they won the three-game series 2-1. It’s the first time since 2014 the Marlins have won the opening series of the season.

Miami Dolphins: Adam Shaheen arrival creates battle for second TE spot

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The Miami Dolphins  picked up a new tight end on Saturday night. The Chicago Bears traded Adam Shaheen to the Dolphins for a conditional 2021 six-round draft pick.

Shaheen was a second-round pick for Chicago in the 2017 NFL draft. In his Chicago Bears career, Shaheen played in 27 games, and recorded 249 yards and four touchdown catches.

This is certainly an interesting tight end competition for the Miami Dolphins. We all know that Mike Gesicki is undoubtedly the starter. However, there are some questions as to who will be the backup. By adding Shaheen into the fold, Miami has three tight ends who will now compete for the job. Durham Smythe and Michael Roberts will be the other two looking to fill the backup role.

This is a low-risk, high-reward get by Miami. Although he is known as more of a blocking tight end, he could provide some value in the passing game. Miami ranked in the middle of the pack in terms of tight end targets in 2019.  Gesicki had 89 while Smythe had 14

Shaheen could certainly win the backup job, as there wasn’t a ton of production in that area last season. At the very least, this gives Miami another potential red-zone weapon. At six-foot-six, 258 pounds, Shaheen could be an intriguing target. Now, he will have to differentiate himself in order to be a viable roster piece. Otherwise, he could be just another body in camp.

It will be interesting to see if his arrival creates a battle during training camp. This may be one of the more intriguing battles during camp, as the Miami Dolphins look to make a big leap in the 2020 season. After showing signs of promise last year, they figure to be able to make some noise in a revamped AFC East.

Marlins loss

Marlins Suffer Frustrating Loss to Phillies, 7-1

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The Miami Marlins came crashing down to earth after the high of Opening Day. Less than 24 hours after posting five runs on nine hits, including a homer and two doubles, Miami’s bats quieted against Zack Wheeler. The Marlins loss dropped them to 1-1 on the season.

Caleb Smith made his season debut but struggled to consistently find the strike zone. Smith labored through three innings. He surrendered six walks and a towering home run to Didi Gregorius. Of his 70 pitches, only 36 went for strikes.

Smith battled with baserunners all afternoon. He managed to minimize the damage with timely strikeouts, but his pitch total pushed him from the game after three.

“Obviously, not a lot was working,” Smith said via Zoom after the game. “Six walks in three innings is not acceptable. A horse-shit outing. I take full responsibility for that loss.”

Smith’s six walks matched a career high, but none of the batters he issued free passes to crossed the plate to score.

“He made some good pitches when he had to,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. “The walks hurt us. Put us on our heels all day long.”

All told, Marlins pitchers issued nine free passes to Phillies hitters.

“It could’ve been a lot worse,” Mattingly acknowledged. “You walk nine guys in this ballpark, and it could’ve been a lot worse. All the walks put us in a bad spot all day long.”

The opposite was true for his opponent. Wheeler commanded the strike zone throughout, registering four strikeouts and inducing four inning-ending double plays.

“He was pretty dominant all day,” Mattingly said of Wheeler.

Every time the Marlins seemed to be a on the verge of making an offensive push, Wheeler worked free. His four-seam fastball averaged 96.8 mph and he induced inning-ending double-plays in the first, second, fifth and sixth innings.

Marlins hitters struck out seven times in total, managed only one extra base hit and went 1-for-5 with runner-in-scoring-position.

Three Marlins Make Debut in Loss

Despite the Marlins loss, one bright spot this afternoon was the different debuts. Nick Neidert and Alex Vesia made their MLB debuts, and Stephen Tarpley made his first appearance with Miami. Of the three, Neidert proved to be the most successful.

The 23-year-old righty stands as the Marlins No. 10 overall prospect according to MLBPipeline. He entered in the fourth and tossed 2.1 scoreless innings from there. He gave up a hit and walk but kept the Marlins in the game.

Afterwards, Neidert called the debut “a dream come true. I’ve dreamed of this day since I was five years old. It was an amazing feeling. We didn’t get the win, and there’s always tomorrow, but it was a dream come true.”

Veisa followed Neidert in the sixth. He started his MLB career with a strikeout of Didi Gregorius, but subsequently walked Scott Kingery and surrendered a two-run homer to Phil Gosselin.

Ryne Stanek made his season debut and served up a three-run homer to J.T. Realmuto. In the eighth, Gosselin added a solo shot off Tarpley, who the Marlins acquired in December from the New York Yankees.

Miguel Rojas and Brian Anderson both contributed at the plate during the Marlins loss. Rojas went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Anderson went 1-for-2 with two walks and a run scored.

The Marlins will look to bounce back from this loss on Sunday afternoon. Jose Urena starts for Miami versus Vince Velasquez of the Phillies. First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 PM.

5 Key Moments from Post-Game Media Call with Spoelstra, Herro, Nunn

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After the Heat’s loss in Saturday’s scrimmage game, Tyler Herro and Kendrick Nunn spoke about different improvements they can make and their current health standpoint. Coach Erik Spoelstra also shared his opinion on this. Here’s what they had to say…

Post-Game Comment #1:

Erik Spoelstra talked about Tyler Herro’s impressive bounce back game today, which he said “He’s fearless.” This seemed to be true when he went up to try and dunk on Rudy Gobert early in the third quarter. Spoelstra also said that he continues to develop his skill level, which was proven true with his play-making ability today. Another aspect of his game that has shown major strengths is his rebounding. As he continues to round out his game, he continues to show signs of a superstar type player in this league, and it is evident Spoelstra thinks the same.

Post-Game Comment #2:

Spoelstra talked a little about the main problem that hurts this Miami Heat team, which is the point of attack defense. Spoelstra said “You nailed it on the head.” He knows the problem that they have defensively, which is why we see him try so many different schemes. No matter if it’s changing to zone or rolling with a new lineup, Spo is constantly adjusting to try and fix this. He also mentions how important it is, which was seen in the first half of today’s game. Donovan Mitchell would get right by one of the Heat’s guards and throw a lob to Rudy Gobert. This is what put the Heat in such a bad position early, and will happen again if they don’t fix it quick.

Post-Game Comment #3:

As mentioned previously, getting Tyler Herro these opportunities now, will benefit him so greatly in the future. Tyler says, “I feel comfortable,” when discussing running the offense for majority of his time in the game. The most important thing for a ball handler is comfortability and the most important thing for a shooter is confidence. Well, Tyler’s got both. Tyler also mentions that he’s still young and learning, which is why these scrimmages impact him more than any other player on the team. Especially with his eagerness to learn, Tyler will pick up on this quick and be a major threat come playoff time.

Post-Game Comment #4:

Tyler Herro talks about watching both Devin Booker and CJ McCollum in pick and roll situations. After Tyler was compared to Devin Booker coming out of the draft, it’s amazing to see how much more realistic this becomes the more he plays. He said, “Taking extra dribbles, making the right pass, getting off the ball early.” These are all things I’ve said he had improved on in today’s game alone. This is another instance of being comfortable. Their must be a certain level of confidence in your skill-set to make certain passes and dribble moves, which was seen today a lot.

Post-Game Comment #5:
Kendrick Nunn “Well it’s definitely a different kind of rhythm. By the first game of the season, I will have everything under control.”

Kendrick Nunn also got to talk with some media today after his first game back, which he discussed getting back into the swing of things. Kendrick said, “It’s a different kind of rhythm.” Well, it’s definitely a different kind of rhythm when you don’t pick up a basketball for four months. His stamina definitely didn’t seem to be a problem in today’s game, which Spoelstra mentioned yesterday was due to the fact that he put in so much work in May and June. Kendrick also said he thinks he will have everything under control by the first game of the season. This will be a very helpful addition for the Heat’s offensive firepower, but may be mixed in with different lineups then we saw today. Since some of those lineups did not have enough defense on the floor.

5 Takeaways from Heat’s Second Scrimmage Game

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The Miami Heat had an evening scrimmage game on Saturday, and they fell short, 101-99. The Heat were without Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo in this game, which was due to rest in preparation for the counting regular season games. Well, here’s what was seen in this game…

#1: Kelly Olynyk solidifying big minutes off the bench.

Kelly Olynyk’s spot in the rotation has been in question due to the Heat’s major depth. Well, Kelly proved he can definitely be utilized after he put up 27 points in today’s scrimmage. This was one of the major factors that the Heat were in this game, since the Heat’s starters struggled early. Kelly was a threat at all three levels on the offensive side of the ball, which then opened up the floor for guys like Jae Crowder. We know Kelly is capable of doing this on offense, but the question is consistency. If he can do this on a regular basis, he will be a major part of this Heat rotation.

#2: Tyler Herro bounces back after tough shooting game.

Tyler Herro was coming off of a game that struggled from beyond the arc. His shooting seemed to be back to mid-season form, but that’s not what stood out. What stood out was his play-making improvements. He seems to be getting much more comfortable with running the point, which is a role the Heat would love him to play. This has especially been the case at ends of games, when Tyler runs the offense and is the go to scorer. This is just a glimpse of what we can expect from Tyler in the next three years, where he may be the primary play-maker on the roster.

#3: Heat’s offense is choppy without Jimmy Butler.

Jimmy Butler took the day off on Saturday, after a hard practice the night prior. Something I mentioned after the first scrimmage game was how much more fluid the offense was when Jimmy was on the floor. This seemed pretty evident in this game since the offense was very choppy throughout, especially with the first unit. Though Tyler and Iguodala did a good job running the offense today, it just isn’t the same without Butler on the floor. Guys like Duncan Robinson and Meyers Leonard benefit when Jimmy is playing, since he constantly draws people in, which forces wide open threes. Don’t be alarmed by the tough scoring night by Miami, since this will be fixed quickly upon both Jimmy and Bam’s return.

#4: Turnovers become problematic for Heat rhythm.

The Heat seemed to make some mistakes throughout this game on both sides of the ball, but turnovers seemed to be a big one. We know the defensive mistakes that were made due to the lack of a defensively strong back-court. But, the offense will need to clean themselves up, especially in games that are tight down the stretch. This may be something else that falls under the Jimmy category without him running the offense, but there will be times without him on the floor, and they need to be trusted. This also may be due to the fact that most of the guys are trying to get back to their pre-hiatus form, but hopefully this won’t carry over into the regular season games.

#5: Heat’s bench unit seems to be Miami’s biggest advantage.

To end on a positive note, Miami’s bench unit seems to grow stronger and stronger every time they play. Between the Kelly Olynyk display, Jae Crowder shooting, and Tyler Herro play-making, it seems as if this will be the biggest match-up for other teams. At times it feels like the team is getting better once the bench enters, which is not the case for many other teams. Goran Dragic and Andre Iguodala are two other names off the bench that will impact this team, especially when the playoffs get going. Even Soloman Hill had good stretches throughout the game with his perimeter defense. As repeated over and over about this team, their depth is going to be a huge problem for opposing teams.

Marlins win

Alcantara Dominates, Leads to Marlins Win on Opening Day

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The Miami Marlins hadn’t won on Opening Day since 2014. The last time they did, Jose Fernandez took the mound for Miami and struck out nine Rockies en route to a 10-1 win. For the 2020 season, Sandy Alcantara toed the rubber, becoming the youngest Opening Day starter for Miami since Fernandez. His seven strikeouts were also the most since Fernandez’s nine in 2014. Alcantara’s performance helped spur the Marlins win.

Alcantara entered the game with a 3-1 with a 2.81 ERA versus the Phillies, including a 2-0 mark with a 1.32 ERA at Citizens Bank Park. He’s a breakout candidate for the Marlins this season and his performance on Friday showed why.

Over 6.2 innings pitched, Alcantara posted seven strikeouts, surrendering just three hits, two walks and one earned run. He induced seven ground-ball outs including one double play. He relied mostly on a fastball-changeup-slider combination and kept hitters off balance all night.

Alcantara particularly flummoxed the middle of Philadelphia’s lineup. He dominated Rhys Hoskins, Bryce Harper and J.T. Realmuto, keeping them 0-for-8 with four strikeouts and just one walk.

Marlins manager Don Mattingly pulled Alcantara from the game in the seventh after 87 total pitches.

“I was ready [to finish it],” Alcantara said after the Marlins win. “I see [Mattingly come to the mound] and I’m thinking ‘Oh my God. I’m done, but I don’t want to give him the ball. I want to be on the mound.’ But I respect his decision.”

“His stuff is overpowering, when he stays aggressive and attacks the strike zone,” Mattingly said. “Then we were able to get him some runs, which takes the pressure off and gives us some breathing room.”

New Additions Contributed to Marlins Wins as well

The breathing room for Alcantara came thanks to the Marlins offseason additions. Jonathan Villar‘s sac-fly in the third inning drove in the first run of the year for Miami. Then Jesus Aguilar broke a 1-1 tie in the sixth inning when he deposited an 0-2 breaking ball from Aaron Nola 409 feet away in left-center.

Corey Dickerson helped chase Nola from the game when he lined a double to right field three pitches later. Dickerson finished the game 2-for-4, scoring a run on a wild pitch in the sixth.

Francisco Cervelli, subbing in for Jorge Alfaro who landed on the 10-day IL prior to the game, played well, too. He registered the first hit and scored the first run of the year. Cervelli finished 1-for-3 with a walk and run scored. He called an excellent game for Alcantara.

The addition of the DH to the National League also paid dividends for the Marlins. In what would have been the pitcher’s spot, Miguel Rojas went 2-for-3 with a walk, stolen base and run scored. Garrett Cooper manned the DH spot went 1-for-4 with a two-out RBI double in the sixth inning.

“It’s good to get on the board,” Mattingly said of the Marlins win. “Feels like a big win, to be honest with you.”

The Marlins are back at it this afternoon at 4:05 PM. Caleb Smith starts for Miami versus Zack Wheeler. Smith was 10-11 with a 4.52 ERA and 168 K in 2019. He surrendered 33 HRs, which is something he’ll need to improve upon in 2020. In four career starts versus the Phillies, Smith is 1-2 4.50 ERA with 19 K over 18 innings pitched.

5 Main Comments from Media Availability with Spoelstra, Adebayo, Nunn

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Heat’s starters Kendrick Nunn and Bam Adebayo finally arrived to Orlando on Tuesday. And after 48 hours of quarantining, they’re back on the practice floor. After a light practice night for Kendrick and Bam, they got to talk with some media about both their readiness and this Heat team’s odds. Here’s what they had to say…

Post-Practice Comment #1:

Spoelstra began talking about the availability of Nunn and Adebayo in Saturday’s scrimmage game. He said “I’m open to it.” This definitely means that both Nunn and Adebayo showed good signs in practice in the bubble if they’re already ready for the games. Spo did also say that “They worked intelligently today in practice,” and mentioned that they put a ton of time in May and June which put them in this position. Both Bam and Nunn add a huge spark to their respective sides of the ball. With the addition of Nunn’s scoring and Bam’s defense, it’ll be interesting to see how they come back.

Post-Practice Comment #2:

Coach Spoelstra got asked about the fact that this environment may impact shooters in a much more positive way. He responded, “I believe in our shooters. Our shooters are elite.” This seemed to be evidently true in Wednesday’s scrimmage game against the Kings. Especially for Duncan Robinson. But Spo also added to this question saying that he’s actually heard the exact opposite about the shooting in this environment, but says, “I’ll take it.” Well, if it’s harder for some shooters, it definitely doesn’t apply to this Heat roster after what we saw in their first game back.

Post-Practice Comment #3:

Nunn began his discussion with media talking about the process of having Covid-19. He said he had mild symptoms and he feels pretty strong. Nunn also mentioned one of the biggest helps during this stretch was keeping in contact with Bam Adebayo since it was “the same routine trying to get over Covid.” But on the basketball side of things, Kendrick seemed pretty positive about his return to the court. He said he will definitely try to “persuade” Spo to let him play tomorrow. This will be a very big improvement to the offense, especially since it brings a guy who can attack the rim and control the mid-range, which is something we didn’t see on Wednesday.

Post-Practice Comment #4:

After Adebayo talked about his experience with Covid-19 as well, which he described as “boring,” he began to talk about this Heat teams odds. He says their goal doesn’t change just because they took some time off. He says, “Our ultimate goal is to win a championship, that’s the mindset.” That is the “mindset” of this team in general since that is pretty similar to what Jimmy Butler said about this team a few days prior. It’s great to hear Bam continue to have this mindset even with the many distractions he’s had to deal with. He said he felt scared today during practice since he hasn’t played.

Post-Practice Comment #5:

Adebayo got to talk about the expectation coming into the season for him and how that’s impacted him. He says, “Got my opportunity now I gotta produce.” That’s another great example of the “mindset” of this young star. He knows how good he can be, especially since the work ethic with him is no problem. Adebayo also says that the biggest motivation for him was the doubters that didn’t think he could be what he wanted to be.  He says, “I wanted to prove them wrong.” This is definitely what he did, since he wasn’t even looked at as a top 15 center coming into the season, and is now a top 5 center at only 23 years old. He ends his media session saying, “Alright everybody don’t forget, Black Lives Matter.” Though Bam says the ultimate goal is a championship, the real ultimate goal is to get this message across since it truly is “Bigger than Basketball.”

Canes commit

Local DE becomes first Canes commit for 2022

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One night after all the craziness following Canes commit James Williams’ joining to Manny Diaz and the Canes started to die down, coaches got a head start on the 2022 recruiting cycle from yet another local standout.

Jaamal Johnson announced his commitment to Miami on Thursday night. A three-star defensive end and the 26th-ranked strongside defensive end in his class, he becomes Miami’s first 2022 commit. 

He continues the Chaminade-Madonna to Coral Gables pipeline, as Miami added two Lions in the 2019 recruiting cycle (striker Keontra Smith and CB Te’Cory Couch) and they currently have two (DT Allan Haye and RB Thaddeus Franklin) committed in the current 2021 class. 

Johnson was last measured at 6’2”, 240 pounds. Although currently listed as a strongside defensive end, he could end up moving to the inside when it’s all said and done. 

Alongside Allan Haye, he was part of an outstanding defensive line that helped lead Chaminade to a 3A state title and he finished the season with 48 tackles and 8 sacks as a sophomore. 

Stay tuned to 5 Reasons Sports for all of your Canes commit coverage on and off the field.

 

Marlins breakout candidates

5 Marlins Breakout Candidates for 2020

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For the Miami Marlins, the 2020 season arrives with new faces and renewed hope. While not the normal spring beginning by any means, this optimism feels real and is largely tied to a number of potential Marlins breakout candidates.

The 2020 MLB season arrived last night in rainy Washington, D.C. For the Marlins, they’re a few hours north in Philadelphia awaiting their first tilt of the truncated season. The landscape of MLB transformed this year thanks to COVID-19, new rules and an eleventh-hour agreement to expand the playoffs. Everyone has a chance, and for Miami, their opportunity to break a 17-year postseason drought could be decided by a handful of players.

So here’s a look at five Marlins breakout candidates for the 2020 season.

Marlins Breakout Candidates: Sandy Alcantara

Miami’s Opening Day starter is 24-year-old Sandy Alcantara. A first-time all-star in 2019, Alcantara finished 6-14 with a 3.88 ERA, 151 strikeouts, 81 walks and two complete-game shutouts. His best work came over an 11-game stretch to end the season. Over his final 74.1 innings, Alcantara posted a 2.74 ERA and 1.05 WHIP with 62 strikeouts. He hit seven innings in seven of his last 11 starts.

“I think that’s the biggest thing in my life, being the Opening Day starter. I feel great about that,” Alcantara said. “I’m ready to go.”

In 2019, Alcantara went 2-1 with a 3.86 ERA versus Philadelphia. He sports a five-pitch arsenal which includes a solid fastball-sinker-slider combo. His changeup and curve are weapons versus lefties.

“His stuff is as good as anyone,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said recently. “I don’t care who you want to put out there. His stuff is as good as anyone’s.”

For the Marlins, if Alcantara can ascend to top-line starter level, the 2020 season will be a success.

“I think we’re going to surprise a lot of people,” Alcantara said. “They want me to be a leader. That’s what I’m trying to do. Keep preparing myself. Keep getting better. Become an ace.”

Marlins Breakout Candidates: Pablo Lopez

If the Marlins are going to contend for a playoff spot, they’ll need Pablo Lopez to make a leap. In 2019, Lopez sported a 4.23 ERA through mid-June, allowing four earned-runs or less in 13 of his 14 starts. But after he went down with strained right shoulder, he wasn’t the same pitcher.

Marlins pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre Jr. has been impressed by Lopez throughout the spring and summer, particularly considering the tragic passing of Lopez’s father recently. He said Lopez is the pitcher he’s “most excited about.” And Lopez has worked tirelessly to develop his game, adding a cutter to his arsenal, which already includes a top-level changeup.

Following an impressive performance during a simulated game last Thursday, Mattingly noted that it was “the best I’ve ever seen Pablo look as far as being that aggressive guy.”

Lopez also looked good against the Braves. He dispatched Ronald Acuna Jr., Ozzie Albies and Freddie Freeman on six pitches in the first inning of that game. Lopez will start the home opener versus the Baltimore Orioles next week.

Starting him in Marlins Park is a nod to Lopez’s struggles on the road in 2019, where he went 2-5 with a 7.36 ERA and 1.44 WHIP. At home, Lopez was much better, going 3-3 with a 3.39 ERA and 1.08 WHIP.

Marlins Breakout Candidates: Isan Díaz

The hype surrounding Isan Díaz seemed well worth it when he took Jacob DeGrom deep in his MLB debut. That memorable moment, though, was followed by uncharacteristic struggles at the plate for the 24-year-old. Díaz finished his first year in the Majors with a .173 batting average, five home runs and 23 RBI.

“There were a lot of things going on mentally,” Díaz said of the struggles. “I wasn’t allowing my ability to evolve in the game. Those are things that happen.

“I had a great group of guys here who told me to take it as a learning curve and come back ready for next year,” he said. “Here we are for this 2020 season and already there’s a big difference with how I’m mentally feeling and how I’m going at this. I think that last year’s failure actually is going to help me for this year.”

Mattingly sees Díaz as the team’s second baseman now and of the future. He said Díaz’s “track record show that he’s gonna hit.”

Díaz should find the addition of new bench coach/offensive coordinator James Rowson hugely beneficial. Díaz has raw power but was too patient as a rookie, falling behind often. He’s already demonstrated strides at the plate in the exhibitions versus Atlanta. Although he only had one hit and one walk, there were productive at-bats.

Marlins Breakout Candidates: Jorge Alfaro

The player who could enjoy the most gains from the addition of Rowson is Jorge Alfaro. The 27-year-old catcher flashed his potential with the bat in 2019, connecting on 18 home runs, 14 doubles and 57 RBI. What hurt Alfaro was a 38.4-percent swing-and-miss rate, a 48-percent chase rate and a 33.1-percent strikeout rate.

Rowson says he wants Marlins hitters to take “swings to do damage,” and Alfaro can certainly do that. He sported a 44.8 percent hard-hit rate (a ball with an exit velocity of at least 95 mph) last season.

Alfaro demonstrated the new aggressive approach on Tuesday when he punched the first pitch he saw over the leftfield fence at Truist Park. In the two games, Alfaro went 3-for-5 with a homer and two RBI.

He’ll also need to improve defensively. Alfaro posted the fourth-most errors by a catcher (11) and the third-most passed balls (11). He’ll be mentored this year by Francisco Cervelli, who’s well known for his defensive acumen.

Marlins Breakout Candidates: Brian Anderson

Although the Marlins added higher profile names to their lineup (Jesus Aguilar, Corey Dickersonand Jonathan Villar), Brian Anderson remains a key component to this offense. Anderson’s second year ended in August after a hit-by-pitch fractured his left hand. He slashed .261/.341/.468 with 20 home runs, 33 doubles and 66 RBI.

“I think he’s been getting better and better,” Mattingly said. “I think he’s got all the attributes. I’ve talked about him a lot from the standpoint of he sees the ball good and controls the strike zone. He’s got a good swing. He uses the whole field. Everything’s there in place.”

Anderson does have the tendency to get frustrated at the plate, evidenced by his 0-for-4 performance in the first exhibition versus the Braves. But Anderson bounced back with a solid 2-for-3 outing, including a double and run scored.

Adding Villar, Dickerson and Aguilar around Anderson should also provide the 27-year-old third baseman with lineup protection he’s never received in Miami.

“Those types of guys are definitely gonna make our lineup just more well-rounded and just tougher to pitch to,” Anderson said. “For me, I’m hoping that means I get more pitches to hit. It’s my job to make sure that I get those good pitches and I hit them.”

Recent reports indicate that Miami and Anderson have discussed a long-term contract extension.

“They’ve obviously given me an incredible opportunity here so I would love to stay here,” said Anderson, who the Marlins drafted in 2014 (third round).

“I love the direction that we’re going. I love getting to hear Derek talk about expecting to win,” he said. “That’s something that can grow and build and we can start making something special here.”