NEW YORK – Marlins rookie outfielder Owen Caissie walked twice and struck out three times in his third rehab game for Triple-A Jacksonville on Friday night while serving as the designated hitter. His next step could be rejoining the ballclub on its road trip.
Caissie, who was placed on the 10-day injured list on July 9 with a right calf strain, had homered in each of his first two games of the rehab assignment. He went 2-for-3 with a first-inning single to center, a fourth-inning walk and a seventh-inning, opposite-field homer in Game 1 of Thursday's doubleheader. He also played all seven innings in right field.
On Tuesday to begin his rehab stint, Caissie finished 1-for-1 with a hit-by-pitch (on an 83.4 mph changeup) and two walks to go along with a homer while serving as the DH. Like he did on Thursday, Caissie drove a 93 mph fastball the other way -- this one for a solo homer.
Before the Marlins’ 1-0 win over the Phillies on Tuesday at loanDepot park, manager Clayton McCullough said the plan was for the Ontario native to get somewhere between 11 and 13 plate appearances over the next three days with no off-days.
Due to Wednesday's rainout, Caissie was the DH for Jacksonville on Friday. The Marlins will now reevaluate him for a possible return. Caissie, who initially felt some tightness in his calf on July 7, was cleared on July 8, but he exited that day’s game and eventually landed on the IL.
Acquired by the Marlins in a four-player trade with the Cubs in exchange for right-hander Edward Cabrera, Caissie has a slash line of .239/.297/.459 with 12 homers (fourth on club) and 50 RBIs (tied for second). Prior to the injury, he had an .861 OPS since May 1.
In Caissie's absence, Heriberto Hernández and Griffin Conine have played the corner-outfield positions on a consistent basis. Hernández paces the Marlins with 16 homers, while Conine contributed two game-winning knocks in a sweep of the Phillies earlier this week.