Austin Slater Clears Waivers, Elects Free Agency

April 26: Slater has cleared waivers and elected free company, per mish.

April twenty third: The Marlins made the Slater and Ruiz strikes official immediately.

April twenty second: The Marlins are designating veteran outfielder Austin Slater for project, studies Craig Mish of SportsGrid. Esteury Ruiz has performed 4 Triple-A video games on a minor league rehab stint and can be activated for Friday’s collection opener in San Francisco. Miami’s 40-man roster rely will drop to 39.

Slater signed a $1MM free agent contract on the finish of Spring Training. He had been in camp on a minor league cope with Detroit however did not crack their roster. The Fish wished a righty-hitting platoon outfielder with Ruiz shelved by an indirect pressure and beginning left fielder Kyle Stowers down with a hamstring pressure. Stowers returned over the weekend, and Ruiz’s upcoming return pushes Slater off the roster.

It wasn’t an awesome exhibiting for the 33-year-old Slater. He performed in 12 video games and picked up simply 4 hits, all of them singles. He took 4 walks however struck out 9 instances in 28 plate appearances. Slater has pinch hit a number of instances however hasn’t been in Clayton McCullough’s beginning lineup since April 12. Heriberto Hernandez will get some work as a righty-hitting left fielder. Utilityman Javier Sanoja may also play on the market.

Ruiz, an offseason commerce pickup from the Dodgers, provides a pace factor off the bench. He hasn’t hit a lot within the large leagues however raked in Triple-A final yr. Ruiz stole 67 bases for the A’s again in 2023, his solely full season on the MLB degree.

Miami has 5 days to commerce Slater or place him on waivers. He has adequate service time to say no an outright project and appears more likely to be launched.