Marlins left-hander Jesús Luzardo expected to miss 4-to-6 weeks with back injury
Miami Marlins’ Jesús Luzardo pitches against the New York Mets during the first inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, June 11, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)
MIAMI (AP) — Miami Marlins left-hander Jesús Luzardo went on the 15-day injured list for the second time this season, this time because of a lumbar stress reaction, and manager Skip Schumaker estimated his opening-day starter could be sidelined for four-to-six weeks.
“Just another hit to our pitching staff. It’s kind of crazy right now,” Schumaker said Saturday.
Luzardo was put on the IL retroactive to Wednesday. The Marlins had scratched him on Friday from his scheduled start against Seattle on Saturday.
Luzardo was on the IL from April 23 until May 11 because of left elbow tightness. He is 3-6 with a 5.00 ERA in 12 starts. He had pitched five innings in a June 16 loss at Washington.
“He’s been feeling it the last couple of weeks and really felt discomfort in his last start,” Schumaker said. “Kind of shows you what kind of competitor he is because he did not feel good at all and still went five. Wanted to go six. Probably had no business even starting that day and somehow pitched a major league game and gave us a chance to win.”
Miami scratched left-hander Braxton Garrett from a start in Sunday’s series finale. Garrett felt left elbow discomfort following a bullpen session Friday. The left-hander missed the first six weeks of the season because of left shoulder impingement.
Left-hander Ryan Weathers is sidelined because of a left index finger strain and right-hander Edward Cabrera is attempting to return from right shoulder impingement.
Rotation ace Sandy Alcantara, the 2022 NL Cy Young Award winner, and highly-touted right-hander Eury Pérez are sidelined for the season after elbow surgery.
“It’s part of our story and our year,” Schumaker said. “I’ve never seen a rotation this decimated before this early in the season.”
Right-hander Shaun Anderson was recalled from Triple-A Jacksonville to start Saturday.
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