Taylor-Made to be a Cane: five-star prospect picks Miami

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On this episode of the Canes chasing the Palmetto 5, you’re getting another good ending. As a matter of fact, a great ending.

Joined by his mother, father, and brother, five-star DT Leonard Taylor announced his commitment to the University of Miami on CBS Sports HQ, picking the Canes over Florida. 

 

Taylor is ranked as the 3rd-best DT in the nation according to the 247Sports Composite and 27th overall. He is the 2nd five-star prospect in Miami’s 2021 class, joining American Heritage safety James Williams. This also puts Miami in great company with Alabama and Ohio State as the only programs in the nation with multiple five-star commits. 

 

LT put up monster numbers in his junior season. Helping Palmetto go 10-2 along with an appearance in the 8A regional semifinals, he compiled 68 tackles, 26 tackles-for-loss, 11 sacks, as well as two interceptions. 

 

Taylor is now the third prospect from Miami Palmetto to commit to Miami, joining three-star WR Brashard Smith and four-star DT Savion Collins.

 

Although he is currently listed at 6’4”, 255 pounds on 247, he has definitely added a lot of good weight since. From time to time, Taylor posts videos on Twitter of him working out (in full orange and green) and looks very athletic for a defensive tackle. He even plays for Palmetto’s basketball team and with his size and speed, he has the versatility to play inside and outside on the defensive line. 

 

With Taylor in the fold, Miami jumps from 11th in the 247Sports team rankings to 8th.

 

Manny Diaz and company continue to kill it on the recruiting trail and are taking full advantage not only of the pandemic, but of the big pool of talent in South Florida in the 2021 class. 

 

The Canes still await the decisions of two Palmetto prospects. One is five-star CB Jason Marshall, who is currently at odds between Miami and Alabama although most of the crystal ball picks on 247Sports point to Miami. The other is four-star safety Corey Collier, who is slated to pick between the Canes, Florida, and LSU on August 10th on CBS Sports HQ. 

 

Stay tuned to 5 Reasons Sports for the latest in Miami Hurricanes news.

 

Marlins win streak

5 Reasons For Unlikely Marlins Win Streak

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The Miami Marlins suffered through a week-long quarantine and eight-day hiatus from on-field baseball activities. The COVID-19 outbreak ripped through the clubhouse, particularly the bullpen, and ultimately required 18 players to be moved to the IL. This forced management to turn over the roster with waiver claims, free agent signings and prospect promotions. And despite all of that, the Marlins have resumed their season with an impressive three-game win streak (and four straight overall).

“Good to put some wins on the board,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said after the doubleheader on Wednesday. By sweeping the doubleheader, Mattingly pulled even with Jack McKeon for the most wins as a manager in franchise history (281).

Mattingly, in his fifth season with the franchise, started the season tied with Fredi Gonzalez at 276 wins on the all-time list. McKeon finished his career with a 281-257 record (.522) and a World Series title in 2003. A win Thursday would give Mattingly sole possession of the all-time mark for manager wins with the Marlins and push the team’s winning streak to five games.

The Marlins win streak has been a feel-good story for the club after an incredibly difficult week. Here’s a look at five reasons for the Marlins’ unlikely win streak.

Great Pitching

The COVID-19 outbreak decimated the team’s pitching staff. Eight of 12 bullpen arms and three starters were lost. President of Baseball Operations Michael Hill and his staff scrambled over the last week-plus to assemble a competitive staff with waiver claims, trades and free agent signings.

But the piecemeal pitching staff has been impressive.

The Marlins shut out the Orioles for the first 21.2 innings of the three games, including a pair of shut-out wins.

“It started with Pablo in the first game, he set the tone for the whole staff,” said Sterling Sharp, who made his MLB debut on Wednesday, throwing 1.2 innings. “We just fed off that. It’s a real contagious feeling once you see guys go out there putting up zeros. You want to match that.”

Pablo Lopez tossed five shutout innings with seven strikeouts on Tuesday in his season debut. Four bullpen arms followed, giving up just one hit and one walk, striking out four over four innings.

On Wednesday, Elieser Hernandez nearly matched Lopez’s performance. He pitched 4.1 scoreless, striking out five and didn’t surrender a hit until a one-out double in the fifth inning. Three relievers finished the game, allowing just one hit and one walk over the final 2.2 innings.

The nightcap of the doubleheader was entirely a bullpen game for the Marlins. Six pitchers combined to hold the Orioles to one run on four hits and four walks with seven strikeouts over the seven innings.

Josh A. Smith made the start in his Marlins debut and Sharp followed with his MLB debut. Brian Moran and Justin Shafer also appeared, with Shafer surrendering the lone run. And Stephen Tarpley closed the game with a save to extend the Marlins win streak to three.

“The bullpen,” Matting said. “What a day.”

Even position players have marveled at the performance.

“Our pitching has been incredible,” said Brian Anderson. “I don’t know how they go from throwing into a mattress and going out and getting big league hitters out like that. But whatever they’re doing, we’ve got to keep doing it.”

New Additions Hitting

While the pitching has been the story during this Marlins win streak, there’s been some timely hitting as well. Miami did just enough in the doubleheader to get the wins, after posting four runs on Tuesday night.

On Tuesday, catcher Francisco Cervelli started the scoring with a solo home run in the fifth inning. Jonathan Villar singled and scored, Corey Dickerson doubled and Jesus Aguilar hit his third home run of the season. He became just the third Marlin to hit three home runs in his first four games with the club, joining Derrek Lee (2002) and Cliff Floyd (1998).

On Wednesday, Anderson provided all the scoring for Game 1 with his solo homer. In Game 2, Villar scored on a sac-fly from Aguilar, and Jon Berti scored on an Anderson RBI single, all in the first inning. From there, the pitching held on.

It took the Marlins five games to connect on eight home runs this season. In 2019, the team didn’t hit their eighth until the ninth game of the season.

Veteran Leaders

The Marlins turned over much of their roster heading into 2020, then had to do so again after three games thanks to COVID-19. Many clubs could have folded under the pressure, but this team has not. Even prior to the shutdown, the Marlins fought back from a five-run deficit in Philadelphia after losing three teammates to the virus.

“In the clubhouse, you could feel the vibe from all the new guys,” Sharp said Wednesday. “They’re just coming in and they want to contribute. We’ve got a good vibe going. Everybody is excited. We want to push forward.”

Veterans like Cervelli and new closer Brandon Kintzler have stepped forward to mentor the younger players on the roster. Lewis Brinson mentioned Dickerson as being particularly useful source of hitting knowledge.

Miguel Rojas is the club’s unofficial captain. Even in quarantine, Rojas has been an uplifting presence for the team. And one of the other holdovers from the 2019 roster, Anderson, has also taken on a leadership role.

“All it’s about for us is trying to get wins,” said Anderson. “Just piecing them together any way we can.”

Defensive Versatility Helps Marlins Win Streak

Anderson demonstrated his leadership and versatility by taking on a new challenge in the second game of the doubleheader. Anderson started at first base for the first time in his MLB career. He said the only time he played first base was in an emergency situation while playing in the Arizona Fall League in 2016.

“We looked at our options at first and Andy was the best one,” Mattingly said. “He did a good job. Andy’s pretty athletic. Obviously, we’ve seen him at third. We’ve put him in right and he looks good. You put him in that crease out there in right-center in the shift and he looks good there. He’s good everywhere.”

This emergency situation necessitated Anderson’s move to first. With Garrett Cooper already on the IL, newly signed infielder Logan Forsythe unavailable and Aguilar taking DH, the Marlins options were limited.

Anderson’s multi-positional flexibility mirrors that of several other players on the roster. Villar can play 2B, SS, 3B and CF, and has appeared at three different positions in six games (as well as DH). Berti has similarly manned three different positions thus far. And newly promoted Eddy Alvarez took two different positions over the doubleheader.

Forsythe can play throughout the infield, and the team can plug Magneuris Sierra in any outfield spot. Once they’re back from the IL, Cooper, Harold Ramirez and Sean Rodriguez all have positional flexibility as well.

This defensive versatility allows Mattingly to optimize the lineup on a game-to-game basis.

Internal Competition

On Monday, Derek Jeter joined the media via Zoom and said: “We expect to be competitive when we take the field.”

That much has proven true, as the Marlins win streak sits at four games. They’ve taken the first three from Baltimore and will look to complete the series sweep Thursday with Jordan Yamamoto starting.

With 18 players moving to the IL, Miami had to reshape its roster on the fly. The players acquired via waivers and trades, and those signed via free agency, were considered cast-offs. But these players have a new opportunity to breathe life into their MLB careers.

They know they need to perform to stick with the club, beyond when the roster is pared from 30 to 28 Thursday. The players who tested positive for COVID-19 are waiting in the wings for their spots as well.

“I expect them to come back. They expect to come back,” Jeter said. “Who knows what that timeframe is, but our players are looking forward to getting back on the field.”

This internal competition can push this group to excel on the field. And that’s already true within the starting rotation.

“Every time you see this rotation, I really get inspired to see the talent that they have,” Elieser Hernandez said through an interpreter on Wednesday. “I really wanted to join the rotation and help the team. Now that I’m here, that’s what we want to do — win some games.”

Despite in the internal competition, this group, 58 strong at present, has a singular goal: to win.

“A lot of new guys with the same goal,” Aguilar said of the new cast of players. “We’re pulling in the same direction. There are a lot of new faces, but the same goal.”

Official ACC schedule released: A look at the who’s and when’s of Miami’s 2020 season

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After previously announcing the parameters and format for the 2020 season last week, the ACC came out with the official schedule on Thursday morning. 

Miami begins its season with their lone non-conference game against UAB on September 10th, a Thursday, at Hard Rock Stadium. From thereafter, Miami will travel to Louisville to take on the Cardinals followed by an early rivalry matchup against Florida State and then a bye week.

 

One of the biggest questions about Miami’s unknown schedule was when the Canes were set to face Clemson in Death Valley. That matchup will come in Week 5 and luckily, Manny Diaz and his staff will have a couple of weeks to prepare. 

 

Miami then gets Pittsburgh and Virginia at home, a bye week, then NC State (on 11/6) and Virginia Tech on the road, Georgia Tech at home, Wake Forest on the road, before closing the season out at Hard Rock Stadium against North Carolina. 

 

The season finale in Chapel Hill could end up having major implications on who plays in Charlotte for the ACC Championship as the Canes and Tar Heels are both strong contenders for that 2nd spot. 

 

Another advantage Miami has is that the only team coming into a matchup with the Canes that has a preceding bye week is NC State, mostly due to the Friday matchup, although Virginia Tech does play Liberty at home before Miami arrives in Blacksburg. 

 

In a follow up tweet, the Canes indicated that they will work with the Dolphins, Hard Rock Stadium, as well as local and state officials on certain stadium capacity scenarios for home game. Season ticket holders will be made aware of their options when a capacity plan gets finalized.

 

The schedule is as follows:

 

9/10 vs. UAB

9/19 @Louisville

9/26 vs. FSU

10/10 @Clemson

10/17 vs. Pitt

10/24 vs. Virginia

11/6 @NC State

11/14 @Virginia Tech

11/21 vs. Georgia Tech

11/28 @Wake Forest

12/5 vs. North Carolina

Keep it locked with 5 Reasons Sports for your Miami Hurricanes coverage.

Dolphins QB Ryan Fitzpatrick ‘excited’ to work with Tua Tagovailoa

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The 37-year-old Ryan Fitzpatrick said he was excited when he found out the Miami Dolphins drafted Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa.

Unlike some of the other teams that may have drafted a young signal-caller this offseason, the Dolphins currently have Ryan Fitzpatrick–a 17-year-veteran at the helm. And with an NFL offseason, unlike anything we’ve ever seen, there’s no need for Chris Grier and Brian Flores to rush Tua Tagovailoa into action. Not yet, anyway.

The truth is, Ryan Fitzpatrick played well enough in 2019 to lead Miami’s roster of misfits to five wins.

Couple that with his familiarity in Chan Gailey’s offense and the uncertain times which lie ahead, and it seems obvious Fitzpatrick is the starter for the immediate future.

But as a Harvard graduate, Fitzpatrick is smart enough to understand that the young, promising rookie will take over. And he knows that may come sooner rather than later.

Fitzpatrick had to say about his relationship with Tua and the QB competition heading into camp.

I DON’T KNOW HOW MUCH TIME IT’LL BE BEFORE TUA (TAGOVAILOA) IS IN THE LINEUP. I KNOW THAT I AM THE PLACEHOLDER AND WE’VE ALREADY HAD THAT CONVERSATION. I TOLD HIM I’M GOING TO DO THE BEST I CAN TO LEAD THIS TEAM AND TO WIN FOOTBALL GAMES WHEN I’M OUT THERE AND WHENEVER IT IS THAT TUA GETS HIS CHANCE, WHETHER IT’S EARLY OR LATE OR WHENEVER IT IS, I’M GOING TO BE HIS BIGGEST CHEERLEADER AND THAT’S WHAT I SAID EARLIER; BUT I THINK I HAVE A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE JUST FROM THE CAREER THAT I’VE HAD AND I WAS EXCITED THAT THEY DRAFTED HIM AND SINCE MEETING HIM IN PERSON FINALLY THE OTHER DAY, I’M REALLY EXCITED. I THINK WE’VE REALLY HIT IT OFF AND EVEN THOUGH I’M AN OLD GEEZER TO HIM, WE’VE MESHED PERSONALITY-WISE AND I’M EXCITED TO WORK WITH HIM.”

 

It is crystal clear that the Dolphins have spoken to Ryan Fitzpatrick about his role in 2020 and his importance in Tua’s development. I think it’s quite telling that he said the two QBs have already had the conversation about him being the placeholder. But like Fitz suggested countless times, he isn’t going just to lay down and let Tagovailoa take the starting QB job. The two players are going to do whatever they can to help the team win ball games–both on and off the field.

Fitzpatrick was then asked what it was about Tua’s personality that brought the two players together.

Here’s what the 37-year-old had to say.

“I DON’T KNOW. I MEAN HE’S A REALLY INTERESTING GUY. HE’S GOT A LOT OF ENERGY TO HIM AND YOU CAN JUST TELL THAT GUYS ARE GOING TO GRAVITATE TO HIM. THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT HIM THAT IS JUST VERY LIKABLE AND I CAN ALREADY TELL THAT HE’S GOING TO BE ONE OF THOSE GUYS THAT GETS ALONG WITH EVERYBODY, THAT GUYS ARE GOING TO WANT TO FOLLOW. HE JUST HAS THAT KIND OF AURA ABOUT HIM AND PART OF IT IS PROBABLY THE WAY THAT HE PLAYED IN COLLEGE AND JUST KIND OF THE NAME AND THE REPUTATION THAT HE’S BUILT FOR HIMSELF; BUT THERE’S NOT A WHOLE LOT OF EGO INVOLVED AND HE’S VERY LIKABLE. SO I DON’T KNOW, JUST THE GENERAL CONVERSATIONS WHETHER ABOUT FOOTBALL OR LIFE, IT’S BEEN REALLY FUN SO FAR.”

The 2020 NFL season is going to be like nothing we’ve ever experienced.

But one thing that should be interesting is watching the Dolphins QB room grow from one week to the next.

Yes, Ryan Fitzpatrick will be Miami’s starting QB week 1 vs. the Patriots. But unless he continues where he left off in 2019–the Tua Tagovailoa era in South Florida is inevitable.

5 Takeaways from Heat’s Win Against the Boston Celtics

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The Miami Heat were coming off of a tough loss against the Toronto Raptors, but rallied against Boston to get the win, 112-106. Jimmy Butler did not play today due to ankle soreness, but the team rose up to the occasion. Here’s my 5 takeaways from this game…

#1: Tyler Herro appears to be back to himself.

Tyler Herro has struggled a bit shooting the ball during his time in the bubble. This all shifted today when Tyler finally found his rhythm. I’ve said many times that Tyler’s game revolves around his shooting early in the game, due to confidence. Once Tyler sees the ball go through the net, he’s very hard to stop. Another big improvement that was seen in Tyler’s game today was his defense. He continues to showcase his active hands, quick feet, and natural instincts on the defensive end. Definitely not too bad for a guy that’s only 20 years old.

#2: Derrick Jones Jr elevates Miami’s defense.

Derrick Jones Jr has been one of the most effective defenders on this Heat team, and the absence of Jimmy Butler improved his minutes. Derrick is definitely a card that Erik Spoelstra will use if they were to face off against Boston in the playoffs. His main assignment was to guard the Celtic’s star Jayson Tatum, and he did this pretty well. He forced Tatum into shooting 2/5 in the first half, which is not an easy task. If Derrick had the help of Jimmy Butler on defense to guard Kemba Walker, this would disrupt Boston even more.

#3: Bam Adebayo needs to trust his offensive game more.

Bam Adebayo seemed to be as present as Jimmy Butler was early in the first quarter. But that slowly changed after Bam realized the importance of his offensive game. He began to use his strength, which is his athleticism around the rim. This lead to Bam’s 21 points, along with 18 free throw attempts. This was his career high in free throw attempts. This may be because this bubble format has increased the amount of foul calls, which is why Bam will need to attack the basket just as his teammate, Jimmy Butler, does. After showcasing his offensive dominance, Bam will need to continue to trust his scoring abilities as much as Heat fans do.

#4: Without Jimmy Butler, Goran Dragic is essential.

Due to the absence of Jimmy Butler, it hurts their amount of play-making leaders on the roster. This is why Goran Dragic was going to be looked to in this match-up, even on a back-to-back which definitely doesn’t benefit him. Goran’s success scoring the ball today was all strategy. He was facing a tough defensive match-up off of the bench, in Marcus Smart, but he prioritized and took advantage of switches, which lead to many Goran Dragic iso’s on Boston’s bigs. Goran was a little shaken up on the final play of the game with an apparent ankle injury, and went to the locker room. With the hopes of a healthy Goran Dragic, the duo of him and Jimmy Butler will be a scary site for teams in fourth quarters come playoff time.

#5: The Boston match-up may not be as scary as it seems.

The Miami Heat have pretty much dominated every top team in the East this season, except the Boston Celtics. This is why this win feels so much better for the Heat than any other game of this regular season restart. And of course, they were without their star Jimmy Butler. The reason that Miami has struggled with Boston is because of match-ups. But well, the match-ups didn’t seem to be a problem today. This may be because of the lineup change of Jae Crowder for Meyers Leonard, which adds much more versatility and matches up with Boston’s wings. Kelly Olynyk also entered the starting lineup, who has been very impressive in the bubble. After this win, Miami definitely feels a lot better about themselves tonight than they did yesterday.

Miami Dolphins: Wide receiver Allen Hurns opts out of 2020 season

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A member of the Miami Dolphins has opted out of playing in the 2020 season. Wide receiver Allen Hurns has elected to not participate in the upcoming season.

Hurns is the first Dolphin that has opted out of playing. The wideout offered production for Miami, and proved himself a valuable receiver. He caught 32 passes for 416 yards and two touchdowns in 14 games with Miami. He signed a two-year extension in November.

Although the Miami Dolphins would have liked his production, the organization still has plenty of targets at wide receiver. DeVante  Parker, Albert Wilson, and Preston Williams are some of the bigger names at the position. In particular, Parker looks to have a successful season. He really came into his own last year, after catching 72 passes for 1,202 yards and nine touchdowns.

Who will step up for the Miami Dolphins?

This just means that another Dolphins receiver will have to step up. Parker playing well is almost a guarantee. I would look for somebody such as Preston Williams to have a big season. After recently being cleared for football activities, he looks to really make his mark this year. After tearing his ACL in week nine, a  2019 season in which he had good momentum was put to a halt.

If the Dolphins can get a reliable secondary option to play well, this could take some of the burden off of Parker in the passing game. With how well he was playing before his injury, I expect Williams could be the one to take the next step.

With players opting out at a fast pace, this is going to allow for players all around the league to make their mark. As the Miami Dolphins get set to embark on a hopeful 2020 season, it will be interesting to see if that modifies the Dolphins passing game.

Tuesday Primer: Can the Heat free Robinson, get playmaking?

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The Miami Heat are currently 1-1 in the NBA bubble after a blowout win against Denver and a close loss to Toronto. The Heat play the Boston Celtics tonight on the second night of a back to back. 

 

As the stakes are getting higher, teams are beginning to deploy special defensive schemes against the Heat. We saw this specifically by the Toronto Raptors against Duncan Robinson by running two players at him consistently and forcing him to pass the ball, in the rare occasions he got it at all. If the Heat were going to win that game, Raptors coach Nick Nurse made sure it wasn’t because Robinson torched them from the three.

 

This is just the beginning of the special attention Robinson will face moving forward. Robinson struggled to impact the game in other ways and was seemingly unproductive in 22 minutes of play time scoring 3 points on 1-5 shooting and grabbing 2 rebounds with a +/- of -1.  And he wasn’t in at the end.

When the playoffs begin, Robinson should expect even more attention from defenses to prevent him from getting good looks. Teams are scouting him and in a seven game series teams will adapt to Miami’s offense. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra will undoubtedly unveil some new sets for Robinson to help him get better looks and to counter opposing defenses. 

 

But when opposing defenses are able to neutralize Robinson, it emphasizes the Heat’s lack of a true point guard and someone who can consistently create off the dribble other than Jimmy Butler. Rookies Kendrick Nunn and Tyler Herro along with veteran Goran Dragic are the primary candidates to fill that need. Herro already gets fourth quarter minutes due to his ability to score, as well as make plays for others and handle the ball. Herro lives to play in the spotlight, so closing the end of games is what Herro wants. 

 

Nunn struggled against the Raptors too. He shot 0/7 from the field including 0/5 from the three, grabbed 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 points, a turnover in 16 minutes of action. Similarly to Robinson, Nunn often struggles to positively impact the game when he is not scoring. However, Nunn has more ball-handling skill and should be able to drive and create plays for others. His playmaking skills are still developing and he is not a true point guard, so it’s hard to expect solid playoff caliber point guard play from a rookie scorer. 

 

If Nunn continues to disappoint on the offensive end, we might see a change in the starting lineup — to Herro or Dragic. Herro came to the bubble showing an improved handle and ability to score off the bounce, especially when his shots were not falling. He continues to develop into a three level scorer which will be important in the playoffs. A change to the starting guard position might be the spark the starting unit needs in playoff games. However, this switch might disrupt the overall chemistry of the rotation. Unless Nunn, Herro, or both can show playmaking (and defensive) potential this year we should expect Miami’s front office to chase a strong 2 way guard this off season.

Miami will have a good test tonight against Boston, who has beat them twice already this season. 

The Boston Celtics are also 1-1 in the NBA restart and have played in two, down to the wire, high scoring games. Boston’s wings have been fantastic, but now with Jae Crowder and Andre Iguodala, Spoelstra has more options to guard them. In their first matchup this season, wing Jaylen Brown went off for 31 points and in their second matchup Hayward and Brown combined for 54 points. And of course, the Celtics have Kemba Walker who, even on a minutes limit due to a sore knee, will be a serious test for Miami’s guards.

Marlins call up

5 Most Exciting Marlins Call Ups

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The Miami Marlins 2020 season resumes in Baltimore this week. They face the 5-3 Orioles for four games in three days after spending more than a week in quarantine. During a Zoom call with media yesterday, Marlins President of Baseball Operations, Michael Hill, made several roster announcements including a number of call ups.

The team’s baseball ops crew scrambled over the last week to piece together a competitive roster. But to fill all of the holes for the 30-man roster, Hill needed to promote from within. Here’s a look at five of the most exciting Marlins call ups.

Marlins Call Ups: Monte Harrison

The road to the big leagues for Monte Harrison has been a winding one. He’ll be the last of the four prospects received in the Christian Yelich deal to reached the bigs. Now 24, Harrison made his pro debut at the age of 18, forgoing a commitment to the University of Nebraska where he would have played both football and baseball.

Harrison comes in as the No. 9 overall prospect for the Marlins via MLBPipeline and his impressive spring/summer had fans clamoring for his MLB debut. At 6’3”, Harrison boasts a unique blend of size, speed and power. He’s a plus outfield defender and wields a cannon arm.

What’s limited him in the past has been inconsistency at the plate. Strikeouts have been an issue, including 215 in 2018 at Double-A Jacksonville. But the Marlins have worked to make mechanical adjustments to Harrison’s approach, including lowering his leg kick and shortening his swing.

At Triple-A in 2019, Harrison dropped his K-rate drop 36.8 (in 2018) to 29.5 percent. Overall, he slashed .274/.357/.451 with nine home runs, 24 RBI and 20 stolen bases. He then hit .300 and posted a .397 OBP in the Puerto Rican Winter League.

Over the summer, Marlins manager Don Mattingly praised Harrison’s work and said: “I think South Florida fans are going to love this guy.”

Harrison should be a fixture in the lineup for the time being, considering the Marlins wanted to have him play every day. This call up is particularly exciting because Harrison has the potential to be a 20/40 guy for the Marlins.

Lewis Brinson

The South Florida native Lewis Brinson was considered the headline prospect return for the Marlins in the Yelich deal. But after struggling for two seasons, Brinson could be on his last opportunity with his hometown club considering some of the other outfield options in Miami’s system.

Brinson struggled in 2019, posting a .197/.247/.263 slash-line with a 34.1 K-rate in 27 games. The team demoted him to Triple-A where he improved (.270/.361/.510 in 81 games) ahead of an August promotion. But his end to 2019 (160/.230/.200 ) was worse than the start.

Brinson is a plus defender with great speed and power potential but contact at the plate remains an issue. With the COVID outbreak, Brinson’s call up for the Marlins should see him patrolling the outfield.

In an interview former MLB OF Xavier Scruggs prior to Opening Day, Brinson called playing for the Marlins a “dream come true.” He admitted his first two seasons “weren’t ideal to start my career” but called this the “best offseason” of his life. Brinson focused inward and remains confident in his abilities. He wants to be “more consistent” and “a leader.”

Brinson said the Marlins are out to “prove people wrong.” He says, “a lot of people sleep on us, but we’ve got a squad.”

Marlins Call Up: Eddy Alvarez

With his call up to the Marlins, Eddy Alvarez is believed to be the first US Winter Olympian to become an MLB player. Alvarez, a Miami native who attended Christopher Columbus High School, won a silver medal as a short track speed skater at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.

Alvarez returned to baseball after his speed skating career and worked his way up through the minor league systems of both the Chicago White Sox and the Marlins. Last year with Miami’s Triple-A affiliate, Alvarez hit 324/.408/.559 with 12 home runs and 12 stolen bases.

The 30-year-old is yet to make his MLB debut, but made a strong impression at the Marlins’ summer camp workouts.

“I like the kid,” manager Don Mattingly said in July. “I think he’s got a chance to help us.”

As a switch hitter with speed and defensive versatility, Alvarez could prove to be a valuable piece for Mattingly off the bench.

When he learned of his call up to the Marlins, Alvarez reportedly drove down to Miami from Jupiter to tell his family in person. He didn’t go into the house, cautious of COVID-19, but yelled the news through the front door.

Jordan Yamamoto

2019’s roller coaster started fast for Jordan Yamamoto but slowed considerably. Yams began his Marlins career with a pair of seven-inning shutouts, posting 12 strikeouts, five hits and four walks in 14 IP.

But Yamamoto struggled in July and August, posting an 8.13 ERA during a seven-game stretch. He finished 2019 strong with a one-hit, 10-strikeout performance over six innings in his final start of the season.

All in all, Yamamoto posted a 4.46 ERA with a 25.2 percent K-rate. His walk-rate (11.1 percent) needs to come down though.

The 24-year-old was in the running for the fifth starter spot, but lost out to Elieser Hernandez. Miami optioned Yams to Jupiter because he doesn’t necessarily profile as a reliever. He sports a six-pitch arsenal, with his slider as his best offering.

With his call up, the Marlins now have three starters set: Pablo Lopez, Hernandez and Yamamoto. He’ll take the mound during Wednesday’s doubleheader after making 15 starts for Miami last season and posting 82 strikeouts and 36 walks over 78.2 innings.

Marlins Call Up: Jorge Guzman

During Monday’s Zoom call, Marlins president Michael Hill announced Jorge Guzman’s name among the team’s call ups. Guzman is considered the Marlins No. 19 prospect overall by MLBPipeline. The 24-year-old sports a live arm and can touch triple digits on the radar gun.

Guzman slots into a bullpen decimated by COVID-19. Eight of the 12 arms in Miami’s ‘pen have tested positive, so Guzman will initially fill one of those holes despite his pedigree as a starter. The Marlins acquired Guzman from the New York Yankees as part of the Giancarlo Stanton deal.

Mattingly didn’t rule out Guzman getting a turn in the starting rotation, though. “Our guys are going to have to be flexible,” Mattingly said, noting Guzman will “get the opportunity to pitch.”

The 24-year-old hasn’t pitched about Double-A, where the Marlins had him in 2019. With Jacksonville, he posted a 3.50 ERA with 127 strikeouts over 138.2 IP.

Guzman’s call up might surprise some Marlins fans who were expecting the arrival of top-end pitching prospects Sixto Sanchez or Edward Cabrera. The Marlins are being careful with both. Cabrera is dealing with an unspecified arm issue (that’s not being portrayed as serious). Sanchez did not make an appearance in Spring Training and Hill noted the team has “been incredibly cautious with him and his workload.”

Marlins Zoom

5 Takeaways from Marlins Zoom Call Featuring Jeter, Hill & Mattingly

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The Miami Marlins resume their 2020 season tomorrow in Baltimore, weather permitting. On Monday, the Marlins hosted a Zoom call with CEO Derek Jeter, President of Baseball Operations Michael Hill and manager Don Mattingly. The three discussed the team’s COVID-19 related issues, as well as what’s to come.

Here’s a look at five takeaways from the Marlins Zoom call this afternoon.

Marlins Zoom: COVID Not Result of ‘Salacious Activity’

Over the last week plus, members of the national media have posited irresponsible rumors and wild accusations about the Marlins COVID-19 outbreak. MLB and the team conducted investigations and both determined players were lax with the protocols. No discipline has been levied toward any player or the organization.

Marlins CEO Derek Jeter said on the Zoom call Monday that the affected players are “doing ok.” Jeter reinforced the reports that the players were largely asymptotic or suffered just mild symptoms.

“All things considered, they’re in good spirits,” Jeter said of the 18 players and three staff members who’ve tested positive.

Jeter blamed the COVID issues on a “false sense of security” and said: “Guys let their guard down and as an organization we have to pay the price.”

Jeter flatly denied the rumors surrounding the outbreak, saying there was no “salacious activity.” He admitted a couple players left the hotel in Atlanta, but just to get coffee and buy clothes. One went eat dinner at a former teammate’s house.

“Hopefully, this has been a wakeup call not only for our team but the rest of baseball and sports in general.”

Players are Expected to Return

Jeter also claimed the team expects all 18 players to return at some point this season.

“I expect them to come back. They expect to come back,” Jeter said. “Who knows what that timeframe is, but our players are looking forward to getting back on the field.”

While the team hasn’t officially moved all 18 players to the IL, several have been. Jorge Alfaro, Garrett Cooper, Harold Ramirez and Jose Urena all await their teammates on the injured list. Among those expected to be placed on the list Tuesday: Sandy Alcantara and Miguel Rojas.

One Marlin who will not return in 2020 is Isan Diaz. The second baseman informed the Marlins that he’s opting out for the remainder of the 2020 season and posted his full statement to his Instagram Story.

“This has been a tough week to see so many of my teammates come down with this 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!”

Jeter spoke with Diaz prior to the announcement and backs his young star.

“Every player has the right to opt out,” Jeter said during the call. “We support and respect him for making that decision. We look forward to him coming back next season.”

Manager Don Mattingly also had kind words for Diaz.

“We respect Isan and his right to make a choice for himself,” Mattingly said. “We’ll support him through that and look forward to him being back next year with us.”

Marlins Zoom: Some Prospects to Join the Big Club

Marlins President of Baseball Operations Michael Hill also took part in the Zoom call. Hill expressed concern for the afflicted players and reiterated that the team is supporting them in every way possible.

He also called the reality of replacing more than half an active roster over a week’s time a considerable undertaking.

“When you have to put 18 players [on the IL], it’s something that you never really expect,” said Hill. “It’s been a challenge for our entire baseball operations department.”

Hill and his staff have signed several free agents, made multiple waiver claims, completed two trades and purchased a contract from an independent league. Many of those players will join the team in Baltimore.

But, in order to fill all 30 roster spots, the Marlins will also call up a handful of prospects.

Monte Harrison, Jorge Guzman and Humberto Mejia all received a call up, per Hill. Big-name prospects, like Sixto Sanchez, Edward Cabrera and Jazz Chisholm, did not.

“We’re not going to put a player in the big leagues who we don’t feel is ready to be in the big leagues,” Hill said.

Who’s On the Roster Now?

The Marlins roster on Tuesday will look very different from Opening Day’s. Hill revealed on the Marlins Zoom call that, in addition to Harrison, Guzman and Mejia, the team also promoted INF Eddy Alvarez, C Ryan Lavarnway, RHP Josh A. Smith and RHP Nick Vincent.

Alvarez, a Miami native and former silver-medal-winning Olympic speed-skater, will make his MLB debut, as will Harrison, Guzman and Mejia.

The Marlins promoted Jordan Yamamoto from Jupiter and activated Lewis Brinson and Matt Joyce from the injured list.

The team will have several of the recent acquisitions in tow, too. All are bullpen arms, including LHP Richard Bleier, RHP James Hoyt, LHP Brian Moran, RHP Mike Morin and RHP Justin Shafer. Free agent second baseman Logan Forsythe will also be with the club.

Mattingly has yet to meet all of the players acquired but knows some from previous tenures with the team.

Harrison will likely slide right into the starting lineup. Mattingly mentioned one of the reasons for Harrison not making the club out of summer camp was in an effort to get Harrison consistent at-bats.

“I think the South Florida fans are going to love this guy,” Mattingly said of Harrison over the summer.

Tough Road Ahead

The Marlins are faced with a monumental task of piecing together a team on the fly. And these players have a tough road ahead. Miami will play four games in three days versus the Orioles, proceed to face the New York Mets, then travel to Buffalo to play the Toronto Blue Jays. The Marlins aren’t currently scheduled for a home game until August 14th.

Mattingly announced Pablo Lopez will start tomorrow’s game and Elieser Hernandez will start one of the two games for Wednesday’s doubleheader. There was no mention of Caleb Smith, which means he might be IL bound.

The Marlins are currently 2-1 and in second place in the NL East, 1.5 games behind Atlanta. This week, they’re facing an Orioles team that sports the third-best record in the AL (5-3).

5 Post-Game Comments from Spoelstra, Adebayo, Dragic

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After the Miami Heat had a tough loss to the Toronto Raptors, they talked with some media about the game. There seems to be one common mistake that they all think came up. Here’s what was said…

Post-Game Comment #1:

Spoelstra begins talking about the number one thing on people’s minds. Duncan Robinson. Spoelstra said that Duncan will need to figure out how to work through this. This definitely is true, but it’s difficult when the offense runs through your three point shot. This will cause Spo to adjust the offense into a different direction when this occurs. Another thing Spoelstra mentioned is that he thinks this will ultimately help Duncan in the long run. As mentioned before, this defensive scheme is going to come up a lot in a playoff series, once teams realize his importance. Hopefully he can develop his game on ball, which will ultimately help his game off the catch and shoot.

Post-Game Comment #2:

Goran Dragic talks about where the game went wrong and how to fix it. He said, “We were down 17, and we came back.” This comeback was all lead by Goran himself, since he seemed to be one of the only ones that could get his offensive game going. He also mentions that although they came back, they need to be careful how they got down by 17. This seemed to just be because of Miami’s inefficient shooting today. They looked pretty crisp on defense throughout, but went through long stretches without scoring the ball, which was evidently where the game got lost.

Post-Game Comment #3:

Goran Dragic also touched on Duncan Robinson’s inability to get his offensive game going. He said, “For us, it’s about us figuring how to get Duncan more open shots and get the ball in the paint.” This seems to lead back to the same conclusion as before. Adjustments. If they want to get him open looks, they’re going to need to take advantage of the other parts of the offense, which is something they didn’t do today. Goran also says he felt that they got open shots in the first half, but just couldn’t make them. He said that ended up affecting their defense in the first half, which expanded the lead to 17. These are definitely easy things to fix, but will need to lock back in for a tough game against Boston tomorrow.

Post-Game Comment #4:

Bam Adebayo gave some pretty straight up answers today in his media availability. He said, “We gotta execute, that’s the bottom line.” The problem with the execution today was in the first half. They looked to clean it up in the second half, but still wasn’t what they’re happy with. Bam definitely needs to be more active on offense in games like this, since he’s a major part of this team. He definitely was huge for Miami with his perimeter defense on smaller guards, but needs to be more confident in his mid-range. Bam also wasn’t too happy when he saw Duncan only took 4 shots. He kept emphasizing that this needs to be fixed and will look to get Duncan more shots.

Post-Game Comment #5:

Goran Dragic also got to talking about the most crucial play in the game. The final one. He says, “We want to be in this situation,” when discussing the dive pick and roll with Jimmy Butler. This is obviously a play that they’ve went over a bunch in practice, but ultimately wasn’t the best decision against this team. With the Raptors scrappiness and active hands, there’s no need to force a pass like that. You ultimately want a guy like Jimmy Butler or Tyler Herro with the ball, since they can create for themselves. It was also an interesting move not to have Duncan in the game on the play, even if he was to just be a decoy. These situations will definitely be critiqued over the next few weeks, since Spoelstra will need to get late game possessions corrected for the playoffs.