Jesús Sánchez DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Miami Marlins outfielder Jesus Sanchez (oblique) isn't expected to return for four weeks after being diagnosed with a left-oblique strain. Sanchez initially suffered the oblique injury in Thursday's Grapefruit League game, and he will now be forced to miss the start of the 2025 regular season. The 27-year-old won't be eligible to return to the Fish until April 6, but he might be forced to miss more time than that. It's a tough break for Sanchez, who was in line to be the team's regular right fielder. Now that he'll miss the start of the season, young outfielder Griffin Conine should see most of the playing time in right field in South Beach until Sanchez recovers. The Dominican outfielder hit .252/.313/.417 with career-highs in home runs (18), RBI (64), steals (16) and runs (60) in 149 games in 2024 in his fifth year in the league. Sanchez hits the ball as hard as anyone, but he needs to hit the ball in the air more to reach the 20-homer mark.

Miami Marlins outfielder Jesus Sanchez (side) was forced from Thursday's Grapefruit League outing against the Houston Astros in the fourth inning. Sanchez went 2-for-3 with a single and a double but was pulled precautionarily after manager Clayton McCullough "didn't like [his] mannerisms" while standing at second base. When asked about it after the game, the 27-year-old merely pointed at his side. Fortunately, it doesn't appear to be a big deal at this time. Still, side injuries are never good news. Sanchez hits the ball hard often, ranking in the 95th percentile in 2024 with a 51.3% hard-hit rate. He swiped 16 bags last season and hit .305 in September across 85 at-bats -- nearly 40 points better than in any other month. He's being selected inside the top 300 in fantasy drafts and holds some sleeper appeal if he can replicate his late-season form from a year ago.

Miami Marlins outfielder Jesus Sanchez (elbow) could be limited to a designated hitter role early in the season. Sanchez has battled elbow inflammation and may not be cleared to see action in the outfield early in the season. However, this injury is not expected to keep him out of action in the batter's box. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status during spring training in case he faces a setback. Last season, the 27-year-old posted a .252/.313/.417 line with 18 home runs and 16 stolen bases. He generated a .468 xSLG, 51.3 percent hard-hit rate, and a 12.2 percent barrel rate, which were all well above the average marks. While serving as a DH, Griffin Connie or Kyle Stowers could see time in right field. Once Sanchez is cleared for outfield action, Jonah Bride or prospect Deyvison De Los Santos could slot in at the designated hitter spot.