Miami Marlins at Seattle Mariners: Three Stories To Watch

Have Bat, Will Travel….But Will That Be It? 

That’s the question for Martin Prado, fresh off his rehab stint and newly returned to the Marlins following some of their biggest wins during his tenure with the club. Does he jump back into the lineup straight away? Probably yes- he’s a veteran, and he wouldn’t be back if he wasn’t ready.

But will he jump right back in as the starting third baseman?

That’s a horse of a different color. Because Miami’s first foray into Interleague play in 2017 affords Mattingly the luxury of the DH spot.

Primarily, this is a welcome respite from worrying about the depth of the bench. However, it is also a great chance to have all the perks of having Prado in the batting order, while also easing him back into his fielding duties.

That butts up against two twin realities. First, to round off Slide No. 2, Ichiro needs plenty of quality at-bats in this series. Considering the love of the game this man holds, it would be a huge disservice to him not to do so, regardless of current struggles at the plate.

Then there is the more obvious fact that Prado is much better at all aspects of baseball than Derek Dietrich or Miguel Rojas, not just offense.

Next: The '17 Marlins: Remaining Relevant

That’s a wrap for this series, Marlin Maniacs. Once again, be sure to keep an eye on our Twitter account @MarlinManiac during the Marlins’ Seattle stay for Safeco Field shots, player photos, and pics of the Space Needle before Stanton knocks it over during batting practice.