Miami Marlins Set Starting Pitchers for First 3 Exhibition Games

The Marlins kick off their exhibition season on Wednesday against UM

The Miami Marlins have set their starting pitchers for their first three exhibition games of 2014, and Angel Sanchez will be the first to go on Wednesday against the University of Miami according to MLB.com.

The game against the Hurricanes will take place at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, the spring home of the Marlins. Sanchez was acquired in the Ricky Nolasco trade last season from the Los Angeles Dodgers, and pitched in A-ball for both organizations per his profile on Baseball-Reference.com.

With a wealth of options this spring in Jupiter for pitchers and his relative inexperience, Sanchez has virtually no chance of winning a role on the team out of spring training.

Next up on Thursday, the Marlins will stay home in Jupiter as the Florida International University Golden Panthers come by for a visit. Justin Nicolino will make the start for Miami in that one, according to the Miami Herald. Nicolino was acquired in the highly publicized trade with the Toronto Blue Jays last year and is an intriguing prospect. While Nicolino is unlikely to make the team out of spring training, he's a guy that could see time later in the season if a need for an arm arises.

On Friday, Miami will begin its Grapefruit League season against the St. Louis Cardinals in what is labeled as a road game. Since the two teams share Roger Dean Stadium, it's not much of a travel day for the Marlins, however.

Scheduled to start for the Marlins is reigning Rookie of the Year Jose Fernandez, the Herald reported.

Fernandez is likely to also be the regular season Opening Night starter for Miami, though the team hasn't announced that quite yet.

As this will be the first start of the spring for all three pitchers, they should not be expected to go more than two innings each. It is likely that every other inning will feature a new pitcher in all of these contests as the Marlins look to get work for more players.

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