Turner takes over for LeBlanc in Marlins' rotation
Miami Marlins Left-hander Wade LeBlanc has been bumped from the starting rotation to make room for rookie right-hander Justin Turner.
Turner's next start will determine if the Marlins bring back LeBlanc and go with a six-man rotation the rest of the year. Whether the Marlins use five or six starters, Turner will stay in the rotation the rest of the year, manager Ozzie Guillen said.
"Right now we are going to keep the kid in the rotation and we're going to put LeBlanc in the bullpen," Guillen said before the Marlins' game Friday in Los Angeles.
"If we keep LeBlanc in the bullpen, we won't need a six-man rotation. But right now we're going to start putting LeBlanc in the bullpen and let the kid pitch."
Turner is penciled in to make his next start Wednesday at Marlins Park against the Washington Nationals
While LeBlanc has done well as a starter, he is the only starter who has mainly pitched out of the bullpen this year.
Josh Johnson, Mark Buehrle and Ricky Nolasco aren't going to the bullpen, and the Marlins want to see as much of rookie right-hander Nate Eovaldi as they can this year.
"We want to see those two kids throwing and that's the reason we want to do it that way," Guillen said.
LeBlanc posted a 1.15 ERA in 11 relief appearances before replacing Carlos Zambrano in the starting rotation in early August. LeBlanc is 1-2 with a 3.29 ERA in five starts.
Zambrano has said he wants to return to the starting rotation before the season ends because he doesn't consider himself a reliever. But that won't happen.
"Now that we are sending one guy who is pitching well to the bullpen, it would be hard for (Zambrano) to go back to the starting rotation," Guillen said.
