More Marlins impacted by COVID-19 are back on the roster. Starting pitchers on the way.
Two Miami Marlins players who have been sidelined by COVID-19 have returned to the active roster ahead of Miami’s home series against the Tampa Bay Rays — and Marlins manager Don Mattingly anticipates more reinforcements are not too far away.
The returning players: first baseman/outfielder Garrett Cooper and late-inning relief pitcher Yimi Garcia. They join shortstop Miguel Rojas and catcher Jorge Alfaro as players who were among the 18 who tested positive for the novel coronavirus early in the season who have since been cleared to rejoin the team.
Cooper, a career .280 hitter with 15 home runs in 464 at-bats, played in Miami’s first two games of the season against the Philadelphia Phillies and went 2 for 7. Cooper is the Marlins’ designated hitter for Friday’s game against the Rays and is batting fourth.
Garcia, an offseason signing to bolster the Marlins’ bullpen, is one of the Marlins’ top relievers and is generally used in the seventh or eighth inning.
“It’s just kind of getting more of your guys back,” Mattingly said. “These were guys who we were starting a 162-game season with and then they were the guys we were starting the 60-game season with and now, what do we have left, 30-something games. It’s good to get them back.”
Mattingly also said Opening Day starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara is ready and will be activated once the team figures out which day to slot him into the starting rotation.
“We’ll figure that part out, but we figure Sandy is pretty much ready,” Mattingly said. “The other guys [Caleb Smith and Jose Urena] are moving in that direction, too, so I don’t want to downplay them.”
In order to make room for Garcia and Cooper on the 40-man and active rosters, the Marlins placed infielder Logan Forsythe on the 60-day injured list with a right oblique strain and optioned reliever Jorge Guzman.
Marlins-Mets on Monday?
While not official, there have been discussion that the Marlins could head back to New York on Monday to make up Thursday’s postponed game against the Mets. Monday, which is also MLB’s trade deadline, is the only mutual off day between the two teams for the remainder of the season.
Should this happen, that would mean the Marlins play their three-game series against the Rays, fly to New York immediately after Sunday’s game, play the Mets on Monday, then fly back to Miami for two games against the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Another possibility could be the Marlins playing the Mets on Sept. 28, the day after the regular season ends. Miami is already going to be in New York as they close out the season with three games against the New York Yankees on Sept. 24-27.
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