Eury Perez has sore elbow in addition to broken nail
Eury Perez is dealing with more than just a broken fingernail.
The Marlins on Saturday announced that Perez, their ballyhooed 20-year-old right-handed pitcher, began experiencing elbow soreness Thursday — one day after exiting his outing early Wednesday due to discomfort from the broken nail on his right middle finger.
According to the Marlins, imaging and testing have already begun and will continue over the next few days.
Perez has been dealing with the broken nail since his second spring start March 2 and has thrown only eight innings through four spring outings.
Perez made his MLB debut May 12 at 20 years and 27 days old — making him the youngest pitcher in franchise history to make his big-league debut, and the youngest ever for a Dominican-born starting pitcher.
He went on to make 19 starts, pitching to a 3.15 ERA over 911⁄3 innings, striking out 108 batters while walking just 31. He held opponents to a .214 batting average against.
He is the third member of the Marlins’ projected starting rotation to be dealing with an injury.
Left-hander Braxton Garrett, Miami’s de facto No. 2 starter last season after ace Sandy Alcantara was sidelined, had shoulder soreness at the start of camp delay his throwing progression. Garrett threw a multipleinning bullpen session Wednesday and is slated to throw a live batting practice session Sunday.
Edward Cabrera was removed from his start last Sunday before throwing a pitch due to shoulder tightness that an MRI revealed to be a right shoulder impingement. Cabrera has played catch each of the past two days.
“It is frustrating,” pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre Jr. said Saturday morning about the rash of injuries to Miami’s starting pitchers. “I know other clubs are going through a lot of the same things, [but] you’re talking about some really important rotation pieces, and that part hurts.”
BERTI’S ADDED ROLE: FATHERHOOD
The moment put everything in perspective for Jon Berti. The Marlins’ super-utility player had just finished playing his seven innings Friday night and was walking toward the clubhouse at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. His wife, Jill, and 6-week-old daughter, Gia, were waiting for him.
Berti picked up his daughter, who was wearing a onesie that read “Daddy’s MVP,” and a smile emerged on his face.
“She doesn’t care how I do,” Berti said. “It just takes the pressure off.”
On this particular night, a little less than two weeks before the Marlins begin the regular season March 28 against Pittsburgh,
Berti put together arguably his best game of spring training. He hit a threerun home run as part of a 2-for-4 night while playing a strong third base.
It was the type of performance
Berti, 34, was hoping to have sooner rather than later.
“That felt more like the
rhythm and timing I’m looking for,” Berti said, “Good to start now and build on that the next 10 days or so before we break camp.”
At the start of spring training, it looked as if Berti would move from being Miami’s primary utility player to having a chance to be the team’s everyday shortstop.
That changed when the Marlins signed Tim Anderson to a one-year deal, moving Berti back to the plug-and-play role he has flourished in so far in his MLB career.
Berti will likely be playing a lot of third base this season, starting there when Jake Burger is at first base or DH.
Berti also will spell Luis Arraez at second base and Anderson at shortstop while also potentially getting spot starts in left field.
SCHUMAKER AWAY
The Marlins announced Friday that manager Skip Schumaker is away from the team for personal reasons.
Bench coach Luis “Pipe” Urueta is serving as acting manager. Schumaker was expected to be away for at least a couple of days.