WASHINGTON — Having a left-handed pitcher in the bullpen — or not — has been an issue most of this season for the Miami Marlins, who took a bus to Philadelphia on Sunday night to prepare for a three-game series against the Phillies.
The lefty void has certainly been a topic of conversation, and perhaps concern, since veteran lefty Mike Dunn went on the disabled list in April.
There have been times that manager Don Mattingly did not have a lefty to call on in the bullpen. That was the case Friday night when Bryce Harper hit a tiebreaking homer off right-hander Kyle Barraclough in a win by the Nationals.
Mattingly said after he was not at a disadvantage because that has been the scenario for most of the season.
But on Sunday, the Marlins called up left-handed pitcher Jarlin Garcia from Double-A Jacksonville to make his major league debut. He did not pitch in a 5-1 win over Washington.
To make room for Garica, who made seven starts for Jacksonville, the Marlins sent right-hander Nick Wittgren to Triple-A New Orleans. Wittgren had mostly been called up to the Marlins on May 10 and has pitched in three games for Miami this year.
But the Marlins didn’t need a lefty — or really anyone — on Sunday as right-handed starter Jose Fernandez fanned 11 batters in seven innings while throwing a career-high 117 pitches in a 5-1 win in Washington. He held Bryce Harper hitless.
“This was his best. To me this was the easiest and smoothest. No true trouble. He got Harper on a liner to left (in the fifth). That was a big out for us,” said Mattingly.
David Phelps pitched a scoreless eighth for the Marlins and closer A.J. Ramos got the last three outs after Kyle Barraclough allowed two baserunners to reach to start the ninth.
“Our backend guys were good today” in the bullpen, Mattingly said.
Whether the Marlins can afford to get by without a veteran lefty in the bullpen remains to be seen.
