This Marlins starting infielder suffered a setback, won’t be ready for Opening Day
The frustrations from 2017 are carrying over into this year for Martin Prado.
The Marlins announced Wednesday that their veteran third baseman suffered a setback in his attempt to bounce back from hamstring and knee issues suffered last season and won’t be ready to return by Opening Day.
Marlins manager Don Mattingly said Prado felt discomfort on the back of his surgically-repaired right knee while running during team workouts Tuesday.
Mattingly said it was borderline anyway as to whether Prado would have been ready for Opening Day. Prado will not participate in any baseball activities for the next few days and then will have to start the rehab process again, which will delay his eventual return to action.
Prado, 34, is entering the second of a three-year, $40 million deal with the Marlins. Of the approximate $95 million in payroll obligations the Marlins entering the season, about $45 is earmarked for players who will open the season on the disabled list (Prado, Wei-Yin Chen) or no longer with the club (Edinson Volquez). This includes the $8 million deferred signing bonus Chen would get midseason.
“We were trying to be slow with him and slow with the process so as he got into a little more volume, he felt it and stopped,” said Mattingly, who initially projected Prado to return after the team’s first road trip on April 9. It’s unclear how long Prado will be out following this latest setback.
Prado’s 2017 season was plagued by injuries even before it started and limited him to only 37 games. Prado, whose last game played was July 17, pulled his right hamstring while playing for Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic last March. He went on the disabled list twice last season because of hamstring issues before having knee surgery.
With Prado out, rookie Brian Anderson becomes the front-runner to be the Marlins’ Opening Day third baseman.
Anderson, the Marlins’ No. 9 prospect overall, according to MLBPipeline.com, has had a solid spring hitting .280 in 25 at-bats with two home runs, three doubles and five RBI.
Anderson, who has shown some power in the minors with 52 home runs over four minor-league seasons, made his major-league debut last season and played in 25 games, hitting .262 (22 of 84) with seven doubles and eight RBI.
Anderson, 25, also took part in the MLB All-Star Futures Game in Miami last year.
“Brian has been kind of knocking on the door anyway,” Mattingly said. “This puts more playing time on him. I’ve been comfortable with him. We think a lot of things that happened for him last year will be good for him this year. Being able to get up and have some success, some probably not as much as he’d like, but I think enough to get comfortable and know what this is all about.”
MORE UPDATES
▪ Rookie outfield prospect Magneuris Sierra pulled up with left hamstring tightness while running to first on a ground ball during the second inning of the Marlins’ game Wednesday against the Mets. Sierra, who limped off the field accompanied by a team trainer, was listed as day-to-day.
"He felt it back in that hamstring area," Mattingly said. "It’s that time in camp. It’s getting later. Hopefully it’s more cramped up than anything else."
▪ J.T. Realmuto said his bruised lower back was “definitely better” and fully expects to be ready for Opening Day.
Realmuto hurt his back on Sunday when he collided with New York Yankees’ Gleyber Torres on a pickoff play at second. Realmuto said Torres’ knee hit him on his lower back, causing the issue.
“I was late and he was coming into the line going for the ball and I’m trying to dive back so I tried to elude him and as he tried to slide, his knee jammed into my back and created a little contusion there,” Realmuto said.
Realmuto expects to resume baseball activities as early as Friday, and eventually play enough in the spring to get ready for Opening Day.
“As long as I get a few more games under my belt, I’ll be fine,” Realmuto said.
▪ Rookie outfield prospect Magneuris Sierra pulled up with left hamstring tightness while running to first on a ground ball during the second inning of the Marlins’ game Wednesday against the Mets. Sierra, who limped off the field accompanied by a team trainer, was listed as day-to-day.
▪ Pitcher Elieser Hernandez will miss a turn in the rotation as he continues to heal from a wisdom tooth extraction.
▪ Mattingly said it would still be some time before pitcher Brett Graves (oblique strain) can pitch again.
▪ Reliever Brian Ellington has begun his throwing program as he rehabs from biceps tendinitis.
COMING UP
Thursday: Marlins LHP Dillon Peters vs. New York Mets RHP Matt Harvey, 1:10 p.m., Port St. Lucie.
Friday: Marlins RHP Sandy Alcantara vs. St. Louis Cardinals RHP Michael Wacha, 1:05 p.m., Jupiter.
This story was originally published March 14, 2018 at 10:48 AM with the headline "This Marlins starting infielder suffered a setback, won’t be ready for Opening Day."