Colorado @ Miami preview
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Last Meeting ( Aug 29, 2024 ) Miami 12, Colorado 8
The Colorado Rockies and Miami Marlins will look to former shortstops transitioning to second base to help turn things around when the clubs begin a three-game series Monday night in Florida.
Orlando Arcia has made the most of his two starts for the Rockies since being signed off the scrap heap last week, including his first home run of the season in Sunday's 5-3 road loss to the New York Mets.
Arcia, who was released by the Atlanta Braves on May 25, had a successful Rockies debut last Wednesday when he went 2-for-3 as the starting designated hitter in a 2-1 loss in Chicago to the Cubs.
He then watched the Rockies run their losing streak to seven before reappearing in the lineup, this time at second base, in the series finale against the Mets on Sunday. His home run gave Colorado a 1-0 lead in the third inning.
Arcia, who was hitting .194 in 14 games for the Braves this season, has gone 3-for-6 for the Rockies, whose loss Sunday was their eighth in a row.
A 2023 All-Star with Atlanta in a season in which he hit .264 with 17 home runs, the 30-year-old both thanked the Braves and applauded the Rockies during the transition between teams last week.
"I'm very grateful and thankful for the opportunity they gave me to play there. I learned a lot," Arcia said of his five seasons with the Braves. "It's always hard when you don't play every day to put up numbers, All-Star numbers. But now I'm here (with the Rockies). I'm going to be open and available for everything."
If the former shortstop gets another start Monday night, it would come against Marlins right-hander Max Meyer (3-4, 4.53 ERA), a third-year major-leaguer who has faced the Rockies just once. The Marlins lost that game 8-2 at Colorado last August, with Meyer allowing five runs (four earned) in five innings.
The Rockies are scheduled to counter with righty German Marquez (1-7, 7.13), who has pitched well in his last two starts, allowing just four runs (three earned) in 13 innings against the Philadelphia Phillies and Cubs. Colorado lost the games 2-0 and 4-3 in 11 innings.
The 30-year-old has made seven lifetime starts against the Marlins, going 3-3 with a 5.05 ERA.
Marquez can expect to see Xavier Edwards atop the Miami lineup as the team's new second baseman, having been moved off of shortstop. He collected a career-best five hits in Sunday's 4-2 loss to the San Francisco Giants.
Edwards was making his first start since going on the injured list on May 14 with a strained back.
The five hits also tied a Marlins franchise single-game record.
"It's good to be back," Edwards declared after his historic performance, which featured a double and four singles. "(I feel) great. I've played (second base) the last five years, most of my early career. I'm comfortable there and looking forward to it."
The Rockies and Marlins are meeting for the first time this season. They will begin play Monday with the most (Rockies, 50) and sixth-most (Marlins, 34) losses in the majors.
--Field Level Media