The right -wing trader Nick Martinez will make a homecoming on Tuesday night when Hans Cincinnati Reds visits Miami Marlins for the middle competition in a series of three games.
Martinez (0-3, 6.00 era), a Miami-In birth, has a slow start because the red ones are winless in his four starts. He has no quality start this season, and he has allowed either three or four earned runs each time.
But in ten career performances against Marlins, including three starts, Martinez is 4-0 with a 1.00 era in 27 rounds.
Miami will counteract Martinez with his right hand Edward Cabrera (0-1, 6.52 era). Marlins is 0-2 in his start this year.
Cabrera lost her lonely career start to Cincinnati on July 13 last year, when he allowed seven runs on six hits in 3 1/3 rounds.
This series matches two of the lowest-Payroll teams in Majors. Cincinnati is ranked among the lower third, while Miami is dead last.
However, the reds have a budding superstar in card stop 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 steps and electrical speed to lead majors last year with 67 steals.
He was also caught stalled 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 RBI and a .809 OPS.
“(De la Cruz) is an incredible talent,” said Marlin’s manager Clayton McCullough. “He will run on anyone. The excitement he gives is a real thing. He can cause some devastation with his legs and he has an impact with his bat.
“He is one of the most electrifying young players in our sport.”
Added Reds Catcher Austin Wynns from De la Cruz: “He is a freak. He is superhuman.”
De la Cruz is especially important as the reds are missing two starts due to injuries: Catcher Tyler Stephenson (oblique trunk) and the first bass man Christian Encarnacion string (rear inflammation).
At the same time, Marlins play without three starts due to injuries: Catcher Nick Fortes (oblique trunk), midfielder Derek Hill (exhusiastical left wrist) and left Fielder Griffin conine (dislocated left shoulder).
Conine, who has a .790 OPS in 20 matches this season, was placed on the 60-day injured list on Sunday.
“It’s a player’s worst fear,” said Conine, 27, about landing at IL for the first time in her career. “It’s like getting the game being removed from you.”
Marlins are also without starting Pitcher’s 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 appointed Hitter Ronny Simon, who both made his Major League debut.
Simon, 25, went 1-for-4 with an RBI single. His debut was a long time: he had played 558 matches in seven smaller league seasons. Simon got his shot by beating .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 point. He also had a passed ball.
“Many of the conversations with (Ramirez) were on the defensive side of the ball and if he could stay at Catcher,” McCullough said. “But we know he can beat.”
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