Arraez, Anderson could be formidable 1-2 punch

JUPITER, Fla. -- Don’t read too much into Spring Training lineups, Marlins manager Skip Schumaker insists.

Except it doesn’t require too much imagination to visualize Luis Arraez and Tim Anderson atop the Marlins’ order come Opening Day. Anderson has started twice since signing, and both times he has batted behind Arraez.

The pair combined to go 2-for-6 with a run in Saturday afternoon’s 4-1 Grapefruit League win over the Mets at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium.

“You try to get guys at-bats so they can get out of the game,” Schumaker said, “and so you try to get top-heavy with the guys that need the at-bats and to get three so they don't have to wait until the seventh inning to get their third at-bat. So that's the goal right now. You never know.”

Barring injuries, Miami’s projected Opening Day lineup will feature some variation of left-handed batters Arraez, Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Jesús Sánchez, switch-hitter Josh Bell and right-handed batters Anderson, Jake Burger, Bryan De La Cruz, Avisaíl García and the catcher (Christian Bethancourt or Nick Fortes).

Not many clubs can boast multiple batting champions, but the Marlins are one of them. Arraez has accomplished the feat in consecutive seasons, while Anderson led the American League with a .335 average in 2019. Anderson is hoping to bounce back in ’24 after an injury-riddled campaign in ’23.

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It’s unlikely Schumaker will move Arraez from the leadoff spot, so where would that leave Anderson? During his eight-year big league career, Anderson has been the leadoff hitter (460 games) most, followed by the No. 2 hitter (170 games) and the No. 7 hitter (140 games).

“I'm OK with it, but I can put those guys -- I like them anywhere,” Schumaker said. “I like batting champs all over the lineup.”

Pérez OK after early exit
Right-hander Eury Pérez was taken out as a precaution because he broke the nail on his right middle finger on Saturday. Schumaker, pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre Jr., a member of the training staff and the infield convened on the mound following Pérez’s 36th pitch, which induced a 5-3 groundout.

Pérez, who dealt with a cut on that same finger during his first live batting practice on Feb. 22, had thrown 2 1/3 hitless and scoreless innings in his second spring start. He struck out two, including Francisco Lindor swinging on his new-grip curveball, and walked one.

“Last time was with a changeup,” Pérez said via interpreter Luis Dorante Jr. “This time was with the slider to grip, so it kind of changed just the way I was grabbing the ball, repeating a lot of sliders, and the nail broke.”

Schumaker said this won’t affect Pérez’s pitch count the next time out, which will be around 55-60.

“Curveball looked good, I thought much better today,” Schumaker said. “Obviously, [he was] throwing 99 mph with ease, and changeup/slider combo was good. [I] thought he got into some unnecessary deep counts, but that's OK. It's part of Spring Training and working on stuff, but overall really good.”

Rogers nearing Grapefruit League debut
According to Schumaker, left-hander Trevor Rogers will start in a couple of days on normal rest. Rogers, who hasn't pitched in the Majors since an outing on April 19, 2023, due to injury, threw live batting practice on Thursday and looked “really good.”

“The velo was good, the secondary was great,” Schumaker said. “We didn't really know what that was going to look like because it's been a while, but he's throwing 93-94 mph in a setting with not much adrenaline. So to see that, and to see the changeup thrown for strikes, and the slider, was good. So a lot of positives. I don't know what the pitch count will be just yet, but I'm guessing in the 20s.”

Up next
Miami has its first split-squad day of the spring on Sunday. Left-hander A.J. Puk will face the Cardinals at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium, while non-roster invitee Yonny Chirinos will counter the Nationals in West Palm Beach, Fla. First pitch for both games is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. ET.