Miami Marlins RHP Sixto Sanchez will not be ready for the start of the 2021 season, after dealing with several issues.
Sanchez, 22, made his debut in the majors last season. The RHP posted a 3.46 ERA in 7 starts and 39 innings, with a 1.21 WHIP. Sanchez was in the Phillies organization from 2015-2018, and was a part of the trade that dealt JT Realmuto to Philadelphia. Sixto then spent 2018-2019 in the Marlins system, posting a 2.53 ERA in 103 innings at Double-A, before making his Major League debut in 2020.
Sanchez reported to Spring Training late, as he was dealing with some Visa issues. He then got a false positive Covid-19 test shortly after reporting to Spring Training, which set him back a couple of days. Sanchez only started throwing a couple of days ago, throwing a bullpen session on Thursday. The 22-year-old threw only 26 pitches, facing batters such as JJ Bleday and Jerar Encarnacion.
Upcoming
Some believe Sixto Sanchez will be on a pitch limit for the 2021 season, and that he’ll pitch just roughly 150 innings. That may include a late start for Sanchez as well, and he might not start until two to three weeks into the season.
Marlins Pitching Coach Mel Stottlemyre Jr. on Sanchez’s potential inning limit: “I think it’s important they learn how to start and finish games,” Stottlemyre said. “But we’re going to have to be cognizant of a guy like Sixto Sanchez that throws a lot of strikes, and realistically, you could look up and this guy could have 80 pitches and [be] going into the ninth inning. We’re going to have to manage that, we’re going to have to answer questions from you guys as well, when we go pull him out, so that we can plan for him pitching a full season.”
Sanchez will probably appear in a Spring Training game or two coming up, and depending on how he does at that point, we’ll get a better grasp of what his 2021 season will look like and consist of.