MIAMI -- The Marlins on Monday placed catcher J.T. Realmuto, named an All-Star for the first time on Sunday, on the paternity list to be with his wife as they await the birth of their first baby.
By rule, players on paternity leave are allowed three days, and with the club off on Thursday, Realmuto is expected back on Friday for the series opener against the Phillies. Realmuto is planning on attending the MLB All-Star Game presented by Mastercard on July 17 at Nationals Park.
Miami is prepared to play the three-game series against the Brewers at Marlins Park with John Holaday handling starting-catching duties.
The Marlins also placed right-hander Drew Rucinski on the 10-day disabled list with a right groin strain, and they transferred left-hander Caleb Smith to the 60-day DL. Miami recalled catcher Chad Wallach, the club's Opening Day catcher, from Triple-A New Orleans, and it selected the contract of right-hander Javy Guerra from New Orleans.
Smith on Monday underwent season-ending surgery to repair a Grade 3 left lat strain. The procedure was performed in Philadelphia.
Realmuto was named a reserve on the NL team as the Marlins' lone All-Star representative.
Marlins manager Don Mattingly on Monday expressed surprise that Realmuto was taken as a reserve, and not voted in by his peers. In the fan vote, Willson Contreras of the Cubs was selected as the NL starter.
"It's shocking, actually, to me," Mattingly said. "Because the players wanted to vote, because they felt sometimes the best players weren't getting in. I think a lot of people can argue that J.T. really should be starting this game, with his numbers and what he's accomplished this year. Yeah, that was kind of surprising to me."
The 27-year-old is slashing .317/.368/.551 with 12 homers and 44 RBIs this season. He notched a career-high five hits in Sunday's win over the Nationals.
Rucinski, 29, owns a 3.12 ERA through 13 games with the Marlins this season.
Wallach began the year splitting time with Holaday at catcher while Realmuto was on the DL recovering from a lower back bruise. Wallach appeared in nine games (eight starts) behind the plate, and he was optioned to Triple-A when Realmuto returned in mid-April.
Recently, Wallach missed time with New Orleans due to a wrist injury. The 26-year-old was already on the 40-man roster.
Guerra is making his first appearance on a Major League roster this season. He pitched in 16 games with the Marlins last year, posting a 3.00 ERA. The 32-year-old veteran owns a 2.99 ERA over 169 big league outings since his debut with the Dodgers in 2011.
Worth noting
• Miami's No. 2 prospect Sandy Alcantara, on the 10-day DL with a right axillary infection, isn't expected back until after the All-Star break.
"Sandy, he hasn't been cleared yet," Mattingly said. "Without putting any timetables on anybody, but just doing the math, puts him in a little bit more danger."
• Right-hander Tayron Guerrero (left lumbar strain) is playing catch, and there is a chance he could be reinstated at the earliest on Sunday in the series finale against the Phillies. But that is the day before the All-Star break, so the club may wait to reinstate him.
• Center fielder Lewis Brinson (right hip inflammation) was scheduled to be evaluated later on Monday by team physician Dr. Lee Kaplan. Brinson has mostly been resting since being placed on the DL on July 4.