The Florida Marlins, the surprise leaders of the National League East, aren't standing pat.
MLB roundup
Monday's action
- Lester tosses 18th Red Sox no-hitter
- Zimmerman carries Nats past Phils
- Soto's blast helps Cubs beat Astros
- Rockies hand Giants sixth straight loss
- Clark helps Twins edge Rangers in 12
- Pujols homers twice in win over Padres
- DeWitt lifts Dodgers past Reds in 9th
- Rays hang on to beat A's in 13
More on MLB:
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- Perry: NL better than AL?
- Rosenthal: Rox could shop Holliday
- VIDEO: Bonds battle continues
Photo gallery:
- Photos: Interleague play begins
Securing additional bench help, the Marlins have signed free-agent outfielder Jacque Jones.
Jones, 33, will initially report to extended spring training in Florida to get back into playing shape, according to one source, then return to the majors as a fourth outfielder and left-handed hitter off the bench.
The Tigers designated Jones for assignment on May 5 and released him on May 13. He batted .165 with a .244 on-base percentage and .253 slugging percentage in 90 plate appearances for Detroit — numbers well below his career line of .278-.327-.451.
Once Jones is ready to join the Marlins, he likely will take the roster spot of either outfielder Brett Carroll or infielder Robert Andino, adding to a bench that generally includes infielder Wes Helms and outfielder Cody Ross from the right side.
Jones, like Ross, plays all three outfield positions. Josh Willingham, the Marlins' regular left fielder, has been on the disabled list since April 27 with a lower-back injury. He is not expected to return soon, and Luis Gonzalez will continue serving as his replacement in left.
The Marlins nearly acquired Jones from the Cubs last June, but the trade fell through. The Cubs kept Jones for the rest of the season, then sent him to the Tigers for infielder Omar Infante in November.
Jones' release from the Tigers occurred in part because of his poor offensive performance, and in part because the Tigers wanted their designated hitter, Gary Sheffield, to play regularly in left field — a plan the team has since abandoned.
"It's our job to get this team going," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said at the time. "We're putting Sheffield in left because we haven't been able to get him going.
"But the one thing I want to make perfectly clear is that Jacque Jones is not the reason we're four games under .500. Did he get off to a bad start? Yes, he has. But he's been nothing but a class act."
Jones is earning $5 million this season — $2 million from the Cubs and $3 million from the Tigers. The Marlins will pay him a pro-rated portion of the major-league minimum salary — a sum that will amount to less than $300,000.
