With Cooper back on the Injured List, Peter O’Brien gets another chance with the Marlins
Peter O’Brien is getting another chance in the big leagues.
The Miami Marlins recalled the slugging outfielder/first baseman from Triple A New Orleans on Saturday after putting Garrett Cooper (left hand contusion) on the 10-day Injured List for the second time this season. O’Brien is starting Saturday’s game against the Atlanta Braves in left field and is batting seventh.
O’Brien initially replaced Cooper the first time Cooper was put on the IL on March 31 with a right calf strain four games into the season. The Hialeah native and University of Miami alumnus lasted just nine games after batting .111 (3 for 27) with one home run, three walks and a whopping 14 strikeouts.
Since being sent back down to New Orleans, however, O’Brien has seen an uptick in production. He is hitting .278 with five home runs over 54 at-bats. His 21 strikeouts in 61 plate appearances (34.4 percent) is still extremely high, though.
O’Brien said he has been attempting to simplify his approach during his time in the minor leagues.
“He’s been swinging better,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said, adding O’Brien will primarily play in the outfield. “He’s pretty streaky, so hopefully we’re getting him on a good streak, get him in there and see what he looks like.”
The move also represented another stoke of bad luck for Cooper, who has taken just eight at-bats over four games this year. His was hit in the hand on Tuesday against the Cleveland Indians in just his second plate appearance following his first IL stint. X-rays came back negative but Cooper was still dealing with swelling and soreness.
It’s eerily similar to Cooper’s situation last year. He played in just 14 games with 38 plate appearances in 2018 with the Marlins after suffering two separate wrist injuries and ultimately undergoing surgery.
“I don’t even know what to say about it,” Mattingly said. “We’ve seen little patches of what Coop can do in spring training. It’s been mostly spring training because he hasn’t played here very much. Last year was very few at-bats and then this year hasn’t gotten off to a good start. I don’t even know how to characterize it. It’s not like he’s doing things to himself or he’s goofing around outside the game and getting hurt or anything like that. He’s a guy who works. He does his routine. He’s been unfortunate during the game.”
This story was originally published May 4, 2019 at 2:09 PM.
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