JUPITER, Fla. _ Miami Marlins manager Don Mattingly sees the potential of Jesus Aguilar returning to his 2018 form.
The 35 home runs. The 108 RBI. The .890 on-base-plus-slugging.
The All-Star offense coming from first base.
"This guy can be dangerous," Mattingly said. "It's a thump in our lineup."
That was one of the Marlins' main goal this offseason.
Find a way to score more runs. Get some pop at the plate. Have threats throughout the lineup.
That's the inevitability when a team finishes a season with one of Major League Baseball's worst offenses.
Aguilar, acquired in December from the Tampa Bay Rays off waivers, highlights that movement.
The Marlins' main challenge: Getting Aguilar back to a place mentally where he is ready to compete like he did in that 2018 season with the Milwaukee Brewers. He struggled last season, was traded from Milwaukee to Tampa at the deadline and then designated for assignment when it was time for teams to make 40-man roster decisions ahead of the Rule 5 Draft.
Aguilar finished last season with a .236 batting average _ the lowest of his three full MLB seasons _ and had career lows in home runs (12), RBI (50) and runs scored (39).
"We're going to give him a chance to get comfortable again," Mattingly said. "It seems like things got off on the wrong foot last year. He didn't swing the bat good early. Next thing you know, you're not playing regularly. Things can go sideways. Whatever happened last year was last year. But I'm thinking if we can get this guy back on track, regular at-bats, he's that guy that pretty much can be a stalwart in your lineup."
The Marlins have done everything early to show Aguilar the value they see in him. He has batted in the cleanup spot every game he started. That continues Thursday when the Marlins play their first night game of spring training against the New York Mets.
Aguilar has been preparing, too.
"I've been working," Aguilar said. "Baseball is up and down. Last year was a down year, but it's over. It's already over. This year, I come with a lot more confidence. I know, I believe things are going to go well. This year is going to be all right."
And the Marlins seem to be all in on giving Aguilar every opportunity to show he can return to his 2018 form. A slump to start the season, for example, isn't going to make Mattingly pull the trigger and move to someone else at first base.
"You start not playing," Mattingly said. "You can say it. I can tell you all whatever. We want to platoon or we want to see other guys. But to that guy, you're saying 'We don't think you're swinging the bat right now.' There's a message that gets sent, and when that message gets sent, they lose confidence."
There's no confidence lost for Aguilar right now.
He also knows the situation he's in.
In addition to providing power in the lineup, the 29-year-old is a veteran in the clubhouse. He has spent time with some of the Marlins' up-and-coming prospects and has seen the potential they could bring in the short- and long-term.
"They're young," Aguilar said, "but they have a lot of talent. That's the most important thing. They show they want to play. It's going to be a transition, but it's going to be all right."
