Increased comfort leading to improvement at the plate for Bride

JUPITER, Fla. -- Jonah Bride's tough start to spring camp at the plate won't prevent him from breaking camp as a Marlin.

¡°Jonah will be on the team,¡± manager Clayton McCullough said. ¡°Expect him to get regular plate appearances -- and he'll be able to play first, third, get some DH. Jonah takes a high-quality at-bat, and performed last year. So Jonah is in a good spot.¡±

That spot got even better on Sunday.

One of three potential options at first base, Bride entered Sunday's game against the Cardinals with only four hits and one RBI in 36 plate appearances this spring. He proceeded to contribute a 355-foot homer, a single and worked a walk against St. Louis starter Sonny Gray, scoring three runs in the Marlins' 11-5 victory over the Cardinals.

With just over a week remaining in Grapefruit League play, Bride is starting to feel more comfortable at the plate and is hoping more consistent at-bats accompany that comfort.

¡°Of course, as a player, you want to have success and you want to see those numbers be good,¡± Bride said. ¡°But at the same time, it is spring. I think at first I was hitting the ball on the ground a lot, now I'm lifting the ball in the air a little bit, and I know that they'll begin to fall.¡±

Acquired via trade from Oakland days before the start of 2024 Spring Training, Bride hit .276 with 11 homers, 39 RBIs and 30 runs scored across 272 plate appearances last season -- his third year in the Majors. A strong final month of the season, in which he hit .312 and slugged .548 with six homers in 26 games, offered a glimpse at the upside the 29-year-old Bride brings to the Marlins offense.

Bride drew 27 of his 30 walks on the season over his final two months and has seven walks already this spring.

¡°He sees the ball very well,¡± McCullough said.

Despite his strong finish to 2024, Bride didn't arrive at camp believing he was assured a place on the Opening Day roster.

¡°I don't think you ever sit and say, 'I have a spot,'¡± said Bride, who's yet to be told formally he's made the club. ¡°So I don't have that mindset. I feel like what's gotten me here is I've always been a grinder, and have to prove myself everywhere I go.¡±

After playing third and second base throughout his Minor League career, the Marlins asked Bride to essentially learn first base in the Majors last year. He played there in 35 of his 47 games in the field last season.

¡°I think first base was kind of new to me last year -- especially in the big leagues,¡± Bride said. ¡°The game sped up for me, but I feel good over there right now. And third base is pretty natural for me.¡±

Bride spent much of his offseason refining his first base skills.

¡°It seems like he's a lot more comfortable there,¡± shortstop Xavier Edwards said. ¡°He's moving well around the bag -- kind of getting to the bag early and adjusting to the throws. For sure, there's a big difference with him this year.¡±

Matt Mervis, Eric Wagaman and Bride are all vying for playing time at first base this spring.

McCullough likes what he's seeing from the competition, and the skipper doesn't believe the Marlins need one player to break out and take control of the position.

¡°Hopefully I can put them in a position to succeed on a daily basis -- whether it's starting the game if it's advantageous for them, or potentially during a game if something lines up that I'm able to get them in there,¡± McCullough said. ¡°It's nice to have many options positionally, to be able to move the pieces around.¡±