Injuries & Moves: 6 players placed on IL; Bride recalled
LATEST NEWS
March 28: RHP Edward Cabrera, RHP JT Chargois, RHP Eury Pérez, LHP Braxton Garrett and LHP Josh Simpson placed on the 15-day injured list; UTIL Xavier Edwards placed on 10-day IL; RHP Max Meyer and INF Jonah Bride recalled from Triple-A Jacksonville; RHP Burch Smith has contract selected from Triple-A Jacksonville
With Cabrera, Pérez and Garrett on the IL (retroactive to March 25), rotation spots opened up for Meyer (Miami's No. 3 prospect) as well as southpaws Ryan Weathers and Trevor Rogers. After being acquired on March 27, Smith joins the bullpen with Chargois on the IL and Calvin Faucher in the Minors. Bride got the final bench spot following Jon Berti's departure via trade.
March 27: RHP Calvin Faucher and RHP Anthony Maldonado optioned to Triple-A Jacksonville
Faucher, who exited his March 6 Grapefruit League outing with a right shoulder impingement, will build up in Minor League games before joining the club. Maldonado (Miami's No. 19 prospect) was an option to round out the bullpen before the acquisition of Burch Smith.
March 27: RHP Burch Smith acquired from Rays for cash
Smith, who last appeared in the Majors in 2021, will be in the Opening Day bullpen. While the 33-year-old saw mixed results this spring (2.63 WHIP), he impressed bench coach Luis Urueta and bullpen coach Wellington Cepeda while pitching for their winter ball team in the Dominican Republic.
March 27: UTIL Jon Berti traded to Yankees for OF John Cruz Rays acquire C Ben Rortvedt and send OF Shane Sasaki to Marlins
Miami dealt its longest-tenured position player with an eye toward the future, adding two young outfield prospects. The Marlins were confident in their utility-player depth with offseason acquisitions Nick Gordon, Vidal Bruján and Jonah Bride. The Yankees needed a third baseman with DJ LeMahieu out, while the Rays required a backup catcher.
March 26: RHP Huascar Brazoban reassigned to restricted list
Brazoban, who was unable to report to Spring Training due to visa issues, appeared in 50 games last season out of the bullpen. The 40-man roster is now at 39, meaning Miami could add non-roster invitee Vladimir Gutierrez to the Opening Day roster should the club choose to do so.
INJURY UPDATES
10-day injured list
INF/OF Xavier Edwards (left foot infection)
Expected return: Soon
Edwards opened the season on the injured list (retroactive to March 25). Edwards, who didn't appear in a Grapefruit League game after March 5, hit on the back fields on March 24 and had been participating in full workouts up to that point. (Last updated: March 28)
15-day injured list
RHP Edward Cabrera (right shoulder impingement)
Expected return: Mid-April
Cabrera opened the season on the injured list (retroactive to March 25). He threw 39 pitches and everything from his arsenal except the slider in a March 26 intrasquad scrimmage at loanDepot park. Cabrera's MRI on March 11 revealed a right shoulder impingement, the same diagnosis that made him miss a month last season -- though this time around Miami caught it sooner. Cabrera experienced the tightness during his pregame bullpen and later on the mound during warmups on March 10. (Last updated: March 28)
LHP Braxton Garrett (left shoulder impingement)
Expected return: Mid/late April
Garrett opened the season on the injured list (retroactive to March 25). He threw a bullpen session on March 26 and was scheduled for game action on March 28 in the Minor Leagues. Garrett, who had been dealing with general shoulder soreness at the beginning of camp, threw two innings (35 pitches) in his second live batting practice on March 23. (Last updated: March 28)
RHP Eury Pérez (mild right elbow inflammation)
Expected return: Early May
Pérez opened the season on the injured list (retroactive to March 25). He began playing catch again on March 23 after testing revealed no structural damage to his elbow. 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: March 28)
RHP JT Chargois (neck spasms)
Expected return: May
Chargois opened the season on the injured list (retroactive to March 25). After being on no-throw status for a handful of days following a specialist visit on March 13, Chargois had begun playing catch and doing weight room activities in Jupiter, Fla. Chargois, whose spring workload got delayed when he experienced neck spasms on Feb. 23, gave up one run on two hits in his Grapefruit League debut on March 12. His velocity maxed out at 92.6 mph in the 16-pitch outing, less than his average fastball velo (96.2 mph) in 2023. (Last updated: March 28)
LHP Josh Simpson (left elbow ulnar neuritis)
Expected return: TBD
Simpson opened the season on the injured list (retroactive to March 25). Simpson, who didn't pitch in a Grapefruit League game after Feb. 27, threw with batters in the box on March 23. He began feeling the discomfort shortly after that Feb. 27 outing, according to manager Skip Schumaker. (Last updated: March 28)
60-day injured list
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)