Marlins getting a ‘special player, a throwback’ in Wendle. Notes on the newest infielder
Part 2 of a series with tidbits on the Marlins’ new players, with today’s focus on infielder Joey Wendle:
▪ The Marlins found a versatile player in Wendle, who is under team control for two more seasons and can play second base (218 career games), third base (182), shortstop (55), left field (16) and right field (2).
He’s good enough to be an everyday player — he’s a career .274 hitter and an All-Star in 2021 — but could emerge as a super utility player for the Marlins, playing several days a week at multiple positions.
In the two seasons that he has played in more than 75 games, he hit .300 (eighth in the American League), with seven homers and 61 RBI in 139 games for Tampa Bay in 2018 and .265, 11, 54 in 136 games for the Rays in 2021.
“Joey is a special player,” Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said in September. “I think it’s fair to call him a throwback. His at-bats are grind out at-bats where he wants to pick up big hits and really impact the team. We are very, very fortunate to have a player like Joey Wendle.”
▪ Neat item from the Tampa Bay Times’ Marc Topkin last summer: “Rays manager Kevin Cash pushed to get infielder Joey Wendle added to the American League All-Star team, so he figured he might as well have fun sharing the good news when they got word after Friday night’s game. Cash gathered the team in the clubhouse, then announced:
‘Mike Trout was selected for the All-Star Game, but he can’t come. So they wanted the next-best player in the league: Joey Wendle.’”
▪ Wendle is among only a few players in Major League Baseball who doesn’t wear batting gloves.
“Everyone always asks me why not? To me, it’s just been why? Why would I wear them?” Wendle said. “I grew up not using them. Never took to them. I’ve tried them, but I just prefer the feel of the skin on the bat.”
▪ He was third on the Rays in wins over replacement last season.
During the 2020 World Series, Houston manager Dusty Baker said: “Wendle looks like Brooks Robinson or Graig Nettles in the World Series.’‘
▪ A lefty hitter, Wendle hit .202 against left-handers last season (119 at-bats) and .287 against right-handers (.341 at bats).
For his career, it’s .285 against righties, .233 vs. lefties.
▪ Last season, he batted mostly fifth (hitting .309 in that slot) and sixth (.262) and seventh (.192).
▪ He’s 3 for 8 with a home run at loanDepot park.
▪ Wendle hit only .237 with runners in scoring position, .243 with runners in scoring position and two outs and .225 in late and close situations last season. The Marlins were in the bottom quarter of baseball in those metrics last season.
TV NOTE
Marlins shortstop Miguel Rojas will wear a microphone and an earpiece during Saturday’s spring game against Washington (6:30 p.m., Bally Sports Florida), allowing him to talk with Paul Severino and Tommy Hutton while he’s on the field and batting during the first three innings.
Here’s Part 1 of the series on Marlins newcomers, with 20 nuggets on Jorge Soler.
This story was originally published March 31, 2022 at 4:09 PM.
