Marlins Lose Outfield Duo to Injuries Before Opening Day

All-Star Kyle Stowers and backup Esteury Ruiz to start season on injured list

Mar. 22, 2026 at 3:18pm

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The Miami Marlins will be without two key outfielders to start the 2026 MLB season, as All-Star left fielder Kyle Stowers and backup Esteury Ruiz were both placed on the injured list with hamstring and oblique injuries, respectively. Stowers is expected to miss 3-4 weeks, while Ruiz will be out 6-8 weeks.

Why it matters

The Marlins were counting on Stowers and Ruiz to anchor their outfield, and their absences create a significant hole in the lineup and defensive alignment to start the season. This puts pressure on the team's depth and could impact their early-season performance.

The details

Stowers suffered a grade 1 hamstring strain, while Ruiz strained his left oblique while swinging. The Marlins will likely turn to Connor Norby and Heriberto Hernández to fill in at left field, with Griffin Conine and other options also in the mix. The team is facing a tough opening day matchup against the Rockies and left-hander Kyle Freeland.

  • On Friday, both Stowers and Ruiz suffered their respective injuries in separate spring training games.
  • Stowers is expected to miss 3-4 weeks, while Ruiz will be out 6-8 weeks.

The players

Kyle Stowers

An All-Star left fielder for the Marlins who is expected to be a key building block for the franchise's future.

Esteury Ruiz

A backup outfielder for the Marlins who will miss significant time to start the season.

Connor Norby

A Marlins infielder who will likely see time in left field to start the season despite limited outfield experience.

Heriberto Hernández

A Marlins outfielder who played 38 games in left field last year as a rookie and is expected to see increased playing time.

Griffin Conine

A Marlins outfielder who has played 25 games over the past two seasons and could see more opportunities with the injuries.

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What’s next

The Marlins will need to determine their best outfield alignment to start the season, likely relying more on unproven options like Norby and Hernández until Stowers and Ruiz can return from their injuries.

The takeaway

The Marlins' outfield depth has been severely tested before the season even begins, putting pressure on the team to find creative solutions to fill the void left by the injuries to Stowers and Ruiz. Their early-season performance could hinge on how well they are able to weather this setback.