Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Realmuto a needed spark
Others must step up for anemic Marlin offense
NEW YORK — J.T. Realmuto announced his long-awaited return from a back injury Tuesday by saying he hoped to provide a spark for the struggling Marlins offense.
He did just that over the next few hours in a 9-1 rout of the New York Yankees with two hits, including a three-run homer, four RBI and two runs scored.
“I think he’s been working on his hitting,” said shortstop Miguel Rojas. “It’s great to have him back in the lineup.”
It would be shortsighted to conclude that the return of their starting catcher is enough to fix the most anemic hitting attack in the National League.
The previous night, following a 12-1 thrashing by the Yankees in which the Marlins mustered only five hits and went 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position, Rojas offered a realistic appraisal of Realmuto’s impending return.
“Honestly, I feel like we have to get better overall as a team. J.T.’s not going to change the course of the season just because of his presence ... or [will] whoever [else] we’re getting back,” Rojas said. “As a team we have to find a way to put
better at-bats together and find a way to score runs. We have to make an adjustment and start playing better.”
In the first 16 games without Realmuto, which produced only four wins, Marlins hitting was often an exercise in futility.
Going into Tuesday, Miami was at or near the bottom of the NL in every significant statistical category: 14th of 15 teams in runs (50) and average (.223), last in slugging percentage (.302), on-base-plus-slugging (.598), doubles (17) and home runs (eight).
Notably, they were a middle-of-the-pack ninth in hits (127). That indicates the Marlins had been scattering their hits — predominantly singles — and not delivering enough in meaningful situations with runners on base.
“It’s always going to be a little different for us right now, this year, how we’re going to try to score runs,” manager Don Mattingly said prior to Tuesday’s game. “We’re definitely going to have to have a team offense more than we’re going to get somebody hitting a bunch of homers all over the place.”
That is the reality of trading away Giancarlo Stanton, Marcell Ozuna, Christian Yelich and Dee Gordon last winter.
Realmuto was the most prolific force remaining from last season’s formidable lineup. When the back bruise that sidelined him in spring training dragged into the regular season, it was no surprise that the Marlins would be hard-pressed so score.
That was compounded by rookie Lewis Brinson batting .131 so far and their only power threat, Justin Bour, also getting off to a slow start, though he has picked it up with four homers in the past week.
Tuesday showed how Realmuto can impact the lineup by adding a run-producing bat in the middle of the order.
He also eliminated a void, considering Marlins catchers batted .169 and drove in the same number of runs in 16 games as he did Tuesday.
“It’s good to have him back because it puts guys kind of in their slots. It’s just less pressure on other guys,” Mattingly said, but noting that while Bour has started to find his groove, rookie Brian Anderson has faltered after a strong start. “So, really it’s trying to get your pieces working together. But that’s going to be the ebbs and flows of a season, no matter what.”
The Marlins should get another boost soon from veteran Martin Prado (hamstring strain), who is now playing regularly in extended spring training games in Jupiter.
But improving offensive production is not about waiting for injured players to return. In addition to Realmuto’s presence, the difference Tuesday was the first three hitters – Derek Dietrich, Rojas and Starlin Castro – getting on base in the first inning. All three of them scored, though a Yankee error contributed.
“The top of the lineup in the first inning did a great job,” Realmuto said. “After a tough loss [Monday] night, getting started like that is huge.”
Rojas pointed out this was the second time the Marlins have responded with an impressive win in the next game after an embarrassing loss – the other followed the 20-1 debacle at Philadelphia.
“I feel like we always play good after we got beat pretty bad,” Rojas said. “It’s something that I always try to remind the guys, we have to keep going, keep trying to play hard from the get-go. As soon as we start a series we have to set the tone. Don’t wait until we get beat to wake up and say, ‘Hey, we’ve got to play.’
“It’s going to take a collective effort. It’s not just one player or another. This is going to take a team effort.”
Mattingly said, “Just the continued preparation, getting ready to play is really what we’re looking for, and trusting that [if ] we continue to do that and we get our guys clicking together a little bit that we’re going to be able to put up some runs.”
The opportunity comes immediately on the remainder of the three-city trip, with four games at Milwaukee against a good-hitting Brewers team that includes Yelich, and three in Los Angeles against the reigning NL-champion Dodgers.
Sure, it helps to be able to look to Realmuto for a spark.
But as he said late Tuesday, “Absolutely, that’s what I’m trying to do. But, hopefully sparks last a lot longer than one game.”
“We’re definitely going to have to have a team offense more than we’re going to get somebody hitting a bunch of homers all over the place.” Don Mattingly