Miami Marlins Injury Update: Alfaro OK, Cooper to IL

The Miami Marlins came away with a split in St. Louis, but what was the cost?

In the series finale against the St. Louis Cardinals, JT Riddle won the game for the Miami Marlins with an 11th-inning two run-homer. Before that happened, two position players were injured in the performance of their duties.

In the fifth inning of the eventual victory, starting first baseman Garrett Cooper was lifted from the contest with left-triceps tightness. He’s expected to head to the injured list sometime today. Cooper is riding a 12-game hitting streak, and has reached safely in 18 straight. This will be his third stretch on the IL this season, and his fifth since joining the Miami Marlins since coming over with Caleb Smith from the New York Yankees for minor league pitcher Michael King. Cooper is hitting .313/.385/.496 in 37 games this year. His .881 OPS leads the club.

A corresponding roster move for Cooper’s spot has not been announced yet, but keep your head on a swivel. This may be Matt Snyder‘s chance to turn a few heads.

Starting catcher Jorge Alfaro was lifted for a concussion evaluation after getting hit by Marcell Ozuna‘s back swing. The bat caught Alfaro square in the back of the left side of his helmet on Ozuna’s cut. Alfaro appeared shaken up immediately after the incident, but is reportedly ok.

The Marlins were outhit by the Cardinals, 16-to-11 in the extra inning affair. Riddle, Miguel Rojas, and Brian Anderson each collected a pair of hits to lead Miami’s offense. Starlin Castro opened the scoring in the fourth inning with an RBI-double to bring home Cooper.

Zac Gallen made the first start of his MLB career in the game, and remained unscored upon until the fifth, when Paul DeJong doubled home Adam Wainwright to tie the score. Anderson scored Rojas in the next half inning with an RBI-double, and Cesar Puello collected his first Marlins RBI with a bases-loaded HBP. Austin Brice pitched the Cardinals sixth cleanly.

Rojas added a run of insurance in the seventh, scoring Curtis Granderson on a single. The bottom of the inning was rough on Miami Marlins pitching. Wei-Yin Chen, Nick Anderson, and Jose Quijada each pitched a third of an inning, giving up two runs on four hits between them to let St. Louis close the score to 4-3.

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In the Marlins eighth, Anderson’s ninth round-tripper of the season, a solo shot, gave the Marlins back a run of cushion. Anderson’s jack tied Alfaro for the team lead in long-balls. Tayron Guerrero allowed the Cards to tie in the next half-frame, by surrendering a two-run shot to Tommy Edman.

Jarlin Garcia (1-0, 4.67) earned the Miami Marlins victory, and Sergio Romo earned the save after Riddle’s shot.

Watch for the Miami Marlins to make a roster move later today to address the Cooper situation. Thanks for reading. Follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and subscribe to our daily newsletter to keep up with the Marlins.