Maybin to fill CF position after Brinson injury

Rivera will provide relief in super-utility role

July 14th, 2018

MIAMI -- With out indefinitely with a right hip bone bruise, is expected to get a majority of the playing time for the Marlins in center field.
But the club still plans to monitor the 31-year-old, who has been used mostly off the bench since 2015. Utility infielder , who is getting his first substantial work in the outfield this season, is the next on the depth chart.
"We're going with Cam, and Yadi is the other guy," Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. "We're not going to run Cam into the ground, so we'll be using Yadi some. But as we get into it, we'll have to give Cam some days."
Maybin started on Saturday against the Phillies, appearing in his 88th game before the All-Star break.
A year ago, the veteran outfielder saw action in 114 games with the Angels and Astros, with whom he was a bench player in the playoffs.
Initially, the Marlins were hopeful Brinson, who has been on the disabled list since July 4, would be ready shortly after the All-Star break. But on Friday, the club announced the 24-year-old has a bone bruise, and he currently isn't doing baseball-related activities. He rode the exercise bike on Saturday.
The Marlins are grooming Rivera to be a super-utility player. His skill set is similar to that of , who is primarily a shortstop but is willing to play all over the infield, and occasionally in center.
"The one thing Yadi doesn't have is games [in center field], and that always helps," Mattingly said.
At Triple-A, is on the 40-man roster, and at some point in the second half, the left-handed speedster, who played 22 games with the Marlins in 2017, could get the call. In 81 games with the Baby Cakes, Sierra is batting .262/.291/.340 with 14 stolen bases.
Acquired from the Cardinals in the trade, Sierra is ranked by MLB Pipeline as Miami's No. 6 prospect.
The Marlins are set at their corner outfield spots, with and sharing time in left field and being the regular in right.
Worth noting
• News that former All-Star second baseman of the Dodgers plans to retire after the season touched home for Mattingly. In 2015, Utley played for Mattingly, then the manager in Los Angeles.
The Marlins have long been familiar with Utley during his prime seasons with the Phillies.
"I have all the respect for Chase," Mattingly said. "Impressive, in watching his career. Coaching out in L.A., against those guys, he was a tough competitor. Then, actually, getting to manage him in L.A. He's a special guy. He's intense. Smart. He's a really, really good guy."
• Reliever Javy Guerra finds himself being used in several different roles since being called up from Triple-A on July 9. Having a veteran like Guerra gives the bullpen another option to help lighten the workload of some of the young relievers.
"You want to be able to protect guys," Mattingly said. "Javy is a guy who has pitched in all different roles. He was closing down in Triple-A and throwing multiple innings. He's a guy who can pitch in the middle. Javy has always been a guy who has always taken the ball and bounced back."