MIAMI -- Xavier Edwards … slugger?
The Marlins caused double takes by inserting contact hitter Edwards into the cleanup spot of Monday night’s 5-3 victory over the Cardinals at loanDepot park.
So often the tablesetting leadoff batter, Edwards has hit behind Jakob Marsee or further down in the order against lefty starters in 2026. For Monday’s series opener, manager Clayton McCullough slotted 2025 All-Star Kyle Stowers in the No. 2 spot in his second game back from the injured list, moving Edwards down to fourth -- a spot typically reserved for power bats -- for the first time in his career.
After grounding out to first to open the second inning, Edwards returned to the plate with Stowers at second with two outs in the fourth. Miami trailed 1-0 and had yet to pick up a hit.
The switch-hitting Edwards got a hold of righty Michael McGreevy’s four-seamer over the heart of the plate, sending it to the left-center gap. The ball hopped off the warning track and over for a game-tying RBI double.
Miami then took the lead in the fifth on Agustín Ramírez’s solo shot over the left-center-field wall, but his passed ball scored the game-tying run in the sixth.
When the Marlins recaptured the lead in the bottom half of the frame on middle-infield partner Otto Lopez’s RBI double, Edwards followed with a walk. He did, however, get thrown out trying to score from first on Liam Hicks’ RBI single, which had temporarily trickled away from center fielder Victor Scott II.
Lopez entered Monday with the highest fWAR (1.2) among qualifying Major League shortstops.