Mattingly on Riddle: 'I envision him in center'

SAN DIEGO – The small-type transactions will say the Marlins recalled infielder JT Riddle from Triple-A New Orleans on Friday. As far as the Marlins are concerned, however, they recalled Riddle, the center fielder.

“I envision him in center,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said after Riddle rejoined the squad when first baseman Neil Walker landed on the 10-day injured list with a right quad strain.

Riddle split time between shortstop and center field after he was sent down on April 15. He got plenty of pregame work at the new position, but he played only eight games in center at New Orleans. Still, Mattingly said he expects Riddle to see more time in center than at his previous position, shortstop.

Riddle isn’t the least bit anxious about testing a new position at the Major League level.

“It’s been a little more relaxed, honestly,” Riddle said of playing center field. “At short, even if you don’t get a ball, you’re involved in the run game, you’re involved in everything. Moving from short to center field, it’s a little different. It’s a game of fetch. Ball goes up, you run it down.”

Riddle, who saw plenty of time in right field in college, said he has yet to have a sharp line drive hit right at him, something many consider the toughest play for a center fielder to learn. Otherwise, he had a productive trial in those eight appearances with New Orleans.

“I have kind of been tested out there,” Riddle said. “I’ve had balls hit deep, over my head, to the wall. Had a little bit of everything. I think if you can play shortstop, you can move around anywhere.”

Walker was injured Thursday, and an MRI on Friday confirmed the injury is not more serious than a strain. Walker, 33, has a .295/.375/.443 slash line and four home runs in 51 games. He joined the Marlins as a free agent in January on a one-year, $2 million deal.

Riddle, 27, had a .156/.156./.344 slash line in 15 games with the Marlins to open the season. He slashed .243/.282/.452 with 10 doubles and four home runs in 30 games at Triple-A.

With the Padres starting only left-handed pitchers in the three-game series at Petco Park, Mattingly might not turn to Riddle in center until the Marlins move on to Milwaukee next week. Martin Prado stepped in for Walker at first base.

“We’ll start with Martin and go from there,” Mattingly said. “It’s pretty easy to figure out right now with three left-handers going.”

Brigham in bullpen

Right-hander Jeff Brigham did not have an ideal September callup last year, going 0-4 in four starts with a 6.06 ERA. He earned his was back to the Marlins as a reliever, posting a 1.13 ERA in 11 innings with New Orleans before getting the call back to the Majors on Thursday.

“I definitely focused less on so-called pitching and more on attacking the zone, more or less,” he said of his adjustment to the bullpen. “Elevate the fastball and throw the breaking ball off the fastball.”

Brigham struck out one and walked one in one-third of an inning during Friday's 5-2 loss to the Padres.

Keeping track

Friday marked Mattingly’s 539th game as the Marlins' manager, the second most in franchise history. Fredi Gonzalez managed 555. Jack McKeon dropped to third with 538 games as Marlins manager.