MIAMI — Miami Marlins third baseman Jake Burger caught up with Gavin Sheets and Eloy Jiménez before a round of batting practice Friday afternoon at loanDepot park.
Burger launched a pitch over the left-field wall, then continued the conversation with his former Chicago White Sox teammates.
“Gavin and I haven’t missed a beat,” Burger said. “Still giving each other crap for the smallest thing. It’s great seeing those guys.”
Burger faced the Sox for the first time since they traded him to the Marlins last season.
“I definitely felt the adrenaline coming to the field,” he said before Friday’s game. “It will be a fun series, for sure.”
A first-round pick in 2017, Burger rebounded from injuries to become an important part of the Sox lineup before being dealt to the Marlins for minor-league pitcher Jake Eder just ahead of last year’s trade deadline.
“I’m grateful for everything that the (Sox) organization gave me,” Burger said. “Obviously, sticking with me throughout my injuries and whatnot, I’ll always have a soft spot in my heart for the organization because of that. A lot of great memories over there. I’ll always be fond of my time in Chicago.”
He said resiliency was among the biggest things he learned in the Sox organization.
“And from an organizational standpoint, sticking with guys, and that’s what they did for me,” Burger said. “Obviously you want to have the clearest path ahead. But that’s not the case for 99% of the guys in the game, so just having that humility and gratitude from my end for the organization, for the city. I’ll always have that.”
Burger missed all of 2018 after suffering a ruptured left Achilles tendon and all of 2019 because of a bruised left heel.
He played in 15 games with the Sox in 2021 and 51 the next year. His long-distance home runs were a highlight last season at Guaranteed Rate Field, where he hit 17 of his 25 home runs for the Sox before the trade.
The Sox were in Arlington, Texas, for a series against the Rangers when the deal took place.
“Not that I was looking at social media, but I wasn’t hearing anything,” Burger said of the events leading up to the trade. “It just kind of happened really fast. Ultimately came over here and went on a postseason run. I’m grateful for that opportunity and grateful for the Marlins for making that deal for me.”
Burger had a combined 34 home runs and 80 RBIs last season for the Sox (88 games) and Marlins (53). In 154 career games with the Sox, he hit .230 with 34 homers and 81 RBIs.
“I loved him as a part of us,” Sox manager Pedro Grifol said. “I only had him for a year, but he’s a phenomenal human being, a high-character guy with high integrity. Loves the game, faced some adversity, understands how small the window is in this game. And he’s a pleasure to be around.
“I’m happy to see him have success. I saw some billboards with his face on it, which is cool. To see Jake Burger’s face in my hometown on a billboard is pretty cool.”
Burger entered Friday slashing .217/.254/.352 with eight home runs and 28 RBIs in 65 games this season. He was on the injured list from April 15 to May 6 with a strained left intercostal muscle.
“Definitely feel better,” he said. “Obviously didn’t like my performance yesterday (going 0-for-5 with five strikeouts Thursday against the Boston Red Sox). But overall the last week, it has been getting better. Hopefully just keep riding that. It’s a long season and I feel like I’ve started July pretty good. Hopefully keep that going.
“Miami is a fun place. I love playing here. Obviously going from organization to organization, everybody teaches the game, the nuances a little differently. I feel like leaving Chicago, coming here, I learned some stuff that I can add to my game. It’s definitely been a fun calendar year so far.”
Next step nears for Yoán Moncada
Sox third baseman Yoán Moncada will serve as a designated hitter “early next week” with the Arizona Complex League White Sox, Grifol said, as Moncada takes the next step in his recovery from a left adductor strain.
“If everything goes right, we’re looking at him (returning) probably close to the end of July, right around there,” Grifol said. “But he’s going to start DHing first and we’ll see how it goes.”
Moncada has been on the IL since April 10.
