The Marlins announced a handful of roster moves this morning, activating outfielder Jorge Soler from the 10-day injured list and selecting the contract of right-hander Chi Chi Gonzalez. In corresponding moves, the club optioned left-hander Josh Simpson and outfielder Dane Myers to Triple-A. Miami’s 40-man roster is now full following Gonzalez’s selection.
Soler returns after missing most of the month to this point with a right oblique strain. The 31-year-old is in the midst of his strongest season since 2019, having slashed .240/.329/.513 with 35 home runs and a wRC+ of 124 this season. Soler’s return should provide a boost to a Miami lineup that has posted a collective wRC+ of just 84 since Soler headed to the shelf. Soler has primarily played DH while mixing in occasional starts in right field throughout the 2023 campaign. Assuming that trend contributes, Soler figures to push Josh Bell from DH to first base, with Luis Arraez moving from first to second while Xavier Edwards heads to the bench, though Soler’s return could also cut into the playing time of corner bats Bryan De La Cruz and Jesus Sanchez should he see more time in right going forward.
As for Gonzalez, the former first round pick made his Marlins debut earlier this season, posting 2 2/3 innings of work for the club. He allowed a 3.38 ERA in that brief cameo, striking out two while walking one. Gonzalez was designated for assignment back in May to clear room on the 40-man roster for top pitching prospect Eury Perez, but stayed in the Marlins organization throughout this season. His results at the Triple-A level have left something to be desired, with a 6.07 ERA and a strikeout rate of just 13% in 121 2/3 innings of work for the club’s affiliate in Jacksonville. Still, as a veteran in his seventh big league season, the 31-year-old righty can offer Miami’s bullpen a depth option with previous experience in both a relief role and as a member of the starting rotation.
Exiting the roster in favor of incoming veterans are Simpson, a 26-year-old lefty who has yet to make his major league debut, and outfielder Myers, who made his MLB debut earlier this year and has slashed .269/.286/.358 in 70 trips to the plate with the Marlins since then. Both players figure to return to Triple-A to act as depth options while Miami enters the home stretch of their push toward the club’s first playoff appearance in a full season since 2003.
It’s good to see some new blood in the National League playoff mix.
It is going to be a pleasant postseason without NY and Boston teams. And for those that may be bothered by that, there are two benefits. 1 – you can laugh at how many times E!SPN and FOX Sports make errors while covering the teams that aren’t in NY and Boston….or…2 – you can have a drinking game where everyone takes a drink every time E!SPN and FOX Sports makes a mistake iwhile covering those teams that aren’t in NY and Boston, but everyone will need to take little sips otherswise they’ll pass out before the 3rd inning of every game.
If the Dodgers weren’t in the networks would be besides themselves without any of the usual suspects in the picture