Miami Marlins place Austin Kearns on bereavement list

The veteran outfielder has left the team to deal with a personal matter.

By Connor Moylan May 5, 2013, 7:01pm EDT

The Miami Marlins have placed Austin Kearns on the bereavement list after the outfielder left the team to deal with a personal matter. The team recalled catcher Kyle Skipworth from Triple-A to take his spot on the 25-man roster.

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Kearns will have to miss at least three games, but can be gone for no more than seven. Kearns has already missed some playing time this season after being taken to the hospital for an elevated heart rate.

Miami has used Kearns mostly as a backup-outfielder and pinch hitter this season. The veteran has started slowly at the plate, hitting .185./.290/.185 through his first 31 plate appearances. Kearns has struggled making consistent contact, but has still shown a keen eye at the plate with an above-average walk rate.

Skipworth is a 23 year-old catcher who is being called up to the major-league level for the second time this season. The catcher went 0-2 in his first go-around, but did draw a walk.

Skipworth was a first-round draft pick, but his prospect status has soured over the years as he struggled to hit in the minor leagues. He is considered a plus defensive catcher, but struggles to make consistent contact; Skipworth struck out in 30.6 percent of his at-bats in Double-A last year.