Puerto Rico set one of Marlins' 2020 highlights
MIAMI – The Marlins will be returning to one of their homes away from home in 2020, when they will be the host team against the Mets for a three-game series in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association announced Monday that Miami will be the home team on April 28-30, 2020, at Hiram Bithorn Stadium.
Facing the Mets in Puerto Rico is among the highlights of the Marlins’ 2020 schedule, which was announced on Monday.
Opening Day for Miami will be on March 26 at 4:10 p.m. ET against the Phillies at Marlins Park. It’s the first time the Marlins will start off with Philadelphia since 2003.
Miami’s Interleague schedule will be against the American League West. The Angels (April 14-15), Mariners (June 5-7) and Rangers (July 7-9) will visit Marlins Park. And Miami will travel to Oakland (June 29-July 1) and Houston (Sept. 1-3). The annual Citrus Series with the Rays will feature two games in Miami (Sept. 8-9) and two at Tropicana Field (July 28-29) in St. Petersburg.
Traveling to Puerto Rico will be a showcase series and provide another opportunity to expand the Marlins’ brand.
The Marlins and Mets are no strangers to squaring off on the island. They faced each other at Hiram Bithorn in 2010.
It also will mark the fourth time that both franchises will play in Puerto Rico.
The Marlins also made trips to San Juan to face the Montreal Expos in 2003 and ‘04. Before the Expos moved to Washington D.C., and became the Washington Nationals, they had partial residency in Puerto Rico.
“It’s an honor for the Marlins to represent Major League Baseball in this special series against the Mets,” Marlins chief executive officer Derek Jeter said in a statement. “Miami serves as the gateway to the Caribbean and Latin America, and we are grateful for the chance to showcase the new Miami Marlins organization to our neighbors in Puerto Rico. We are looking forward to the opportunity to celebrate Puerto Rico’s rich baseball heritage and passion for the game and continue our mission to grow the game of baseball in our community while fostering the shared love for our national pastime.”
The last time the Marlins played a regular-season game at a neutral site was on July 3, 2016, when they took on the Braves at the United States military base in Fort Bragg, N.C.
MLB last played regular-season games in Puerto Rico in 2018, when the Indians hosted the Twins for a two-game series. Hiram Bithorn also was the site of the 2001 season opener of the Rangers and Blue Jays. The Expos played a total of 43 games in San Juan in 2003 and ‘04.
Added Mets chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon in a statement: “Puerto Rico has a rich baseball history and passionate baseball fans. We are honored to represent the Mets and Major League Baseball, and are looking forward to returning to Puerto Rico and play the Marlins in 2020.”
San Juan also has hosted numerous World Baseball Classic games, being the host to first- and second-round matchups in 2006, ‘09 and ‘13.
The Marlins 2020 schedule also will feature some home game time changes. For Monday-Thursday games at Marlins Park in April, May and September, the start time will be 6:40 p.m. ET. For most Saturday games in Miami, the first pitch will be 6:10 p.m. ET.