PITTSBURGH -- The Marlins placed left-hander Ryan Weathers on the 60-day injured list with a left lat strain on Monday night before their 10-3 loss to the Pirates. The club reinstated righty Eury Pérez as the corresponding 40-man roster move.
Weathers, who had returned to Miami to be evaluated for left shoulder discomfort, played catch on Sunday and “didn't feel right,” according to manager Clayton McCullough.
"Our thoughts are with Weathers a lot," McCullough said. "To have the type of offseason he had, put himself in great shape, he looked great in spring. And unfortunately, [he had a] little setback with the flexor, and then to get back throwing the ball very well, for this to come up again, I know it's a tough pill for him to swallow, and us as well.
"Just with the unfortunate nature of kind of how things at this point have gone. So I think right now, we'll just be there for Ryan and support him, knowing it's disappointing for him, sure. And [we'll] support him in his recovery process and look forward to getting him back when he can."
Weathers was removed from Saturday’s game for precautionary reasons and later evaluated following a fluke incident when he was hit on the top of his head by a warmup throw to second base from catcher Nick Fortes before the bottom of the first. Weathers remained in the game to complete three innings.
But on a humid 89-degree day in Tampa, Weathers battled during a four-run, 32-pitch second inning. Some of his four-seam fastballs, which had averaged 97.5 mph, ranged from 91-92 mph in the frame. Despite another visit from a trainer and McCullough, Weathers finished that inning.
“At the time, nothing was showing from any evals or conversations that were going [on]," McCullough said before the lat diagnosis. "At the time, it was certainly monitoring what that velo looked like initially in that inning. He came back out the next day and mentioned something. [Felt] that it was best to go down and just get it looked at.”
This marks the latest setback for Weathers, who opened the season on the injured list with a left forearm strain. He rejoined the rotation on May 14 at Wrigley Field, posting a 2.49 ERA in four starts, excluding Saturday’s abbreviated outing.
Weathers joins right-hander Max Meyer (left hip impingement) and lefty Braxton Garrett (Tommy John rehab) as starters on the IL, leaving Pérez, ace Sandy Alcantara, veteran Cal Quantrill and righty Edward Cabrera as the healthy starting options on the active roster. Miami could turn to swingmen Janson Junk or Valente Bellozo to round out the rotation or promote No. 12 prospect Adam Mazur (3.44 ERA at Triple-A Jacksonville).