Closer Ramos to face former team for 1st time
NEW YORK — AJ Ramos and Giancarlo Stanton have traveled the world together and spent a half-decade as teammates, but they’ve never been in opposing dugouts, each rooting for the other side’s collective failure. That’s changing this weekend. The Marlins opened a series with the Mets Friday at Citi Field, pitting Stanton & Co. against Ramos, their closer until Miami traded him to New York late last month.
And, yes, Ramos is very much looking forward pitching against his old teammates, particularly Stanton. The feeling is mutual, too. Stanton said this week that trash talk has been aplenty, with Ramos claiming he’ll cool down Stanton’s very-hotof-late bat.
“That’s bragging rights for the rest of the year,” Ramos said. ”Hopefully I face him a couple of times. We’ll see what happens. I told him I might have to do something after I strike him out. He said if he hits a home run he might have to do something too.”
Life has been a little different for Ramos lately. Sent to the Mets — a destination that surprised him, since the Mets are out of playoff contention and didn’t fit the usual description of trade-deadline buyers — Ramos got off to a rough start but has been better of late.
Heading into the Marlins series, Ramos, serving as the Mets’ closer, had tossed a scoreless inning in each of his three most recent outings.
If the game situation calls for it, Ramos would look to continue that run against the team that knows him better than any, without having any experience against him outside of live batting practice in spring training.
But when he gets on the mound, he won’t be pitching against his friends. He’ll be pitching against his opponent.
“If I’m thinking about that stuff, I probably won’t be able to perform,” Ramos said. “When I’m out there on the mound, that’s the opposing standing in the way of getting a W or getting those outs.
“[Stanton] has been on a crazy tear. This is exactly when I want to face him.”
Mattingly would love for Prado to return
Third baseman Martin Prado has been working through range-ofmotion and strengthening exercises since July 28 arthroscopic surgery on his right knee, but his return this season sounds more like a hope than a certainty.
“We have to get him to the point where he’s comfortable getting on the field,” manager Don Mattingly said. “Really, that’s a matter of him and how he’s progressing.
“I’d love to have him on the field before the season ends. I think that’d be good for him from the standpoint of you walk into your winter knowing that you’ve played, and you’re into a regular baseball offseason — instead of feeling like you’re still rehabbing during the offseason.”
Jeters make big acquisition
Add another major life milestone to the list for Derek Jeter: He and his wife, Hannah Jeter, had their first child, Bella Raine Jeter , on Thursday. They announced the birth via The Players’ Tribune, a media company Jeter founded.
Last week, Jeter and Bruce Sherman agreed to a $1.2 billion deal to buy the Marlins, pending approval from Major League Baseball.
Injury roll call
Left-hander Wei-Yin Chen (partially torn left elbow UCL) threw a two-inning, 30-pitch simulated game Friday. … Lefty reliever Jarlin Garcia (biceps strain) has a bullpen session scheduled for Saturday and is poised to return to the Marlins while they’re in Philadelphia, where the Marlins play the Phillies Tuesday-Thursday. … First baseman Justin Bour (right oblique strain) is progressing and is expected to begin baseball activities next week.