The first weekend: Jacksonville alumni in The Show

We made it through one weekend of baseball. Let’s feel fortunate for that, because who knows how the current Marlins situation will play out.

If you are anything like me, even with no fans in the stands, it felt great to watch regular season MLB games again.

Most notably for Shrimp & Grits, there also were 32 Jacksonville alumni playing for 19 different teams on MLB Opening Weekend rosters:

ATLANTA BRAVES

Grant Dayton: G, 1.0 IP, H, 2 K

Marcell Ozuna: 4-for-12, 3 R, 2 2B, 2 HR, 3 RBIs, BB

BOSTON RED SOX

Austin Brice: 2 G, 2.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, HR, 2 K

Nathan Eovaldi: G, GS, W, 6.0 IP, 5 H, R, ER, BB, 4 K

CINCINNATI REDS

Luis Castillo: G, GS, 6.0 IP, 6 H, R, ER, BB, 11 K

Luis Castillo struck out 11 batters in his first start of the 2020 season. (Red Reporter)

CHICAGO WHITE SOX

Steve Cishek: G, H, R, ER, HR

CLEVELAND INDIANS

Brad Hand: G, SV, 1.0 IP, HBP, 2 K

Nick Wittgren: 2 G, 2.0 IP, H, HBP, 2 K

COLORADO ROCKIES

Matt Kemp: 1-for-4, RBI, BB

LOS ANGELES ANGELS

Andrew Heaney: G, GS, 4.2 IP, 2 H, R, ER, HR, 6 K

LOS ANGELES DODGERS

Austin Barnes: 2-for-6, RBI, BB

MIAMI MARLINS

Brian Anderson: 3-for-10, 3 R, HR, 3 RBIs, 2 BB

Jeff Brigham: G, 1.0 IP, 2 H, R, ER

Isan Díaz: 2-for-9, 2 R

Robert Dugger: G, GS, 3.1 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 4 ER, HR, BB, 2 K

Nick Neidert: G, 2.1 IP, H, BB *MADE MLB DEBUT*

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Miguel Rojas: 7-for-10, 4 R, 2B, 3B, HR, 5 RBIs, BB, SB

Magneuris Sierra: 2-for-3, 2B, 3B, 2 RBIs, BB

Caleb Smith: G, GS, 3.0 IP, H, R, ER, HR, 6 BB, 3 K

Alex Vesia: G, 0.2 IP, H, 2 R, 2 ER, HR, BB, K *MADE MLB DEBUT*

Alex Vesia made his MLB debut on Saturday for the Miami Marlins. (Joey Mims/Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp)

MILWAUKEE BREWERS

Logan Morrison: 0-for-4

Christian Yelich: 1-for-13, HR, 2 RBIs

NEW YORK METS

Jake Marisnick: 1-for-2

René Rivera: 1-for-1

NEW YORK YANKEES

Giancarlo Stanton: 4-for-9, 2 R, 2B, 2 HR, 4 RBIs, 2 BB

Giancarlo Stanton starred for the Jacksonville Suns in both 2009 and 2010.

OAKLAND ATHLETICS

Mark Canha: 2-for-8, R, 2 RBIs

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

J.T. Realmuto: 2-for-13, R, HR, 3 RBIs

PITTSBURGH PIRATES

Trevor Williams: G, GS, L, 3.2 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, HR, HBP, BB, 3 K

SEATTLE MARINERS

Austin Nola: 2-for-7, R, 2B, BB

ST. LOUIS CARDINALS

Andrew Miller: G, 1.0 IP, H, R, ER, BB, K

Andrew Miller is hoping for a bounceback 2020 season after posting a 4.45 ERA in 2019. (Viva El Birdos)

TAMPA BAY RAYS

Trevor Richards: 3.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 K

TEXAS RANGERS

Jeff Mathis: 1-for-1, 3B, BB

As noted above, both Nick Neidert and Alex Vesia made their major league debuts, becoming the first Jacksonville alumni to do so in 2020. Nine different Jacksonville alumni reached The Show during the 2019 campaign.