Our Noticias, 3/13/20: Marlins join the global sports hibernation

Marlins react to suspended Spring Training, delayed Opening Day

Awkward scene at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium Thursday afternoon. The Marlins played the Cardinals under conditions that Major League Baseball admitted during the game had put their safety and well-being at risk, as the coronavirus pandemic continues to spread.

See below for postgame reactions from Don Mattingly, Sandy Alcantara and others...

(Virtual) baseball never stops

Rule 5 Draft pick Sterling Sharp has partnered with Scout Scoops to set up a MLB The Show 20 charity tournament to be streamed on Twitch this Saturday and Sunday. Marlins teammates Jazz Chisholm and Aaron Northcraft are participating, too. Proceeds benefit African American youth in the Detroit metropolitan area.

Despite performing well in Grapefruit League competition (1.13 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, 9 K in 8.0 IP), the game has a harsh assessment of Sharp’s skill set.

Walk-off links

• The new Locked On Marlins podcast episode from Aram Leighton ponders how the mid-spring stoppage will affect key roster battles in Marlins camp.
• Tomi Korkeamaki examines the franchise’s past, present and future, comparing the Fish to a rising elevator.
• Jon Heyman updates the status of Yasiel Puig’s free agent market on the Big Time Baseball podcast. It had previously been reported that the Marlins showed interest in Puig months ago, and Heyman says here that he believes they made him an actual contract offer (presumably in December) before pivoting to Corey Dickerson. With such a crowded outfield competition at this point, Miami is no longer in pursuit.
• Ryne Stanek (lower back stiffness) is a big beneficiary of the delayed season. He still hasn’t been cleared to begin throwing, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports, which suggests that he would’ve very likely been placed on the injured list under normal conditions. With the revised Opening Day now at least one month away, Stanek should be good to go (assuming no setbacks).
• Former teammates and double play partners from 2018-2019, Miguel Rojas and Starlin Castro spent some quality time together Thursday night. Castro is one of the few players who might be grateful for a hiatus from baseball—he was batting 1-for-24 in Spring Training games for the Nationals.