Highs and lows; Rogers ends on a high
Miami Marlins left-hander Trevor Rogers built his pitch count up to 48, overcame a rough second inning, and finished on a high note by striking out Jose Altuve
By Joe Frisaro @ManOn2nd
JUPITER, Fla. — What you see in Spring Training isn’t necessarily what you’re going to get in the regular season.
Another reminder came on Wednesday night that you shouldn’t put much stock, good or bad, in Spring Training statistics or performances.
Miami Marlins’ left-hander Trevor Rogers’ outing on Wednesday night against the Houston Astros is a prime example. The 23-year-old had an “official” line of 2 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on five hits with one walk and five strikeouts. Rogers threw 48 pitches with 35 strikes.
You can’t truly read into any of the numbers because the Marlins’ rolled over Rogers’ second inning, meaning, they stopped the inning before three outs were recorded. Until that point, he allowed three runs and threw 26 pitches.
Rolling over innings is a new rule this Spring Training, and frankly, it’s a good one because it allows pitchers the chance to avoid excessively long innings, and provides them the opportunity to return the next inning. Otherwise, a pitcher may be removed, and then throw more pitches in the bullpen.
For Rogers, he was able to come out for the third inning, and he struck out Jose Altuve, before turning the ball over to the ‘pen.
“Yeah, it was kind of strange,” Rogers said. “It definitely left a little bad taste in my mouth. … I could have avoided that. I could have pitched a lot better before that. It’s a learning experience. I went out there, turned it around, and got Altuve. It was a quick, short turnaround.”
Rogers is competing for a rotation spot, and Wednesday’s performance did little to change the fact he is a frontrunner to be part of the starting five by Opening Day.
How the rotation shapes up remains a little unclear. The assumption is Sixto Sanchez will be ready, but he has yet to pitch in a Grapefruit League game. Sanchez is scheduled to face hitters in live batting practice on Thursday.
As for Rogers, the left-hander controls his own destiny.
He has a fastball that is certainly a plus pitch for him, and an developing slider that he struck out Michael Brantley on in the first inning.
For Rogers, it’s a matter of consistency.
Even though Wednesday was a short 2 1/3 innings, and 48 pitches, it was a reminder that Rogers is not quite where he needs to be at this point. It’s understandable, because Opening Day is about three weeks away. That’s the whole point of Spring Training, to track forward, and be ready to roll when the season officially begins.