Jake Marisnick returns right on time after Pirates lose Bryan Reynolds to injury

Jake Marisnick waited two months to play for the Pittsburgh Pirates after surgery on his left thumb, and it just so happened that his return coincided with Bryan Reynolds being placed on the injured list.

Marisnick was inserted into the starting lineup to replace Reynolds in center field Monday at Miami, and his impact was immediate. He drew a walk, stole second base and scored on a Kevin Newman double in the second inning, smacked a ground-rule double in the fourth and crushed a two-run homer in the ninth in a 5-1 win over the Marlins.

“Really impressive way for Jake to come back,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said of Marisnick, who went 2 for 3 with two RBIs and two runs scored. “We knew he’s an elite defender, but he probably took the best swings we’ve seen him take all year and gave us some insurance there at the end, which was important. … He played a really complete game.”

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It was just what the Pirates needed after placing Reynolds on the 10-day IL after an MRI showed a right oblique strain. Shelton downplayed the severity of the injury, which typically can require 28-35 days of recovery, but said the Pirates shut Reynolds down now because the All-Star break next week will provide extra days of rest.

“We’re not going to take a chance with Bryan,” Shelton said. “He’s just way too important to us.”

Losing Reynolds, even for a short stint, is a blow to the Pirates. The 2021 All-Star has been hot since the start of June and was leading the Pirates in nearly every offensive category, slashing .261/.343/.465 with 11 doubles, three triples, 15 home runs and 32 RBIs.

“Obviously, he’s a great player and we’re going to miss him,” Marisnick said, “but, hopefully, it’s a short stint and we keep going and keep playing hard.”

The Pirates knew they could count on Marisnick defensively, where he has a reputation as one of the game’s top center fielders. He injured his left thumb making a diving catch against the Los Angeles Dodgers on May 10 and underwent surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament two days later and ended up on the 60-day IL.

Marisnick was only batting .163 (8 for 49) with two doubles and one RBI in 22 games before the injury. He batted .250 (7 for 28) in seven games during a rehabilitation assignment at Triple-A Indianapolis and came out swinging against the Marlins.

“You never want to miss time but I used it as a reset, kind of a chance to clear my mind and get some work done,” Marisnick said. “I’m coming back ready to go.”

Welcome back, Jake! pic.twitter.com/fy56q3NhiG

— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) July 12, 2022

Marisnick provided his first homer in more than a year, since a solo shot off Matt Moore on July 5, 2021. Marisnick was playing for the Chicago Cubs at the time. Three weeks later, was traded to the San Diego Padres for pitcher Anderson Espinoza.

After Josh VanMeter led off the ninth with a double, Marisnick crushed a Jimmy Yacabonis 0-2 slider for a 419-feet shot to left field for a four-run lead. The power didn’t go unnoticed by his Pirates teammates.

“To put a swing like that and a homer that he hit, that’s impressive,” Newman said. “That’s a long ways back. Him coming right back in and making an impact right away, that’s huge for us. It’s just another pick-up.”