Miami Marlins skipper Mike Redmond confident Jarrod Saltalamacchia will end slump

Mike Redmond isn’t hitting the panic button yet with Jarrod Saltalamacchia.

Wednesday’s night off for the struggling Marlins catcher was scheduled, the skipper said.

“My plan going into this was to get Matty [Jeff Mathis] in there one of these days,” Redmond said. “I want to try to incorporate ‒ just like we do our pitchers ‒ get all these guys out into a game situation as quick as we possibly can. [Wednesday was] Matty’s night.”

Saltalamacchia, in the second year of a three-year, $21 million deal, had a rough debut with the Marlins last season. His performance at the plate (.220, 11 homers, 44 RBI, 143 strikeouts) and behind it (career-high 15 errors) was among the worst in the game for catchers.

He was bad at hitting with runners in scoring position (.182) and his swing-and-miss percentage was 35.9 percent (worst among hitters to face at least 1,500 pitches).

The start to this season (0 for 7 with five strikeouts) hasn’t been much better.

“It’s two games,” Redmond said. “We’ve got a few guys off to a slow start. I don’t get too over excited about eight at-bats or six at-bats when you’re talking about guys getting 500 or 600 at-bats in a season.”

CISHEK NOT WORRIED

Mat Latos wasn’t the only Marlins pitcher to have a rough debut Tuesday against the Braves.

Closer Steve Cishek got shelled in only a third of an inning of work, giving up two hits, two walks and four earned runs on 24 pitches. After one appearance, his ERA stands at a whopping 108.00.

But Cishek didn’t seem too bothered by it before Wednesday’s game.

“It doesn’t really matter ‒ the game was out of hand,” Cishek said of his rough outing. “If it was a tied game or we were winning it then it would be an issue. I’d be [upset].”

It was only the third time Cishek had given up four earned runs or more in less than an inning of work.

“I just didn’t have any good stuff,” he said. “It wasn’t lack of focus or anything. I wasn’t sharp. It still sucks, but at the end of the day it really doesn’t matter. All that matters to me is the saves number because that means we win ball games.”

YELICH WARNED

Major League Baseball is watching you Christian Yelich.

The Marlins 23-year-old Gold Glove-winning left fielder received a warning letter from the league Wednesday for not getting into the batter’s box fast enough during an at-bat in the fourth inning on Opening Day.

Baseball’s new pace of play rules intended to speed up the game require batters to keep at least one foot in the box unless they swing or are forced to move because of the pitch or a steal attempt.

Players won’t start receiving fines until next month, but baseball is sending out warnings to players to let them know if they are breaking the rule.

Yelich had no comment.

COMING UP

Thursday: Off

Friday: Marlins RHP Dan Haren vs. Rays TBA, 7:10 p.m.

This story was originally published April 8, 2015 at 6:43 PM with the headline "Miami Marlins skipper Mike Redmond confident Jarrod Saltalamacchia will end slump."