CINCINNATI — It took Jesus Sanchez a few games to get back into form. The Miami Marlins’ rookie outfielder was sidelined for a month while on the COVID-19-related injured list before returning to the active roster on Monday.
“I’ve been battling,” Sanchez said Wednesday, “working on trying to find that position where I can be settled.”
After nine empty at-bats, Sanchez finally broke through on Wednesday with a two-run home run as part of a ninth-inning rally that fell flat.
Sanchez kept that run of offensive success going on Thursday against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ballpark, going 2 for 4 with a double and scoring a run in Miami’s 6-1 loss to begin a four-game road series. Miami falls to 51-71 on the season.
He had hit .265 with three home runs, nine RBIs and six runs scored in his first 23 games with the Marlins before going on the IL.
“He looks fine to me,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. “It looks similar to before. He’s hit some balls on the nose. We’ve seen him chase out of the zone a little bit, but nothing that says that’s alarming.”
Sanchez said it didn’t take much time once he resumed baseball activities to get his timing back. He resumed baseball activities under MLB’s return-to-play protocols and spent four days on a rehab assignment before returning to the Marlins.
“It doesn’t take that much,” Sanchez said. “It’s just a matter of facing a couple pitchers in a couple games and then you find your rhythm. It’s just that we’re in the big-league level now. It’s different.”
One bad inning downs Nick Neidert
The Reds (66-57) did all of the damage they needed in the fourth inning against Nick Neidert, who was called up from Triple-A Jacksonville and started on the mound in place of Zach Thompson.
Joey Votto’s three-run home run to right-center on a 91-mph fastball that fell over the heart of the plate gave Cincinnati the lead for good. They added a fourth run in the frame when Kyle Farmer’s two-out RBI double to right scored Tyler Stephenson, who walked.
This came after Neidert faced the minimum through the first three innings, needing just 28 pitches to record nine outs. He gave up one hit in those first three innings, a Tyler Naquin single, that was erased by a double play.
Both Neidert, whose last start was Friday for Triple-A Jacksonville, and Thompson, whose last start was on Saturday against the Cubs, were on regular rest heading into Thursday’s game.
Mattingly said pregame that Thompson is “fine.” He remains on the active roster.
“Nick was lined up for this,” Mattingly said, “and that’s the direction we went.”
Neidert has shown some promise as of last this season. The 24-year-old righty had a 2.41 ERA over his last four MLB outings (five earned runs allowed in 18 2/3 innings) with a .206 batting average against heading into Thursday.
In six minor league starts scattered between those MLB stints, Neidert had a 2.53 ERA (nine earned runs in 32 innings) with 24 strikeouts against 10 walks.
He is one of 17 pitchers to start at least one game for the Marlins this season, a franchise record.
“He’s a guy that has pitched well,” Mattingly said. “What’s happened with us in our rotation and in our bullpen ... [we] had to do things with continuing to bring arms in and kind of mixing and matching with Holly [Jordan Holloway], with Nick, with different starters. Just trying to get through this period of time when we had the injuries.”
More roster moves
Jorge Guzman’s second stint at the big league level lasted just two games. He was placed on the 10-day injured list with right elbow soreness. Guzman did not make the trip to Cincinnati and was being evaluated in Miami.
Guzman, who started the season on the 60-day IL with a right-elbow spur, pitched 1 2/3 innings over two appearances against the Braves on Monday and Wednesday. He gave up six runs on four hits and six walks in that span while striking out three.
The Marlins also designated Luis Madero for assignment and added right-handed pitcher Bryan Mitchell to the active roster. Mitchell gave up two runs in the seventh on a Jonathan India RBI double and Nick Castellanos RBI single.
Additionally, Daniel Castano was activated off the injured list and optioned to Triple-A Jacksonville.
