Marlins’ Jesus Sanchez looks towards consistency as a new era of Miami baseball arrives

CINCINNATI, Ohio – The roster has been ever-changing throughout the 31 years of the Marlins’ existence, especially in this era. Despite Miami being fresh off a rebuild that began in 2018, it’s time to clean house again and start a new era of Marlins baseball. Outfielder Jesus Sanchez has been one of the mainstays in the clubhouse for the last few seasons.

It’s no secret that Sanchez is a fan favorite. He hits the balls hard, has been a familiar face, is loved by his teammates, and gives entertaining postgame interviews. With his fifth anniversary of being acquired by the team on the horizon, he reflected on his time with Miami so far.

The 2019 trade deadline was exciting for the Marlins–the rebuild was in full gear and it was time to acquire some exciting prospects. Sanchez was one of them, with him and reliever Ryne Stanek getting dealt from the Tampa Bay Rays to Miami in exchange for Nick Anderson and Trevor Richards.

“Even though I was growing with the Rays, I knew (Miami) was something special,” Sanchez said via interpreter. “I was excited mostly because of the good Latin community and sharing that moment with them.”

It didn’t take long for Sanchez to break through and reach the Major League team. Sanchez debuted just 13 months after the trade, thanks in part to the Marlins being short on bodies due to the team’s infamous COVID-19 outbreak. The growing pains were tough on Sanchez, but he had a good support system and a group of mentors to help him grow as a young player in the league. “Early on, my brother was always there for me to help me out with anything I needed,” Sanchez stated. “But as a Latin player, I leaned a lot on (Starling) Marte, I had (Jorge) Soler, and (Jesus) Aguilar.”

It’s hard to believe that Sanchez, the once prized hitting prospect in the Marlins’ system, is nearing his fourth year of service time. Sanchez considers himself a veteran now in the clubhouse, but it still feels weird to him that he’s reached that status. “It’s weird to call myself a veteran, but right now I still feel like I’m gaining a lot of knowledge and growing,” Sanchez said.

If you asked Marlins fans what word they’d use to describe Sanchez and the way he plays is “fun.” However, Sanchez himself couldn’t pinpoint a word he’d use to describe himself and the way he plays. I asked if he would then consider himself “unpredictable” and he agreed. Given how hot and cold he can be at the plate sometimes, it would be fitting.

Despite the hot streaks and cold spells, Sanchez has occurred throughout the years, he’s still growing as a player. When asked what’s one thing he needs to do to take his game to the next level and potentially become an All-Star, he eagerly stated, “Consistency. I need to be putting the ball in play. Then, I know I’ll get better results.”

Simple strategy, right? In his second at-bat Friday night after our conversation, Sanchez belted his eleventh home run of the season, a three-run shot to right field. In July, he’s slashing .357/.379/.857/1.236. It’s been another stretch where Sanchez has been on fire, but again, it’s about the consistency for him.

One look at Miami’s record this season says a lot about how the season has gone. However, many fans are continuing to support despite the trade of Luis Arraez and the looming cloud over the team that is trade rumors. Sanchez’s message to the fans was a simple, yet powerful one. “Keep trusting us. We have ups and downs, and we’re obviously down right now–but we have a lot of talent to keep improving,” Sanchez stated.

When Sanchez is off the diamond and at home in Miami, he said he enjoys spending time with his wife and family, along with praying every day.

Per Marlins insider Craig Mish of the Miami Herald, the Marlins would like to keep Sanchez through the upcoming trade deadline and hope he can find the consistency he’s talked about. While the Marlins are in the midst of a lost season, Sanchez will keep looking to bring the energy and life to the clubhouse.