May 28 – Jonathan Davis is expected to be in center field Sunday for the Miami Marlins when they bid for a sweep of their three-game series against the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim, Calif.
Davis was playing for Triple-A Toledo in the Detroit Tigers’ organization when the Marlins traded for him last Monday, sending minor league outfielder Brady Allen to Detroit.
The Marlins were looking for outfield help in the absence of regular center fielder Jazz Chisholm Jr., who has been sidelined with turf toe.
Davis has fit in well with the Marlins, hitting .412 (7-for-17) with a triple, a homer and 1.206 OPS in five games. The 31-year-old journeyman struggled a bit on Saturday, though, going 0-for-6 with two runs scored in Miami’s 8-5 win in 10 innings.
Davis has played 692 minor league games compared with 176 in the majors over six-plus seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees, Milwaukee Brewers and Marlins.
Davis said his success with the Marlins is the result of his years of experience and is more mental than physical.
“I will say I do have a better routine — (and) I know myself better,” he said. “I know what I need to do regardless of whether I’m playing or not. … If you stay ready, you don’t have to get ready.”
Davis was hitting .258 with five homers, 20 RBIs and five stolen bases in 36 games for the Mud Hens.
“He’s been a huge addition … big hit after big hit,” Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said. “It’s been a huge trade so far.”
Right-hander Eury Perez (1-1, 3.86 ERA) will make the fourth start of his career for Miami on Sunday. He has yet to face the Angels.
Left-hander Patrick Sandoval (3-3, 3.47) will make his 10th start of the season for the Angels. He has lost his last two starts, giving up five earned runs and five walks in 12 1/3 innings in games against Cleveland and Minnesota.
Recent struggles aside, Sandoval has pitched well this season. He has yielded two earned runs or less in six of his nine starts.
“His bread-and-butter has always been that changeup, and he kind of lost the feel for that for a few months during (last) season and relied on the slider, which turned into just an electric pitch,” Angels manager Phil Nevin said. “And watching him throw, the changeup has been really good and back to where it was.”
Sandoval has yet to face the Marlins in his career.
He would be wise to tread carefully while pitching to Jorge Soler, who has homered in five straight games. Soler has 12 homers in May, tying Miami’s team record for the month.
“It’s like Barry Bonds right now,” Garrett Cooper said of Soler. “If I was a betting man, I’d be putting a lot of bets on this guy.”
Cooper had a tie-breaking double during the Marlins’ four-run 10th inning on Saturday.
–Field Level Media
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