Add left-hander Dan Meyer to the list of Marlins bullpen casualties.
Meyer will be designated for assignment later today after pitching an ugly eighth inning Thursday night — he walked five batters and allowed three runs, swelling his ERA to 10.80. The Marlins have 10 days to trade Meyer, release him or outright him to the minors if he clears waivers.
RHP Jorge Sosa will be called up from Class AAA New Orleans to replace Meyer, who hasn’t looked at all this year — and that includes spring training.
“I have a lot to figure out,” Meyer told reporters after Florida’s 8-3 loss. “It’s tough to swallow, but I have to be a man about it. I’m not helping this team running myself out there every few days and trying to pitch…It’s got to be something. I feel great now. I feel healthy. The stuff is there. Confidence-wise, I’ve taken a little bit of a hit since last year. It’s a long, hard road to the top and a short fall to the bottom.”
Meyer’s last walk was to No. 8 hitter David Ross with the bases loaded.
“I walked a run in, which I think is absolutely embarrassing,” he said. “It’s just not right. I can’t expect 24 guys to play hard for me when I’m out there just sinking.”
Sosa is 4-1 with a 3.78 ERA in eight games (seven starts) for New Orleans. He has six walks and 26 strikeouts in 33 1/3 innings.
Bring on the Phillies
RHP Chris Volstad is obviously looking forward to his start Friday against the Phillies. But he said the fan in him might be more excited about Saturday’s match-up – Josh Johnson against Roy Halladay.
“That’ll be a good battle,” Volstad said. “Two of the best pitchers in our division, in basbelal. That’ll be fun to watch.”
This will be the Phillies’ first trip to South Florida this season. The Marlins won 2 of 3 in Philadelphia in April, with the lone loss coming against Halladay.
Volstad has lost each of his last three starts, posting a 4.76 ERA over that span, with eight walks and 13 strikeouts in 17 innings. He’s 2-2 with a 3.21 ERA in six career starts against the Phillies.
The Phillies haven’t been playing well. Going into Thursday, they’d lost six of their last eight games. Their last two losses were both shutouts, which represented three of their last four losses.
The defending NL champs are hitting .199 (51 for 256) in their last eight games and have been outscored 37-15.
Volstad goes against Kyle Kendrick tonight, Halladay and JJ on Saturday and Anibal Sanchez against Jamie Moyer on Sunday.
