He’s baaaack! After starting the season on the disabled list with a back contusion, the Miami Marlins have announced J.T. Realmuto is been cleared to join the team in New York against the Yankees.
Per Oliver Macklin of MLB.com, The Marlins reinstated Realmuto from the 10-day disabled list and optioned catcher Chad Wallach to Triple-A New Orleans in a corresponding move. Miami announced Realmuto will make his season debut at catcher Tuesday evening and hit fifth vs. the Yankees.
Realmuto, 27, batted .278/.332/.451 while setting career highs in home runs (17), RBIs (65) and games played (141) in 2017. He took batting practice prior Monday’s game in New York after going 3-for-3 with a homer on Saturday in a rehab game for Class A Advanced Jupiter.
Coincidentally, the back injury occurred in a March 11 game against the Yankees in Spring Training. It was the second injury in a week for the catcher.
The Miami Marlins are 4-12 without Realmuto in the lineup.
“It will be nice to have J.T. back, obviously,” Miami Marlins manager Don Mattingly said Monday. “He’s a guy who is a tremendous leader for us, behind the plate, but also a guy offensively, you plug in and put him in the middle of your order. It’s really an area we’ve had trouble scoring runs. It’s an area, where you welcome back, knowing that you have to protect him a little bit, early on.”
J.T. Realmuto is one of a handful of veterans the Miami Marlins would like to get back from the disabled list. Pitcher Dan Straily is said to be making progress from inflammation in his forearm, but there is no timetable for his return to the team’s rotation.
Third baseman Martin Prado is also making strides from a hamstring injury he suffered last season. When he returns, it is like he will become a bench player. Rookie Brian Anderson has been one of the more pleasant surprises of this early season.