The Miami Marlins continue to make moves with their outfield. Here’s the latest.
Harold Ramirez is looking to embrace his first opportunity.
Garrett Cooper is hoping his third chance this year lasts longer a few games.
Either way, the Miami Marlins’ outfield is changing once again.
The Marlins announced Saturday that they selected the contract of 24-year-old Ramirez and also activated Cooper from the 10-day Injured List.
The Marlins transferred relief pitcher Drew Steckenrider (right elbow inflammation) to the 60-day IL to make room for Ramirez on the 40-man roster.
The club also optioned Isaac Galloway and Jose Quijada to Triple A New Orleans, recalled pitcher Elieser Hernandez and placed outfielder/first baseman Peter O’Brien on the 10-day IL with a left ribcage contusion.
Ramirez is starting in left field on Saturday against the New York Mets, with Cooper in right field and utility player Jon Berti starting in center field for the first time this year.
With Harold and Berti’s starts, the Marlins have had 10 players start at least one game in the outfield through the first 39 games, joining a list that includes Cooper, Curtis Granderson, Lewis Brinson, O’Brien, Rosell Herrera, Brian Anderson, Isaac Galloway and Austin Dean.
The Marlins’ outfield plan, at least for the moment is that Ramirez will split time with Granderson in left, Herrera and Berti will take hold of center field, and Cooper and Anderson will be the primary right fielders while also getting the chance to play in the infield.
“You’re just trying to get the best combination of guys here,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said.
Ramirez’s strength: He can hit.
The 5-10, 220-pound native of Cartegena, Colombia is batting .355 (65 for 110) with four home runs, 14 RBI and 19 runs scored in Triple A New Orleans this year and can hit the ball to just about any part of the field. He has struck out just 19 times.
“He hits all over the place,” Mattingly said.
The question remains: Will his numbers translate to the major-league level?
Well, considering the Marlins are 27th in MLB in batting average (.220), last in runs (104) and only have two outfielders hitting above .200 (Anderson, .236, and Herrera, .203), it’s worth seeing what Ramirez can do.
The Marlins signed Ramirez to a minor-league contract this offseason after he spent his first seven years in the Pittsburgh Pirates and Toronto Blue Jays organizations, never reaching higher than Double A.
“I just want to put all my stuff together to help the team win some games,” Ramirez said.
Cooper, meanwhile, is back for his third stint with the Marlins this season after landing on the IL twice. First it was a right calf strain three games into the season that shut him down for about a month. Then, in his first game back with the team on April 30 against the Cleveland Indians, a Trevor Bauer pitch hit him in the left hand. X-rays were negative but the hand continued to swell enough that he needed more than just a few days off.
Injuries derailed Cooper’s rookie season in 2018 as well. He played just 14 games and had 38 plate appearances while being hampered with a pair of wrist injuries before ultimately undergoing surgery.
“Baseball teaches you to be mentally strong. It’s a tough sport,” Cooper said. “Adding injuries on top of it adds another dimension that you never think you’d have to go through. ... You’ve just got to fight through it.
Other roster moves
Hernandez has been stellar in Triple A this season, going 1-1 with a 1.16 ERA over six starts. He has 43 strikeouts to just 11 walks over 31 innings. He played in 32 games with the Marlins last season, alternating between spot starter and long reliever, and went 2-7 with a 5.21 ERA over 65 2/3 innings.
Steckenrider went on the IL after feeling stiffness in his elbow after his last relief stint in Monday’s 6-5 come-from-behind win over the Chicago Cubs. He has thrown 14 1/3 innings over 15 appearances this year.
This story was originally published May 11, 2019 at 3:39 PM.
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