Could Marlins Lewis Brinson Have A Super September?

MIAMI, FL - APRIL 03: Lewis Brinson
MIAMI, FL - APRIL 03: Lewis Brinson

The Miami Marlins have been waiting for centerfielder Lewis Brinson to return to the lineup since he was placed on the disabled list on July 4. That date is almost here.

The Miami Marlins will bring outfielder Lewis Brinson up from Triple-A New Orleans when the team expands its roster over the weekend. Miami may be out of the playoff picture, but Brinson, who had 10 home runs and 30 RBI despite batting .186 before being injured, is looked at by MLB.com as a player to watch in the final month of the season.

“Perhaps the odds-on preseason favorite to win NL Rookie of the Year Award, Brinson stumbled out to a .186/.232/.338 slash line over the season’s first three months, then landed on the DL with a bone bruise in his right hip on July 4. He hasn’t been active in the Majors since,” Anthony DiComo writes.

It has not been the type of season Brinson or the Marlins wanted and his batting average is misleading in that the south Florida native was showing signs of taking better swings and making more contact with the ball before a hip injury sidelined him.

The former Milwaukee Brewers player, who was part of the Christian Yelich deal, has been rehabbing his hip at Double-A Jacksonville before being promoted to New Orleans of the Pacific Coast League.

Brinson’s athleticism in the outfield will be a welcomed addition as the Marlins have used multiple defensive lineups in his absence.

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His potential is something the Marlins organization is still excited about. If he can become a legitimate power hitter from the top of the batting order, then Miami could have a four or five-tool player with solid speed and a great glove.

He can cover a lot of ground in the spacious outfield in Marlins Park.

DiComo added, “But Brinson recently resurfaced on a Minor League rehab assignment, rapping out six hits in a four-game span earlier this week. At just 24 years old, Brinson continues to tantalize the Marlins with a mix of power and speed that he hasn’t yet been able to translate to the big leagues.”

In layman’s terms, he is still growing as an athlete and as a player.

Despite the fact that Miami has already added plenty of young outfielders to its roster and there is still potential for more additions this weekend, the focus will be on getting Brinson at least 100 at-bats before the end of 2018.

The Marlins, mainly manager Don Mattingly, wants his young star to find a rhythm that translates into momentum for 2019.

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“A solid September would do wonders to re-establish Brinson’s place as one of the division’s bright young players,” DiComo wrote.