Yelich keys comeback with smart base running in 8th
PHILADELPHIA — Among the easy-to-miss minutiae in the Marlins’ comeback win over the Phillies on Thursday was a sequence that proved to be the difference: Christian Yelich’s eighthinning trip around the bases.
With aggressive, headsup base running on consecutive plays, Yelich scored the decisive run — the third time he crossed the plate on the day — and drew praise from manager Don Mattingly.
“People don’t really talk about it,” Mattingly said, “but it’s one of those areas that shows the complete player when you see something like that.”
Yelich’s one-out single to shortstop was his third hit of the day. He moved to third on Marcell Ozuna’s ground ball up the middle, aggressively taking the extra 90 feet with a wide turn around second and an allout sprint on his way to third.
“Usually any time you’re on first base and the ball hits in the infield a few times and gets through to the outfield, usually you go first to third every time,” said Yelich, who finished a triple shy of the cycle. “Being an outfielder, you know how hard that play is. Especially if you can cut his angle on the throw. Put some pressure on him, make him make a play and you’re able to get in there.”
Yelich scored the gamewinner when he tagged up on J.T. Realmuto’s line drive to center.
“A lot of guys would get stuck out there,” Mattingly said. “He tags on that ball.”
It’s not unusual for Yelich to make a difference on the bases. FanGraphs, the baseball analytics website, has an all-encompassing base running statistic rates Yelich as being worth 5.1 runs above average this season — tied for 13th out of 153 qualified major league hitters. Dee Gordon (7.3) is the only Marlin ahead of him.
It was a good thing, too, on Thursday. The Marlins were already deep into their already-tired bullpen by the time Yelich scored for another Miami lead, and if he hadn’t the Marlins might have ended up in a tight spot.
“If that thing gets to extras at all, we’re in major trouble,” Mattingly said.
Said Yelich: “We need all the wins we can get right now. So that was a big one for us.”
Weekend plans
Right-hander Odrisamer Despaigne will make a spot start for the Marlins on Saturday against the Padres, a temporary rotation hole created by the team using two of its normal five — Dan Straily and Jose Urena — in Tuesday’s doubleheader.
Despaigne threw 30 pitches in 2 2⁄3 scoreless innings of relief Wednesday, though it’s not clear how much length Despaigne will offer. He hasn’t thrown more than 60 pitches in a game since July 24 in a start for Triple-A New Orleans, where he spent much of the year in the rotation.
Left-hander Adam Conley will pitch today. Mattingly said Straily would stay on turn and start Sunday, though he reserved the right to flip him and Urena if pitching coach Juan Nieves had a matchup or other preference.
Odds & ends
Left-hander Jarlin Garcia, a rookie, picked up his first major league win Thursday after he pitched a perfect seventh inning, right before the Marlins took the lead. Garcia struck out two and threw only nine pitches. … Derek Dietrich, the Marlins’ alltime hit-by-pitch leader, had a 41-game HBP-less streak dating to July 2. Then he got plunked in consecutive innings Thursday. … Left-hander Wei-Yin Chen (partially torn UCL in his left elbow) was supposed to make his first rehabilitation start Thursday with the GCL Marlins, but the game was rained out. Chen has been on the disabled list since early May . ... A lingering Players Weekend nickname question, answered: Dietrich spells “Dietz” (pronounced deets) with a “z” because he thought it looked cooler. Marlins equipment manager John Silverman made the suggestion when players several weeks ago chose their nicknames, which will be displayed on the backs of their jerseys Friday through Sunday. … A rare feat for a 2017 Marlins draftee: Right-hander Ryan Lillie struck out seven batters (five swinging) in two innings for shortseason A Batavia on Wednesday. One batter reached on a wild pitch, hence the six outs on seven punchouts. Lillie was Marlins’ fifth-round pick in June.