MIAMI — The Miami Marlins’ top prospect had yet another setback.
The Marlins announced Thursday, just before their opening day contest against the Tampa Bay Rays, that right-handed pitcher Sixto Sanchez reported “slight discomfort” in his throwing shoulder after throwing during a simulated game at the team’s alternate training site in Jacksonville.
Sanchez was originally scheduled to throw five innings or 75 pitches. He threw two-plus innings when he started feeling the discomfort. He was removed from the game as an “extra precaution.” His next steps are still being discussed.
The Marlins chose to have Sanchez, their top prospect and a consensus top-25 prospect in baseball, start at the club’s alternate training site after he suffered a pair of setbacks during spring training — neither due to injury — that resulted in him pitching just eight innings in Grapefruit League. First, it was a visa issue at the start of camp. Shortly afterward, it was a false positive COVID-19 test.
Plus, he’s going to be on an innings limit. The thought process was to make sure he’s 100% ready when he makes his first start this season.
Following this injury news, the Marlins are understandably going to be cautious with Sanchez.
The Marlins are opening the season with a four-man starting rotation of Sandy Alcantara, Pablo Lopez, Elieser Hernandez and Trevor Rogers. Miami has two off days during the first nine days of the regular season and three in the first 19. All of those off days correspond with what would normally be the No. 4 pitcher’s turn to pitch, which gives the team flexibility to only need a fifth starting pitcher once in the first four turns.
Who might that fifth starter be when they need it? Most likely, the Marlins will turn to lefty Daniel Castano or righty Nick Neidert. They were considered the sixth and seventh pitchers in line for rotation spots. Lefty Braxton Garrett is also an option. Gio Gonzalez would have been, too, if he did not chose to retire.
Sanchez, 22, made his long-awaited major league debut with the Marlins during the shortened 2020 season. He made nine starts, including two in the playoffs, and posted a 3.64 ERA with 41 strikeouts against 16 walks through 47 innings.