If you hadn’t been paying attention to the Marlins lately, you might think the Fish just got hit with a double whammy: Both the starting first baseman AND the starting shortstop on the disabled list at exactly the same time?!

Well those that are still paying attention (and if you come to Fish Stripes then you qualify as a Marlins die-hard, congratulations) have been well aware that JT Riddle has been battling with tendinitis in his left bicep for quite some time now, and the Marlins were finally forced to bite the bullet and put the man on the DL after Miguel Rojas injured his left shoulder in a diving attempt during yesterday’s ballgame, leaving the Marlins with zero healthy middle infielders.

So now Rojas will assume the role of ailing shortstop trying to heal without the benefit of a DL stint. Tyler Moore is the in-house option to start at first with Justin Bour out due to an oblique strain and the Marlins bring up a pair of “fresh” bodies to take Bour and Riddle’s spots on the roster for at least the next ten days.

Mike Aviles

Mike Aviles was up ever so briefly earlier this season, appearing in three games for a total of seven plate appearances. He walked once, he struck out once, he got hit by a pitch. And then, just like that, he was gone again. Forever, some probably thought.

But late July of 2017 finds the Marlins in a bit of a different situation then when last we saw Mr. Aviles. For one, Adeiny Hechavarria has been traded. Another, Miguel Rojas is back but hurt for an entirely different reason. So I think it’s fair to say that Aviles will see a fair amount of playing time during this stint. Of course, we shouldn’t expect too much from Mike at this stage in his career, though he’s not been terrible at New Orleans (slashing .292/.326/.376 in 55 games).

I root for his success because he reminds me that there are still people in professional sports who are older than I am, and that warms my bitter heart.

Tomàs Telis

The more exciting name here is Telis, who returns to the ballclub for the 80th time.

I share Alex’s optimism.

Telis should, at a minimum, provide a competent bat to plug in at catcher or perhaps even first (though we might see JT Realmuto there as well, in an arrangement that was alluded to in spring training). Telis has slashed .279/.326/.396 in 73 games with New Orleans this season.

Highlighting the precarious nature of the middle infield at the moment, Aviles will start immediately, batting eighth in tonight’s lineup against the Rangers. Telis will have to wait one more day to start saving Marlins baseball.