Miami Marlins News: Nathan Eovaldi, Henderson Alvarez to begin year on DL, Alex Sanabia to get opportunity

Heading into a season with many uncertainties, the Miami Marlins made several further roster moves on Sunday morning, just as it appeared that their Opening Day roster was set.

Most of the significant roster moves made involve the starting rotation, which was scheduled to be young and with the weekend's moves, got even younger.

Nathan Eovaldi, who was acquired in the Hanley Ramirez deal with the Dodgers last season, will open the season on the 15-day disabled list as a result of a right shoulder injury. Joining Eovaldi with a similar injury is Henderson Alvarez, acquired in the November fire sale with the Blue Jays.

Both Eovaldi and Alvarez were expected to open up the season in Miami's starting rotation and pitch on Miami's road trip to begin the season. Eovaldi was set to be the team's second starter behind Ricky Nolasco, and Alvarez was going to be the fourth starter to follow lefty Wade LeBlanc.

As a result of the two injuries, right-handed prospect Jose Fernandez will make his major league debut on Sunday against the New York Mets. Fernandez had believed that he was going to begin the season in Double-A Jacksonville since he had never pitched above High-A.

Alex Sanabia will also be slotted into the starting rotation, as President of Baseball Operations Larry Beinfest has said that both Eovaldi and Alvarez will begin throwing in a week and should return in a month.

Sanabia has pitched in the major leagues with the Marlins, though had reportedly been in the minor leagues working on adding another off-speed pitch. Sanabia is known for an average fastball but a plus changeup that can get left and right-handed hitters out.

In Washington against the Nationals, Ricky Nolasco, Kevin Slowey, and Wade LeBlanc will pitch in the Marlins' first three games, with Sanabia, Nolasco, and Jose Fernandez pitching in New York.

Manager Mike Redmond also released his Opening Day lineup, which has Chris Coghlan starting in center field against Stephen Strasburg. Redmond said that Coghlan and Justin Ruggiano will platoon in center until "one of the two holds the job full time."

In a series of other moves, the Marlins placed Logan Morrison, Jose Ceda, and Alfredo Silverio on the 60-day DL, and designated Zack Cox, Gorkys Hernandez, Scott Maine, and Evan Reed.