Girardi has made the call and Brian Moehler is keeping his slot in the rotation for the series against the Red Sox.
Girardi said right-hander Brian Moehler will pitch Saturday against Boston and promised that rookie Anibal Sanchez will get a start on the team's final road trip of the first half next week, perhaps in the July 8 doubleheader against the Mets.
Sanchez will be in the pen as long relief should any of the starters get into trouble. His next start is tentatively scheduled for the upcoming double header.
This really isn't surprising since it was the plan along. I think it is a good plan for many reasons.
- Moehler has been pitching well of late and if it is the intention of the club to use him as trade bait - they have to keep showcasing him. Even if he isn't trade bait - he is a veteran who is pitching well and he deserves to play.
- Sanchez making his home debut against the best team in the AL at hitting right-handed pitchers probably isn't the best idea.
- Sanchez came to the Marlins from Boston. The last thing I want to see him do is overthrowing trying to prove the point that the Red Sox were idiots for letting him go.
I like the plan to pitch Sanchez against the Mets and not the Red Sox. Besides, there is no way the Marlins can salvage the interleague record for the whole NL. Therefore it makes more sense to pitch him against a division rival, assuming he is the real deal. which most think he is. You may have different thoughts.