Miami Marlins: The revolving door in the outfield continues

The Miami Marlins have now used 10 different players in the outfield this season as the coaching staff continues to find the right combination.

The Miami Marlins outfield has been a revolving door since the start of the 2019 season. What supposed to be a trio of Curtis Granderson, Lewis Brinson, and Garrett Cooper has become more of a potluck of players moving in and out of the team’s lineup because of inconsistent play and injuries.

The Marlins have had issues across their diamond this season with players’ failure to produce at the plate, but the three men roaming the canvas in the deep and cavernous Marlins Park has become an issue the team, more to the point manager Don Mattingly, must solve if there is to be any return on an investment of power and run productions.

The number now stands at 10 – the number of players who have called the Marlins outfield their place of business this season. That number figures to change even more as the right combination has not been found yet. Granderson has proven to be the most consistent of the bunch. Brinson is in the minors trying to find his swing. Cooper has been on the IL and cannot seem to remain healthy. The others bring something to the table but have not been around long enough to enjoy more than a cup of coffee.

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It’s a bit of a cautionary tale, as the outfield resembles how the season has unfolded for the Marlins.

As Kevin Kraczkowski of Marlin Maniac wrote on Saturday, there were plenty of moves the team made over the weekend which affected the outfield and the team’s 25-man roster.

"“Prior to the game (against the New York Mets), the Marlins made several roster moves. Dropped from the 10-day injured list to the 60-day list was RHP Drew Steckenrider. OF Peter O’Brien was placed on the 10-day IL and LF Garrett Cooper was activated,” Kraczkowski wrote.“RF Isaac Galloway and LHP Jose Quijada were optioned back to the New Orleans Baby Cakes, and RF Harold Ramirez and RHP Elieser Hernandez were called up from triple-A. Additionally, RHP Josh Roeder was promoted from the double-A Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp to New Orleans.”"

And when you look at the minor league system, Monte Harrison is enjoying great success in New Orleans from the leadoff spot with both speed and power. Austin Dean had issues hitting Major League baseballs, but has found a home in New Orleans crushing baseballs and spraying the ball all over the field. Brinson is still working on his swing and his timing but has shown signs of life at the Triple-A level.

Maybe the Marlins have had the wrong formula with the guys in the Bigs. Maybe a change, with playing musical chairs is needed. For a team that has the worst run production in baseball, it is certain that a change will do Miami well.

If the team can keep players reasonably healthy – meaning Cooper – and players like Ramirez can come in and give this lineup up a shot of adrenaline, then things could get a little more interesting in South Florida. Until then, it’s still a bunch of questions to be asked about the outfield. There are no answers yet.

Like all of us fans and writers, the Marlins are still waiting to see what will happen next.

The Miami Marlins have now used 10 different players in the outfield this season as the coaching staff continues to find the right combination.

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