With Jesus Sanchez back on the roster, a look at how Marlins will balance outfield reps
The Miami Marlins are getting closer to full strength.
The latest player to return: Outfielder Jesus Sanchez, who was activated prior to Monday’s series opener against the Atlanta Braves after being on the COVID-19 related injured list for the first month following the All-Star Break.
Sanchez, the fifth-ranked prospect in the Marlins’ system and the No. 92 overall prospect in baseball according to MLB Pipeline, started in right field and batting fourth for the Marlins on Monday. He hit .265 with three home runs, nine RBI and six runs scored in his first 23 games with the Marlins before going on the IL.
Sanchez’s return gives the Marlins even more roster flexibility when it comes to starting outfielders but also once again creates a logjam with Sanchez, Lewis Brinson, Bryan De La Cruz and Jorge Alfaro — plus the occasional reps for Magneuris Sierra — for three starting outfield spots.
Brinson has been on a hot streak since his latest callup, entering Monday with a .338 batting average to go along with 20 RBI, 15 runs scored and 13 extra-base hits in 23 games (and 19 starts) since July 19.
Alfaro is hitting .308 with six doubles since Aug. 3, the day he made his first start in left field, although he is still getting occasional starts at catcher and manager Don Mattingly said he could potentially get spot starts at first base.
De La Cruz is hitting .298 through his first 16 MLB games with two doubles and two home runs.
Brinson, Sierra and De La Cruz can play all three outfield positions. Sanchez is primarily a right fielder but mainly played left field this season because the Marlins had Adam Duvall in right field at the time. Duvall has since been traded to the Braves.
“Basically,” Mattingly said, “all our guys play mostly every spot.”
Pablo Lopez throws live BP
Another encouraging sign from Monday: Right-handed pitcher Pablo Lopez, on the injured list since July 17 with a right rotator cuff strain, threw a live batting practice session on the field at loanDepot park pregame Monday.
Lopez threw 35 pitches over two innings to Sandy Leon and Deven Marrero, mixing in all of his pitches during the first inning and then throwing almost exclusively fastballs in the second inning.
“I felt it went better than I thought it would be so that’s always a good time,” Lopez said. “Warming up in the bullpen, you want to treat it like a game day but at the same time, you shouldn’t be doing that because you’re still in that ramping up process. [Pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre Jr.] had to remind me a few times ‘You might be taking it a little too seriously today’ but I’m feeling good.”
Lopez’s latest progress, which has him on track to return at some point before the season ends, comes a day after Elieser Hernandez returned from his second 60-day IL stint of the season.
Should Lopez return, and when Trevor Rogers comes back from the bereavement list, the Marlins will have as close to a full-strength rotation over the final month of the season when factoring in Sandy Alcantara, Hernandez and Jesus Luzardo. Rookies Zach Thompson and Braxton Garrett are holding down rotation spots in the meantime.
“I’m hoping to get a full glimpse,” Marlins general manager Kim Ng said, “of what we were hoping to have for the entire season. ... It’s exciting to see these guys progress to the point where we think they’re going to be inserted into the rotation here for the next several weeks.”
First-round pick makes pro ball debut
Kahlil Watson, the Marlins’ first round pick in July’s 2021 MLB Draft, made his organizational debut on Monday when he batted leadoff and played shortstop for the Marlins’ rookie-league team in the Florida Complex League.
Watson went 0 for 3 with one strikeout, one walk and two runs scored in a 6-5, seven-inning win over the FCL Astros in West Palm Beach.
The 18-year-old reached on his first plate appearance with a throwing error allowed him to get to third base. He scored on at-bat later on another Astros fielding error.
Watson struck out swinging in the third, hit a groundout to first base in the sixth and drew a one-out walked in the seventh. He scored the go-ahead run on an RBI double from Jose Salas.
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