JUPITER, Fla. -- On a youthful Marlins roster, Curtis Granderson and Martín Prado are a couple of experienced veterans with a combined 28 years of Major League service time.
But until Saturday, neither had seen action in the first week of Grapefruit League games. That changed against the Cardinals, with Granderson leading off as the designated hitter and Prado hitting second and playing first base for Miami in a 4-3 loss at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium.
Just being on the field for the first time made it feel like an Opening Day of sorts.
“The plan literally was just making it through today,” Granderson said. “Feel good. Be ready, and go. I felt I did that. I’m not too worried, one way or the other, if I was 0-for-2 or 2-for-2. I just wanted to make it through. I set a goal for today, accomplished it, and now come back tomorrow.”
Granderson, who turns 38 on March 16, went hitless in two at-bats, capping a seven-pitch at-bat with a groundout to first to lead off the game. And in the fourth inning, he lifted a fly ball to right.
Prado, 35, also went 0-for-2 with a groundout to third and a fly out to right. Considering he missed all of last September, just being in a game was a big first step in getting ready for Opening Day.
“Awesome,” Prado said. “Exciting. It’s been a long process.”
Prado appeared in 54 games in 2018, missing substantial time due to hamstring, quad and oblique injuries.
Granderson was held back until Saturday due to some right calf soreness.
On Sunday, both are scheduled to participate in a simulated game, and both will be back Monday against the Nationals at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium.
“I think the team has been really patient with me,” Prado said. “With the transition to first base, and to be able to adapt myself to a new position once again, it was huge for me, and I’m really thankful that they have that kind of patience with me at this stage when they’re trying to build a team. I just want to be out there and healthy, that’s all.”
Putting hitters away
Starter Jose Urena worked at a brisk pace Saturday, showed command of his pitches and maintained his fastball velocity at 95 mph and above. It’s the finer points of pitching that Miami’s Opening Day starter is still polishing up.
Urena worked 2 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on four hits with three strikeouts. The line is a little misleading, because a triple to right field by Randy Arozarena was a fly ball that Peter O’Brien struggled with in the wind.
More than the line, Urena’s focus on Saturday was doing a better job of putting away hitters. The Cardinals grinded out some long at-bats, and Urena exited after 51 pitches.
“It was pretty good,” Urena said. “Better than the first one. My tempo was good. Everything was there. I worked on my slider and curveball to both parts of the zone.”
Added Mattingly: “They gave him some long at-bats. We’re working on how to better put guys away, and be able to shorten that. So it’s not foul ball, foul ball. Different looks. It’s something we keep talking about.”
Gonzalez among roster moves
Merandy Gonzalez was tentatively scheduled to pitch in relief on Saturday. But during the game, the 23-year-old right-hander was informed he had been claimed off waivers by the Giants.
Gonzalez was acquired by the Marlins from the Mets in July of 2017 as part of the AJ Ramos deal. He appeared in eight games with one start for Miami in 2018, going 2-1 with a 5.73 ERA in 22 innings. At Double-A Jacksonville, he made 14 starts and was 3-6 with a 4.32 ERA.
The Marlins’ 40 man-roster is now at 39.
The club also announced catcher BJ Lopez was reassigned to Minor League camp, and catcher Nick Fortes was added to big league camp as a non-roster invitee.
“With the roster, we thought we were going to have to make a move,” Mattingly said. “You hate to lose Merandy, but again, we were trying to get him through.”
Up next
Dan Straily gets the starting nod for the Marlins against the Braves on Sunday at 1:05 p.m. ET in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Straily is expected to go three innings. Lefty Adam Conley also is scheduled to pitch. Atlanta counters with left-hander Sean Newcombe.