Focused on adaptability, Marlins extend tear

In this unprecedented and unpredictable 60-game season, the Marlins have made 60 roster moves since the season began on July 24. Even with such a high turnover of players, manager Don Mattingly’s club is building an identity: it’s extremely adaptable.

Perhaps out of necessity, the Marlins have the ability to adjust seemingly from game to game, inning to inning. On Friday, they did it again, relying on an old formula of pitching, speed and defense, as they tripped up the Braves, 8-2, in the Marlins Park opener.

“You've got a bunch of grinders,” said left fielder Matt Joyce, who made two standout defensive plays. “You've got a bunch of fighters. You also have a bunch of guys that are having fun.”

• Box score

Pablo López established a career high with eight strikeouts in six innings. Jon Berti swiped home as part of a double steal with Jonathan Villar, and Magneuris Sierra stole a bag, too. Third baseman Brian Anderson made a run-saving defensive play on Marcell Ozuna to end the fifth inning, and Joyce made a sliding, backhanded grab to deny Johan Camargo of an extra-base hit.

“A well-rounded game for us,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. “We kind of got contributions from all over the place.”

Creating havoc on the bases, the Marlins stole four bases for the second straight game. It’s just the third time in club history and the first since April 17-19, 2003, that they’ve swiped four bags in back-to-back games.

“Speed is a difficult thing to deal with,” Mattingly said. “When you have speed, it just puts a little bit of pressure everywhere. But it's back to the same thing -- you can't have guys steal first. You have to have guys who can get on base, who can hit, and then you can use that speed.”

The Marlins (9-4) remain in first place in the National League East, ahead of the second-place Braves (11-10).

“They’re footloose and fancy free right now,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said of the Marlins. “They’re taking the extra base. They all run. They do a lot of things. It’s a good club. You’ve got to make pitches. You can’t walk them because they go from first to third, they score from first on a double, they do all the little things.”

Showing their roster versatility and player flexibility, the Marlins grinded out at-bats, especially in a two-run third inning, when they induced 40 pitches from Kyle Wright.

After successive last-place finishes in the NL East, the Marlins are eager to show they can play with anyone in the division. The Braves are the reigning NL East champs, and Miami is treating this shortened season as a playoff race.

• Notes: Mattingly discusses pending return of starters

So far, Miami is out in front.

“For us, right now, everything that the team has been through, man, you just go out [and play],” Joyce said. “You try to put it all behind you. You play the game. You play it hard, and you play it the way you know how to play it and see where you end up. Right now, we're on a good roll, and we're having fun doing it.”

Miami’s 2020 opener at Marlins Park came after the club spent 23 straight days on the road, due to a revised schedule after the club was hit hard by a COVID-19 outbreak. Originally, July 27 was supposed to be the club’s first game at its retractable-roof building. Friday marked the first regular-season game played with the ballpark’s new playing surface, the state-of-the-art B1K: Batting A Thousand by Shaw Sports Turf.

The other significant change from a year ago is the outfield fences, which were altered in center and right-center field. The dimensions are now 400 feet in center, compared to 407 feet a year ago, and 387 feet in right center, which was previously 399 feet.

The changes had no impact on Travis d’Arnaud's first at-bat. Just four pitches into the game, d’Arnaud unloaded on López’s 93.7-mph fastball and blasted a home run to left-center. According to Statcast, the drive was projected at 431 feet, with an exit velocity of 103.9 mph.

The Marlins didn’t hit a homer, instead making things happen with their legs. The bottom of the order, hitters Nos. 6-9, went 6-for-13 with seven runs scored.

“The aggressiveness on the basepaths, that's a great weapon,” López said. “Not only to help score runs, but you also put a lot of pressure on the pitcher. It was a really fun game, all around. I'm really proud and happy for my teammates.”