Second time around, the Marlins are hopeful Jordan Yamamoto reverts back to his rookie form in 2019.
Earlier this season, the 24-year-old right-hander struggled in three August starts. He posted an 11.42 ERA, with four home runs allowed in 8 2/3 innings before being optioned to the alternate training site in Jupiter, Fla.
Prior to Tuesday's game against the Braves, the Marlins recalled Yamamoto and optioned first-base prospect Lewin Díaz. Additionally, lefty reliever Adam Conley cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Wichita. Conley is no longer in the 60-man player pool.
A starter in all 18 of his MLB appearances, including 15 as a rookie last year, Yamamoto’s role now is in the bullpen as a long reliever.
With the Marlins in postseason contention, they are using players in whatever roles are necessary.
“With Yami, in spring, he was pretty good,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. “But in the summer, somewhere between spring and the shutdown, he wasn’t the same coming back. He never really caught up physically.”
Pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre Jr. observed Yamamoto’s bullpens during the lead-up to Summer Camp and noticed he wasn’t right.
“They had to stop a couple of bullpens and get him back to a long-toss program,” Mattingly said. “He got behind a little bit in the summer. We saw it with the velo, it was down after the summer compared to last year.”
According to Statcast, Yamamoto’s four-seam fastball average in his three games this year was 89.9 mph. It was 91.5 mph last year.
Opponents' exit velocity off Yamamoto was 92.8 mph, placing him in the bottom 3 percent of all pitchers. The expected batting average (xBA) on balls in play off him was .347, which is in the bottom 1 percent.
The MLB average exit velocity against is 88.3 mph.
Not overpowering, Yamamoto relies on changing speeds and mixing in his breaking pitches.
“That’s going to affect a guy like that who has to add and subtract,” Mattingly said of Yamamoto’s drop in pitch velocity. “When you’re adding and subtracting, 92-93, and then you’re adding your curveball and your changeup, when you’re doing that at 88, it has less [separation of speeds]. He was less effective and wasn’t locating as well.
“We think physically, there’s nothing wrong with him, like injury-wise. But physically, he wasn’t where he needed to be. He was behind and having to catch up all the time. It wasn’t clicking for him.”
Catching a break with Berti
Jon Berti appears to have avoided a more serious finger injury.
Berti, whose finger got clipped while dropping down a bunt in Monday’s 5-4 win over the Braves in 10 innings, is dealing with some stiffness. But the team is hopeful he will be ready in a couple of days.
Berti has been mainly playing second base since Jonathan Villar was traded to the Blue Jays on Aug. 31.
Jazz Chisholm started at second on Tuesday in Atlanta.
“[Berti] wasn’t having any pain, just a little stiffness,” Mattingly said. “He will be able to do certain things tonight. We’re going to try to give him a day, maybe two, to get that stiffness out. We feel like we dodged a bullet there.”
Sweet and sour experience for Jazz
There’s a lot of kid still in the 22-year-old Chisholm, Miami’s fourth-ranked prospect per MLB Pipeline.
Chisholm is a big fan of Sour Patch Kids candy, so much so that on Sunday against Tampa Bay, he sported a large bag of the tasty treats in the dugout.
The rookie intends to continue making Sour Patch Kids part of his game experience.
“Every day, I’m going to have sour treats,” Chisholm said. “Sometimes they’re in my back pockets. Sometimes I’ve got my minibag. Sometimes I’ve got my big bag.”
When it comes to getting down to the business of playing, Chisholm and the rest of the Marlins' rookies are gaining valuable experience playing meaningful games in September.
“The playoff push, I feel like it’s very important for us as a veteran team with a lot of guys coming up through,” Chisholm said. “For us, it’s going to help us learn the aspect of how to make it to the playoffs, how to make a playoff run, how to win. I feel like that’s the most important thing of being a big leaguer, it’s winning games and winning championships. I feel it’s a great time for us to learn and have this experience.”