The Miami Marlins got a needed bat back Monday, activating first baseman/outfielder Kyle Stowers from the 10-day injured list ahead of their three-game interleague series against the Boston Red Sox at loanDepot park.
Stowers started at first base and hit third in the lineup. The 28-year-old had been sidelined since a Grade 1 left hamstring strain suffered Aug. 9 against the Los Angeles Angels.
He came up limping after rounding first on a two-run single in the fifth inning of that game. Miami placed him on the IL on Aug. 11, retroactive to Aug. 10.
He missed just over two weeks and did not go on a minor-league rehab assignment. Instead, he worked on hitting off a spin-ball machine to mimic game pitches. Stowers said he felt better this time than during his earlier absence.
A right hamstring strain in spring training delayed his 2026 debut until April 19.
Stowers entered Monday hitting .242 with 16 home runs and 52 RBIs in 94 games. He had been one of Miami’s more productive hitters since June, with 13 homers and an .867 OPS over 57 games before the injury.
Last season, he earned his first All-Star selection after a breakout year with the Marlins. Originally drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the second round in 2019, he has hit .249 with 47 homers and 160 RBIs in 328 career games.
In a corresponding roster move, Miami optioned infielder Deyvison De Los Santos to Triple-A Jacksonville. The 23-year-old had made a brief major-league appearance over the weekend. Griffin Conine and others had filled in at first base during Stowers’ absence.
The timing matters for a Marlins club still in the National League Wild Card picture. Miami entered play Monday at 67-64, four games behind the San Diego Padres for the final Wild Card spot.
The club is 41-25 at home and coming off a sweep of the Washington Nationals.
The Red Sox arrived at 71-59. First pitch Monday was set for 6:40 p.m. ET, with Sandy Alcantara scheduled to start for Miami against Boston’s Ranger Suarez.
Getting Stowers back without a lengthy rehab stay suggests the hamstring responded well.
For a team trying to stay relevant into September, a healthy left-handed bat in the middle of the order is a welcome addition as the Red Sox series begins.
