PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Wei-Yin Chen’s first spring start was a forgettable one. The left-hander went just 1 1/3 innings and was hit hard by the Mets in a 14-6 road loss on Wednesday at First Data Field.
“He got himself into some bad counts, looked like he was picking on the edges a little bit too much instead of challenging the strike zone,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. “You get yourself in bad counts, you’re paying.”
His struggles away from home continue. Chen went 1-9 away from Marlins Park last season, with a 9.27 ERA -- the highest in the Majors. Conversely, he was a different pitcher at home. His 1.62 ERA ranked second. Only National League Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom had a better home ERA (1.54).
“It’s been a while since I last pitched in a real game, so maybe I was trying a little bit too hard,” Chen said through an interpreter. He was working primarily on fastball control both inside and out. “Unfortunately, I don’t think I did it very well today.”
The good news was that Chen was able to stay healthy throughout the 2018 season, making 26 starts for the Marlins after two injury-plagued years at the beginning of his contract.
“Health-wise I am totally fine,” said Chen, who learned what worked in keeping him healthy over the 2018 season. “I know what to work on and how to keep my shoulder healthy.”
On Wednesday, however, he was knocked around for five runs on five hits. He struck out two and walked one. Three of those hits went for extra bases, including a pair of doubles by Mets shortstop and leadoff batter Amed Rosario.
Chen threw 37 pitches, 23 for strikes. He worked out of a first-inning jam, allowing one run but preventing further damage with a pair of strikeouts, but three hits and a walk spelled his undoing in the second inning.
Lopez impresses
Pablo Lopez threw two innings of relief against the Mets on Wednesday, showing no ill effects from a right shoulder strain that shortened his season in 2018. Lopez yielded a run on one hit. He struck out three.
Lopez is looking to bounce back from that right shoulder injury that shut him down on Sept. 1 last season. He pitched well in his previous five starts in August before sustaining the injury. During that month he posted three quality starts and compiled an ERA of 3.00 over 30 innings, striking out 23 while walking nine.
“He’s back to full speed,” Mattingly said. “He’s had no restrictions in camp. He’s bounced back, all his [bullpens] have been good.”
Smith progressing
Caleb Smith continues to progress in his bid to bounce back from left shoulder surgery. The left-hander is next set to throw a three-inning simulated game in the next couple of days.
“Ball’s coming out of his hand, it’s almost like we have to hold him back a little bit,” said Mattingly. “His stuff seems good. He’s been bouncing back. I haven’t heard [what his next step will be] but I’ll bet it’s going to be on the field after that.”
Smith started 16 games last season for the Marlins before undergoing surgery in July. He went 5-6 with a 4.19 ERA, striking out 88 batters in 77 1/3 innings.
“He’s going to keep pitching and get built up,” Mattingly said. “I think they want to be able to control it early, even though he’s full-go in camp it’s still not quite full-go out on the mound. I think they want to build up that intensity.”
Guzman under the weather
Marlins No. 10 prospect Jorge Guzman was scheduled to throw on Wednesday, but his first spring appearance had to be delayed when he was hit by a bug that has been going around the clubhouse.
The 23-year-old Dominican has been working this spring on a complement to his blazing fastball.
“His last live [session] that I was able to see was really good,” Mattingly said. “With him, we know the power is there. Everybody writes about the 100 [mph fastball], but he has to continue to work on his slider and changeup.
“The day I saw him throw he had a good changeup, some good sliders. So for him, it’s just continue to develop the package of pitches. If you narrow it down to one pitch and you can only land one, it starts getting tough.”
Guzman came to the Marlins as part of the Giancarlo Stanton trade.
Up next
The Marlins face the Astros in a 1:05 p.m. ET Thursday game in West Palm Beach. Sandy Alcantara makes his second Grapefruit League start for Miami. He went two scoreless innings in his debut, striking out three and walking one while allowing just one hit. Alcantara will be opposed by Astros starter Brad Peacock.