Marlins deal with more injuries but help is on the way

For a time longer than any other team in baseball, the Marlins had the luxury of throwing out their Opening Day starting rotation without any interference. During the time they posted a 3.88 ERA, which puts them fifth in the National league behind only the Reds (3.68), Nationals (3.68), Cubs (3.67) and Dodgers (2.73), and a 1.82 ERA in the last 14 home games.

“I always say, you never have enough starting pitching,” Marlins president of baseball operations Michael Hill said. “You know going into that stretch, we kept hearing, ‘The Marlins have only used five starters.’ It’s like, ‘I’m glad we only used five, but I wished they would stop tempting the baseball gods, because shortly thereafter, Caleb (Smith) comes up with the hip inflammation, and now Jose (Urena) with his back. It just speaks to the need of depth, and having guys ready to step in.”

Caleb Smith’s time on the injured list may be temporarily but Jose Urena has been extended to at least August by being moved from the 10-Day to 60-Day IL due to a herniated disc. It was originally reported as a lower back strain.

“Obviously, that’s not the news we wanted to hear, but we’ll get him taken care of and get him back on track,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. “It’s something we’ll deal with — he’ll deal with. Once this this thing calms down, we’ll get him back and see where this thing goes.”

Marlins president of baseball ops Mike Hill in Jose Urena’s injury and the importance of pitching depth. @CincoRazonesPod @5ReasonsSports pic.twitter.com/sz1lpqPxYY

— Tony Capobianco (@TonyCapobianco) June 14, 2019

Urena was the Marlins Opening Day starting pitcher for both this year and last year. He went 4-7 with a 4.70 ERA in 74 2/3 innings during 13 starts before the injury. He was viewed as a potential mid-season trade piece but his time in the IL wont end until after the trade deadline.

Corner infielder Martin Prado was also placed on the 10-Day IL after he left Wednesday’s game against the St. Louis Cardinals due to a tight hamstring. The 35-year-old captain was .239/.264/.303 with one home run and 12 RBIs in 51 games prior to the injury. He has not played more than 54 games since signing a three-year, $40 million extension after the 2016 season, his last healthy year.

In his place comes Yadiel Rivera. He batted .171 in 111 games as a rookie for the Marlins last season but was hitting .318/.333/.516 with 11 home runs and 34 RBIs this season in Triple-A New Orleans. He went 1-for-4 in his season debut in a 11-0 loss against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday. He is more known for his glove than his bat.

There are other infielders in the injured list that are on their way to returning soon. Before Friday’s game, Neil Walker (right quad strain), Jon Berti (left oblique strain) and Peter O’Brien (bruised left rib) were going through infield drills and batting practice. A minor league rehab assignment will soon follow, with Walker likely being the first one to go.

This is where the advantage of having a minor league affiliate nearby comes into play. The Florida State League has its All-Star Game on Saturday in Jupiter at the Marlins spring training facility. Starting Monday, the Jupiter Hammerheads, the Marlins Single-A affiliate, play the Palm Beach Cardinals at West Palm Beach and host the next two series through June 27. That would be the perfect time to send Walker and the others up to Jupiter for a rehab assignment and then return to Miami as soon as the next homestand.