MIAMI -- The Marlins reinstated Griffin Conine from the 60-day injured list and designated for assignment Christopher Morel as the corresponding roster move on Sunday afternoon. Conine started in right field and hit second in the lineup for the series finale against the Giants at loanDepot park.
Conine, who underwent a left hamstring tendon excision in mid-April after tearing it while attempting to make a diving catch, went 4-for-10 with one homer and four RBIs in three rehab games for Triple-A Jacksonville this week.
"I think the last week went fast, went faster than we thought, but for a good reason," Conine said. "I turned the corner. I've been feeling really good, and [the] assignment went well. It was shorter than I thought it would be, but we're ready to be back. We're playing really good ball, so I'm ready to be back here."
Prior to the injury, Conine slashed .273/.360/.591 with one double, two homers and two steals in 11 games. The left-handed hitter provides Miami with another power bat and serves as a corner-outfield/first-base option.
"I think there's a very high likelihood that he'll get some starts occasionally over there [at first]," manager Clayton McCullough said. "In the outfield, DHing. Right now, it's a good problem. We have certainly a number of individuals that are performing well and swinging the bat. [Heriberto Hernández] and [Esteury] Ruiz still very much warrant some opportunity. Those guys have done a lot of good things for us, so right now, getting Griff back is exciting, because Griff definitely adds something to our team. And you can't have enough good players that are performing, and we'll keep mixing them around and keeping everyone involved."
Morel, whom the Marlins inked as a low-risk, high-reward bat in December, hoped to regain his 2022-23 form (2.5 bWAR and 42 homers). Expected to be the club’s primary first baseman – a position he learned during Spring Training – Morel strained his left oblique during Opening Day batting practice and wound up on the IL.
Upon his return, the right-handed-hitting Morel struggled at the plate with a .162/.219/.206 slash line and just three extra-base hits (all doubles) and one RBI in 73 plate appearances.
With the right-handed-hitting Hernández and Ruiz’s recent production, paired with Kyle Stowers' first-base workload, Morel saw his playing time diminish. He appeared in just two games this month, and none since June 10.
Morel becomes the second offseason signing to be DFA by the Marlins, joining right-hander Chris Paddack. Miami’s other two Major League free-agents signings -- closer Pete Fairbanks (11 saves) and lefty John King (186 ERA+) -- have performed.
"It was tough," McCullough said. "Christopher is and was a terrific teammate. We all coming into this season had high hopes that we can be the ones, and this be the situation in place, where Christopher could turn a lot of the talent and ability he has, and kind of refine the '22-23 version, and it just didn't happen. ... Felt like what's best for Chris now is to go have a chance to go find an opportunity that's better than currently what we have for him here. We have some other guys again who we continue to give the playing time to. Chris was great, he's a real pro, he handled himself well through a difficult tenure here and wish him the best."