Marlins stepping up after series of injuries

MIAMI -- If the Marlins want to avoid a May swoon in 2023 (so far 4-8) similar to ‘22 (7-19), they will need everyone to contribute.

Closer A.J. Puk and hot-hitting outfielder Jesús Sánchez joined Avisaíl García on the injured list on Sunday, and center fielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. is scheduled to see a specialist about turf toe on Monday. In consecutive years, Miami has put together an above-.500 first month of the season before its depth got tested as injuries began to pile up.

But on Sunday afternoon, Garrett Cooper lined the go-ahead RBI double, Bryan De La Cruz collected three hits and Dylan Floro recorded his second save in the 3-1 victory over the Reds at loanDepot park as Miami avoided being swept for the second time in 2023.

Cooper, who had been out since May 2 with an inner ear infection, needed pills to stabilize his equilibrium and three weeks of vestibular eye training to get rid of the nausea and balance issues. An All-Star in 2022, Miami has missed his run-producing bat.

“Every season, you go through injuries like this, and it happens to all three at once,” said Cooper, who went 2-for-4. “It's never easy, and you’ve got to have the next guy step up, myself, whoever's in the lineup that day, moving forward.

“Everyone goes through injuries. I think having three at one time is not what you want as a team, especially with Jazz and Sánchez, Sánchez especially, swinging the bat as good as anybody in the big leagues. It sucks to go down like that, and hopefully he's back soon, but everybody needs to play their part moving forward.”

Utility player Garrett Hampson is the perfect example. Hampson, whom the Marlins invited to big league camp this spring and added to the 40-man roster in mid-March, began the season at Triple-A Jacksonville. Since being recalled on April 4, he has a .725 OPS. Hampson will likely see more time in center field if Chisholm winds up sidelined.

After striking out with the bases loaded in the fourth, Hampson led off the seventh with a double. He moved to third on Jon Berti’s groundout to first and scored on Cooper’s liner. De La Cruz’s third hit of the game -- an RBI flare -- gave Miami an insurance run three batters later.

“You obviously want to come through there in that situation, didn't take a great at-bat,” Hampson said of his fourth-inning chance. “So just trying to forget about that. I knew I had at-bats left in the game with a chance to make a difference, and [I] was able to kind of turn that around and then flush it and just finish the day.”

That mentality extends to the bullpen, where Floro received the Marlins’ first save opportunity with Puk on the IL with right elbow nerve irritation. Floro, who has 27 saves with the Marlins since 2021, has been scored on in just two of his 18 outings this season (outside of an extra-innings automatic runner). In both instances, including Friday’s series opener, he took the loss in a rare implosion.

Floro rebounded with a scoreless ninth on Sunday, though it wasn’t without drama. He recorded two quick outs before throwing six straight balls. Floro then tossed three straight strikes, freezing Luke Maile on a sinker on the outer part of the plate.

Manager Skip Schumaker said Floro will be the primary reliever to close games with Puk out, though Miami has the luxury of other guys with experience in lefty Tanner Scott and righty Matt Barnes. Plus, the Marlins are likely to reinstate right-hander JT Chargois, who has been on rehab assignment, to take Puk’s spot on the active roster for Tuesday’s series opener against the Nationals.

“In the bullpen, a lot of these guys have been in leverage situations already, so now they take a step forward and maybe different innings,” Schumaker said. “[It] feels like they've already been there through the first month. [Steven Okert with a] huge out right there against a hot [Jake] Fraley [in the eighth]. That part's been great.

“But there's going to be guys that are going to need to step up with Jazz and [Sánchez] being out for some time. Hampson, he's been great. Berti's been great in those kinds of platoon spot start roles. They'll probably get more playing time now. It's been impressive to see those guys work.”