For a good part of the day, it appeared the most noteworthy pitching news performance regarding the Miami Marlins would be Jose Fernandez’s rehab outing in Jupiter. Even against minor-league competition, there is something to be said about seven strikeouts in three innings.
Then came Monday night’s 5-1 loss to the Chicago Cubs at Marlins Park, when Chicago right-hander Jason Hammel raised the ante, striking out a career-high 11 in 6 1/3 innings and throwing 80 strikes in his 117 pitches.
But even then there was more from the mound, with manager Dan Jennings announcing after a lengthy postgame delay that struggling former closer Steve Cishek has been optioned to Double-A Jacksonville.