Javier

Sanoja

This was a scoreless game heading into the eighth, but Miami was able to put seven across against the Reds’ bullpen. Three of those came on one swing from Sanoja, who has now homered five times in 315 at-bats. His .410 slugging percentage shows that he’s not just dink-and-dunk, but his 5-foot-7 frame obviously limits the power production. He’s done a very nice job for Miami, however, and he’s someone to keep an eye on going forward.

Sanoja finally got the Braves on the board in the seventh inning with a run-scoring single that plated Xavier Edwards. He also delivered an RBI double in the ninth to pull the Fish to within eight runs at 11-3. With his two-hit attack, the versatile 23-year-old is now hitting .269/.306/.403 with four homers, 39 RBI and six stolen bases in 308 plate appearances with the Marlins this season.

Sanoja’s fourth homer was hit 377 feet off Zac Thornton in the second. He’s batting .267/.306/.401 in 295 plate appearances in his utility role. It’d be better for the Marlins if he wasn’t starting quite this much versus righties — he’s come in at .242/.283/.344 against them — but at least he does add value with the glove wherever he’s playing. He started in right and later moved to third today.

The versatile 23-year-old has been really struggling the plate over the past few weeks, slashing .212/.241/.288 with zero homers and one RBI over 54 plate appearances in his last 15 games. Graham Pauley will man the hot corner for the Marlins and bat eighth against Mets’ right-hander Nolan McLean.

Lopez takes a seat for the second consecutive contest with inflammation in his right ring finger. The positive news for the Marlins, and fantasy managers, is that initial X-rays came back negative and he doesn’t appear to be facing an extended absence. The 27-year-old middle infielder has been an unexpected breakout sensation, delivering first-round fantasy value this season, slashing .335/.368/.505 with 61 runs scored, nine homers, 46 RBI and 18 stolen bases across 419 plate appearances through 97 games. It’ll be Javier Sanoja taking over at shortstop in his place on Monday night.

Sanoja knocked a base hit and scored a run in the second inning, then took Tanner Gordon deep for a three-run blast in the third to extend the Miami lead. He later added another single and a run scored in the seventh. The 23-year-old super-utility man is hitting .275/.312/.404 with three homers, 19 runs scored, 32 RBI and five steals across 206 plate appearances.

The triple, which gave him all three of his runs batted in, was a grounder down the right field line that Troy Johnston wasn’t especially quick to get to. It was Sanoja’s first triple of the year. He drove in more runs with that one hit than he had while batting .227/.239/.295 with two RBI in his previous 16 games.

It appears to just be a routine day off for the young infielder, who has struggled to a .192/.286/.192 line through his first 15 games of June. Javier Sanoja is filling in at second base against RHP Landen Roupp.

Sanoja paced the Marlins’ offense here. His fifth inning blast off Rays’ starter Shane McClanahan was the first run that was scored in this game and began the domino effect that forced his exit soon thereafter. To which, his run-scoring single in the following inning was the final blow. He’s been Miami’s swiss-army knife this season, appearing at six different positions and working his way to an acceptable .702 OPS through nearly 150 plate appearances.

It looks to be nothing more than a routine night off for the 27-year-old infielder. Lopez is having a strong season at the dish, slashing .342/.373/.487 with four homers, 21 RBI and eight stolen bases in 212 plate appearances. Javier Sanoja will start in his place at shortstop and will bat ninth against Tobias Myers and the Mets on Friday night in Miami.