Volquez injury leaves Miami in need of another starter

MIAMI — The Miami Marlins know this much: right-hander Edinson Volquez, who is sidelined with left knee tendinitis will not start today against the Los Angeles Dodgers. But after that, it gets murkier.

Volquez’s absence creates both an immediate and a delayed hole in Miami’s five-man rotation. The Marlins banked on his knee injury being a minor one in which he didn’t miss a start. But an MRI on Friday reveled patellar tendinitis and Marlins manager Don Mattingly said Volquez would have to rest for at least 7 days.

“I hate putting the timing on that because with tendinitis, it could be two weeks until he gets to where he can start throwing,” Mattingly said. “And then there’ll be some time after that. We’re a little ways away.”

The Marlins placed Volquez on the 10-day disabled list on July 7, one day after a shortened start in St. Louis. Volquez was removed after just four innings against the Cardinals.

Since then, Volquez has not thrown off a mound. He did some throwing in San Francisco in the first half’s final series. He did some throwing in the Dominican Republic during the AllStar break.

“It’s different when you throw long toss or when you get on the mound,” Volquez said. “When you get on the mound, you put your weight over your knees and it starts to hurt a little bit. When I’m playing catch, it’s normal.”

Volquez said he’s been dealing with pain in that knee for the past four years. (“I’m getting old,” he said, laughing.) Mattingly theorized that a June ankle injury could have contributed to Volquez’s knee injury.

“Looks like he’s going to be down a little bit,” Mattingly said. “But once we get that [inflammation] out of there, we’ll see where we’re at.”

As for today, Mattingly said Miami’s starter was to be determined. Righthander Tom Koehler’s turn would be next, and his selection appears likely. But Mattingly said it would also depend on Saturday’s game. Left-hander Chris O’Grady and right-hander Vance Worley also are options.

Koehler, O’Grady and Worley each took batting practice prior to Saturday’s game.

Should Koehler start today, it would mark the latest opportunity to turn around a sluggish season. The veteran right-hander lugs an 8.00 ERA and 1.73 WHIP into the season’s second half.

In the past, he’s been a dependable innings-eater for Miami (at least 175 innings in each of the past three seasons).

This year, his average start has been less than five innings.

In his last start against St. Louis, Koehler tied a season high by striking out seven in five innings.

“He was just going after people,” Mattingly said. “I think that’s what we’ve liked about Tom in the past. This year, he wasn’t as aggressive. But he had good outings in Triple-A. The first one [back in the majors] wasn’t very good. I think the second one was obviously a lot better. We expect more of that.”

With the rotation likely shifting forward a day, Miami would need a pitcher to plug Tuesday’s vacancy. Left-hander Justin Nicolino was scheduled to start for Triple-A New Orleans on Saturday, so that would be too quick a turnaround for a Tuesday start.

Worley has not pitched since July 1 and hasn’t thrown more than three innings since June 9. Should Worley get a start, Mattingly said the club would simply “fire him out there, as far as he can go, basically.”

“I’d say he’s well-rested right now,” Mattingly said. “When you send a guy out like that, you basically just try to see how far he can go. He’ll let you know if it’s three, if it’s four, if it’s five, whatever it is, depending on his pitch count.”

Volquez