MIAMI -- Miami Marlins right-hander Henderson Alvarez exited Monday's start against the New York Mets in the third inning with a left oblique strain and is listed as day-to-day.
Following the 9-6 victory, Alvarez said it has been bothering him since his last start Aug. 27 in Anaheim. In the clubhouse prior to the game, he had it wrapped in ice.
"I just wanted to keep pitching through the pain," Alvarez said in Spanish. "I came out to play today. I wasn't 100 percent but I wanted to pitch as well as I could. I'm not frustrated (about the injury). It's just something that happened."
After cruising through the first two frames on just 23 pitches, Alvarez got into trouble in the third.
Dilson Herrera knocked a leadoff solo homer into the Clevelander pool for his first career dinger. Wilmer Flores followed with a single to right. On Zack Wheeler's sacrifice bunt, Alvarez elected to throw to second where the runner was safe. Juan Lagares grounded into a fielder's choice for the first out of the inning. With runners at the corners, Alvarez walked Curtis Granderson to load the bases.
David Wright knocked a two-run single up the middle as the final batter to face Alvarez. On the play, both Granderson and Wright advanced an additional base when Marcell Ozuna's throw to third sailed into the Marlins dugout.
Athletic trainer Mike Kozak, manager Mike Redmond and the infielders went to the mound to check on Alvarez, who kept shaking his head and dusting off the rubber before violently putting the ball in Redmond's hand.
"All the foul tips I've taken in my life that was nothing," Redmond joked. "Felt like a feather."
Alvarez did not throw a warmup pitch during the exchange before running off the field following 40 pitches -- 28 strikes -- and 2 1/3 innings. He gave up four runs (three earned) on three hits with a walk and a strikeout.
The 24-year-old All-Star entered Monday with a 10-6 record and 2.75 ERA (seventh lowest in the National League) in 25 starts. It marked the fourth time this season he has left a game early with an injury. He came off the 15-day disabled list Aug. 16 after missing time with right shoulder inflammation, retroactive to July 30.
"We knew it had been bothering him, but he wanted to pitch and he was adamant he was fine," Redmond said. "We've had a couple scenarios out there -- it's been well-documented -- we've had to go out there and he's been able to pitch through it. Today he wasn't able to get through it. As much as he wanted to, it was my decision to get him out of there."
Lefty Brad Hand, recently sent to the bullpen as a long reliever, came on in relief and pitched three innings.
Asked whether he would return this season, Alvarez responded with "I don't know how to answer that question."
Would it be better to shut it down if the injury persists?
"I'm going to keep pitching," Alvarez said. "I'm going to go through treatments every day. I'm going to finish the season healthy and I'm going to work to get better quickly."
Added Redmond: "Those obliques are dicey for sure. We'll see. That's something we'll evaluate over the next couple days as far as his availability for his next start. Those things are touchy. As much as we need him to pitch we're not going to let him go out there and jeopardize himself. Today he couldn't get it going, so it's going to have to get a lot better for him to pitch."
You can follow Christina De Nicola on Twitter @CDeNicola13 or email her at cdenicola13@gmail.com.
