How Isan Diaz plans to improve after he ‘failed a lot’ last year. And Marlins updates
Isan Diaz doesn’t need a reminder of how he fared with his first taste of Major League Baseball.
He had instant success — a home run off two-time reigning Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom on his third at-bat that went viral with his dad celebrating from the stands — before going through waves of struggles over the final two months of the season.
Diaz’s final numbers: a .173 batting average with 23 RBI and 17 runs scored and nearly twice as many strikeouts (59) as hits (31).
As Diaz makes his way through spring training this year, he’s acknowledging the need to improve but doesn’t want to put extra pressure on himself like he did when he was first called up to the big-league club.
“I’ve realized and understood what it is to be up there,” Diaz said. “Obviously, I failed a lot. I know what it feels like. I’m a bit more aware of what’s going on. I’m really just understanding who I am as a person and a player. Just going to go out there and play. I’m not trying to press this year.”
Diaz spent the offseason in South Florida and worked at the team’s training complex in Jupiter five days a week.
“I’m just going to go out and be Isan,” Diaz said. “I was trying to produce rather than just let it happen. This year is going to be different.”
▪ Jordan Yamamoto will start the Marlins’ first spring training game on Saturday when the club travels to Port St. Lucie to face the New York Mets.
Marlins manager Don Mattingly said when it comes to the first round of spring training games, outings when pitchers are generally on pitch counts, he’s not necessarily looking for results even though there are spots open in the rotation.
“Spring is about letting guys compete, but the first outing, you just don’t quite know,” Mattingly said. “... For all these guys, especially the first one getting on the mound, just getting back acclimated with having to deal with more things than you are specifically with one drill. Now it all comes as a package and trying to deal with that out there.”
As the roster stands, Sandy Alcantara and Caleb Smith seem to be locks to be part of the starting rotation when the regular season begins on March 26. Pablo Lopez figures to be the No. 3 at this point. Yamamoto, Jose Urena, Elieser Hernandez, Nick Neidert and Robert Dugger are the main pitchers competing for the final two rotation spots, with prospects Sixto Sanchez, Edward Cabrera, Trevor Rogers and Braxton Garrett serving as the next wave of starting pitchers.
▪ Yamamoto, Ryne Stanek, Hernandez and Adam Conley were among the first group of Marlins pitchers to throw live batting practice.
▪ The Marlins prioritized infield and baserunning drills at practice on Tuesday. Infield and third base coach Trey Hillman worked with players on second-to-home baserunning during the first wave of drills before moving to bunt defense and double play work.
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