Dee Gordon expected to return to Marlins lineup soon
The All-Star Game is out of the question for second baseman Dee Gordon. But a quick comeback from his thumb injury isn’t. The Marlins are hopeful that Gordon, who dislocated his left thumb on Saturday, could return to the lineup shortly after the All-Star break.
“We’re optimistic,” said Michael Hill, Marlins president of baseball operations. “We’re not going to place him on the DL at the moment. He probably won’t be available that first series [in Philadelphia] after the break but, hopefully, shortly thereafter.”
Hill said it wasn’t even deemed necessary to perform a MRI on the thumb to determine if Gordon sustained any ligament damage.
“He had range of motion and decent strength given the injury, so no MRI was necessary,” Hill said. “It wasn’t as bad as it could have been. We’re optimistic it shouldn’t be a long-term issue for him. DL may not be necessary. Dee’s going to do everything in his power to avoid that. We’re hopeful we don’t go that far.”
Gordon said does plan to attend the All-Star Game to represent the Marlins even though can won’t be playing.
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With the July 31 trade deadline right around the corner, Hill was nonspecific about the Marlins’ intentions — buy, sell or stand pat — leading up to that point.
“In our position, you’re always working dual paths,” Hill said. “As we work towards the 31st, if there’s a deal that makes sense for us moving forward, we’ll obviously entertain it. If there’s something that works for us, we’ll pursue it.”
Don’t look for the Marlins to make any sweeping moves. Pitchers Mat Latos, Dan Haren and Brad Hand could be dealt, along with a few others. But the Marlins aren’t planning any mass sell-off.
“We still believe in this core,” Hill said. “We have controllable pieces that are talented. You look at our injured right fielder [Giancarlo Stanton]. Our left fielder [Christian Yelich] is starting to play well. Our starting center fielder [Marcell Ozuna] has had to take a step back, but we’re confident he’ll be back.
“Arguably the best double-play duo in baseball up the middle, with Dee and [Adeiny] Hechavarria. [Martin] Prado will be back healthy, but a true pro. And our young catcher [J.T. Realmuto] is here and is showing that he is going to be a frontline catcher for many years to come. Those are everyday pieces that we’re excited about. Our thought process hasn’t changed. Our evaluation process hasn’t changed with any of those players. Still supreme belief in their ability, their talent.”
This story was originally published July 12, 2015 at 6:37 PM with the headline "Dee Gordon expected to return to Marlins lineup soon."