Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp Walk Off on Bulls for Second Game in a Row

 JACKSONVILLE (www.sportsdayjax.com) – Dane Myers’ single allowed the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp to walk off with a 3-2 victory in 10 innings over the Durham Bulls in front of 6,047 fans from 121 Financial Ballpark.

With Durham (40-37, 0-2) ahead 2-1, Jerar Encarnacion walked against reliever Calvin Faucher (0-1) to put runners on first and second. Paul McIntosh followed with an RBI single, plating zombie runner Brian Miller to tie the game. After a strikeout, the Bulls intentionally walked Xavier Edwards to load the bases. Following another strikeout, Myers laced an RBI single to right to bring in Encarnacion and win it for Jacksonville (34-42, 2-0).

 

Thanks to an excellent start from Devin Smeltzer, who struck out seven and scattered two hits in 6.0 scoreless innings, the game was scoreless into seventh. In the bottom of the seventh, Jordan Groshans walked with one out and advanced to second on an Encarnacion base hit. McIntosh then notched an RBI base hit for the game’s first run.

 

The score remained 1-0 until the ninth. With one out, Kyle Manzardo walked and Ruben Cardenas singled. After a ground out, an infield single by Greg Jones scored the tying run.

 

In the top of the 10th, zombie man Kameron Misner scored from second on a wild pitch from Jumbo Shrimp reliever Geoff Hartlieb (1-2) to put Durham up 2-1.

 

Jacksonville sends RHP Chi Chi González (3-5, 6.30 ERA) to the mound in Friday’s 7:05 p.m. contest against Durham RHP Evan McKendry (6-1, 3.77 ERA).

THE PLAYERS Championship Launches 2023 Red Coats’ Grant Program

 PONTE VEDRA BEACH – THE PLAYERS Championship is seeking applicants for its annual Red Coats’ community grant program, which awards funding to eligible nonprofits in Baker, Clay, Duval, Nassau and St. Johns counties. 

The Red Coats are a group of civic and corporate leaders who oversee and manage the tournament's volunteer efforts and are committed to improving the quality of life in the five-county area. Their grants are awarded to organizations that promote youth services, education, character development, health, wellness and sports and military support; grant awards range from $2,500 to $15,000.  

“We’re thrilled to support the work of grantees across Northeast Florida as they inspire positive change here in our communities. It is our honor to provide funding to these deserving organizations,” said Kevin Robbins, Captain of the Red Coats.  

Red Coats’ Grants Overview 

• Application timeline: Wednesday, June 28 to Friday, August 4, at 11:59 p.m. EST 
• For complete guidelines and grant application, visit  https://www.theplayers.com/charity/info/grants  

THE PLAYERS 2024 will be held March 12-17.  More information about THE PLAYERS’ charitable efforts can be found at THEPLAYERS.com/community. 

NBA Notebook: Orlando Magic Exercise Team Option on Center Goga Bitadze

ORLANDO (www.sportsdayjax.com) - The Orlando Magic have exercised their team option on center Goga Bitadze for the 2023-24 season, President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman announced today. Per team policy, terms of the deal are not disclosed.

 

In addition, Orlando has declined its team options on Michael Carter-Williams and Admiral Schofield.

 

Bitadze (6’11”, 230, 7/20/99) played in 38 combined games (one start) last season (2022-23) with both Indiana and Orlando, averaging 4.4 ppg., 3.6 rpg. and 1.0 apg. in 12.0 minpg., while shooting .552 (69-125) from the floor. 

He appeared in 21 games with the Pacers, averaging 3.3 ppg. and 2.3 rpg. in 9.6 minpg. Bitadze was waived by Indiana on Feb. 9, then signed as a free agent by Orlando on Feb. 13. He played in 17 games (one start) with the Magic, averaging 5.8 ppg., 5.2 rpg. and 1.2 apg. in 15.0 minpg. 

Bitadze scored in double figures six times (five times with Orlando), including a season-high 14 points on Oct. 22 @ Detroit and had 10+ rebounds twice, including a career-high 15 rebounds on Oct. 22 @ Detroit and on Apr. 7 @ Brooklyn.

 

Originally selected in the first round (18^th overall) of the 2019 NBA Draft by Indiana, Bitadze has played in 187 career NBA regular season games (22 starts) with Indiana and Orlando, averaging 4.9 ppg. and 3.0 rpg. in 11.9 minpg.

 

A native of Georgia, Bitadze has been playing against professional competition since he was 16 years old. Prior to being drafted by Indiana in 2019, he spent his international career playing in Georgia, Serbia and Montenegro. Bitadze has been a member of the Georgian National Team.

 

Bitadze wears  No. 35 with the Orlando Magic.

OSCEOLA MAGIC NAME MURPHY HEAD COACH

The Osceola Magic, NBA G League affiliate of the Orlando Magic, have named Dylan Murphy head coach, Orlando Magic President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman announced today. Per team policy, terms of the deal are not disclosed.

Murphy will also serve as head coach of the Orlando Magic’s NBA 2K24 Summer League team in Las Vegas.

“Dylan (Murphy) has done a tremendous job in regard to player development in his role as an assistant coach with the Magic,” said Weltman. “He also brings past G League experience and we look forward to his continued leadership and seamless connectivity between the Osceola and Orlando Magic.”

Murphy has spent the last five seasons with the Orlando Magic, including three seasons as an assistant coach (2020-23). From 2018-20, he served as basketball operations analyst, providing analytics support to the coaching staff.

Murphy joined Orlando after serving as a graduate assistant with the men’s basketball team at Ball State University in 2018. Before his time with Ball State, he spent one season (2016-17) as an NBA G League scout for the Atlanta Hawks. In that role, he was responsible for identifying potential call-up candidates for the Hawks NBA roster.

Prior to Atlanta, Murphy spent three seasons (2013-16) as assistant coach of the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the NBA G League. In 2013-14, the Mad Ants won the NBA G League championship, posting a league-best record of 34-16 during the regular season and going a perfect 6-0 during their playoff run. In the following season (2014-15), the Mad Ants earned a second-straight trip to the G League Finals.

Murphy earned a bachelor’s degree in classics from Columbia University in 2012. He is married to his wife, Sarah. 

USF Beach Volleyball to Begin Competition in 2025-26 Season

TAMPA (www.sportsdayjax.com) – University of South Florida Vice President for Athletics Michael Kelly and new Beach Volleyball Head Coach Pri Piantadosi-Lima have announced that the Bulls' newest intercollegiate athletics program will begin competition in the 2025-26 academic year.  

"During the process of hiring Pri to lead our first-ever beach volleyball program, we began to look closely at the best timeline in respect to the recruiting cycle and having our first student-athletes on campus," said Kelly. "Pri’s deep knowledge of the sport and the recruiting cycles within it, as well as her past experience helping to establish a successful program at Eckerd led us to this strategic timeline that will allow her to build a roster for sustained success."

Piantadosi-Lima, who previously led the Optimum Beach program out of St. Petersburg that has produced more than 90 collegiate athletes in the sport, was hired to lead the USF program on June 6 and has been active on the recruiting trail.

 

The Bulls' first beach volleyball student-athletes are slated to arrive on campus in fall 2024 and will spend the 2024-25 academic year training and playing in exhibition matches. Construction on the USF Beach Volleyball Complex, to be located within the current Athletics district footprint on the USF Tampa campus, is scheduled to begin in late fall 2023 and is targeted for completion by the summer 2024.
 
Per NCAA rules, beach volleyball prospects cannot be contacted before June 15 of their junior year. By starting the program in 2025-26, the coaching staff will be able to recruit 2024 players – including high school graduates, transfers and international players – that will then have a year on campus prior to competition, as well as add a full cycle of 2025 graduates to build a robust roster prior to beginning competition. Beach volleyball’s championship competition season is in the spring semester.
 
"The goal for USF all along has been to not simply sponsor beach volleyball, but to become regionally and nationally competitive in the sport and these changes allow Pri and her staff the strategic timetable to do that," Kelly said.
 
"Having the ability to recruit two solid classes to build the foundation of this program as we enter our first competitive season puts us in a strong position from which to launch a successful program,” Piantadosi-Lima said. “I continue to work to put my staff in place and meet young athletes across the country that are excited about the possibilities at USF. I am very enthusiastic about what we are building in Tampa.”

 

FAU's May Named iHeartMedia State College Coach of the Year

ORLANDO (www.sportsdayjax.com) – Another accolade has been bestowed upon Florida Atlantic men's basketball head coach Dusty May. 

On Thursday evening, May was named iHeartMedia State College Coach of the Year by the Orlando Sentinel. May outdistanced Florida State football coach Mike Norvell by 173 votes to earn the honors.

 The May resume continues to add awards after the Owls' head coach led Florida Atlantic to new heights in the 2022-23 season. 

The Owls advanced all the way to the Final Four in the NCAA Tournament after having zero previous March Madness wins in program history. Florida Atlantic posted an incredible record of 35-4, which marked the most wins in NCAA Division I this season and are only three wins shy of the single-season Division I record.

The Owls became only the third No. 9 seed to make the Final Four in NCAA Tournament history. Additionally, Florida Atlantic was only the fifth team ever to reach the Final Four after previously having no NCAA Tournament wins.

May's trophy case is getting crowded. In addition to this honor, May was also named CBS Sports National Coach of the Year, NABC All-District 17 Coach of the Year, Conference USA Coach of the Year and Palm Beach County Coach of the Year. Additionally, May was a semifinalist for the Naismith National Coach of the Year.

May led Florida Atlantic to a collection of program records, including wins (35) winning streak (20) conference wins (18) points (3,035) field goals made (1,084) 3-pointers made (375) rebounds (1,519) and assists (562). 

He coached Johnell Davis to C-USA Sixth Player of the Year, First Team All-C-USA and NABC First Team All-District recognition. Alijah Martin joined Davis on the All-C-USA First Team and also was named to NABC Second Team All-District honors. FAU closed out the season ranked No. 5 in the USA Today Coaches poll.

Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp Win Extra-innings Affair in Gwinnett

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. (www.sportsdayjax.com) – Brian Miller and Jordan Groshans each blasted a home run in the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp’s 7-5, 10-inning win over the Gwinnett Stripers Sunday afternoon at Coolray Field.

After a scoreless ninth, Groshans began the inning at second as the ghost runner and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Jerar Encarnacion worked his third walk of the game and Charles Leblanc doubled off Gwinnett (33-42) reliever Grant Holmes (L, 3-2) to put Jacksonville ahead 6-5. Encarnacion went to third and Brian Miller added an insurance run with a sac fly to pad the Jumbo Shrimp lead to 7-5.

 

Jacksonville initially took the lead in the top of the second. With two outs, Leblanc drew a walk and Miller (2) blasted a two-run homer putting the Jumbo Shrimp up 2-0.

 

A costly error gave Gwinnett the lead in the bottom of the second. Braden Shewmake was hit by the first pitch of the inning and Daniel Robertson drew a walk in the next at-bat. Hoy Park laid a bunt down but Jacksonville starter Enmanuel De Jesus made an errant throw to first, allowing two runs to score with Park ending up on third. After a strike out, Eli White singled to bring in Park which gave the Stripers a 3-2 lead.

 

The Jumbo Shrimp leveled the game in the top of the fourth. Groshans (4) launched a solo home run off Gwinnett starter Allan Winans, tying the game at three.

 

The Stripers went back to work in the bottom of the fourth. With one out, Austin Pabst (1) gave Gwinnett their second lead of the day with a solo shot, 4-3.

 

Joe Dunand (11) added some insurance for Gwinnett in the bottom of the fifth with a solo home run to make it 5-3.

 

Jacksonville started their come back in the top of the seventh. With two outs, C.J. Hinojosa struck out but reached first on a wild pitch from Stripers reliever Lucas Luetge. Dane Myers singled and Hinojosa went to third. With runners on the corners, Peyton Burdick knocked a base hit, scoring Hinojosa to make it a one-run game 5-4.

 

The Jumbo Shrimp drew even with the Stripers in the top of the eighth. Encarnacion and Leblanc drew back-to-back walks. Two batters later, Chavez singled driving in Encarnacion, tying the game at five.

 

Following a Monday and Tuesday off day, Jacksonville welcomes in the Durham Bulls for a six-game series beginning with Wednesday’s 7:05 p.m. contest from 121 Financial Ballpark. 

Mercadante Named Fourth Head Coach in UNF Baseball History

 JACKSONVILLE (www.sportsdayjax.com)- The fourth head coach in UNF baseball's 36-year history is announced as Joe Mercadante is tabbed to lead the program as made official by Director of Athletics Nick Morrow.

A meet and greet will be held in July at a date to be finalized, with it also being streamed on North Florida Ospreys on Facebook. 

"As we went along the hiring process it became evident that Joe Mercadante would be a great fit for UNF and UNF baseball," Director of Athletics Nick Morrow said. "He has a positive reputation throughout the baseball community for his relentless recruiting efforts, the development of his student-athletes and being a coach of high character. Joe is a Florida native and is well connected throughout the state, allowing him to step in and make an immediate impact on the program. We are thrilled to welcome Joe and his family back to their home state and to the University of North Florida."

"It is time for alumni, fans and the UNF community to rally behind Coach Mercadante as he leads a proud UNF baseball program with a rich history of success," Morrow said. "By providing our full support I have no doubt we will win championships, compete in the NCAA Regionals and impact many lives along the way."

Mercadante's most recent stop was at the University of Pittsburgh where he was the assistant coach from 2021-23, his second stint with an Atlantic Coast Conference team after working with the University of Miami for seven seasons. 

A native of Gainesville, Fla., Mercadante has extensive Florida roots having spent 17 years in coaching within the Sunshine State across five different collegiate programs at the Division I, high school and travel ball levels.

"I am extremely grateful and humbled by the UNF family and am excited to lead the Osprey program," Mercadante said. "For me, coaching has always been about relationships. I look forward to building new relationships with the team, our passionate alumni base and our entire campus community. UNF has a storied tradition and I will look forward to the challenge of building on the successes of the past and taking another step forward. Our staff will tirelessly help the young men in our program develop on and off the field and our focus will be on the student-athletes. It's time to get to work!"

A great hitting instructor and recruiting specialist, Mercadante worked primarily with the program's hitters and outfielders while assisting in the nationwide recruiting initiatives for Pitt. Each season the Panthers worked their way to the ACC Tournament in one of the nation's top leagues, while making the semis in 2022 and developing all-league outfielder Kyle Hess. 

Prior to that, Mercadante spent four years in the opposing dugout at Stetson University as the assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for the Hatters. During that stint, SU hosted a regional and eventually went to the 2018 Super Regionals, finishing just one win shy of the College World Series. That Stetson team achieved as high as a No. 7 ranking nationally, finishing with 48 wins. 

Mercadante's recruiting success while at Stetson was set up by a 13-year stretch between stops with the Central Florida Gators (2013-17), UCF Knights (2011-12) and Miami (2004-11). The Gainesville, Fla., native came to Stetson after four years with the Central Florida Gators where he helped three players to Under Armour All-American game and Perfect Game All-American game appearances. 

The magical 2018 season at Stetson wasn't the only year that Mercadante was part of a No. 7 nationally ranked mid-major, as the 45-17 UCF Knights were ranked as high as No. 7 during the 2012 season. The dynamic UCF offense finished in the top 40 in the country in scoring, runs, hits, home runs per game, stolen bases and walks. Ronnie Richardson, D.J. Hicks and Darnell Sweeney were all picked up in the MLB Draft that season. 

His first stop in the NCAA coaching world began with a seven-year stretch in Coral Gables as a volunteer assistant and eventual assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for the Miami Hurricanes. During that period the Canes made the NCAA Regionals seven times, four super regionals and a pair of College World Series. Eight all-americans and four MLB First Round Draft picks were produced in well-known major leaguers Ryan Braun, Yonder Alonso, Jemile Weeks and Yasmani Grandal.  His work expanded to managing the Jim Morris Baseball Camps and national-scale recruiting for the ACC stalwart.

Mercadante attended P.K. Yonge in Gainesville before helping Jefferson Davis Community College to a Junior College World Series berth. After one year at Delgado Junior College in New Orleans, Mercadante finished up his collegiate career with the Gators and hit .471 off the bench.

Coughlin, Butler Named to Florida Sports Hall of Fame

PORT ST. LUCIE (www.sportsdayjax.com) -- A stellar class of athletes has been tapped for induction into the Florida Sports Hall of Fame as part of the 2023 class. 

The eight-member class, representing six different sports, includes an eight-time NBA All-Star, an Olympic gold medalist, a Pro Football Hall of Famer, a two-time Super Bowl winning coach, a two-time World Cup champion and world champion jet car driver. The eight will be inducted in a ceremony to be held at the Florida Theatre in Jacksonville on November 8.

“How exciting to be able to recognize such a talented, accomplished and diverse group of athletes,” said Rick Hatcher, President and Chairman of the Florida Sports Hall of Fame board. “Their contributions to their sport, their com-munities and impacts they’ve had on a worldwide stage make this a remarkable class. We are honored to welcome them as the newest members of the Florida Sports Hall of Fame.” The announcement was made Friday as part of a reception held at the Florida Sports Hall of Fame Museum located inside the MidFlorida Event Center in Port St. Lucie, FL.

The Florida Sports Hall of Fame 2023 Class (in alphabetical order):

LeRoy Butler - Football

A three-year starter (1987-89) at Florida State, this Jacksonville native was a first-team All-America selection of AP, UPI and Walter Camp (1989). In 1990, Butler was drafted in the 2nd round (48 overall) of the NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers. In his 12 seasons with the Packers, Butler was a 4x First-team All-Pro. He recorded a sack in the Packers' Super Bowl XXXI win over the New England Patriots, and he is recognized as the creator of the Lambeau Leap touchdown cele-bration. Butler was named a member of the NFL 1990s All-Decade Team and was enshrined in the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame. In 2022, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Vince Carter - Basketball

Born in Daytona Beach, Vince Carter is an eight-time All-Star and a two-time All-NBA Team selection. He is the only player in NBA history to play 22 seasons and in four different decades, from his debut in 1999 to his retirement in 2020. He has been touted as the greatest dunker of all time. In addition to his dunking prowess, he was a prolific three-point shooter, making the sixth most three-point field goals in league history. He led his Daytona Mainland High School bas-ketball team to its first Class 6A state title in 56 years, and was a 1995 McDonald's All-American.

Greg Coleman - Football

Known for being one of the first African American punters in the NFL, and one of only a few punters to be drafted, Greg Coleman spent 12 years in the league, playing for the Cleveland Browns, Minnesota Vikings, and the Washington Red-skins. A product of Florida A&M University, Coleman earned the nickname "Coffin Corner" because of his ability to aim his kicks near the corner of the playing field. He was selected by the fans to be a member of the Viking 40th Anniversary team. He is a member of the Florida A&M Football Hall of Fame and is also a member of the State of Florida Track and Field Hall of Fame.

Tom Coughlin - Football Coach

In eight seasons as head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars (1995-2002), Tom Coughlin helmed the most successful expan-sion team in league history. During his tenure, the Jaguars made four consecutive playoff appearances and appeared in the AFC Championship Game twice — the first in only the second year of the team's existence (1996). Coughlin would again take the Jaguars to the AFC Championship Game in 1999 after achieving a league-high 14–2 regular season record; the 14 wins stood as the most won by the current wave of expansion teams until the Panthers surpassed it in 2015. Fol-lowing his stint in Jacksonville, he moved on to lead the New York Giants to victory in Super Bowl XLII and Super Bowl XLVI.

Ashlyn Harris - Soccer

Born in Cocoa Beach, Ashlyn Harris was a standout for Satellite High School before shooting to stardom as a member of the 2015 and 2019 World Cup Champion teams. In 2016, she was named NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year (her second nod) after making 62 saves and having a 1.33 goals-against-average in 15 games. At 16 years of age, she was the youngest starter on the 2002 FIFA U-19 team, playing every minute as the USA won the 2002 FIFA U-19 Women’s World Cup. De-spite being plagued with injuries early in her college career, she won three NCAA Women’s Soccer Championships with the UNC Tarheels in 2006, 2008 and 2009.

Jeff Johnson - Baseball Coach

Jeff Johnson has built Chipola baseball into one of the premier JUCO programs in the country and compiled an outstand-ing overall record of 986-460-3 record (.680) over 27 seasons. Johnson led the Indians to their first National Champion-ship in 2007 then repeated the accomplishment with back-to-back National Titles in 2017 and 2018. His teams have won 14 Panhandle Conference Championships and six FCSAA/Region VIII Championships, including three consecutive titles from 2017 to 2019. More than 100 players have been drafted out of Chipola since he became head coach. His programs have produced an impressive 19 MLB players and four MLB All-Stars.

Elaine Larsen - Drag Racing

Two-time world champion jet car driver Elaine Larsen is one of only 15 jet dragster pilots, and one of only three women in the world. She spent 20 years racing in over 1400 races. Her top speed of 336 mph in a vehicle with a 5000 horse-power engine was achieved on an airstrip (as NHRA drag strips limit top speed to 320 mph). She currently serves as the sole testing driver for Larsen Motorsports, a research center designed to contribute to all high performance vehicles with safety innovations, aerodynamic testing, and material testing located in Palm Bay, FL.

Shannon Miller - Gymnastics

Shannon Miller is one of the most decorated US gymnasts in Olympic history, with a total of seven medals. She was the 1993 and 1994 world all-around champion, the 1996 Olympic balance beam champion, the 1995 Pan American

About the Florida Sports Hall of Fame

In its 62nd year, The Florida Sports Hall of Fame continues its mission to honor our vast sports heritage by taking the inspiring stories of its 289 current members to the people of Florida. This outreach comes in the form of a preview cen-

ter for housing memorabilia provided by the members, the hosting of an annual enshrinement for the purpose of induct-ing new members into the Hall of Fame and other outreach programs such as Fame for Fitness which raises awareness about the growing concern of childhood obesity and children’s diabetes. To learn more, visit https://flasportshof.org/

CFP Executive Director Hancock to Retire

 IRVING, Texas (www.sportsdayjax.com) –  College Football Playoff (CFP) Executive Director Bill Hancock announced that he will step down when his contract expires February 1, 2025. 

“My time at the CFP has been a dream come true,” said Hancock, 72, who will be entering his 19th season working in post-season football this fall. “I cherish what I do and the folks I get to work with. And I do love college football. Now I will run through the tape, as the track coaches say, and then I will enjoy whatever next steps are waiting for Nicki and me.” 

Hancock was named executive director of the CFP a few months after the event was created in 2012. He was the only CFP employee at the time. 

The leaders of the 10 Football Bowl Subdivision conferences and Notre Dame directed him to finalize the details of a media rights agreement, negotiate agreements with bowl games and championship-game host cities, build a staff, find office space, contact members to serve on the selection committee, and draft protocol and procedures for the committee to use. 

The result has been nine enormously successful years for the CFP so far. The CFP is slated to expand from four to 12 teams after the 2023-24 season. 

“The plan was established several years ago for me to notify the CFP Board of Managers a year in advance if I decided to step aside, in order to provide ample time to plan a smooth transition to the next executive director,” Hancock said. 

“I’m advising the board now, so the new executive director will have a long on-ramp, as he or she prepares to guide the CFP into the 12-team era.” 

“Everyone who is blessed to work with Bill knows he is a highly skilled administrator, strong leader and truly good person. He’s a legend in college sports,” said Mississippi State University President Mark E. Keenum, the chairman of the CFP Board of Managers. “We were sorry when Bill told us about his and Nicki’s decision, but we are so grateful for his service in getting the CFP started and carrying it through the first nine years—10 after next year.” 

Hancock will remain in his current duties through the 2023-2024 season. 

“We look forward to the next year under Bill’s leadership and many opportunities to recognize what he has done for the playoff. We will initiate a national search for a new executive director to take over when he steps away, and I anticipate Bill will shift to a new role with the CFP in 2024 to help with the transition to our new executive director,” said Keenum. 

Hancock has had a unique trifecta in college athletics. He was the first full-time director of the NCAA Men’s Final Four, the first administrator of the Bowl Championship Series (BCS), and the first director of the College Football Playoff. 

Hancock joined the BCS in 2005 after 16 years with the basketball tournament. He began his career in 1971 as assistant sports information director at the University of Oklahoma, then spent four years as editor of the Hobart (Okla.) Democrat-Chief newspaper, then 11 years on the Big Eight Conference staff. 

Marlins’ Cueto Joins Jumbo Shrimp on Rehab Assignment

 JACKSONVILLE (www.sportsdayjax.com) – The Miami Marlins have announced that right-handed pitcher Johnny Cueto has been assigned to Jacksonville to continue an injury rehabilitation assignment presented by H2 Health. 

Cueto was placed on the 10-day IL on April 4 with a biceps injury after departing from his Marlins debut on April 3 after just 1.0 inning. He began a rehab stint with a start for the Jumbo Shrimp on May 6, but departed after 2.1 innings with a sprained left ankle. 

He has started two games for Double-A Pensacola on this current rehab stint, giving up four runs on 11 hits in 6.1 innings. He had signed a one-year deal in January with Miami that included a club option for the 2024 season.

 

A two-time All-Star and member of the 2015 World Series champion Kansas City Royals, Cueto has gone 143-108 with a 3.46 ERA over 356 MLB appearances, including 354 starts, in a 16-year career with the Cincinnati Reds, San Francisco Giants, Royals, Chicago White Sox and Marlins.

 

A native of San Pedro de Macoris in the Dominican Republic, Cueto’s best season came with Cincinnati in 2014, when he went 20-9 with a 2.25 ERA in a league-leading 243.2 innings. He also led the NL in strikeouts with 242, finishing second in the Cy Young Award balloting to former Jacksonville Sun Clayton Kershaw.

 

Cueto also placed fourth in the Cy Young Award voting with the Reds in 2012, when he went 19-9 with a 2.78 ERA in 217.0 innings, and sixth in 2016 when he played for the Giants, going 18-5 with a 2.79 ERA.

 

Cueto joins Marlins teammate Jazz Chisholm Jr. (June 20-present) on a current injury rehabilitation assignment presented by H2 Health with Jacksonville. Left-hander Steven Okert (April 7-21), infielder Joey Wendle (April 26-May 7), right-handers Cueto (May 2-7), Nic Enright (May 7-30), JT Chargois (May 9-16), first baseman/outfielder Garrett Cooper (May 12) and outfielders Jesus Sánchez (May 26-30) and Avisail García (May 27-June 3) have also rehabbed with Jacksonville in 2023.