Marlins catcher Jeff Mathis, one of the heroes in Wednesday’s 5-3 come-from-behind win over the Twins, had X-rays on his left hand after the game and said he doesn’t expect to miss any playing time.
Twins shortstop Eduardo Escobar accidentally hit Mathis on his catching hand on the follow through of his swing in the eighth inning — not long after Mathis blasted his first home run of the season, a two-run shot off Twins starter Scott Diamond.
“The X-rays were negative,’’ Mathis said. “Everything is OK. It’s just tight and sore right now. It’s a bruise.’’
The Marlins, one of the most injury-riddled teams in baseball with 17 different players who have been on the disabled list at one point or another this season, also got good news about left fielder Justin Ruggiano.
The shoulder the Marlins’ home run and RBI leader injured diving for a ball in San Francisco over the weekend isn’t the same one that caused him to miss the final few weeks of the 2012 season and bothered him in the offseason.
“Last year I couldn’t lift my [right] arm up for week and I had rehab all offseason,’’ Ruggiano said. “This [the left shoulder] is minor compared to what happened last year.’’
Ruggiano was supposed to start in left field Tuesday against the Twins, but was pulled from the lineup after complaining about left shoulder pain. He was back in the starting lineup Wednesday.
Diertrich’s day off
Derek Dietrich ended an 0-for-17 slump at the plate when he crushed a 415-foot solo home to right field in the seventh inning Tuesday.
The Marlins’ rookie second baseman is hoping its a sign he has come out of the slump he has been in over the past three weeks. Since his last two-hit game June 9 against the Mets, Dietrich has gone just 5 for 41 (.122). He has reached base just three other times (two walks, one error) and struck out 16 times. His batting average is now at .200 through 40 games.
Wednesday, manager Mike Redmond decided to give Dietrich another day off — his second since Saturday.
“Everybody struggles in this game at one point or another. It’s the guys who minimize it that have the most success,’’ Dietrich said.
“Everybody is going make adjustments and always find a way to get you out a certain amount of time. I’ve been there before in the minors and in college. The sun always shines after the storm. I feel like if I just stick with it over time I think I know what I can do. The Marlins know what I can do. Just got to keep with it, stay positive and bring excitement and have fun with it each and everyday. The results will come."
Futures game
Marlins top prospect Christian Yelich, who played in his first rehab game Wednesday since going on the minor-league disabled list June 3 with a strained abdominal muscle, was selected to play in his second consecutive Futures Game during All-Star weekend in New York next month.
Yelich, batting .262 with 12 doubles, six triples, six home runs and 28 RBI for Double A Jacksonville, has been slowed by injuries this season. He opened the year on the disabled list with a bruised right heel.
Yelich went 1 for 2 in a game suspended by rain Wednesday in the Florida Gulf Coast League.
Coming up
• Thursday: Off.
• Friday: Marlins RHP Ricky Nolasco (4-7, 3.68 ERA) vs. San Diego Padres RHP Edison Volquez (5-6, 5.67), 7:10 p.m., Marlins Park.
• Scouting report: The Marlins were swept by the Padres and held to just one run over three games in San Diego from May 6-8. San Diego, like the Marlins, enters as one of the hottest NL teams in June.





















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