Off to hot start, Brinson strives for better ABs

JUPITER, Fla. -- You don’t normally draw any conclusions after a couple of Spring Training games, but you also don’t want to dismiss signs of progress.

For Lewis Brinson, there are plenty of encouraging signs after his first two Grapefruit League games. The Marlins center fielder had a double and a stolen base on Saturday against the Cardinals, and he followed that up with a home run in three at-bats at the Pirates on Sunday.

“It’s early in camp,” Brinson said. “It’s hard to tell anything right now -- but the way I’m battling, the way I’m seeing the ball, the way I’m laying off pitches that I normally would chase, I’m very proud about that.”

As the Marlins faced the Rays on Monday in Port Charlotte, Fla., Brinson was back at the Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium complex, getting his work in with a couple dozen players who didn’t make the trip across the state.

Manager Don Mattingly has many of the regulars on a schedule of two games on and one day off, at least early in Spring Training. Brinson is expected to be in the lineup on Tuesday against the Astros *in* Jupiter.

Brinson spent the offseason working on refining his swing and getting in a better position to hit and recognize pitches.

In 2018, according to Statcast, he had a 39.9 percent strikeout rate off breaking pitches, compared to 21.4 percent off fastballs.

His double on Saturday off Jack Flaherty came off a changeup. And on Sunday, his home run off Nick Burdi was on a slider.

“That all goes back into a better position to hit, and a better position to recognize those pitches that start off as strikes but end up as balls,” Brinson said. “It all comes back to what I’ve been working on, getting in better position, and making sure I’m ready to hit, every time, and not taking a pitch off. If you get in the right position to hit, everything will play itself out.”

Brinson enters his second season with the Marlins, and he’s going to be given every opportunity to secure the everyday center field spot.

As a rookie in 2018, his first full season in the big leagues, the Coral Springs, Fla., native had a slash line of .199/.240/.339 with 11 home runs and 42 RBIs.

Overall, he had a 29.6 percent strikeout rate.

Until Brinson shows he can adjust to hitting breaking pitches, he expects to see a heavy dose of them.

“Everybody attacked me a little differently, but definitely, the breaking pitch,” Brinson said. “That was definitely in the scouting reports for a lot of teams. It should be. I was chasing it. It’s something I took to heart this offseason, just getting into position for when they are strikes, I can hit them hard, no matter where it is on the field, making sure I’m putting barrel to ball.”

Another part of his game Brinson wants to better utilize this season is basestealing. After his double on Saturday, he swiped third and scored.

A year ago, he stole just two bases all regular season.

“It’s one of my big goals going into this season, to get more stolen bases and utilize my speed a lot more,” Brinson said. “Obviously, you can’t steal first. You’ve got to get on first base first. I’ve been working on that.

“When I do get on, I want to make it a factor to steal more bases this spring, and going into the season to have Donnie trust me in tight situations that I can get a bag, if we need it.”

Alfaro could return Tuesday

Catcher Jorge Alfaro, who bruised his right knee after crashing into a dugout railing on Saturday against the Cardinals, is expected to play on Tuesday against the Astros.

Mattingly told reporters in Port Charlotte on Monday that he is optimistic Alfaro will be in the lineup. It's unclear if he will catch or be used as the designated hitter.

“I’ve just been icing it and all that,” Alfaro said Monday. “I feel a lot better. Let’s see how I feel tomorrow, and we’ll see after that.”

Alfaro has received treatment in Jupiter the past two days and has not done any baseball activities.

“It’s just bruised and all that, but everything is fine,” he said.

Up next

After spending two straight days on the West Coast of Florida, the Marlins return to Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium on Tuesday to face the Astros at 1:05 p.m. ET. Dan Straily makes his first Grapefruit League start for Miami, and Gerrit Cole is set to throw for Houston. Miami reliever Sergio Romo is lined up to make his first spring appearance.