Sports
After Opening Day comeback, Marlins seek to defeat Pirates again
Mar 27, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Marlins left fielder Kyle Stowers (28) celebrates with teammates after hitting a walk-off single against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the ninth inning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images With four starting pitchers on the injured list, the Miami Marlins will turn to rookie right-hander Connor Gillispie on Friday night as they again host the Pittsburgh Pirates.
On Opening Day for both teams on Thursday, Miami earned a 5-4 walk-off win.
It will be the first major league start for Gillispie, 27.
After playing at VCU, he was Baltimore’s ninth-round pick in the 2019 MLB Draft. The Cleveland Guardians claimed him in December 2023 via the Rule 5 draft, and he went 0-0 with a 2.25 ERA in three MLB relief outings in 2024. He struck out eight and walked five in eight innings.
The Marlins signed him two months ago, and now he will get his big chance with Eury Perez, Edward Cabrera, Ryan Weathers and Braxton Garrett on the injured list. This will be his first appearance against the Pirates.
Weathers and Cabrera should return in April. Perez is expected back in mid-July, and Garrett is out for the year.
The Marlins also are missing two starting position players as right fielder Jesus Sanchez and third baseman Connor Norby likely are out about a month, as is right-handed reliever Declan Cronin. Lefty reliever Andrew Nardi landed on the 60-day IL on March 15.
But even with those eight players on the injured list and the lowest payroll in the majors at $67.9 million, the Marlins are off to a good start.
The Marlins trailed 4-2 in the eighth inning on Thursday before rallying. In the ninth, Nick Fortes tripled off the wall, and left fielder Kyle Stowers lined a walk-off single to give Miami manager Clayton McCullough his first MLB win.
“We’re a bunch of fighters,” Fortes said. “I know a lot of people have written our team off, but we don’t believe that. We know we have a lot talent, and we’re going to play hard every night.”
Stowers made his first Opening Day start.
“To battle like we did and come up with a win was fun,” he said.
The Pirates will start right-hander Mitch Keller on Friday, a day after young star Paul Skenes left his start in the sixth inning with a two-run lead that the bullpen — and the defense — couldn’t hold.
Keller, who will turn 29 next week, has spent his entire six-year career with the Pirates. In 133 games, including 131 starts, he is 36-50 with a 4.59 ERA. Last season, he started 31 games and finished 11-12 with a 4.25 ERA.
He has made six career starts against the Marlins, going 1-0 with a 3.38 ERA.
The Pirates hope to give Keller better support than what they showed on Thursday. Even though all five runs allowed by the Pirates were earned, catcher Joey Bart was charged with two passed balls, including one that allowed a run to score.
In addition, Pirates first baseman Endy Rodriguez was charged with a fielding error. Worse yet, center fielder Oneil Cruz — who played shortstop until making the switch late last season — made a couple of costly miscues.
In the eighth inning, he threw home, allowing a runner to advance to second base. That runner then scored as Miami tied Pittsburgh 4-4.
One inning later, Cruz misplayed Fortes’ shot to the wall into a triple, and that led to Stowers’ game-winning single.
“We didn’t play good enough defense,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said. “We had a lead late in the game, and we didn’t close it down.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Braves promote RHP Didier Fuentes, shuffle rotation
Mar 29, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves pitcher Didier Fuentes (72) pitches against the Kansas City Royals during the sixth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images The Atlanta Braves promoted right-hander Didier Fuentes from Triple-A Gwinnett to start Wednesday’s road game against the Washington Nationals.
Right-handed reliever Ian Hamilton was designated for assignment to make room on the roster for Fuentes.
The Braves pushed previously announced starter Martin Perez back to Thursday at Washington, giving fellow left-hander Chris Sale an additional day of rest before he takes the mound at home Friday against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Fuentes, who made his major league debut last season, started the season in the Atlanta bullpen before being sent down to Gwinnett to build up as a starter.
He had a 2.25 ERA in four major league innings with four strikeouts and one walk before he was sent down. In three Triple-A starts spanning 16 2/3 innings, he went 1-1 with a 2.16 ERA, 20 strikeouts and six walks.
Fuentes, who debuted three days after his 20th birthday last June, had a 13.85 ERA in four starts and 13 innings in 2025, allowing 20 earned runs on 23 hits. However, his 0.66 ERA, 18 strikeouts and one walk over 13 2/3 innings this spring helped him earn an Opening Day roster spot.
Hamilton, 30, allowed three runs in one inning of his Braves debut in Tuesday’s 11-4 loss to the Nationals. Over seven seasons with the Chicago White Sox (2018, 2020), Minnesota Twins (2022), New York Yankees (2023-25) and Braves, Hamilton is 6-6 with a 3.75 ERA over 151 1/3 innings.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Padres bolster rotation, sign RHP Lucas Giolito to 1-year deal
Sep 23, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Lucas Giolito (54) delivers a pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays in the first inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images Right-hander Lucas Giolito signed a one-year contract with the San Diego Padres on Wednesday.
Financial terms were not disclosed by the Padres, however there is a mutual option for the 2027 season. He’ll begin his major league buildup at Single-A Lake Elsinore, per MLB.com.
The addition of Giolito comes with San Diego nursing injuries to its starting rotation, namely right-hander Nick Pivetta (right flexor strain). Joe Musgrove (recovering from Tommy John surgery) and Griffin Canning (Achilles) have yet to make their respective season debuts, and fellow right-hander Yu Darvish is on the Padres’ restricted list while he recovers from elbow surgery.
Giolito, 31, posted a 10-4 record with a 3.41 ERA in 26 appearances (all starts) last season with the Boston Red Sox.
He is 71-66 with a 4.30 ERA over 206 appearances (204 starts) with the Washington Nationals (2016), Chicago White Sox (2017-23), Los Angeles Angels (2023), Cleveland Guardians (2023) and Red Sox (2025). He was selected by the Nationals with the 16th overall pick in 2012.
San Diego transferred right-hander Bryan Hoeing (elbow) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Wednesday to make room for Giolito on the 40-man roster.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Germany F Serge Gnabry (thigh) to miss World Cup
Jul 5, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; FC Bayern Munich forward Serge Gnabry (7) warms up before a quarterfinal match of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup against Paris Saint-Germain at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images Germany forward Serge Gnabry confirmed on Wednesday that he will miss the 2026 FIFA World Cup due to injury.
His pro club Bayern Munich announced on Saturday that Gnabry, 30, had torn the adductor muscle in his right thigh.
“The last few days have been tough to process,” he posted on Instagram. “A Bayern season which still holds much to play for after securing another Bundesliga title on the weekend.
“As for the World Cup dream with Germany … That’s sadly over for me. Like the rest of the country, I’ll be supporting the boys from home. Now it’s time to focus on recovery and getting back for pre-season.”
Gnabry recorded eight goals and six assists this season for the Bundesliga champions in 2025-26, his eighth season with Bayern Munich.
Internationally, Gnabry has scored 26 goals in 59 caps since making his debut for Germany in 2016. He started every World Cup qualifier and two friendlies in March leading up to this summer’s tournament in North America.
Germany is No. 10 in the latest FIFA world rankings. The four-time World Cup champions are in Group E along with Curacao, Ivory Coast and Ecuador. Their opening match is against Curacao on June 14 in Houston.
–Field Level Media
Braves promote RHP Didier Fuentes, shuffle rotation
Padres bolster rotation, sign RHP Lucas Giolito to 1-year deal
