Injuries & Moves: Cronin recalled, Soriano optioned
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April 17: RHP Declan Cronin recalled from Triple-A Jacksonville and RHP George Soriano optioned to Triple-A Jacksonville
Cronin allowed just an unearned run across four innings before being optioned for a fresh bullpen arm on March 31. He made three appearances for the Jumbo Shrimp, giving up two runs over 4 1/3 frames. Soriano has struggled so far this season, in particular of late, surrendering three runs in each of his last two outings.
April 15: RHP Edward Cabrera reinstated from 15-day injured list and RHP Max Meyer optioned to Triple-A Jacksonville
Cabrera, who was scheduled to throw six innings or 95 pitches on April 17 in a fourth rehab start for Triple-A Jacksonville while working back from a right shoulder impingement, struck out 10 batters over six innings of one-run ball in the series opener against the Giants. His season debut took the place of left-hander A.J. Puk, who caught the illness passing through the clubhouse. Puk will be pushed back to April 17's series finale.
Meyer, ranked as Miami's No. 3 prospect, was Miami's most consistent starter with its only two quality starts entering Monday, but he was part of the Opening Day rotation out of necessity with Cabrera, Braxton Garrett and Eury Pérez sidelined with injuries. Meyer missed 19 months with Tommy John surgery and will have his workload monitored this season.
"Tough sending Max out, obviously, one of our better pitchers if not the best pitcher so far in the early part of the season," manager Skip Schumaker said. "We kind of let him know that there was a chance this was going to happen just to protect him and what our organization thinks of him and how highly they think of him, because of his workload and innings that he's had the last couple years. Combined, there's not too many innings on that arm. So [president of baseball operations] Peter [Bendix] laid out kind of a game plan on what that looks like moving forward and talking with Max, and I think we're all on the same page."
April 15: C Christian Bethancourt placed on 10-day injured list (retroactive April 14) and C Jhonny Pereda's contract selected from Triple-A Jacksonville
Since Bethancourt and Nick Fortes are the only backstops on the 40-man roster, Miami needed a backup catcher with Bethancourt sick. Pereda, 27, has yet to make his MLB debut. He was hitting .346 in eight games for the Jumbo Shrimp.
April 15: 3B Jake Burger placed on 10-day injured list and INF Otto Lopez recalled from Triple-A Jacksonville
Burger, who experienced discomfort on April 14, landed on the IL with a left intercostal muscle strain. Burger said postgame it felt similar to last season when he missed 10 days as a member of the White Sox.
Miami claimed Lopez, who hasn't appeared in the Majors since 2022, from San Francisco on April 4. He can play shortstop, second and third base. He provides infield depth with Burger on the IL and Vidal Bruján nursing a banged-up right knee.
10-day injured list
C Christian Bethancourt (viral illness)
Expected return: 10 days
Bethancourt was at home resting after catching the cold going around the clubhouse. He didn't play April 14 and was placed on the injured list (retroactive to April 14) the following day. (Last updated: April 15)
INF/OF Xavier Edwards (left foot infection)
Expected return: TBD
Edwards, who opened the season on the injured list (retroactive to March 25), is healing after having a follow-up appointment with a podiatrist. Edwards didn't appear in a Grapefruit League game after March 5. (Last updated: April 15)
3B Jake Burger (left intercostal muscle strain)
Expected return: At least 10 days
Burger, who exited in the top of the fourth on April 14, first felt the discomfort on a first-inning swing. He missed 10 days last season with a left oblique strain that he said felt similar to the current diagnosis. (Last updated: April 15)
15-day injured list
LHP Braxton Garrett (left shoulder impingement)
Expected return: TBD
Garrett came out of his April 15 bullpen session with a "little dead arm" unrelated to his previous ailment, according to manager Skip Schumaker. He would undergo testing to determine the next course of action. Garrett, who threw 86 pitches across six innings on April 12 in his second rehab start for Triple-A Jacksonville, appeared to be on track for a return sometime this week. Garrett opened the season on the injured list (retroactive to March 25) after his spring workload was delayed due to general shoulder soreness at the start of camp. (Last updated: April 15)
RHP JT Chargois (neck spasms)
Expected return: May
Chargois threw a 20-pitch inning of live batting practice on April 15. He will have another session of two innings and 35 pitches on April 19. Chargois' spring workload got delayed when he experienced neck spasms on Feb. 23, and he saw his velocity max out at 92.6 mph -- much lower than his average fastball velo of 96.2 mph in 2023 -- during his Grapefruit League debut on March 12. (Last updated: April 15)
LHP Josh Simpson (left elbow ulnar neuritis)
Expected return: TBD
Simpson will throw a bullpen session in the next few days. He had tossed one inning for Single-A Jupiter on April 6 after previously completing one inning and 25 pitches in an extended spring game on April 2 in Jupiter, Fla., before experiencing a setback. Simpson opened the season on the injured list (retroactive to March 25). He didn't pitch in a Grapefruit League game after his Feb. 27 outing because he began to feel discomfort. (Last updated: April 15)
60-day injured list
RHP Eury Pérez (right UCL tear)
Expected return: 2025
Pérez, who opened the season on the injured list (retroactive to March 25), had Tommy John surgery on April 8 after experiencing soreness in his bullpen session on April 2. He was transferred to the 60-day IL on April 4.
Pérez's recurring nail issue had forced him to exit for precautionary reasons after just 14 pitches on March 13 -- but the bigger issue came the following morning when he reported feeling soreness in his right elbow. (Last updated: April 8)
RHP Sandy Alcantara (Tommy John surgery)
Expected return: 2025
Alcantara threw on flat ground on March 9 for the first time since undergoing the procedure. He was transferred to the 60-day injured list on Feb. 24 to make room on the 40-man roster for Tim Anderson.
Alcantara initially felt the discomfort on the 94th and final pitch of his Sept. 3 start against the Nationals and was diagnosed with a right forearm flexor strain. An MRI later revealed a right UCL sprain. He began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Jacksonville on Sept. 21 but shut himself down after experiencing forearm tightness. (Last updated: March 9)