Marisnick has torn meniscus in left knee repaired
Outfielder needs to recover for four-to-six weeks before beginning his rehab
MIAMI -- Marlins outfielder Jake Marisnick underwent a scope on his left knee on Monday to repair a torn meniscus that had been hindering him for several weeks. The procedure included cleaning out some loose bodies in the knee, and Marisnick will need four-to-six weeks of recovery before he begins his rehabilitation.
"It went smoothly, and it should be healed up in no time," Marisnick said. "It had been bothering me for a while. Now that I got it taken care of, it's nice to know I'll be healthy."
The 22-year-old is ranked by MLB.com as the Marlins' No. 1 prospect.
In Spring Training, he will be competing for the starting center-field spot along with Marcell Ozuna, who missed the final few months due to surgery to his left thumb.
Marisnick was called up from Double-A Jacksonville in late July, and for about a month he was Miami's regular center fielder. But he had his struggles at the plate, and Justin Ruggiano began playing regularly in the final weeks.
In 40 big league games, Marisnick batted .183 with two doubles, one triple, one home run and five RBIs in 109 at-bats. At Jacksonville, he batted .294 with 12 homers and 46 RBIs in 67 games.
Also on Monday, Christian Yelich had a stye removed from his right eye. Aside from some minor swelling, the rookie left fielder is fine.
The Marlins acquired Marisnick from the Blue Jays last November in the blockbuster 12-player deal that sent Josh Johnson, Jose Reyes, Mark Buehrle, Emilio Bonifacio and John Buck to Toronto.
A former football and baseball standout in high school in Riverside, Calif., Marisnick relies heavily on his speed and defense. But for several weeks, he felt discomfort when running.
"Every time I sprinted, I'd feel it," he said. "It felt a little tight, or like a little pinch. I was doing everything I could, putting Icy Hot on it to make it tolerable. It wasn't terrible, but it was something that was bothering me every time I'd run."
When Marisnick's playing time was reduced, he figured the knee would heal. When it didn't, the Marlins' trainers recommended he have an MRI, which revealed the tear. Marisnick was not available for Miami's final three games against the Tigers.
For Marisnick, his season started and ended with an ailment.
Early in Spring Training, he broke his left hand when he was struck by a pitch, and he opened the year on the Minor League disabled list.
Marisnick will spend about two weeks in Miami to make sure the knee is healing properly before he heads home to Riverside, where he will eventually begin his rehab.
"I'll hang out in the area to make sure everything heals up fine," he said. "I'll get everything back in order, and get my legs healthy. After that, I'll start working out and everything, and do my regular offseason routine."