Miami Marlins shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria made his first start of the year in the leadoff spot on Thursday against the Tampa Bay Rays and went 3-for-5 with a two-run homer.
Ichiro Suzuki was out of the lineup today, and manager Don Mattingly thought Hechavarria was a better choice than Derek Dietrich to lead off against a lefty. It worked out nicely, but even after today, Hechavarria has just a .284 on base percentage for the season. He'll likely continue to bat eighth for the most part.
Hechavarria is slashing .257/.284/.349 with just a .270 wOBA in 162 plate appearances this season. Known more for his glove than his bat, Hechavarria has a 9.6 UZR/150, which ranks 11th best among shortstops this season.
Source: Rotoworld.com