WASHINGTON -- The Marlins may have been off on Friday, but the organization still had a productive day as outfielder Cole Gillespie cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A New Orleans.
But as Gillespie is returning, the Marlins lost the services of left-hander Brad Hand, who was claimed by the Padres.
Hand, 26, came up with the Marlins in 2011, but he never settled into a specific role. He was used as a starter, long reliever and occasionally as a situational lefty. He went 4-7 with a 5.30 ERA in 38 games (12 starts) last season.
Retaining Gillespie was a priority. The 31-year-old, who can play all three outfield spots, was among the most difficult cuts late in Spring Training.
Gillespie and Derek Dietrich both are out of options, and the Marlins were in position to take just one from camp. Now, they have Dietrich in the big leagues and Gillespie as outfield depth at New Orleans.
In 2015, Gillespie had a slash line of .290/.333/.428.
He followed that up with a strong spring, hitting .382 (13-for-34), while playing solid defense. He also would provide a right-handed bat off the bench.