MIAMI – Miami Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton was in the lineup Monday night for the team's series opener against the Milwaukee Brewers after having been activated from the disabled list earlier in the day.
Stanton was in right field and batting third, with hot-hitting rookie Marcell Ozuna moving to center and hitting fourth against right-hander Yovani Gallardo. Ozuna had been playing right after being called up to replace the injured Stanton.
Stanton was sidelined after suffering a Grade 2 strained hamstring in a 15-inning victory against the New York Mets on April 29.
“I’m just happy to finally be here,” Stanton said. “It’s been a long time.”
Asked if he were completely healthy, Stanton replied: “I’m good enough to be here.”
Told that didn’t sound like he was 100 percent, he shot back: “I’m 100 percent.”
Even if that didn’t sound overly convincing, Stanton’s bat is a welcome addition to an offense that has struggled to score runs.
“I had a lot more fun filling out the lineup today, and it was a lot easier than it has been in the past,” Marlins manager Mike Redmond said. “It’s just exciting because we’ve been really grinding with so many guys out and so many guys injured.”
Stanton appeared to be coming around offensively after a slow start — hitting three homers over the previous two games — when he got hurt. He’s hitting .227 with three homers and nine RBI.
The Marlins also put first baseman Casey Kotchman on the 15-day disabled list with a left oblique strain, retroactive to June 9, and reinstated first baseman Joe Mahoney and second baseman Donovan Solano from the DL and optioned them to Triple-A New Orleans of the Pacific Coast League.
