Right-hander Nick Martinez will make a homecoming on Tuesday night when his Cincinnati Reds visit the Miami Marlins for the middle contest of a three-game series.
Martinez (0-3, 6.00 ERA), a Miami native, is off to a slow start as the Reds are winless in his four starts. He has no quality starts this season, and he has allowed either three or four earned runs each time.
However, in 10 career appearances against the Marlins, including three starts, Martinez is 4-0 with a 1.00 ERA in 27 innings.
Miami will counter Martinez with right-hander Edward Cabrera (0-1, 6.52 ERA). The Marlins are 0-2 in his starts this year.
Cabrera lost his lone career start against Cincinnati last July 13, when he permitted seven runs on six hits in 3 1/3 innings.
This series matches two of the lowest-payroll teams in the majors. Cincinnati ranks among the bottom third, while Miami is dead last.
The Reds, though, have a budding superstar in shortstop Elly De La Cruz, a 23-year-old switch hitter.
De La Cruz, a first-time All-Star last year, is 6-foot-5, and he used his long strides and electric speed to lead the majors last year with 67 steals.
He was also caught stealing 16 times and whiffed 218 times, both major league highs, but he is an exciting player who last year also had 36 doubles, 10 triples, 25 homers, 76 RBIs and an .809 OPS.
“(De La Cruz) is an incredible talent,” Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said. “He’s going to run on anybody. The excitement he brings is a real thing. He can cause some havoc with his legs, and he has impact with his bat.
“He’s one of the most electrifying young players in our sport.”
Added Reds catcher Austin Wynns of De La Cruz: “He’s a freak. He’s superhuman.”
De La Cruz is especially important because the Reds are missing two starters due to injuries: catcher Tyler Stephenson (oblique strain) and first baseman Christian Encarnacion-Strand (back inflammation).
Meanwhile, the Marlins are playing without three starters due to injuries: catcher Nick Fortes (oblique strain), center fielder Derek Hill (sprained left wrist) and left fielder Griffin Conine (dislocated left shoulder).
Conine, who has a .790 OPS in 20 games this season, was placed on the 60-day injured list on Sunday.
“That’s a player’s worst fear,” Conine, 27, said of landing on the IL for the first time in his career. “It’s like having the game taken away from you.”
The Marlins are also without starting pitchers Eury Perez (elbow), Braxton Garrett (elbow), Ryan Weathers (forearm) and relievers Declan Cronin (hip) and Andrew Nardi (back).
Miami got a lift on Monday from catcher Agustin Ramirez and designated hitter Ronny Simon, both of whom made their major league debut.
Simon, 25, went 1-for-4 with an RBI single. His debut was a long time coming: He had played 558 games in seven minor league seasons. Simon earned his shot by hitting .354 (17-for-48) at Triple-A Jacksonville this year.
Ramirez, 23, went 2-for-3 with a double, a walk, a steal and a scored. He also had one passed ball.
“A lot of the conversations with (Ramirez) were on the defensive side of the ball and whether he could stay at catcher,” McCullough said. “But we know he can hit.”
–Field Level Media
