Marlins infielder Isan Diaz has opted out of the 2020 season. MLB Network’s Jon Heyman tweeted yesterday that Diaz was considering such a decision, and the move became official last night when Miami placed Diaz on their restricted list. Diaz released a statement on his Instagram page:
“This has been a tough week to see so many of my teammates come down with the virus, and see how quickly it spreads. After much deliberation and thought, I have made the difficult choice of opting out for the remainder of the 2020 season. This has been a decision that I have discussed with my family, and I feel it’s the best one for me and my overall well-being. I will deeply miss my teammates and competing on the field. I wish my brothers the best and look forward to taking the field again with them soon!!”
Diaz is not one of the 18 Marlins players who have thus far tested positive for COVID-19. Given the widespread nature of the team’s outbreak, it wouldn’t be at all surprising if more Miami players joined Diaz in sitting out the 2020 campaign, though obviously circumstances and personal feelings are different for every individual.
With Nick Markakis choosing to end his opt-out and rejoin the Braves, that leaves 17 players who have decided to opt out of the 2020 season. Players who opt out for specific health-related seasons (such as Orioles righty Kohl Stewart, who has Type 1 diabetes) will still receive their full prorated salary and service time, while players without a personal health issue will forego their service time and remaining salary.
This is the case with Diaz, who is just his second year of Major League action. Ranked as a consensus top-100 prospect prior to the 2017 season, Diaz was one of the four prospects acquired by Miami in the blockbuster trade that sent Christian Yelich to the Brewers in January 2018. (This was already the second big trade of Diaz’s young career, as he came to the Brewers as part of the five-player swap that sent Jean Segura from Milwaukee to Arizona in January 2016.)
A .973 OPS in 435 Triple-A plate appearances in 2019 led to Diaz’s first MLB promotion last season, though he struggled in his first stint in the Show. Diaz hit only .173/.259/.307 over his first 201 PA for the Marlins, which could have been part of the reason why Miami acquired Jonathan Villar as its primary second baseman during the offseason. Since Villar is only under contract through the 2020 season, however, Diaz is still projected as Miami’s second baseman of the future.
TBH, I expect to see a lot more of these in the next week. And I don’t blame any of them.
Be afraid. Be very afraid of a 99% chance of survival rate of a virus.
If I had a machine gun and you were positive there were 99 blanks and 1 real bullet, are you going to say, “Oh, it’s a 99% chance of survival, go ahead and shoot once at my heart.”
99% survival rate sounds like a lot, but that is 1 out of every 100 people is likely to die. There are 900 players just on the 30 man rosters. If 9 players die before the end of the year, are you going to be okay with that because it is still a 99% survival rate?
If 100 million people in the US contract a birds with absolutely no pre-existing immunity to it anywhere in the world, and and only 1% of those contracting it die, then 1 million people die. You ok with that? Would you think it might be better to take some common sense actions such as mask wearing to knock that number in half?
99% is incorrect.
How about co-morbidity? Or health impacts that may manifest seven to ten months after a positive test that there’s neither been enough time nor data to study yet?
Manfredsajoke, on this topic you are clearly the joke.
I’m not surprised at this at all. I’m kind of surprised more of these guys that the Marlins are picking up aren’t just opting out instead.
Most players who are out there and available for pickup are hanging on. They’ll take the chance.
Makes sense, he doesn’t really gain much from trying to continue to play. If the Marlins do come back, he’ll be way behind and probably struggle, potentially hurting his future earnings and potential.
Not even a relevant player, so, who cares?
to be fair, he’s on the team that most needs healthy players right now
A once top 5 prospect for a team is not relevant? He actually could have a decent future ahead of him.
Cokeman…. Relevant enough that he was traded in the yelich deal
Not even a relevant comment so who cares?
Much more relevant than some guy on a message board commenting on a players relevance…
Smart move. SE Florida is a major hotspot and the Marlins have zero control over their own situation. He can always opt back in if it stabilizes
I doubt anyone will opt back in, if that’s even allowed. If it is allowed it will be at the trade deadline.
Markakis is opting back in
And based on his career numbers the team just got better, good old fashioned addition by subtraction…
The dude has less than 1/3 of a major league season under his belt. Check out his AAA numbers. There’s potential. What a dumb comment.
Hey C’mon. Polish lives matter. Diaz is a quality prospect and needs at bats but I understand his choice.
Am I wrong in thinking Diaz is the first “minimum wage” guy to opt out?
Good job.
Doesn’t help when a few of your teammates where at a strip club
Sad how fast it spread. Good for those really trying to stay safe. And for those being careless stop being selfish.