On day of Realmuto’s return to Miami, two players Marlins acquired for him stand out
On the day that All-Star catcher J.T. Realmuto made his return to Marlins Park for the first time as a visitor, two players the Miami Marlins acquired when they traded Realmuto away proved their worth.
While the Marlins lost 9-1 to the Phillies on Friday to start their nine-game homestand, catcher Jorge Alfaro went 2-for-4 and scored Miami’s lone run of the game in the bottom of the seventh on an Austin Dean sacrifice fly.
Meanwhile, down in the minor-leagues, pitcher Will Stewart carried a no-hitter late into the eighth inning for the Marlins’ High-A affiliate Jupiter Hammerheads. He struck out seven and walked just one before giving up the two-out hit in the eighth to Brock Deatherage.
Sixto Sanchez, the Marlins’ top-ranked prospect and the centerpiece of the Realmuto trade back in February, will make his season debut for Double-A Jacksonville on April 26.
It’s early, and the Marlins have a lot of problems to figure out as they try to get out of a slump in which they’ve lost nine of their past 10 games, but Friday showed a glimpse of two potential pieces of their rebuild starting to coming into place.
‘He’s going to be dangerous’
Let’s start with Alfaro.
The 25-year-old catcher who is in his second full major league season enters Saturday hitting .286 on the young season — sixth among MLB catchers with at least 30 at-bats. His .885 OPS (on-base plus slugging) ranks fifth.
Alfaro has six hits over his last four games, including a three-hit, two-home run performance against the Atlanta Braves.
“If he will stay with the approach and the plan, he’s going to be dangerous,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said of Alfaro. “He will swing at way more strikes, and hit a lot more pitches. He just has to stick with it daily, and stay with his work. I think he understands what we’re trying to get to. I honestly think, if he sticks with it — and he’s not a kid who is afraid of anything at all. You can see it.”
Just as important as his production on the field, Alfaro has started to become a more vocal presence in the dugout and while behind the plate. He is constantly talking with the pitching staff, keeping them focused.
“They’re never going to be alone on the mound,” Alfaro said. “I’m going to be their bodyguard out there. Just try to stay positive for them. That’s all I’m trying to do. I try to let them know the positive things, not the bad things. Just stay positive.”
Stewart on the rise
And then there’s Stewart, who is off to a nice start in Jupiter through two appearances on the mound. The 6-2 left-handed pitcher and No. 21 overall prospect for the Marlins is 1-0 with a 1.35 ERA over 13 1/3 innings of work. He has struck out 11 batters while giving up just five hits and five walks.
Friday’s 7 2/3 inning performance, one in which he retired 19 straight at one point, was the third-longest of his professional career.
“I’m pretty excited about that one,” Stewart said after the game, according to milb.com. “Honestly, in the heat of the moment, you don’t think about it. I didn’t know how many hitters I had retired in a row. Nothing really sunk in until I came out of the game and we ended up getting the win.”
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