Oblique strain sends Marlins’ slugger Bour to disabled list
The Marlins played Tuesday night’s game with three-quarters of their starting infield on the disabled list.
The Marlins placed first baseman Justin Bour (right oblique strain) and shortstop JT Riddle (left biceps tendinitis) on the 10-day disabled list, and recalled catcher/first baseman Tomas Telis and infielder Mike Aviles from Triple A New Orleans.
Riddle’s placement on the DL was retroactive to July 22.
Bour’s move was expected after sustaining the injury during Monday night’s 4-0 win over the Rangers at Globe Life Park.
Bour started the game as the designated hitter but was replaced in the fourth inning after only one at-bat.
Bour, who has 21 home runs and 63 RBI in 87 games, is on pace to post career numbers in those categories.
But his third injury setback in the past 13 months could sideline him for an extended amount of time.
“Usually these really aren’t 10-day things for me,“ Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. “The average is about 28 days or something like that for a rib-cage-type [injury].”
Bour spent 10 days on the DL in June with a left ankle bruise.
Last July, Bour sustained a high ankle sprain that sidelined him for more than two months.
“I can’t really even describe the frustration level, really,” Bour said after Monday’s game. “Just took some swings and a little bit sore, and then felt something on that last at-bat there on the oblique. [I talked with] the trainers and decided it was best to come out.”
Bour and Riddle returned to Miami on Tuesday morning.
Mattingly said Tyler Moore would continue to see the most action at first base in Bour’s absence. The Marlins could also play catcher J.T. Realmuto at first base with A.J. Ellis or Telis catching as a secondary option.
With third baseman Martin Prado already out with a right knee sprain, the Marlins can ill afford any more injuries to their infield.
Aviles, 36, started at shortstop on Tuesday. He went hitless in five at-bats during his first call-up to the majors with the Marlins in mid-May and has hit .292 with a home run and 24 RBI in 178 at-bats at Triple A.
Mattingly said Riddle will likely undergo an MRI to determine the cause of his lingering discomfort that kept him out of the previous four games.
The Marlins did not add Miguel Rojas, who injured his left shoulder Monday night, to their growing list of players on the DL.
Rojas injured himself while making a diving attempt to stop a ground ball by Adrian Beltre in the sixth inning that reached center field for a single. Rojas finished the game but said Monday if the Marlins’ shortstop depth wasn’t as bad, he might have come out of the game.
Rojas on Tuesday said he felt a little better, but the Marlins will take a cautious approach with him as they hope the injury will not result in another DL stint for their versatile infielder.
Monday’s game was only the fifth Rojas played since coming back from the disabled list where he spent over two months with a fractured thumb.
“It’s still kind of sore and swinging the bat it kind of bothered me,” Rojas said. “I just have to see how it feels [Tuesday] and [Wednesday] and go from there.
“The doctor didn’t sound too concerned, but I have to take care of myself.”
DREAM MATCHUP FOR MARLINS’ UREÑA
Jose Ureña was a 16-year-old with big baseball dreams when he met Adrian Beltre.
Beltre came to speak to Ureña and other young players in the Dominican Republic at the time.
“When you’re growing up, you see him playing and you think one day I want to be like him,” Ureña said.
“[Beltre] tried to show us how to prepare and talked to us about how to do the right things.”
When Ureña takes the mound for his start Wednesday, he’ll be opposing Beltre during his chase to become the first Dominican-born player to reach 3,000 major-league hits.
Beltre entered Tuesday night’s game against the Marlins at Globe Life park needing only seven more hits to reach the mark.
“Guys like [Beltre] work hard and they prepare themselves to do something like this,” Ureña said. “That makes you excited and makes you feel good when they can make it and get 3,000 hits.”
COMING UP
▪ Wednesday: Marlins RHP Ureña (8-4, 3.78 ERA) vs. Texas Rangers RHP Yu Darvish (6-8, 3.44), 8:05 p.m., Globe Life Park.
▪ Thursday: Marlins LHP Chris O’Grady (1-1, 5.40 ERA) vs. Cincinnati Reds RHP Robert Stephenson (0-3, 8.10), 7:10 p.m., Marlins Park.
This story was originally published July 25, 2017 at 5:15 PM with the headline "Oblique strain sends Marlins’ slugger Bour to disabled list."