Takeaways for Marlins from an extra-innings Opening Day loss

MIAMI -- During the Marlins’ surprising run in 2023, they led the Majors in one-run victories and finished third in the National League in walk-off wins. Miami seemed to pull off magic on a daily basis.

With a new season underway, neither of those things happened -- although there were plenty of chances -- in Thursday’s 6-5 loss to the Pirates in 12 innings at loanDepot park in front of 32,564.

“In a season where it's 162 games, not that big of a deal at all, I would say,” said Jesús Luzardo, who struck out eight batters over five innings in his first Opening Day start. “Obviously a little frustrating with how it went, going into extra innings Opening Day. Everyone wants to get a win, but it's a long season, and some guys might have had bad days today and might have career years. You can't put too much thought into one game. That's why they say it's a marathon, not a sprint.”

Rather than knee-jerk reactions, here are some reasonable takes after the season-opening loss -- Miami’s fourth straight.

Luis Arraez will be just fine

The reigning National League batting champion went hitless in six at-bats, marking his first career game with six-plus plate appearances and zero times reaching base. During the 2023 regular season, when Arraez had at least one at-bat and zero hits, Miami was 11-18. When he had at least one hit, the team went 66-52.

Keep in mind Arraez didn’t collect a hit until his seventh at-bat of the spring. He opened 1-for-16 before finishing Grapefruit League play batting .386.

“I don't think anybody's worried about Luis Arraez,” said Jake Burger, who had three RBIs. “He can wake up tomorrow and go 6-for-6. That's who he is. His energy is much needed in this clubhouse, and we love him, so nobody's really worried about Luis.”

If there’s anything to take away, it’s that Miami still managed to score five runs, though none after the fifth inning. The Marlins averaged 4.1 runs per game while tallying the NL’s lowest total in 2023. Two troublesome trends resurfaced: The lineup was outhomered, 3-0, and it grounded into three double plays after an MLB-high 159.

“If we keep taking good at-bats and score five runs a game, I think we'll be OK,” manager Skip Schumaker said.

? Neymar throws out first pitch at loanDepot park

The bullpen is a work in progress

The relief corps is usually the most volatile part of a club. Results don’t always carry over into the next season.

Schumaker had to pivot when right-hander George Soriano, who was expected to go two innings, recorded just one out and left with the bases loaded in the sixth. Lefty Andrew Nardi, one of MLB’s top firemen in 2023, got out of the jam but permitted a pair of runs in the seventh.

With right-handers Huascar Brazoban (visa issues), David Robertson (signed with Texas) and J.T. Chargois (IL), as well as left-handers Steven Okert (trade to Minnesota) and A.J. Puk (rotation) not around, Miami will need new faces to step up. The club saw the return of righties Anthony Bender and Sixto Sánchez after prolonged absences.

While Bender allowed an inherited run to score in the seventh in his first MLB appearance since Aug. 13, 2022, Sánchez looked sharp outside of a game-tying leadoff homer by Oneil Cruz in the eighth. It was Sánchez’s first MLB outing since Game 3 of the 2020 NL Division Series.

Newcomer Declan Cronin tossed two scoreless frames until Jared Triolo’s go-ahead two-out RBI single in the 12th.

“I'll have to look at the numbers, but felt like we were in a hole quite often,” said Schumaker, whose club had 44 percent first-pitch balls. “I think we just put ourselves in a hole and in hitters’ counts a little bit too much. But I think, again, we have 161 left. There's a lot of stuff to improve, but I'd say that after a win, too.”

Jazz Chisholm Jr. plans to use his wheels

After his second-inning walk, Chisholm went first to third on Burger’s single up the middle, which allowed him to score on Jesús Sánchez’s ensuing fielder’s choice. In the third, he scored from second on Burger’s single to left.

“Like I said before in Spring Training and probably for the last four years, I step on the field, it's ‘go,’” Chisholm said. “I'm going to go get it. I'm going to score from second on a normal base hit that guys probably get thrown out on or guys are going to stop. I'm here to play the game the way I play it, and that's the way I play it. I'm aggressive. I play it with fun and [I'm] kind of hostile out there, but you know, that's just how I play baseball.”