Marlins’ Jesus Aguilar explains ‘good throw’ from third base. Plus Panik talks trade
The ground ball dribbled to the left side of the infield. Jesus Aguilar was there to make a web gem of a play.
Aguilar, the Miami Marlins’ primary first baseman who moved over to third base in the eighth inning of the Marlins’ eventual 4-3 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday, swiftly moved to his left, made a bare-handed grab, took two quick steps and, slightly off-balance, made an accurate throw to Garrett Cooper at first. Ronald Torreyes, an above-average runner, was out. The inning was over.
Aguilar laughed and smiled as he made his way back to the dugout, tipping his cap to the road crowd before being greeted by his teammates.
“I didn’t think,” Aguilar said a day later about the play. “I just go get it. I knew who was running. Torreyes is a good runner. I had to hurry a little bit. I think that was the best option for me. I just tried to grab it and make a good throw. I made a good throw.”
To be clear: Aguilar, who celebrated his 31st birthday on Wednesday and was not in the starting lineup Wednesday at Citizens Bank Park, is not going to be a regular option at third base.
But when in a pinch, “emergency situations” was the phrase manager Don Mattingly has used, the Marlins are fine with having him play third.
And it’s not like Aguilar is completely inexperienced playing the hot corner.
Aguilar has logged a total of 74 innings at third base over 18 games (seven starts) since starting his pro career. The bulk of that has come either in the minors or during winter ball. However, he did make two starts at third base for the Milwaukee Brewers during his All-Star season in 2018 and was put there in the 10th inning of the Marlins’ 5-4 win over the Atlanta Braves on Sept. 7 last season.
“We’ve talked about this a number of times with him internally,” Mattingly said. “He’s played third in winter ball. He takes ground balls over there now and he’s got plenty of arm for that. He actually has really good hands. I think he could actually play there on a regular basis. ... He looks like he’s been over there before.”
Aguilar had to play third base in the eighth on Tuesday because the Marlins used a pair of pinch-hitters in the top half of the inning. Magneuris Sierra hit for Luis Marte, who was playing shortstop, and Cooper hit for the pitcher’s spot. With Miguel Rojas not at the ballpark due to an illness and Joe Panik not able to join the team until Wednesday afternoon after being acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays, Miami had to move Jon Berti from third base to shortstop and Aguilar to third.
After making the defensive play, Aguilar led off the top of the ninth with a single that set up Adam Duvall’s two-run home run. He was taken aback for a second when he heard the public address announcer introduce him as “third baseman Jesus Aguilar” as he stepped to the plate.
“I was like, ‘That’s me!’” Aguilar said with a laugh. “You’ve gotta do what you’ve gotta do in this game. That’s how I think.”
Miguel Rojas’ return
Rojas was back in the Marlins’ lineup on Wednesday, playing shortstop and batting fifth, after being sent back to the hotel before the game Tuesday. It was just the fourth game Rojas did not play in while on the active roster (he missed 18 games while on the injured list with a left index finger dislocation).
“Miggy woke up feeling good today,” Mattingly said pregame. “He’s back in the lineup. Happy about that. We always miss him when he’s out of there. He brings a different energy than our other guys, so good to have him back.”
Mattingly had rookie Marte, who was designated for assignment Wednesday to add Panik to the active roster, take Rojas’ spot in the lineup on Tuesday so that Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Jon Berti could stay in their usual defensive spots at second base and third base, respectively.
“We know it was going to be temporary,” Mattingly said postgame Tuesday. “[Shortstop is] Luis’ natural position. It leaves Jazz where he’s been playing. It leaves Bert where he’s been playing. We’re thinking on a short-term basis. That seemed to be the best for tonight, just for if we’re thinking it was going to be one game.”
Joe Panik’s role
While Panik, acquired from the Blue Jays in a trade Tuesday for outfielder Corey Dickerson and reliever Adam Cimber, has experience playing multiple positions, Mattingly said he’ll primarily be used at third base and off the bench. This is to keep the continuity of Chisholm and Rojas in the middle infield, although Panik will be an option to start at those spots should Chisholm or Rojas need a rest day.
Panik started at third base on Wednesday and hit a home run off Aaron Nola in his first at-bat with the Marlins and had a two-out RBI single as part of a six-run fifth before the game was put in a delay due to rain.
Panik, who joined the team in Philadelphia on Wednesday afternoon, said he was “surprised” when he got the news he was traded, especially since it came a month before MLB’s July 30 deadline.
“It’s an exciting team,” Panik said. “They’re always high energy. They’re an aggressive team, and they’re a lot of fun to watch so definitely excited to be here, play for Don and play with these guys.
Max Meyer in the Futures Game
Right-handed pitcher Max Meyer, the third-ranked prospect in the Marlins’ system and the No. 20 overall prospect in baseball according to MLB Pipeline, has been named to the MLB Futures Game, which takes place on July 11 at Coors Field as part of MLB’s All-Star festivities.
Meyer, the fourth overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft, is the first player drafted by the Marlins to participate in the Futures Game since Brian Anderson in 2017 and the first pitcher drafted by the Marlins to participate since Jose Fernandez in 2012.
Meyer, 22, is 4-1 with a 1.84 ERA and 50 strikeouts against 24 walks in 49 innings of work through 10 starts for the Double A Pensacola Blue Wahoos to start his pro ball career. He has gone at least five innings without allowing a run in half of his starts.
This story was originally published June 30, 2021 at 6:39 PM.
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