Miami Marlins Transactions: Bryan Holaday, Back for More

Earlier today, Bryan Holaday resigned with the Miami Marlins for the 2019 season, the Miami Herald’s Clark Spencer reports.

Holaday exemplified what a backup catcher should do for a team in his season with the Miami Marlins. A backup catcher’s contributions are almost never in his offensive prowess. Holaday is no different.

In 61 contests, Holaday slashed just .205/.261/.258 in 166 plate appearances. He hit five doubles, one home run, and totaled 16 RBI. He only scored seven runs all season, drawing 10 walks and striking out 29 times.

Holaday’s real value lay in his defense. In 357 1/3 innings of work, he passed a total of one ball. Although he posted a range factor per nine innings of 8.76, about a half run short of the National League average, he also turned in a perfect fielding performance.

In fact, Holaday has only made one error in the field since 2014 at catcher in 749 total chances, which gives him a .999 four-season fielding percentage.

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Holaday was also murder on runners trying to steal on him. He led the NL by gunning down 17 runners in 38 attempts, for a 45 percent kill rate.

His 166 plate appearances in 2018 was the second highest total of his seven season career. After seven years, Holaday’s Wins Above Replacement is 0.0, with a 0.1 for his season in Miami.

Holaday also pitched on two occasions for the Miami Marlins. On April 7th, he worked an eight-pitch inning, striking out Rhys Hoskins and not allowing any baserunners. Hoskins was caught looking at a 62 MPH palmball. (GIF courtesy of Fish Stripes). Of course, the Miami Marlins lost that game, 20-1, but Holaday can’t do everything.

Holaday also contributed two walkoff victories to the cause. On July 9th, he drove in two batters in the 10th inning on a single to center, giving the Marlins a 4-3 win over the Milwaukee Brewers.

Just a month later, on August 11th, Holaday came in to pinch hit for Javy Guerra in the 11th inning, and doubled Miguel Rojas home for a 4-3 walkoff victory over the New York Mets.

Honestly, Holaday contributes a lot more than just a slashline. Although he was only the 11th oldest player to appear with the Miami Marlins in 2018, by the end of the year he was second on the club only to Wei-Yin Chen (32).

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