Depth


Injuries (plural) at the Third Base position are something the Marlins have been overcoming during the 1st Half of 2022. With both Brian Anderson & Joey Wendle sidelined since May 30th (Andy since May 27th), the 5'10/190 pound Jon Berti has stepped up in a big way at the hot-corner for the Marlins.



Berti has Started every Game in June for the Fish at 3rd Base. His .308 Batting Average this month has contributed to his .379 OBP, a perfect 10 for 10 in Stolen Base Attempts, 3 Doubles, and 9 Runs Scored.



Garrett Cooper had a bit of a Covid scare over the Weekend in Houston. While Avisail Garcia had Inflammation in his Left Hand that wiped him out of the entire Series in H-Town. Moments such as these should assure the Marlins they made the right decision to keep Bryan De La Cruz on the Big League Roster this Season.



De La Cruz was slashing .333/.413/.487 with a .900 OPS in his first 24 Games (11 Starts) through May 16th. The very limited Game-action may have begun to catch up to the Marlins 4th Outfielder, who went 8 for his next 51 at the Plate, with only 1 Extra Base Hit, and only 1 Walk. But with Garcia and then Cooper sidelined, having the luxury of somebody the caliber of De La Cruz able to fill in in the Outfield is something Marlins Teams have not had in the recent past. De La Cruz, the former Astros Farmhand, prompted to deliver a 3 Run Homer off Justin Verlander Sunday.



A more under the radar (if you can call 'La 🐢 Tortuga' under the radar) depth piece was acquired by the Marlins when the MLB Lockout was lifted back in March. Willians Astudillo alias 'La Tortuga' may have started his 2022 Campaign in Triple-A Jacksonville after signing a Minor League Deal with the Marlins, but continues to show the Organization he's plenty Big League.

 


Since his call-up back to the Show on May 25th, 'La Tortuga' is slashing .333/.360/.458 in his 25 Trips to the Plate, notched a Game Tying Hit for the Marlins in the Bottom of the 10th Inning on June 8th, mad dashed to Home Plate a Batter later that day to Score the Game Winner, and Pitched a Scoreless Inning back on June 3rd 🐢🐢🐢.



Speaking of under the radar additions by the Marlins. An honorable mention is that of the Luke Williams acquisition less than a month ago in a Minor League Trade with the Giants. Williams has a .389 OBP in his 11 Games with the Fish and picked up a crucial Stolen Base in the 9th Inning in Philadelphia Tuesday.



With injuries starting to mount now on the Pitching front in recent days for the Marlins. Coupled with underperformances in the Starting Rotation by the likes of Trevor Rogers & Eliesar Hernandez. That same Depth for the Fish will now have to show itself on the Mound.


Something we wrote about Marlins Bullpen newcomer Jimmy Yacabonis during the Spring ⬆.  


Cole Sulser's Injury news yesterday necessitated the move to bring up Jimmy Yacabonis from Triple-A Jacksonville. Could that spell more leverage Innings for Tommy Nance out of the Marlins Bullpen as well??



Pablo Lopez, having been pushed back from his scheduled Start Wednesday after being struck in the Right Wrist with a line drive in Houston, opened the opportunity for Daniel Castano to have his finest Start as Big Leaguer in the Philly finale.



Edward Cabrera too landed on the I.L yesterday with Elbow problems and Jesus Luzardo doesn't have a timeline for a return from Forearm issues that have already sidelined him for over month.

 


Old friend Nick Neidert, coming back from an Injury of his own, has made his last 2 Pitching appearances for the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp as a Starting Pitcher again, after beginning 2022 in Relief. Posting 6.2 Scoreless Innings in those last 2 mentioned Starts combined. Don't be surprised to see Neidert make his next scheduled Start for the Marlins at the Big League Level due to the aforementioned Injurie(s).


  


Braxton Garrett made the most of his Big League Opportunity against the Astros during his last Start Saturday in the Lone Star State. The Marlins will need more arms to step up, the likes of not only Garrett, Castano and potentially Neidert. But Rogers included (whose problems may go beyond just a Sophomore slump), if they are to stay in the Race come the Trading Deadline.

 



Help could come down the road to said Rotation in the form of Top Pitching Prospect Max Meyer. In the meantime, 'Depth' on both the Position Player and Pitching side will continue to show itself, for better or like we learned yesterday, not always worse.                            

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