Valente Bellozo to start first Marlins spring training game

[Ely Sussman]

Right-hander Valente Bellozo wasn't even in the Miami Marlins organization at this time a year ago. Now, he's been tabbed as the starting pitcher for their 2025 Grapefruit League opener, manager Clayton McCullough announced. The Marlins will face the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday at 1:10 p.m. at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium.

Traded from the Houston Astros to the Marlins shortly after the 2024 regular season began, Bellozo's workload was split evenly between the minors (66.0 IP) and the majors (68.2 IP). In terms of run prevention, he was significantly better in Miami (3.67 ERA) than he was at Double-A/Triple-A (4.64 ERA). On the other hand, his strikeout rate plummeted against MLB competition—from 25.0% to 14.9%—and he was heavily reliant on fly balls, which makes it difficult to envision the soft-tosser replicating that effectiveness in his sophomore season. He's firmly behind Sandy Alcantara, Ryan Weathers, Cal Quantrill and Edward Cabrera on the current starting rotation depth chart, and likely behind Max Meyer, too.

That makes this an appropriate assignment for Bellozo. Even under previous front offices and coaching staffs, the Marlins have consistently maximized Grapefruit League reps for pitchers who are on the Opening Day roster bubble. Jordan Yamamoto started the first spring game in 2020, for example. Daniel Castano did it in 2021, Braxton Garrett in 2023 and Weathers in 2024. (Due to an MLB lockout, 2022 spring training was abbreviated with fewer participating players and roster battles than usual, so the Marlins started Alcantara in that year's opener).

Bellozo is only expected to go one or two innings on Saturday, which means a handful of other Marlins pitchers will also make appearances. There will be radio broadcasts on FOX Sports 940 AM Miami and Radio Mambí 710 AM WAQI (Spanish). Fish On First will have on-site coverage as well.