For now, the Miami Marlins are set on using a four-man rotation until starter Dan Straily can return from the disabled list. Per Joe Frisaro of MLB.com, Odrisamer Despaigne, who opened the season as the No. 3 starter, is now in the bullpen, and prospect Trevor Richards will stick in the rotation.
As of right now, the Miami Marlins have four starters — Jose Urena, Caleb Smith, Dillon Peters and Richards. Richards showed enough in the team’s 7-3 loss to the Boston Red Sox on Monday at Marlins Park to remain in the rotation for now.
All of this could change as manager Don Mattingly is still tinkering with starters and relievers, trying to find a balance that will help his ball club exceed expectations this season.
“We’ll stay with four for a while,” manager Don Mattingly said.
The Marlins opened a three-game series at Philadelphia on Thursday, and the club is off on Wednesday and Friday.
Miami (2-5) fell to Philadelphia 5-0 on Thursday and has now dropped three straight games.
Even though Despaigne was one of Miami’s best starters in Spring Training, and he was given the No. 3 spot, the plan had been to capitalize on the right-hander’s versatility. He may be in the same situation as Urena was last season – where he started 2017 in the bullpen, but soon moved to the rotation and was the mainstay and leader in club wins with 14.
Straily suffered an inflammation of his forearm, which forced him to the disabled list for the first time in his career. While Urena was given the ball for Opening Day against the Chicago Cubs, the team is counting on Straily, who came over in a trade with the Cincinnati Reds last season, to become the stabilizing veteran of the staff.
For now, moving Despaigne to the pen is the right now, Mattingly explained.
“We like our flexibility a lot more,” Mattingly said. “We struggled with innings [from the bullpen], just because we’re still reeling a little bit from that 17-inning game. We think Odrisamer fits us and does the most for us, where I can pitch him three out of five days. I can use him in all kinds of different roles.”