Marlins weighing options on adding players
As Marlins players, coaches and staff remained in Philadelphia waiting to be cleared to travel, the organization was discussing possible replacements to join the roster.
With a high number of COVID-19 positive cases, the club is preparing to make about a dozen roster moves before it returns to playing games.
On Tuesday, MLB postponed Miami’s scheduled games through the weekend. MLB announced on Saturday that the Marlins are set to resume their season in Baltimore from Tuesday through Thursday, with one day including a doubleheader (all game times TBD) and the Marlins serving as the home team for two games.
In addition, the originally scheduled games between the Phillies and Marlins from Aug. 4-6 will be rescheduled for a later date.
Foremost, the Marlins’ traveling party to Philadelphia has been quarantined in the team hotel, awaiting COVID-19 test results. As of Tuesday, 17 people, including at least two coaches, were known to have tested positive. The Marlins reported no new positive test results in Friday's collections.
From their Opening Day roster, the Marlins have placed catcher Jorge Alfaro, right-hander José Ureña, first baseman/designated hitter Garrett Cooper and outfielder Harold Ramirez on the injured list.
At the Marlins' alternate training site in Jupiter, Fla., the remainder of the 60-man player pool has been working out regularly. Those players have also been tested for the virus.
The Marlins are anticipating at least one rotation change when they get back on the field. Even though their top prospect, hard-throwing right-hander Sixto Sanchez, has been throwing in Jupiter, the club is leaning toward using either Nick Neidert, their No. 10 prospect, or Jordan Yamamoto in the rotation. Neidert, a projected starter, made the Opening Day roster as a reliever. Yamamoto, who made 15 starts last season as a rookie, opened this season at the Jupiter site after Elieser Hernandez won the fifth starter spot. Yamamoto and Neidert are considered to be big league-ready now.
Sanchez was moved along more slowly than the other starters in Spring Training, and he didn’t pitch in any Grapefruit League games in Spring Training. He’s been building up in Jupiter.
A couple of outfield reinforcements are close to being ready to join the big league club. Lewis Brinson and Matt Joyce both started the season on the injured list. They are considered close to rejoining the club.
At this point, it appears the Marlins are leaning toward going with players with big league experience instead of turning to their top position player prospects, like shortstop Jazz Chisholm (No. 3 prospect), outfielder Jesús Sánchez (No. 4), first baseman Lewin Díaz (No. 7) and outfielder Monte Harrison (No. 9).
If the Marlins need middle infield depth, Jon Berti, who already is on the active roster, is a candidate to play shortstop. From their player pool, non-roster invitee Eddy Alvarez is an option. Berti plays shortstop, second base, third base and center field.
Alvarez, 30, is from Miami and has played professional baseball since 2014, but he has never been in the big leagues. He has a interesting back story, having represented the United States at the 2014 Winter Olympics as a short-track speed skater, winning a silver medal in the 5,000-meter relay.