Miami Marlins vs. Tampa Bay Rays: May 16-18, 2025 Series Recap and Player Stats

The Miami Marlins and Tampa Bay Rays faced off in a three-game series from May 16 to May 18, 2025, at loanDepot park in Miami, Florida, with the Marlins taking two of the three games in the annual Citrus Series. The Marlins’ offensive surge, led by Otto Lopez and Liam Hicks, outshone the Rays’ pitching strength, though Tampa Bay’s speed and timely hitting kept the series competitive. Below is a detailed recap of the series, highlighting key player performances and stats, sourced from verified outlets.

Match Summary (Key Details)

• Sport: Baseball (MLB)
• League: Major League Baseball (MLB)
• Series Name: Citrus Series (Annual Interleague Rivalry)
• Dates Played: May 16 – May 18, 2025
• Location: loanDepot park, Miami, Florida
• Matchup: Miami Marlins vs Tampa Bay Rays Match Player Stats
• Series Result:
  • Miami Marlins won 2 out of 3 games
  • Game 1: Marlins 9, Rays 4
  • Game 2: Rays 4, Marlins 0
  • Game 3: Marlins 5, Rays 1

Game 1: May 16, 2025 – Marlins 9, Rays 4

The Marlins dominated the series opener with a 9-4 victory, capitalizing on early offense and a strong start from Eury Pérez to overpower the Rays.

Key Performances

• Miami Marlins:
  • Xavier Edwards (2B): 4 AB, 2 R, 2 H, 1 RBI, 1 2B (season stats: .302 AVG, 8 2B). Edwards’ leadoff double in the first set the tone, and his RBI single in the fifth extended Miami’s lead.
  • Jesús Sánchez (RF): 4 AB, 1 R, 2 H, 2 RBI, 1 HR (season stats: .220 AVG, 6 HR). Sánchez’s two-run homer in the third gave Miami a 4-1 lead.
  • Kyle Stowers (CF): 4 AB, 1 R, 2 H, 2 RBI, 1 2B (season stats: .304 AVG, 5 2B, 25 HR). Stowers’ two-run double in the sixth blew the game open.
  • Pitching: Eury Pérez (W, 4-2) pitched 6 IP, allowing 2 ER on 5 H with 8 SO and 1 BB. The bullpen, including Cade Gibson, allowed 2 runs over 3 IP, with Calvin Faucher closing out the ninth.
• Tampa Bay Rays:
  • Yandy Díaz (DH): 4 AB, 1 R, 2 H, 1 RBI (season stats: .243 AVG, 23 RBI). Díaz’s RBI single in the fourth kept the Rays in the game.
  • José Caballero (3B): 4 AB, 1 R, 1 H, 0 RBI, 1 SB (season stats: .260 AVG, 12 SB). Caballero’s stolen base and run scored in the fifth narrowed the gap to 4-2.
  • Pitching: Zack Littell (L, 3-4) allowed 6 ER on 8 H over 5 IP, including Sánchez’s homer. The bullpen struggled, allowing 3 more runs.
• Game Notes: The Marlins’ 9 runs came on 12 hits, including three extra-base hits, exploiting loanDepot park’s hitter-friendly conditions (87-degree weather, dome open). The Rays stole three bases but went 2-for-8 with runners in scoring position, leaving 7 runners on base. Attendance: 11,714; game time: 2:45.

Game 2: May 17, 2025 – Rays 4, Marlins 0

The Rays bounced back with a 4-0 shutout, as Drew Rasmussen’s stellar outing and Yandy Díaz’s timely hitting silenced Miami’s offense.

Key Performances

• Tampa Bay Rays:
  • Yandy Díaz (DH): 5 AB, 0 R, 2 H, 2 RBI, 1 SB (season stats: .243 AVG, 23 RBI). Díaz’s two-out, two-run single in the fifth broke the game open, scoring Danny Jansen and Chandler Simpson.
  • Chandler Simpson (LF): 4 AB, 1 R, 2 H, 1 RBI, 1 SB (season stats: .290 AVG, 9 SB). Simpson’s single in the fifth scored José Caballero, and his speed (9th SB) pressured Miami’s defense.
  • Jonathan Aranda (1B): 4 AB, 0 R, 2 H, 1 RBI (season stats: .321 AVG, 21 RBI). Aranda’s single in the fifth drove in Brandon Lowe, capping a four-run inning.
  • José Caballero (3B): 4 AB, 1 R, 1 H, 0 RBI, 2 SB (season stats: .260 AVG, 12 SB). Caballero’s two stolen bases set up the fifth-inning rally.
  • Pitching: Drew Rasmussen (W, 2-4) pitched 6 IP, allowing 0 R on 4 H with 5 SO and 0 BB, earning a 69 game score. Edwin Uceta, Garrett Cleavinger, and Pete Fairbanks combined for 3 scoreless innings, allowing 2 hits.
• Miami Marlins:
  • Kyle Stowers (CF): 4 AB, 0 R, 2 H, 0 RBI, 1 2B (season stats: .304 AVG, 5 2B). Stowers’ double was a rare bright spot in a quiet offensive day.
  • Liam Hicks (DH): 4 AB, 0 R, 2 H, 0 RBI, 1 2B (season stats: .270 AVG, 4 2B). Hicks’ double in the first offered hope, but Miami couldn’t capitalize.
  • Pitching: Sandy Alcantara (L, 2-6) allowed 4 ER on 5 H over 5 IP with 3 SO, 2 BB, and 1 HBP, struggling in the fifth inning. Lake Bachar and Cade Gibson allowed no runs over 4 IP, but the damage was done.
• Game Notes: The Rays’ four-run fifth inning, sparked by Caballero’s steals and Simpson’s single, was the difference, with all runs coming with two outs. Miami went 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position, leaving 6 runners on base. Derek Hill’s outfield assist (throwing out Simpson at home) was a defensive highlight. Attendance: 12,052; game time: 2:29.

Game 3: May 18, 2025 – Marlins 5, Rays 1

The Marlins clinched the series with a 5-1 victory, powered by home runs from Otto Lopez and Liam Hicks, and a strong outing from Cal Quantrill.

Key Performances

• Miami Marlins:
  • Otto Lopez (SS): 4 AB, 1 R, 1 H, 3 RBI, 1 HR (season stats: .265 AVG, 5 HR). Lopez’s three-run homer in the fifth, in his first game back from the injured list, gave Miami a 4-1 lead.
  • Liam Hicks (DH): 4 AB, 1 R, 1 H, 2 RBI, 1 HR (season stats: .270 AVG, 4 2B). Hicks’ two-run homer in the seventh sealed the victory.
  • Xavier Edwards (2B): 4 AB, 1 R, 2 H, 0 RBI, 1 SB (season stats: .302 AVG, 8 2B). Edwards’ speed and two hits set up scoring opportunities.
  • Pitching: Cal Quantrill (W, 6-4) pitched 6 IP, allowing 1 ER on 4 H with 6 SO and 1 BB. The bullpen, including Calvin Faucher (S, 10), held the Rays scoreless over 3 IP.
• Tampa Bay Rays:
  • Josh Lowe (RF): 4 AB, 1 R, 1 H, 1 RBI, 1 HR (season stats: .375 AVG, 1 HR). Lowe’s solo homer in the third gave Tampa an early 1-0 lead.
  • Pitching: Taj Bradley (L, 3-3) allowed 4 ER on 6 H over 5 IP, including Lopez’s homer, with 7 SO. The bullpen allowed Hicks’ homer, failing to keep the game close.
• Game Notes: The Marlins’ two homers accounted for all 5 runs, with Lopez’s blast in the fifth flipping a 1-0 deficit into a 4-1 lead. The Rays went 1-for-5 with runners in scoring position, leaving 4 runners on base. The game, played in 85-degree weather with the dome open, lasted 2:35 with an estimated 12,000 fans in attendance.

Series Overview and Stats

• Team Stats (season context through May 18, 2025):
  • Marlins Batting: .244 AVG (15th), 4.12 R/G (17th), 0.95 HR/G (21st), 23.1% K% (21st). The Marlins hit .272 across their last five games against Tampa, with 5 HR and 15 XBH.
  • Rays Batting: .245 AVG (14th), 3.95 R/G (23rd), 0.91 HR/G (23rd), 23.0% K% (20th). The Rays’ speed (1.16 SB/G, 2nd) led to 5 stolen bases in the series.
  • Marlins Pitching: 5.53 ERA (29th), 7.97 SO/9 (23rd), 1.38 HR/9 (26th). Pérez and Quantrill limited the Rays to 5 ER over 12 IP, while Alcantara struggled.
  • Rays Pitching: 3.84 ERA (12th), 7.77 SO/9 (24th), 1.44 HR/9 (27th). Rasmussen’s shutout in Game 2 was a highlight, but Littell and Bradley allowed 10 ER combined.
• Standout Players:
  • Marlins: Otto Lopez (1 HR, 3 RBI in Game 3), Liam Hicks (1 HR, 2 RBI in Game 3, 2 H in Game 2), and Xavier Edwards (5 H, 1 RBI, 1 SB) drove the offense. Eury Pérez (Game 1) and Cal Quantrill (Game 3) anchored the pitching.
  • Rays: Yandy Díaz (4 H, 3 RBI, 1 SB) and Chandler Simpson (2 H, 1 RBI, 1 SB in Game 2) led the offense, with Drew Rasmussen’s 6 scoreless innings in Game 2 standing out.
• Series Context: The Marlins improved to 17-27, winning 2 of 3 games to take the series, while the Rays fell to 21-24. The teams split their six games in 2025 (3-3), with Miami’s 30 runs to Tampa’s 26 reflecting their offensive edge. Historically, the Rays lead the all-time series 84-63, but Miami’s 9-5 and 5-1 wins showcased their potential to compete in the Citrus Series.

Conclusion

The Miami Marlins’ series win over the Tampa Bay Rays highlighted their offensive depth, with Otto Lopez’s three-run homer and Liam Hicks’ two-run shot in Game 3 proving decisive. Xavier Edwards and Kyle Stowers provided consistent hitting, while Eury Pérez and Cal Quantrill delivered strong starts. The Rays, despite Drew Rasmussen’s shutout and Yandy Díaz’s timely hits, couldn’t overcome their offensive struggles (12-for-27 with RISP) and pitching inconsistencies outside Game 2. The series, played in the hitter-friendly loanDepot park, underscored Miami’s resurgence and Tampa’s challenges in a tight AL East race.

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