Marlins’ rotation takes hit as Luzardo heads to IL; Lewin Diaz recalled
%20(1).JPG "Miami Marlins pitcher Jesus Luzardo throws against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the first inning during a baseball game, Tuesday, May 10, 2022, in Phoenix.")
The Marlins entered Sunday’s home game against the Brewers ranked ninth in the majors in starter ERA (3.46).
One of the factors contributing to that effectiveness has been an improved start to the season by Jesus Luzardo on the back end of the rotation.
But that rotation took a hit Sunday when the Marlins placed Luzardo on the 15-day injured list with a left forearm strain.
Luzardo, who is 2-3 with a 4.03 ERA, 41 strikeouts and 16 walks in six starts (29 innings) this season, has held opponents to a .175 batting average and allowed two earned runs or fewer over five or more innings in four of his six starts.
Luzardo said he started feeling something was off after each of his past two starts in San Diego and Arizona.
“I just started feeling a little something in the San Diego game but not when I was pitching, just a little soreness after,” Luzardo said. “I kind of backed off a little bit. Arizona didn’t feel anything, but it was sore and tougher to bounce back. We just want to get on top of it so we can get it back to 100 percent.”
Luzardo, who had Tommy John surgery during his high school career at Stoneman Douglas High in Parkland, went 6-9 with a 6.61 ERA over 95.1 combined innings with the A’s and Marlins last season.
In his six starts this season, Luzardo has shown improved effectiveness primarily with his fastball and sinker allowing opponents to hit .250 and .200 respectively with each of those pitches, according to Statcast.
Last season, opposing batters hit .348 off Luzardo’s fastball and .337 off his sinker.
Luzardo said he can almost do most of his usual baseball activities but just has to limit his throwing for the moment.
“It’s still early in the year so I’d rather get this under control however long it takes compared to this getting worse and snowballing into something longer,” Luzardo said.
Marlins manager Don Mattingly said postgame Sunday that Sandy Alcantara will start in Luzardo’s place on Monday and the team will use a spot starter on Tuesday.
Cody Poteet would be the logical option. He has been the Marlins’ long relief option out of the bullpen and pitched four shutout innings on Tuesday against Arizona after Luzardo only managed to get through 2 2/3 innings.
Poteet has allowed one earned run in 16 1/3 innings with 14 strikeouts and seven walks. He’s thrown at least three innings in two of his eight relief appearances.
“Cody’s been great,” Mattingly said Tuesday. “He’s a guy that’s been able to come in, throw zeroes, keep his pitch count down. ... He’s done a nice job for us.”
Lewin Diaz recalled
The Marlins recalled first baseman Lewin Diaz from Triple A Jacksonville in a corresponding move that comes after Garrett Cooper was removed from Saturday’s game after fouling a pitch off his left knee.
Diaz drove down from Jacksonville and arrived in Miami around 7 a.m. Sunday.
Diaz would make his season debut whenever he makes an appearance or has an at-bat.
Diaz has hit .193/.231/.391 over 161 major-league at-bats with 45 strikeouts and eight walks over the past two seasons. Diaz hit all eight of his home runs in the majors so far last season.
So far this season at Jacksonville, Diaz has hit .266 with an .833 OPS, six home runs, 30 RBI in 124 at-bats while striking out 37 times and walked 16.
“I wanted to shorten the strike zone so I really focused on staying within myself and turning those at-bats into walks,” Diaz said. “Compared to last year it’s improved and I’ve been drawing more walks.”
This story was originally published May 15, 2022 at 11:44 AM.
