Miami Marlins: Jacob Turner scratched from Wednesday start

Apr 3, 2014; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Marlins starting pitcher Jacob Turner (left) talks with catcher Jeff Mathis (right) during the first inning against he Colorado Rockies at Marlins Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

The pitching injury bug has finally made it’s way down to Miami, as it continues to wreck havoc in Major League Baseball early in the 2014 season. Just the other day, the Tampa Bay Rays saw Matt Moore go down with an elbow injury.

Tuesday, after the Marlins loss to the Washington Nationals, manager Mike Redmond announced that Jacob Turner had been scratched from his Wednesday start, with Brad Hand making the start in his place. Turner strained his shoulder during pitchers batting practice on Tuesday.

"“He’s going to be evaluated [Wednesday], and we’ll go from there,” Marlins manager Mike Redmond said. “It’s just something that just cropped up today. The pitchers hit in a cage.”"

A trip to the disabled list has not been ruled out for Turner. The injury was sustained with Turner swinging a bat, not while throwing, so that could be encouraging news for his fortunes going forward.

The Marlins did not want to trade from their pitching depth during the Spring for this very reason. Rarely does a team make it through an entire season without sustaining an injury or two to their starting rotation.

Hand will step into Turner’s spot in the rotation, for the time being. He has pitched five innings in two relief appearances so far this season, including a three-inning save his last time out there. Hand owns a career 5.39 FIP and a 1.13 K/BB ratio in his major league career.