The Rockies and Marlins, Major League Baseball’s 1993 expansion franchises, will begin their 34th seasons with contrasting expectations.
The Marlins, who saw a 17-win improvement in 2025 and didn’t get eliminated from the postseason until a handful of games remained, believe they will take that next step and shock the baseball world in ’26.
“Capable to clinch,” Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara said. “I know last year I wasn't doing my best, but I feel happy about the way that my teammates were competing out there against any team. … Hopefully this year, we do better than last year, and we can clinch to the playoffs and win a World Series.”
The Rockies would love an improvement similar to what the Marlins experienced last year. It would take 20 additional wins to get below 100 losses – a level they have experienced the last three years.
The team improved the experience level by trading for outfielder Jake McCarthy and infielder Edouard Julien, and signing multipositional player Willi Castro and pitchers Jose Quintana and Tomoyuki Sugano. But progress will be measured in steps toward a future, meaning how younger players come along.
“I like what we’ve got,” Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer said. “It seems to be a really good starting point for us, and they're meshing as a team. I'm excited to see what they got.”
Here is everything you need to know about Opening Day:
When is the game and how can I watch it?
First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET/5:10 MT. It will be the first Friday night season opener in loanDepot park history.
Rockies: This will be the third season that fans can watch games on Rockies.TV on streaming, satellite and cable, or in the MLB app. For more information, visit here. Additionally, all Rockies games will be broadcast on the KOA Rockies Radio Network (850 AM/94.1 FM, and affiliates).
Marlins: Beginning this season, subscribers can watch games on Marlins.TV on cable, satellite or in the MLB app. For more information, visit here. The game can also be heard on the radio on WQAM 104.3 FM or WAQI 710 AM.
All out-of-market games are available live or on demand in the US on MLB.TV (subject to blackouts and other restrictions). Live games are also available in select countries outside the US. A full list of available games can be found here.
Who are the starting pitchers?
Rockies: LHP Kyle Freeland
Previous Opening Days starts: 2019, '22, '24-25
2025 season: 5-17, 4.98 ERA in 31 starts
The Rockies’ three-game sweep of the Marlins last June ranks as the high point of a difficult year. In the finale of that series, Freeland went 6 1/3 strong innings with four strikeouts in a 3-2 victory. During Spring Training, Freeland extended his pitch mix with a cutter and a changeup as he tries to build on his strong finish to last season.
Marlins: RHP Sandy Alcantara
Previous Opening Day starts: 2020-23, ’25
2025 season: 11-12, 5.36 ERA in 31 starts
Alcantara’s return from Tommy John surgery didn’t go as planned, but he finished strong with a 2.68 ERA over his final eight starts in 2025. The Marlins have gone 2-3 in his season-opening starts despite him sporting a 2.57 ERA, though they won in walk-off fashion last year.
What might the starting lineups look like?
Rockies
- Jake McCarthy, LF
- Willi Castro, 2B
- Hunter Goodman, C
- Mickey Moniak, DH
- Ezequiel Tovar, SS
- Brenton Doyle, CF
- Jordan Beck, RF
- TJ Rumfield, 1B
- Kyle Karros, 3B
Schaeffer is big on matchups at the start of games, and is not afraid of aggressively making moves during games. How Schaeffer sets things up in the opener will be interesting, since there is not much history and very little success against Alcantara. It’s possible that Schaeffer may go with Julien’s experience and quality of at-bat over Rumfield against Alcantara, but no decision has been made.
Marlins
- Jakob Marsee, CF
- Agustín Ramírez, C
- Heriberto Hernández, DH
- Christopher Morel, 1B
- Xavier Edwards, 2B
- Otto Lopez, SS
- Javier Sanoja, LF
- Connor Norby, 3B
- Owen Caissie, RF
The Marlins will be without All-Star Kyle Stowers, who strained his right hamstring late in camp. With the Rockies sending Freeland to the mound, Miami will likely roll with their right-handed-heavier lineup to play matchups. Due to injuries and the World Baseball Classic, the club was unable to field a potential opening lineup this spring. Left-handed-hitting Caissie and switch-hitting Edwards could drop in the order, and the right-handed-hitting Sanoja could be an option in the outfield.
How might the bullpens line up after the starter?
Rockies: Schaeffer is entering the year planning to match up with some strong arms late in the game, and isn’t naming a closer. Right-handers Seth Halvorsen, Zach Agnos and Victor Vodnik all have had closing stints, and righty Juan Mejia is capable. Brennan Bernardino enters the year as the only lefty. Righties Antonio Senzatela and Chase Dollander are long relievers.
Marlins: Right-hander Pete Fairbanks, whom Miami signed to a franchise-record deal, will finish the majority of the games this season for the club. If the highest-leverage situation is in the eighth, however, that might be when he appears. Righties Calvin Faucher and Anthony Bender return as the top setup men. Southpaws John King and Andrew Nardi will be called upon to face tough lefty bats.
Any injuries of note?
Rockies: Infielder/outfielder Tyler Freeman looked doubtful to start the season because of recurring back soreness. First baseman Blaine Crim, expected to be the right-handed complement to Rumfield, sustained a left oblique injury in camp and will begin the year on the injured list.
Marlins: Stowers (Grade 1 right hamstring strain) and outfielder Esteury Ruiz (high-grade left oblique strain) will begin the season on the injured list. Infielder Graham Pauley played defense once, in the Grapefruit League finale, due to his barking right forearm.
Who’s hot and who’s not?
Rockies: Tovar earned World Baseball Classic All-Tournament honors with Venezuela and Castro was hitting .522 going into Monday's game. They are expected to be lineup leaders. Halvorsen, the closer for much of last season, struggled through much of the spring as he experimented with a split-finger pitch (which he scrapped) and a two-seam fastball (which he found workable).
Marlins: Norby went 7-for-16 (.438) with five runs, one double, one homer and two RBIs over his final six Grapefruit League games. Morel hit .150 (6-for-40) with just one extra-base hit, five walks and 13 strikeouts this spring.
Anything else fans might want to know?
- If he starts, Rumfield will be the first Rockies rookie to make his debut in an Opening Day start since Trevor Story, who homered twice off the Diamondbacks’ Zack Greinke in the 2016 opener.
- The Marlins are 13-20 all-time on Opening Day, and 2-8 at loanDepot park.
- In their previous Opening Day meetings, Miami won 10-1 in 2014, while Colorado won 6-3 in ’19.
- The first 25,000 fans in attendance will receive a Stowers bobblehead presented by ADT and a 2026 magnet schedule presented by loanDepot.
- Fans should stick around following the final out for a postgame fireworks show.