Sanoja hasn't skipped beat since the Classic, and Marlins are taking notice

MIAMI -- The World Baseball Classic might’ve ended three weeks ago, but Venezuelan flags still flank Javier Sanoja’s locker inside the Marlins’ clubhouse at loanDepot park.

Sanoja, whose clutch steal and decisive run helped his Venezuelan ballclub to an upset victory over the United States in the final, has been walking around with a noticeable swagger ever since.

By collecting three hits in the Marlins’ 8-1 victory over the Reds on Thursday afternoon, Sanoja bumped his average to .406. If he qualified, that would rank second in the Majors behind the Dodgers’ Andy Pages (.413) and ahead of teammate Xavier Edwards (.396).

“I think [bench coach] Carson [Vitale] told me at the beginning when he saw me coming back from the World Baseball Classic that I was looking loose,” Sanoja said via interpreter Luis Dorante Jr. “I think there's belief. There's no coincidence of experience, right? You’ve got to continue getting that experience from that World Baseball Classic that has been helping me a lot, and just continue working really hard. I think that's something that really helped me, the World Baseball Classic, that got me a little loose with a lot of confidence now to start the season.”

Miami’s Gold Glove-winning utility player has collected a hit in six of his eight starts, including three multi-RBI and five multihit performances in those contests. Thursday’s series finale, which secured a four-game split, was yet another.

With the Marlins leading 1-0 in the fourth, Owen Caissie knocked a two-run double and Sanoja produced the first of his two RBI singles -- a liner to right -- to provide right-hander Max Meyer (5 IP, ER) a cushion. Sanoja added an RBI single to center in the sixth to score Caissie once again.

“He's just good,” manager Clayton McCullough said. “This is probably when he's at his best. He's slashing those line drives all over the place, and the contact ability has always been something that he's had. It's a real superpower of his. Versus right, versus left, I trust the at-bat Javy's going to get. Love the times when you have runners [on] third and less than two outs, [because] you feel really good that the ball is going to move forward and you have a chance for good things to happen.

“His ability to play all over the field and as good a player as he is, it makes it easy. I don't worry as much with him, the right, left. He gets so many opportunities, whether starting or coming into games, because of just the versatility and the skill level.”

The 23-year-old Sanoja has already played five positions this season: third, second, short, left and center. His defensive versatility has come in handy for Miami, and it will likely continue to do so with the club’s latest injury: Outfielder Griffin Conine exited with left hamstring discomfort after a sixth-inning diving attempt.

McCullough started Sanoja in center for the series finale to give Jakob Marsee, who had manned the spot in each of the club’s first 12 games, a breather.

With Esteury Ruiz sidelined by a high-grade oblique strain, though progressing at a speedier rate than the Marlins anticipated, Sanoja is Miami’s backup center fielder. With Connor Norby serving as the primary first baseman with Christopher Morel hurt, the right-handed-hitting Sanoja has platooned at third base with the left-handed-hitting Graham Pauley.

“He's a great player,” said Caissie, who drove in a game-high three runs on Thursday and competed for Canada in the Classic. “He does literally everything, plays every position. He's in center field today. I was on third base twice with him up today, and he drove me in both times. He hits everything. All-around, I think he's a really good ballplayer, and his game really shows that, and he's a great teammate as well, which is awesome.”

Although Sanoja collected Gold Glove hardware and orchestrated walk-off heroics as a rookie last season, the Classic experience -- from the elite competition to the lively crowds -- has his self-confidence and that for the similarly underdog Marlins at another level.

“Personally, I think that's the best tournament in the world, [best] baseball tournament that's ever been,” Sanoja said. “The environment is so hot, amazing. It's Caribbean baseball. You have to play the highest level of baseball, I believe. So, that's what we need to continue being ourselves, play some Caribbean baseball, like I said, and then just follow the instruction of our coaches and our plans, and I think we're going to be in a good spot.”