Jonah Bride Entering Spring Training As Starting First Baseman
According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, Miami Marlins first baseman Jonah Bride is entering spring training as the "frontrunner" to open the season as the starting first baseman. Jackson noted that former top prospect Matt Mervis and Deyvison De Los Santos will compete alongside Bride for the job, but given his strong play with the Marlins last season, Bride is the clear top option. Last season, across 71 contests in Miami, Bride posted a .276/.357/.461 line with 10 doubles, 11 home runs, and a 30:55 BB:K ratio. He drew walks at an elite 11 percent rate and held a strong 20.2 percent strikeout rate. Across 75 games with Triple-A Jacksonville, the 29-year-old posted a .267/.409/.454 line with 11 long balls. If Bride has a successful spring training, he could be worth a look in deeper NL-only formats.
The Miami Marlins acquired infielder Jonah Bride from the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday evening in exchange for cash considerations. To make room on their 40-man roster, the Marlins designated infielder Jordan Groshans for assignment in a corresponding move. The 28-year-old Bride has two years of major-league experience and has played third, second and first base. He also played 90 innings as a catcher at Double-A Midland in 2022. He hit a strong .305/.432/.544 with a .976 OPS, a career-high 13 home runs, 19 doubles, two triples, 54 RBI, five stolen bases and 60 runs scored in 73 games for Triple-A Las Vegas last year. Bride has just a .528 OPS in 293 big-league plate appearances, though, and he'll give the Fish some infield depth to open spring training in a couple weeks.
Oakland Athletics third baseman Jonah Bride is getting the day off Sunday as his club faces Zack Wheeler and the Philadelphia Phillies. In his second Major League season, the 27-year-old is slashing .209/.340/.233 with no home runs, five runs, and four RBI across 16 games. Bride's always been a solid on-base guy, posting a career .394 OBP over five seasons in the minors. Tony Kemp is taking his spot in the batting order, playing second base and batting seventh. The veteran utility man is sporting a sluggish .159 batting average with one home run and three stolen bases, making him irrelevant everywhere.
Jonah Bride
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Marlins
