Individual accolades within reach as Marlins near elimination
Dee Gordon entered Monday night’s game with 54 steals, and Giancarlo Stanton with 54 home runs.
Gordon said there are no friendly wagers going between the two over who will finish with the higher number.
“We didn’t because I didn’t think he’d hit 54 homers,” Gordon said. “Doing that is harder [than stealing 54]. I feel like people are downplaying it like 54 isn’t a lot. It’s way more than when he hit 37. He’s good already.”
Gordon and Stanton have already made history, becoming only the third pair of teammates to surpass 50 stolen bases and 50 home runs, respectively, in a season according to Elias.
Three years ago, they each led the National League in their respective categories before they were teammates.
Gordon stole a career-high 64 bases in 2014, his last season with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Stanton smacked a then-career-high 37 home runs that year.
Batting first and second in the Marlins’ lineup for most of the season, the duo could do end up leading the majors overall.
Stanton is firmly leading the majors in home runs, and although his pace has slowed, he could still become the sixth player to ever hit 60 or more in a season with a strong finish.
Gordon is within striking distance of claiming his third stolen base title. He trailed only Reds’ center fielder Billy Hamilton, who has 58 this season. But Hamilton is on the disabled list with a fractured thumb, and his return before the end of this season is questionable.
Gordon, who had a career-high 101 runs scored prior to Monday’s game, said he has kept the focus on attempting steals in clutch situations, especially in late innings.
“It doesn’t mean a lot because I’ve got two others,” Gordon said. “I’m just trying to help us win. I’m just trying to make sure I stay on base for these guys.”
INJURY UPDATES
▪ Shortstop Miguel Rojas said he will have an MRI on his left shoulder on Tuesday.
Rojas reinjured it on Sunday while diving for a ground ball in the second inning of Sunday’s 10-3 loss to the Brewers.
Rojas indicated he has been dealing with some pain in that shoulder for about two months.
Despite only 12 games remaining after Monday’s tilt against the Mets, Rojas was optimistic he could still play again this season.
If Rojas can return, it would help the Marlins who would be left thin at the position once again.
Mike Aviles started Monday, but doesn’t have a true backup for the moment. Gordon has played at shortstop twice this season, but that’s as many times as he has since transitioning to second base in 2014 while with the Dodgers. The Marlins already lost rookie J.T. Riddle to season-ending left shoulder surgery.
“I have to be a little smarter about when I dive to my left the way I did,” Rojas said. “It would really be unfortunate to finish the year on the DL after such a long season, especially after coming back from the thumb injury earlier this season.”
▪ Martin Prado suffered a minor setback in his comeback attempt due to Hurricane Irma, and isn’t likely to return this season.
Prado, who had arthroscopic knee surgery on July 28, was in Orlando during the storm and could not participate in any baseball-related activities for a couple of days last week.
“I’m not a guy that will go out there if I’m just 50 or 60 percent,” Prado said. “I don’t think that would be right as a professional to go out there and not perform the way I should be performing. The whole year has been very difficult for me. I’m just hoping I can get this year out of the way and do as much as I can to come back stronger.”
COMING UP
▪ Tuesday: Marlins RHP Odrisamer Despaigne (0-3, 4.35 ERA) vs. New York Mets RHP Seth Lugo (6-5, 5.21), 7:10 p.m., Marlins Park.
▪ Wednesday: Marlins RHP Jose Urena (13-6, 3.62) vs. Mets RHP Rafael Montero (5-10, 5.08), 1:10 p.m., Marlins Park.
This story was originally published September 18, 2017 at 8:55 PM with the headline "Individual accolades within reach as Marlins near elimination."