NEW YORK (AP) - Miami Marlins shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria has been put on the 10-day disabled list because of a strained left oblique muscle.
Shortstop J.T. Riddle was recalled from Triple-A New Orleans before the Marlins’ 5-2 loss to the New York Mets and Noah Syndergaard in Sunday night’s series finale.
Hechavarria felt the injury before batting practice Saturday but thought he could play through it and went 2 for 5 in the Marlins’ 8-1 win, raising his batting average to .200 (4 for 20).
“He didn’t think it was that bad before the game,” manager Don Mattingly said. “As the game went on, I could tell you could see something different. Trainers checked with him during the game. He said he was OK.”
Mattingly made the roster move because he did not want to play short-handed for too long. The switch to a shorter disabled list in baseball’s new labor contract did not impact the decision.
“These things traditionally aren’t a day. They’re usually a couple of weeks,” Mattingly said. “I think the 15 (day DL) would have been the same. I don’t think this is one of those where you’d do anything differently.”
Mattingly said Marlins head athletic trainer Dustin Luepker was optimistic.
“We really don’t want this to turn into six weeks and play too quick and rip it, but the news today was pretty good,” Mattingly said. “We’ll have a lot better feel in probably five to seven days.”
Miguel Rojas started at shortstop Sunday night for the Marlins.
The 25-year-old Riddle had never played in the majors.
“I’ve just noticed big improvement from one spring to the next,” Mattingly said. “He was calm all spring. He’s kind of a low-heartbeat guy from a standpoint he doesn’t really play with a ton of jump in him, running around and yelling.”
Syndergaard (1-0) allowed two runs - one earned - and five hits in seven innings, improving to 3-0 with a 1.67 ERA and 38 strikeouts in 27 innings against Miami.
Given a 3-0 lead in the first, Syndergaard yielded Dee Gordon’s two-run double in the third after left fielder Yoenis Cespedes misplayed Miguel Rojas’ fly ball for an error. Still trailing by a run, the Marlins put runners on second and third with two outs in the fifth when Syndergaard struck out Gordon on a high slider.
Rene Rivera, starting in place of regular Mets catcher Travis d’Arnaud, threw out Gordon trying to steal third base in the third, then ended the inning by cutting down Realmuto trying to swipe second.
Miami heads to Atlanta 3-3 after the first week of the season.
“’We were able to come here and get two out of three,” Mattingly said. “You just want to get out of the blocks really that first week, 10 days, two weeks and not be 1-12 or something.”
ALSO BANGED UP
Miguel Rojas, at shortstop in place of Hechavarria, made a spectacular defensive play to end the eighth but landed hard on his left shoulder. Rojas made a diving stop on the outfield grass behind the base to snag Michael Conforto’s grounder, then made a backhand flip to third baseman Derick Dietrich covering second in the shifted infield, just in time to force a sliding Jay Bruce.
“I wanted to make sure I wasn’t doing anything crazy right after the play, like get up too quick because that’s when my right shoulder a couple of years ago felt bad,” Rojas said. “’’I got a torn ligament in my right from 2015, but my left one is OK. I think I just landed on it and I felt something. Nothing to worry about.”
ON THE MOUND
Edinson Volquez (0-1), pitching at Citi Field for the first time since starting the World Series clincher for Kansas City in 2015, allowed three runs in a first inning prolonged by an error by Realmuto, who dropped a throw home and allowed Asdrubal Cabrera to score. Volquez later gave up solo homers to Bruce and Conforto.
“I have a lot of family here and friends. I get to see them,” Volquez said. “We won the World Series here and it’s a good memory here.”
UP NEXT
Marlins: RHP Dan Straily (0-1) starts Miami’s home opener Tuesday against Atlanta, which goes with RHP Bartolo Colon.
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