Prado could go on disabled list again

NEW YORK — Sunday’s victory came at a price for the Marlins.

Third baseman Martin Prado re-injured his right h a ms t r i n g a n d i s l i k e l y headed back to the disabled list for the second time this season. Prado started the season on the DL with a hamstring injury suffered during the World Baseball Classic.

“The first time I did it in the WBC, I was able to walk normal,” Prado said. “This time, I feel it when I walk.”

P r a d o s a i d h e w o u l d undergo a MRI in Miami today or Tuesday. But all indications are that he’ll return to the DL, and the Marlins will likely call up infielder J.T. Riddle from Triple-A New Orleans. Riddle was scratched from the New Orleans lineup soon after Prado left Sunday ’s game at Citi Field.

“Any time I say hamstring, you know it’s not going to be good,” said manager Don Mattingly. “Just the way he walked off, he’s going to be a DL.”

Prado was expecting to have a rest day Sunday and Miguel Rojas started in his place at third base. But Rojas c a me o u t i n t h e s e c o n d after injuring his right thumb when he struck out on a check swing in the first.

“I didn’t know it was going to be that bad,” Rojas said. “Then it started swelling and I couldn’t grip the ball. ... I couldn’t hold the bat.”

Prado came off the bench to replace Rojas at third. After singling with two outs in the seventh, Prado tried to go to third on Derek Dietrich’s double. But he said he felt something while approaching second and slowed to a limp as he got to third.

Prado missed the first two weeks of the season with a similar injury.

“Just frustration,” Prado said of the latest setback. “I don’t think there is another word. Things are not going the right way.”

Dietrich took over at third following the injuries to Rojas and Prado and could see additional time there in the coming days and weeks. Riddle can also play third but has been used almost exclusively at shortstop.

Talking walks: Marlins pitchers are doling out free passes as if they’re throwing penny candy off a parade float. No team in the majors has issued as many walks, and the starting staff is walking batters at a historic rate.

Marli ns hi t t e r s , meanwhile, are among the very worst at drawing walks.

Marlins starters are averaging 4.83 walks per nine innings. If that rate continues, they’ll finish with the sixth-highest walk rate in major league history — and highest by any team in 30 years.

Among Marlins starters, Dan Straily, Edinson Volquez and Adam Conley are all issuing walks at clips above their historic norms. But Straily is convinced those rates will diminish with time.

“We’re not starting pitchers because we have comma n d i s s u e s , ” h e s a i d . “Those two things just don’t go hand in hand. At some point, things will even out.”

As for the Miami batters, only the White Sox and Royals have fewer walks.

Roster moves: The Marlins optioned pitcher Odrisamer Despaigne to Triple-A New Orl e a ns o n S unday and called up right-handed re l i ever Bri a n El l i ng ton. Despaigne, making his first major league start in t wo years on Saturday, took the loss in an 11-3 loss to the Mets.