The Marlins on Saturday placed outfielder Corey Dickerson on MLB’s bereavement list. As a corresponding move, they recalled one of their top prospects, first baseman Lewin Díaz, from the club’s alternate training site.

Manager Don Mattingly said in a Zoom call that the hope is for Dickerson to be back in the lineup either Monday or Tuesday. Díaz, meanwhile, provides depth behind Jesús Aguilar at first base.

Dickerson, the Marlins' regular left fielder, was used as the designated hitter in Friday’s 8-2 win over the Braves at Marlins Park.

“Corey came into my office yesterday, and he wasn’t quite sure what he was going to do at that point,” Mattingly said.

After the game, Dickerson notified Mattingly that he would need a few days away from the club. Players on the bereavement list must be out of action a minimum of three days and a maximum of seven days.

Mattingly called president of baseball operations Michael Hill, and the decision was made to promote Díaz, who is ranked by MLB Pipeline as Miami’s No. 8 prospect.

Díaz became the 10th player this year to make his MLB debut with Miami, entering in the 9th and hitting a two-out single in Saturday's 2-1 loss. He is also the 46th player the Marlins have used in 2020. A left-handed hitter, Díaz perhaps could make a start in the next couple of days against a right-handed pitcher.

Aguilar is the Marlins' regular first baseman, but the club would like for him to occasionally be used as the designated hitter to keep him fresh.

The Marlins wanted a lefty bat, and outfield prospect Jesús Sánchez, Miami’s No. 5 prospect, was an option. However, the club is heavy on outfield depth. They’ve been going with right-handed hitters Monte Harrison and Lewis Brinson against lefty starters, while using Magneuris Sierra against right-handers.

With Garrett Cooper on the injured list, the Marlins are lacking first-base depth. Logan Forsythe is another option to play first.

The Marlins acquired Díaz from the Twins last July for reliever Sergio Romo and two prospects. Across three Minor League levels last season, Díaz, who finished at Double-A Jacksonville, combined to hit 27 home runs with a .270 batting average.

“He’s like one of those prospects that we’ve talked about,” Mattingly said. “He obviously has got to make the adjustment to here, but there were a lot of things we were able to see in the spring and in the Summer Camp that you liked.

“You like the fact that he not a huge strikeout guy. He has really good hands at first. He’s going to be a good defender. It seemed like he had an advanced approach for where he has been. There was a lot of things to like. The experience here should help him.”

Close to coming back
Some reinforcements are at least getting close to returning to the practice field for the Marlins. The organization has had 18 players test positive for COVID-19 this season.

On Saturday, the team announced that many of them, including All-Star right-hander Sandy Alcantara and shortstop Miguel Rojas, have been approved by the joint committee to return to practice to begin their rehab process.

Players cleared to come back will begin working out at the Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium complex in Jupiter, Fla.

Getting back on the field is the first step. From there, it’s a matter of getting into game shape. For pitchers, especially, there will be a building-up process.

“We knew when we got off the road trip that they were going to have close to 18-20 days under their belt,” Mattingly said. “You had a chance that you felt like you were going to get guys back.”

Until they return, the Marlins are focused on the players they have available. They’ve already shown resilience, as they lead the National League East.

“You have to stay in the present,” Mattingly said. “We’ve got to try to win a game tonight, with the guys that we have here. You don’t think about ‘What ifs?’ Or ‘When?’ You’ve got to do some planning for guys that you know [are closer]. But for the most part, just try to stay in the moment. Play good baseball tonight and get another day down the road.”

Morin update
Reliever Mike Morin, who is on the 10-day injured list with a right elbow injury, has undergone an MRI. The right-hander will be further re-evaluated once the swelling in his elbow goes down.