Miami Marlins infielder Otto Lopez (back) was activated from the 10-day injured list on Friday for the start of the second half of the season and is starting at second base and batting fifth for the Fish against the visiting New York Mets and left-hander Sean Manaea. Jazz Chisholm Jr. will move back to center field and will hit leadoff. Friday will be the first game played in the month of July in the big leagues for Lopez due to a back injury that he suffered late in June. The 25-year-old Dominican infielder had played in only nine major-league games for the Toronto Blue Jays heading into this season but he's now played in a career-high 54 games for the rebuilding Marlins in 2024, hitting .252/.279/.350 with three home runs, 19 RBI and six stolen bases in 175 plate appearances.
Miami Marlins infielder/outfielder Vidal Brujan (undisclosed) is back in the starting lineup on Tuesday against the visiting Boston Red Sox, starting at second base and batting seventh against Red Sox right-hander Cutter Crawford. Brujan missed both Saturday and Sunday against the Phillies for undisclosed reasons but is back in there after an off day on Monday. Otto Lopez (undisclosed) was scratched for unknown reasons on Tuesday. Xavier Edwards, who was just called up from Triple-A Jacksonville, will start at the 6 and bat sixth for the Fish. Veteran and former All-Star shortstop Tim Anderson was designated for assignment on Tuesday, so Brujan and Edwards should be the primary candidates to fill the shortstop position moving forward. Brujan is expected to be the biggest beneficiary as an everyday player for Miami now.
The Miami Marlins claimed infielder Otto Lopez off waivers from the San Francisco Giants on Thursday. The move comes after the Giants designated Lopez for assignment on Monday to make room on the roster for Nick Avila. The 25-year-old Dominican infielder played in nine big-league games with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2021 and 2022 but spent all of last year with Triple-A Buffalo, slashing .258/.313/.343 with two home runs, 35 RBI, 13 stolen bases and 48 runs scored in 84 games played. Lopez can play all around the infield and will give the Marlins some extra organizational infield depth in 2024. He has a career .297/.363/.407 slash line, 19 home runs and 90 stolen bases in his seven years in the minors.
The San Francisco Giants acquired infielder/outfielder Otto Lopez from the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday in exchange for cash considerations. In a corresponding move to make room for Porter on the 40-man roster, the Giants designated outfielder T.J. Hopkins for assignment. The trade of Lopez comes after the 25-year-old Dominican was designated for assignment by Toronto last weekend. He played in just nine games for Toronto in 2021 and 2022, going 6-for-10 with three RBI in 11 plate appearances. In 84 games for Triple-A Buffalo in 2023, he hit .258/.313/.343 with two home runs, 35 RBI, 13 stolen bases and 48 runs scored in 346 plate appearances. Lopez will strictly represent minor-league depth for the Gigantes in 2024 and isn't on the fantasy radar at all.
