Marcell Ozuna’s hitting streak has Barry Bonds’ imprint all over it
Marcell Ozuna can pinpoint the day his bat caught fire — the day Barry Bonds loaned him some bats.
“April 30th,” Ozuna said.
That was the start of Ozuna’s 15-game hitting streak, which continued Sunday with a sixth-inning single.
“I feel great swinging that bat,” Ozuna said.
One small problem, though.
Ozuna has broken so many of them that Bonds had to order more. Ozuna broke two of the bats in the Nationals series alone.
Marlins manager Don Mattingly wondered whether just having Bonds’ name etched into the barrels was the reason for Ozuna’s hitting streak.
“I told Barry, ‘Does he hit the same if it’s got his name on it and not your name on it? The exact same bat, and they just brand another name in there?’ ” Mattingly said. “Maybe it does.”
GARCIA CALLED UP
The Marlins, desperate for left-handed relief help, dipped into their minor-league system on Sunday and promoted 23-year-old Jarlin Garcia from Double A Jacksonville.
Garcia isn’t a reliever and has no big-league experience.
But with Mike Dunn on the disabled list and newly signed veteran Joe Beimel working his way into shape in Jupiter, the Marlins are left with few other choices.
After designating Craig Breslow last week, they were left without a single lefty in their bullpen.
Garcia has made seven starts this season for Jacksonville, going 1-2 with a 4.04 ERA.
Mattingly said the decision to call up Garcia was borne out of the need for someone to pitch multiple innings out of the bullpen rather than having a lefty reliever for matchup purposes.
“This is more about pitches and innings and being able to protect our guys,” Mattingly said.
In order to make room on the roster for Garcia, the Marlins optioned right-hander Nick Wittgren back to Triple A New Orleans.
They also shipped right-hander Kendry Flores back to Triple A.
Flores was called up under the 26th-man rule to start the second game of Saturday’s day-night doubleheader.
He left with right shoulder soreness after pitching three innings.
Flores’ fastball velocity declined sharply during the third inning, from 93 mph to 85.
The Marlins weren’t required to place him on the DL.
COMING UP
▪ Monday: Marlins LHP Adam Conley (2-2, 3.72 ERA) at Philadelphia Phillies RHP Jerad Eickhoff (1-5, 4.43), 7:05 p.m., Citizens Bank Park.
▪ Tuesday: Marlins LHP Wei-Yin Chen (3-1, 4.40) at Phillies RHP Vince Velasquez (4-1, 2.70), 7:05 p.m., Citizens Bank Park.
This story was originally published May 15, 2016 at 7:22 PM with the headline "Marcell Ozuna’s hitting streak has Barry Bonds’ imprint all over it."