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Things were going swimmingly for the Marlins on Thursday evening. While leading the 4th place Nationals 6-2 in the top of the 5th, Alcides Escobar lifted a lazy fly ball to shallow left-center field. Outfielders Lewis Brinson and Bryan De La Cruz both came in and collided while attempting to make the grab.
Here’s the Brinson video. Both men call for it. Neither of them catch it. Brinson with a bad read off the bat is what causes this play to happen. pic.twitter.com/gZdgd2kfPK
— Isaac Azout (@IsaacAzout) August 27, 2021
Neither of them made the catch, and Escobar wound up on second base. The official scorer ruled it an error on the center fielder Brinson (his first in 61 games this season).
Brinson’s first reaction was to go back. To compensate for that, he had to race in, which is what made the two arrive at the same time.
After the collision, Brinson was seen flexing his left hand or wrist, and then exited the game. The team announced that the 27-year-old sustained a left thumb sprain. X-rays were negative and he is considered day-to-day.
Donnie says the report on Brinson is a sigh of relief.
— Ethan Budowsky (@ethanbudowsky) August 27, 2021
Called it day-to-day, likely going to see how he feels when he comes in tomorrow.
After a couple weeks of “Brinsanity,” Lewis has slowed down a bit. Since returning from Petco Park on August 13, he is slashing .116/.174/.163 for a .337 OPS. Mattingly continues to put him in the No. 3 and No. 4 spots in the lineup, hoping he’ll get it going again.
Magneuris Sierra completed the contest—which the Marlins won, 7-5—as their center fielder. His playing time should tick up for the time being. If in a worst-case scenario, Brinson is sidelined for an extended period, versatile outfielders Brian Miller and Monte Harrison are at Triple-A Jacksonville and already on the 40-man roster.