Sixto Sanchez of the Miami Marlins delivers a pitch against the Washington Nationals at Marlins Park on September 18, 2020 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images)
The Miami Marlins announced on Friday that right-handed pitcher Sixto Sanchez made the opening day roster prior to the start of the 2024 regular season.ย
Can confirm, Sixto Sรกnchez has made the Opening Day roster.
๐๐ฆ๐ฆ ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถ ๐ข๐ญ๐ญ ๐ฏ๐ฆ๐น๐ต ๐ต๐ฉ๐ถ๐ณ๐ด๐ฅ๐ข๐บ, ๐จ๐ฆ๐ต ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ณ ๐ต๐ช๐ค๐ฌ๐ฆ๐ต๐ด ๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ธ: https://t.co/5rOTQv6054 pic.twitter.com/Lqmn4qDByE
— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) March 22, 2024
Sanchez, 25, was born in San Cristobal, Dominican Republic and first appeared in Major League Baseball with the Marlins in 2020. Sanchez has dealt with numerous injuries over the last few seasons and has not pitched in the Major Leagues since 2020.ย
Sanchez has had multiple shoulder surgeries but has been healthy during spring training. He appeared in five games out of the bullpen and did not allow an earned run, throwing seven innings with two holds, allowing one hit, three walks, and striking out four while throwing 93 pitches.
Last season, Sanchez started in one game with Double-A Pensacola and threw one inning, allowing one hit, one walk and struck out two batters before he was shut down for the remainder of the season.ย
He moved around between the Marlins alternate training site, Double-A Pensacola and Triple-A Jacksonville from 2021-23 while on the injured list.ย
During the 2020 season, Sanchez posted a 3-2 mark with a 3.46 ERA in seven starts, threw one complete game, and went 39 innings allowing 36 hits, 15 earned runs, three home runs, 11 walks, and notching 33 strikeouts with a 1.205 WHIP.ย
In the 2019 regular season, Sanchez spent his time in between Class-A Advanced Jupiter and Double-A Jacksonville and started in 20 games throwing 114 innings posting his record at 8-6 and a 2.76 ERA allowing 101 hits, 35 earned runs, six home runs, 21 walks, 103 strikeouts, and a 1.070 WHIP.ย
Marlins manager Skip Schumaker could potentially use Sanchez in the starting rotation. Jesus Luzardo, A.J. Puk, Eury Perez, Trevor Rogers, Ryan Weathers, and Edward Cabrera are projected to fill the Marlins rotation at the start of the regular season, with Sanchez likely occupying a middle relief role in the bullpen.ย
The 2022 National League Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcantara was placed on the 60-day injured list on Feb. 24 with a right forearm flexor strain and will miss the 2024 regular season after undergoing Tommy John Surgery on Oct. 6, 2023.ย
According to R.J. Anderson of CBS Sports, โRecovery from the operation takes at least 12 months, with teams in recent years giving their pitchers closer to 14 months. Such a timetable would put Alcantara back to 100% in time for spring training 2025.”ย
Last season, the Marlins went 84-78 with being third in the National League East Division and were swept in the National League Wild Card Series in two games to their arch rival the Philadelphia Phillies under Schumakerโs first season at the helm in Miami.ย
The Marlins will open up at home during their first game of the 2024 regular season against the Pittsburgh Pirates on March 28 at 4:10 p.m. EDT.