Marlins Manager Shares Kyle Stowers Injury Update After 19 Missed Games
After a 6-3 loss to the Atlanta Braves, the Miami Marlins will look to bounce back against the Milwaukee Brewers while monitoring a key roster update. Manager Clayton McCullough said outfielder Kyle Stowers will play tonight on his rehab assignment, with the medical staff set to evaluate how he feels afterward and determine his next steps (h/t Craig Mish of Sportsgrid).
Stowers opened the 2026 season on the injured list with a right hamstring strain, which he re-aggravated during a March 20 split-squad game against the Houston Astros. He experienced tightness while rounding third base on a popout in just his third game back from a similar injury.
Marlins Manager Clayton McCullough says Kyle Stowers will play tonight on his rehab assignment. The club's medical staff will talk to him after to see how he feels, then decide on next steps. Sounds like a return is potentially imminent if all goes well.
— Craig Mish (@CraigMish) April 17, 2026
This is encouraging news for the Marlins, as Stowers' return would add a key middle-of-the-order bat to an already productive lineup. In his fourth season, he broke out in 2025, posting a .288 batting average, .368 on-base percentage, and .912 OPS with 25 home runs and 73 RBIs in 117 games.
His performances earned him his first All-Star selection and helped Miami secure a higher seed than in 2024. Stowers has emerged as a high-impact power hitter, highlighted by elite bat speed (74.5 mph average, 87th percentile) and a 19.4% barrel rate in 2025.
He excels at driving fastballs and has developed a more consistent, efficient swing capable of producing power to all fields, giving Miami another reliable offensive threat in key situations and late-game scenarios, especially against high-velocity pitching and elite bullpen arms.
Stowers is developing into one of the league's premier outfielders. A second-round pick by the Baltimore Orioles in the 2019 MLB Draft out of Stanford, he signed for $900,000 and was viewed as part of the club's rebuilding plan before making his major league debut in 2022.
He was traded to the Miami Marlins on July 30, 2024, along with Connor Norby, in exchange for left-hander Trevor Rogers. Stowers broke out in 2025, earning an All-Star selection and National League Player of the Month honors in July while finishing with 25 home runs, 73 RBIs, and a .288 batting average. He also delivered a historic five-homer stretch across two games during the season.
He remains under team control with Miami on a one-year, $804,200 contract for the 2026 season. The 28-year-old is still pre-arbitration eligible, with arbitration beginning in 2027 and free agency not expected until 2030, giving the Marlins long-term roster and financial flexibility as they continue building a competitive core.
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This story was originally published April 17, 2026 at 2:54 PM.