The Marlins have placed 27-year old righty swinging infielder Chris Valaika on the 15-day disabled list due to a fractured left wrist.  Valaika played in 22 games for the Marlins so far this year and he was 14 for 64 (.219 avg, .605 OPS) with 4 runs scored, 1 homer and 9 RBIs.  The Marlins have called up 23-year old lefty swinging 3B Derek Dietrich to replace Valaika on the roster and he will likely start at 2B at least until Donovan Solano returns to action.  Dietrich played in 28 games in AA-ball so far this year for the Marlins and he was 29 for 103 (.282 avg, .913 OPS) with 18 runs scored, 4 homers, 16 RBIs and 2 stolen bases.  He has now played in 332 games in his first four years in the minors and he is 353 of 1,267 (.279 avg, .820 OPS) with 195 runs scored, 43 homers, 192 RBIs and 13 stolen bases.  Dietrich came into this season as the Marlins’ #12 prospect according to Baseball America.  He came over in the winter deal in which the Marlins dealt veteran SS Yunel Escobar to the Rays.

The Marlins have placed 25-year old righty swinging 2B Donovan Solano on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to May 4th due to a strained left intercostal muscle.  Solano has played in 30 games for the Marlins so far this year and he is 30 for 108 (.278 avg, .657 OPS) with 8 runs scored, 1 homer, 5 RBIs and 1 stolen base.  The Marlins have called up 34-year old righty swinging 2B/SS Nick Green to replace Solano on the active roster.  Green has played in 8 games for the Marlins so far this year and he is 9 for 28 (.321 avg, .844 OPS) with 2 runs scored, 1 homer and 3 RBIs.

The Marlins have placed 26-year old lefty swinging 1B Joe Mahoney on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to April 28th, due to a hamstring injury.  Mahoney has played in 9 games for the Marlins so far this year and he is 8 for 29 (.276 avg, .690 OPS) with 2 runs scored, 1 homer and 4 RBIs.  This will thrust 34-year old lefty swinging Greg Dobbs back into the full time role at 1B for the Marlins.  Dobbs has played in 24 games for the Marlins so far this year and he is 18 for 75 (.240 avg, .630 OPS) with 8 runs scored, 1 homer and 7 RBIs.  The Marlins have recalled 23-year old lefty starting pitcher Brad Hand up from AAA-ball to replace Mahoney on the active roster.  Hand has started 5 games in AAA-ball so far this year and he is 2-1 with a 2.00 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP.  Hand has pitched in 13 games (all starts) in his first two years with the Marlins and he is 1-9 with a 4.95 ERA and a 1.57 WHIP.  He will likely pitch out of the pen for the Marlins.

The Marlins have placed 23-year old righty swinging RF Giancarlo Stanton on the 15-day disabled list due to a right hamstring strain.  He will likely miss 3-4 weeks.  This is a shame as Stanton was finally getting into a good groove at the plate.  Stanton has played in 20 games for the Marlins so far this year and he is 17 for 75 (.227 avg, .728 OPS) with 8 runs scored, 3 homers, 9 RBIs and 1 stolen base.  Stanton has whiffed 26 times and walked 12 times so far this year.  The Marlins have called up 22-year old righty swinging outfielder Marcell Ozuna and he will replace Stanton in RF.  Ozuna came into this year as the Marlins’ #5 prospect according to Baseball America.  Ozuna has played in 14 games in A+AA-ball so far this year for the Marlins and he is 18 for 57 (.316 avg, 1.039 OPS) with 7 runs scored, 5 homers, 16 RBIs and 2 stolen bases.  Ozuna has now played in 466 games in his first six years in the minors and he is 488 of 1,784 (.274 avg, .820 OPS) with 304 runs scored, 85 homers, 326 RBIs and 42 stolen bases.

The Marlins have placed 24-year old righty swinging SS Adeiny Hechavarria on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to April 17th due to a bruised elbow.  He has played in 14 games for the Marlins so far this year and he is 9 for 49 (.184 avg, .516 OPS) with 3 runs scored, 1 homer and 3 RBIs.  27-year old righty swinging Chris Valaika might get a chance to start at SS until Hechavarria is ready to return to action, as long as he can handle playing there defensively.  Valaika has been one of the Marlins’ better hitters so far this year.  He has played in 6 games for the Fish so far this year and he is 5 for 16 (.313 avg, .853 OPS) with 2 runs scored, 0 homers and 2 RBIs.  The Marlins have called up 34-year old righty swinging infielder Nick Green to replace Hechavarria on the active roster.  Green has played in 11 games in AAA-ball for the Marlins this year and he is 12 for 41 (.293 avg, .797 OPS) with 5 runs scored, 1 homer, 4 RBIs and 1 stolen base.  Green has played in 400 games in his first seven years in the majors and he is 241 of 1,023 (.236 avg, .650 OPS) with 143 runs scored, 16 homers, 97 RBIs and 6 stolen bases.

The Marlins are going to place lefty swinging starting 1B Casey Kotchman on the 15-day disabled list tomorrow due to a strained left hamstring.  He has played in 2 games for the Marlins so far this year and he is 0 for 5 (.000 avg, .000 OPS).  Lefty swinging Greg Dobbs will take over as the starting 1B for the Marlins until Kotchman is ready to return to action.  Dobbs has played in 2 games for the Marlins so far this year and he is 0 for 2 (.000 avg, .000 OPS).  Dobbs is as good of a hitter as Kotchman is, but the Marlins’ other infielders will miss Kotchman’s glove.

UPDATE:  (4/4/2013) - The Marlins have called up 23-year old lefty swinging catcher Kyle Skipworth to replace Kotchman on the active roster.  Skipworth played in 116 games in AA-ball for the Marlins last year and he was 91 of 420 (.217 avg, .699 OPS) with 59 runs scored, 21 homers, 63 RBIs and 1 stolen base.  Don’t expect Skipworth to play too much for the Marlins as he is behind Rob Brantly and Miguel Olivo on the totem pole at catcher.

The Marlins have placed 22-year old righty starter Henderson Alvarez (retro to March 27th, right shoulder inflammation) and 24-year old righty starter Nathan Eovaldi (retroactive to March 24th, mild right shoulder inflammation) on the 15-day disabled list to open the 2013 season.  Alvarez has pitched in 41 games (all starts) in his first two years in the majors and he is 10-17 with a 4.56 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP.  Eovaldi has now pitched in 32 games (28 starts) in his first two years in the majors and he is 5-15 with a 4.15 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP.  These two injuries have opened the door for 20-year old righty Jose Fernandez and 24-year old righty Alex Sanabia for spots in the opening day starting rotation for the Marlins.  Fernandez has yet to pitch above A-ball, but he comes into this season as the Marlins’ #1 prospect according to Baseball America.  Fernandez has pitched in 27 games (all starts) in his first two years in the minors for the Marlins so far and he is 14-2 with a 2.02 ERA and a 0.96 WHIP.  Sanabia has pitched in 18 games (14 starts) in his first two years with the Marlins and he is 5-3 with a 3.67 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP.

UPDATE:  (4/18/2013) - The Marlins have moved Nathan Eovaldi from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day disabled list.

The Marlins have placed 25-year old lefty swinging 1B Logan Morrison (right knee injury), 25-year old righty swinging outfielder Alfredo Silverio (sprained right elbow) and 26-year old righty reliever Jose Ceda (still recovering from Tommy John surgery) on the 60-day disabled list to start the 2013 season.  Morrison played in 93 games for the Marlins last year and he was 68 for 296 (.230 avg, .707 OPS) with 30 runs scored, 11 homers, 36 RBIs and 1 stolen base.  Morrison has now played in 278 games in his first three years with the Marlins and he is 251 of 1,002 (.250 avg, .781 OPS) with 127 runs scored, 36 homers, 126 RBIs and 3 stolen bases.  Casey Kotchman will be the Marlins’ starting 1B at least until Morrison is ready to return to action.  Alfredo Silverio was a Rule 5 Draft pick off the Dodgers last winter.  Jose Ceda has pitched in 25 games (0 starts) in his first two years for the Marlins and he is 0-1 with a 4.66 ERA and a 1.62 WHIP.

The Marlins will be without 21-year old righty swinging outfielder Jake Marisnick for the next month due to a fractured left hand.  This will delay his start in the minors in 2013.  He was acquired in the big salary dump deal with the Blue Jays over the winter.  He is the Marlins’ #4 prospect heading into this season according to Baseball America.  Marisnick played in 120 games in A+AA-ball last year and he was 122 of 489 (.249 avg, .719 OPS) with 66 runs scored, 8 homers, 50 RBIs and 24 stolen bases.  He has now played in 307 games in his first three years in the minors and he is 333 of 1,200 (.278 avg, .787 OPS) with 167 runs scored, 26 homers, 153 RBIs and 84 stolen bases.  Marisnick could be on the fast track to Miami later this season, as the Marlins’ new manager was in the Blue Jays’ organization last year.

The Miami Marlins will be without backup catcher Jeff Mathis for the next six weeks due to a broken collarbone.  He was injured in a spring training game when he was hit by a foul tip.  The injury to Mathis will open up competition between 22-year old lefty swinging Kyle Skipworth and 25-year old lefty swinging Jake Jefferies for the right to make the Marlins as the backup catcher until he’s ready to return to action.  Skipworth played in 116 games in AA-ball for the Marlins last year and he was 91 of 420 (.217 avg, .699 OPS) with 59 runs scored, 21 homers, 63 RBIs and 1 stolen base.  He whiffed 143 times while only walking 36 times last year.  Skipworth has now played in 444 games in his first five years in the minors and he is 360 of 1,643 (.219 avg, .660 OPS) with 200 runs scored, 61 homers, 229 RBIs and 5 stolen bases.  Jefferies played in 48 games in AA+AAA-ball for the Marlins last year and he was 33 of 148 (.223 avg, .601 OPS) with 19 runs scored, 2 homers and 15 RBIs.  Jefferies has now played in 398 games in his first five years in the minors and he is 354 of 1,412 (.251 avg, .655 OPS) with 157 runs scored, 15 homers, 168 RBIs and 10 stolen bases.  The Marlins will probably lean heavily on Rob Brantly early on in the 2013 season, until Mathis is ready to return to action.

UPDATE:  (4/1/2013) - The Marlins have officially placed Jeff Mathis on the D.L.