Marlins 5 Takeaways: Mattingly sticks with Alcantara, Garcia's big home run

A season filled with playoff aspirations is at a crossroads for the Miami Marlins.

The MLB Trade Deadline is just over a month away, and the Marlins enter the Fourth of July Weekend seven games off the pace for the third and final National League Wild Card spot.

These next few weeks will determine if the Marlins buy, sell or do a combination of both before the Aug. 2 trade deadline.

As the urgency magnifies, The Palm Beach Post offers our five takeaways on where the team stands.

Don Mattingly makes his most significant decision

Stick with Sandy Alcantara or go to the bullpen?

Manager Don Mattingly on Wednesday night made the call to stay with his ace, and it paid off. Alcantara, at 115 pitches, informed Mattingly during a mound visit that he wanted to finish the job. Two pitches later, he induced a game-ending double-play, securing a 4-3 win at the St. Louis Cardinals.

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Alcantara recorded his MLB-high second complete game, also the fifth of his career. The 117 pitches also are a personal high.

The signal Mattingly made to his ace and his team was his most important on-field decision of the season. The fate of the 2022 Marlins is in the hands of these core players. By showing confidence in his ace, Mattingly sent a signal to all the veterans that he has their back, if they show they're up to the moment.

In an era where analytics dictate so many in-game decisions, Mattingly went with his gut. Closer Tanner Scott was ready, but Mattingly went with Alcantara's conviction.

Now, if that backfired, and Alcantara gave up the lead, what would the reaction be? Sometimes managers have to take that risk, and Alcantara delivered.

Big blast, biggest moment for Avisail Garcia

Finally, Avisail Garcia enjoyed his biggest Marlins’ moment. The 31-year-old outfielder’s game-winning, two-run home run with two outs in the ninth inning on Wednesday was the biggest hit of his Marlins’ career.

Signed for four years and $53 million in the offseason, Garcia belted closer Ryan Helsley’s 98.8 mph fastball over the wall in center field.

Fans wonder why Mattingly consistently hits Garcia in the middle of the order? Wednesday is why. No matter how down Garcia has been this year, the slugger is still a threat. That’s why he hit fifth on Wednesday.

One at-bat, of course, doesn’t overshadow his .227 batting average and .598 OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage). But the homer shows how Garcia can change a game with one swing.

Reminder: He’s averaged 21 home runs and 80 RBIs a season in his career.

Back injury sidelines Jazz Chisholm Jr.

The biggest blow of the week is Jazz Chisholm Jr. is now on the 10-day injured list with a right lower-back strain.

The injury puts in jeopardy if Chisholm will be available for the All-Star Game. Chisholm, who leads in the fans vote, and Atlanta's Ozzie Albies are the two finalists at second base. Albies is on the 60-day IL, which increases Chisholm's chances of starting in the Midsummer Classic on July 19 at Dodger Stadium.

If that happens, he will be the first Marlins’ position player voted by the fans to start the All-Star Game since Marcell Ozuna in 2017. The 24-year-old paces the team with 14 homers and 45 RBIs, and he’s a catalyst at the plate and in the field.

Chisholm also is one of the young, energetic faces of the sport. With Chisholm out, Jon Berti projects to see more time at second base.

Marlins part ways with Gary Denbo

The Marlins made official an internal move that was expected from the time Derek Jeter parted ways with the organization before Spring Training. On Wednesday, the Marlins cut ties with Gary Denbo as their vice president of scouting and player development.

When current ownership purchased the franchise in October 2017, Denbo was brought in as a top executive. He was instrumental in making upgrades at the Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium complex in Jupiter, and he was involved in decision-making at the MLB and Minor League levels. He also ran the Marlins' "Captain's Camp" for invited prospects leading into Spring Training.

But Denbo's personality also clashed with current and former team employees. When Jeter exited, it was considered a matter of time before Denbo would move on as well.

Why now?

With the MLB Draft and the trade deadline coming up, the organization wanted to make sure everyone is on the same page.

Joey Wendle will be welcome addition

A right hamstring strain has kept infielder Joey Wendle on the injured list since June 1. The hope is the left-handed hitting infielder will be ready to rejoin the club during the Fourth of July weekend series at the Washington Nationals.

With Chisholm on the injured list, getting Wendle back will be huge for the Marlins, as they enter these crucial few weeks leading into the trade deadline. The 32-year-old has appeared in 29 games and is hitting .284 with a .760 OPS.

Wendle was sent on a rehab assignment at Triple-A Jacksonville a few days ago, and is getting back into game shape.

Joe Frisaro covered the Marlins from 2002 to 2020 for mlb.com. He is the founder of ManOn2nd Baseball. Follow him @ManOn2nd and his podcast on the Five Reasons Sports YouTube Channel.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Miami Marlins at crossroads with MLB Trade Deadline approaching