MIAMI -- The Marlins placed second baseman Otto Lopez on the 10-day injured list on Sunday (retroactive to Saturday) with a Grade 2 right ankle sprain. In a corresponding roster move, Miami reinstated catcher Nick Fortes from the 10-day IL.
Lopez, who exited Friday night’s 6-1 loss to the Athletics at loanDepot park with right ankle discomfort, told a small group of reporters following Sunday afternoon's 3-2 loss that the recovery timeline calls for 2-3 weeks.
"It was bad at first, but right now, it just went down quick," Lopez said. "I was surprised [by] how the healing is going. I feel way better right now."
According to Lopez, he sustained the injury while stretching and running pregame Friday.
"When I was going to go back to the dugout, I didn't think it was a big deal, and I just went inside [the dugout] and to the field the first inning, and that's when the swelling was coming," Lopez said.
Lopez underwent an MRI that revealed the Grade 2 diagnosis, then wore a boot around the clubhouse pregame Saturday.
Lopez has started 29 of Miami’s 33 games this season, batting .229/.294/.330 with five doubles and two homers. On defense, Lopez had recorded six outs above average -- tied for the most among all Major League infielders entering Friday.
Lopez becomes the latest Marlins position player to land on the IL. Outfielders Griffin Conine (out for the season after left shoulder surgery) and Derek Hill (left wrist sprain), as well as Rob Brantly (right lat strain), are sidelined. Fortes, who returned from his rehab assignment to start at catcher on Sunday, missed 20 games due to a left oblique strain.
Options to fill in for Lopez include Javier Sanoja, Graham Pauley and Ronny Simon. Sanoja has started every game at second base that Lopez hasn't this season, including Sunday. He doubled twice in Saturday's 9-6 walk-off win over the A's. Sanoja also took over for Lopez in the top of the second on Friday when he exited the ballgame.