Rojas, Anderson shake off injury scares
MIAMI No way Miguel Rojas is going to take a chance of being the next Wally Pipp.
Even when his left wrist/ forearm had a lump the size of a tennis ball Sunday night after being hit by a 94-mph fastball by the Braves’ Sam Freeman in the seventh inning that day, the Marlins shortstop vowed he’d be in the lineup Tuesday.
Treatment during Monday’s off-day did the trick and Rojas was back at shortstop when the Marlins began a three-game series Tuesday against the Dodgers at Marlins Park.
“I was going to come here Tuesday ready to play. Told you,” he said before showing photos of his swollen and discolored lower arm less than 48 hours earlier. “See how good is the therapy here in the United States.”
Rookie Brian Anderson, who also left Sunday’s game after bruising his right middle finger, said he felt fine Tuesday and started in right field.
“Knowing the X-ray [showed] that nothing is broken, that gives me a little piece of mind and the security that I will be fine,” Rojas said. “It’s not 100 percent, but it’s nothing that’s not going to let me to play the game. I feel that I’m ready to go.”
The 29-year-old Venezuelan has good reason to covet every day he’s in the starting lineup. He was known as a super-sub during his first four seasons in the major leagues, the guy that could play anywhere in the infield and was a standout at each position.
This is the first time he went into a season as a starter, an opportunity he long sought to show he can be an everyday player. He has proved capable with a career-high five home runs already while batting .260 with 14 RBI.
Rojas has to be aware that JT Riddle, a younger, offensive-minded shortstop, is finally healthy and playing well at Triple-A New Orleans.
Riddle is a far cry from Lou Gehrig, who stepped in at first base for the Yankees when usually dependable Wally Pipp missed a game in 1925 and went on to play a then-record 2,130 consecutive games.
But Riddle has been tearing it up in the minors. After going 2 for 5 with a homer and three RBI for the Baby Cakes on Tuesday, he was batting .423 through 13 games. He had three homers and 17 RBI.
Riddle seems to finally be healthy after a long rehab from surgery on his left shoulder last July and a bout with tendinitis in his right (throwing) shoulder during spring training.
The hitting-starved Marlins could certainly benefit from the addition of any productive bat. Manager Don Mattingly said Riddle was a topic of discussion Tuesday with Michael Hill, president of baseball operations.
“He hasn’t really played since last July. He’s played [13] games. We want to make sure that he continues to play and is ready,” Mattingly said.
“The other part of that is Miggy [Rojas] has been pretty good. You’ve got to earn your way back and there’s got to be opportunity. Miggy has been an everyday shortstop and playing really well. So those are two different sides of that.”
Rojas said he spent the off-day treating his wrist with ice and a medical patch that aids in reducing inflammation, plus “a couple drinks of ginger and other stuff.”
There have been several major-leaguers sidelined this season due to fractures from getting hit by pitches on hands or wrists, including the Marlins’ Garrett Cooper, who is on the 60-day disabled list. The Pirates’ Josh Harrison has been out since mid-April after being hit by the Marlins’ Jose Urena.
It is a consequence of pitchers throwing harder, and not always with precise command.
“I am always scared when people get hit there because I know it is an area where you can get hurt very easily,” Rojas said. “It was good that we had an off-day in the schedule.”
Change at the top
Martin Prado became the seventh player to start in the leadoff spot in the order for the Marlins this season. It was the 138th game the veteran third baseman has started in the top spot in his career, but only the sixth since 2011.
Since coming to the Marlins in 2015, he had been the leadoff hitter only one other time, in 2017.
J.T. Realmuto has gotten several starts there recently, but Mattingly said he’d rather have the catcher coming up with men on base, so he moved him to the No. 2 hole, Prado’s usual spot.
“I don’t think it’s any big secret, we’re searching to find some kind of consistent offense,” Mattingly said. “It’s still the same three guys up top, just a little different combination that maybe sparks something.”
Prado is hardly the speedy leadoff type. And he is off to a slow start at the plate since returning from the disabled list, going into Tuesday’s game batting .143 after 14 games.
“I know he hasn’t swung the bat great yet, but he’s a guy that will get going,” Mattingly said. “He’s going to be on base for J.T., that’s what I’m hoping for.”
Pitchers begin rehab
Right-hander Odrisamer Despaigne (right forearm strain) is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment at Advanced-A Jupiter on Wednesday and pitch four innings. Brett Graves, another righthander out since early in spring training with an oblique strain, is slated for four innings with the Hammerheads on Thursday.