Top 10 performances by Marlins in the All-Star Game

Whether or not he’ll get to pitch on Tuesday night remains to be seen, but starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara will be the Miami Marlins’ lone representative in Cleveland for the 2019 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.

Over the years, the Marlins have had a number of different All-Stars. The time on the field for some was longer than for others, but starters and reserves alike have performed admirably in competition with baseball’s best talent.

Here’s a look at the 10 all-time best performances by Florida/Miami Marlins in the All-Star Game.

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10. Mike Lowell, 3B

July 15, 2003 in Chicago

Stats: 1-for-1, double

During what would be a world championship year for the Florida Marlins, third baseman Mike Lowell was one of three Marlins to make the All-Star Game at U.S. Cellular Field. Lowell made just one plate appearance, but made the most of it with a ground-rule double in the sixth inning off Mark Mulder. The National League would fall 8-7 on a late home run by Hank Blalock. Few would have guessed it at the time, but that blast would cost the Marlins home-field advantage in the World Series.

9. Luis Castillo, 2B

July 12, 2005 in Detroit

Stats: 1-for-3, run scored

In 10 years with the Florida Marlins, Luis Castillo made three All-Star teams, but only had one hit in the Mid-Summer Classic. That came in 2005 as he went 1-for-3. Down 7-0 in the seventh, Castillo would single off Kenny Rogers and come around to score the first run for the National League on a two-run homer by Andruw Jones on the very next at-bat The American League held on for a 7-5 victory.

8. J.T. Realmuto, C

July 17, 2018 in Washington, DC

Stats: 0-for-0, two walks, run scored

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The only position player on the list without a hit, catcher J.T. Realmuto reached base in his only two plate appearances in last year’s All-Star contest by drawing a pair of walks.

The National League trailed 5-3 with one out in the bottom of the ninth when Realmuto was able to draw a five-pitch walk from Edwin Diaz and bring the tying run to the plate. Scooter Gennett proceeded to lift a two-run homer to right field to tie the game at five and force extra innings. The American League would ultimately prevail in 10 by an 8-6 score.

7. Bryan Harvey, P

July 13, 1993 in Baltimore

Stats: One inning pitched, one hit allowed, two strikeouts

The first Marlin ever to pitch in the All-Star Game, Bryan Harvey made the most of his opportunity in the 1993 Mid-Summer Classic. Harvey did surrender a hit to Frank Thomas, but worked a scoreless ninth while striking out both Carlos Baerga and Juan Gonzalez. The National League lost the contest, 9-3.

6. José Fernández, P

July 16, 2013 in New York

Stats: One inning pitched, no hits allowed, two strikeouts

The first Marlins’ rookie pitcher to make the All-Star Game since Dontrelle Willis in 2003, 20-year-old Jose Fernández showed no signs of being intimidated by the big stage in the Big Apple. Called on to work the sixth inning, Fernández needed just 13 pitches to retire the American League in order. Fernández got Dustin Pedroia looking to start the inning before getting Chris Davis swinging to end it. Sandwiched between those two hitters, Fernández induced a pop-up off the bat of former Marlins’ star and future Triple Crown winner, Miguel Cabrera.

The American League did win the game, 3-0.

5. Marcell Ozuna, OF

July 12, 2016 in San Diego

Stats: 1-for-2, RBI

A starter in the 2016 All-Star Game, Marcell Ozuna would drive in the game’s final run in a 4-2 victory for the American League. After striking out looking in the second inning, Ozuna pulled the National League to within two in the top of the fourth with an RBI single to center off Aaron Sanchez to score Buster Posey. It was the first RBI for a Marlin in the All-Star Game since Miguel Cabrera’s RBI groundout in 2005 and the first RBI hit since 1995.

4. Mike Lowell, 3B

July 9, 2002 in Milwaukee

Stats: 2-for-3, run scored

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The 2002 All-Star Game marked Mike Lowell’s first as a member of the Florida Marlins and his second appearance on this list. During the controversial 7-7 tie in 11 innings in Milwaukee, Lowell became the first Marlin since the team’s inaugural season to have multiple hits in the All-Star Game. Lowell finished with singles off Kazuhiro Sasaki in the seventh and Freddy Garcia in the 10th. Lowell would come around to score on an RBI single by Lance Berkman in the seventh to give the National League a 7-6 lead. Lowell also flied out to right field in the contest.

3. Hanley Ramírez, SS

July 15, 2008 in New York

Stats: 2-for-3, run scored

The first member of the Marlins to ever lead off an All-Star Game, Hanley Ramirez would become just the third Florida player ever to have multiple hits in the Mid-Summer Classic. Ramirez struck out against Cliff Lee to open the 2008 game, but singled off Joe Saunders in the third inning and off Justin Duchscherer in the sixth. Ramirez would come around to score in the sixth inning on a sacrifice fly by Lance Berkman to give the National League a 2-0 lead. The American League would win in 14 innings, 4-3.

2. Gary Sheffield, 3B

July 13, 1993 in Baltimore

Stats: 2-for-3, two-run home run

A late-June acquisition from the San Diego Padres in the inaugural season for the Florida Marlins, Gary Sheffield became the first player in franchise history to step to the plate in the All-Star Game when he faced Mark Langston in the top of the first inning. On a 1-2 pitch, Sheffield hammered Langston’s pitch over the left-field wall for a two-run home run. The blast gave the National League a 2-0 lead, but unfortunately, it would add just one more run for the evening in a 9-3 loss. As for Sheffield, he also singled to left field in the sixth.

1. Jeff Conine, OF

July 11, 1995 in Arlington

Stats: 1-for-1, solo home run

In his second All-Star Game appearance and first All-Star Game at-bat, Jeff Conine would play the role of hero for the National League in 1995. With the score knotted 2-2 in the eighth inning, Conine was called upon to pinch hit to lead off the frame and blasted a 2-2 pitch from Steve Ontiveros over the left field wall for the game’s final run in a 3-2 win for the National League. The NL managed just three hits, but all were solo home runs as Craig Biggio and Mike Piazza also left the yard. Conine became the first and still the only member of the Marlins ever to win All-Star Game MVP honors.