Ready to go

Third baseman finally gets to start season after hamstring issue

Prado back with Marlins after hamstring injury.

SEATTLE — Two weeks after everybody else, Martin Prado’s season has begun.

The Miami Marlins activated Prado from the disabled list Monday, returning him to the active roster after he missed about a month with a strained right hamstring. The club designated first baseman/outfielder Tyler Moore to clear a roster spot.

“At this stage I can stop thinking about it and just go out and play,” Prado said. “One thing I just need to be on top of stretching and make sure my [hamstrings] are good and be ready to go.”

Prado assumed his regular positions of third base in the field and second in the lineup. He marked the occasion by arriving early to Safeco Field, where the Marlins are playing the Seattle Mariners this week, to jog along the warning track and sprint up stadium steps some five and a half hours before first pitch — a part of his continued cardio conditioning after the long layoff.

Prado, who got hurt March 15 while playing for Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic, completed a four-game rehabilitation assignment with High-A Jupiter last week. He went 3 for 9 (all singles) with three walks and two strikeouts.

“We missed him, honestly,” manager Don Mattingly said. “He’s going to be in the right spot. he’s going to give you good at-bats.”

Moore, who won the last bench spot out of spring training, could be claimed by an-

other organization. He went 4 for 11 in eight games (one start), including 3 for 7 at a pinch-hitter.

Mattingly said the Marlins would have liked to keep Moore, but as the team continues to recover from a 16-inning game Thursday, having an eighth reliever was deemed more important.

The other option would have been sending lefty reliever Jarlin Garcia back to the minors. For now, Miami will stick with an eight-man bullpen and four-man bench, which it indicated throughout spring training was the plan at least to start the year.

“We talked about a lot of different scenarios, and … we really didn’t think we could lose a pitcher at this point,” Mattingly said. “We were trying really to get back to normal and keep Tyler, but we couldn’t afford to do it after that last weekend.

Heading into play Monday, the Marlins were second in baseball (behind only the rebuilding Cincinnati Reds) with 52 2⁄3 relief innings. The Miami rotation is 28th in quality-start percentage at 25 percent (three in 12 games).

“Right now, they’re been pretty consistently giving us good outings,” Mattingly said. “Still getting to a decent part of the game.

“Games like the other day set you back two or three days. We survived that OK. Still have some ill effects of that game.”

Ozuna honored

The Miami Marlins have developed an early monopoly on National League Player of the Week awards.

Left fielder Marcell

Ozuna is this week’s honoree after hitting .435 (10 for 23) with a .481 on-base percentage and 1.000 slugging mark in six games. He had four home runs (including one grand slam) and 12 RBI, plus one double and one wall-climbing catch. Last week, catcher J.T.

Realmuto was NL Player of the Week after hitting .500 in the season’s opening games.

“It’s good to see our guys having those kinds of weeks,” Mattingly said. “That’s why we’ve been playing pretty good. … Hopefully we get another guy next week, or one of those guys do it again. It just gives us a better chance.”

Ozuna credited his hot start in part to the work he put in during the offseason with one of the Mariners the Marlins are playing against this week. “I’ve been working with

Robinson Cano … and working hard to bring it to the game here,” Ozuna said. “I see the success.”

ALEX GALLARDO/AP Martin Prado has been out the first two weeks of the season with a strained hamstring and made his return late Monday night, playing third and batting second in the lineup.

LYNNE SLADKY/AP Marcell Ozuna hit .435 with four home runs and 12 RBI as he was named the National League Player of the Week.