MIAMI — The Miami Marlins will reinstate right-hander Janson Junk from the injured list and slot the 30-year-old back into the starting rotation Thursday, the club announced, giving a pitching staff that has leaned on bullpen games a needed arm.
Junk was placed on the injured list with right shin bone inflammation on May 28 after posting a 3-5 record and a 4.80 ERA across 11 starts. He made his second rehab start for Triple-A Jacksonville last Saturday, throwing 61 pitches and allowing one run on five hits with no walks, one hit-by-pitch and three strikeouts.
“Junk came out of that [Tuesday pitch design session] feeling really good,” manager Skip McCullough said. “He was sharp, and he feels great.”
The rehab assignment was not without incident. On June 28, in his first rehab outing, Junk was struck on the left wrist by a 106 mph comebacker. He came out of the second start unscathed, clearing the way for his return.
Junk takes over a rotation spot that had been used as a bullpen game or with right-hander Ryan Gusto starting on a short leash. He becomes the second Marlins starter to return within the past month, joining righty Eury Pérez, who had originally earned the fifth spot in the Opening Day rotation over lefty Braxton Garrett.
“We’re getting some pieces back, and certainly having Eury back now, three some odd starts has been great,” McCullough said. “And now excited to get Janson back. He’s a quality pitcher. Getting some guys back from some time off, and hopefully they can just pick right back up and keep helping us win.”
Junk is scheduled to take the mound Thursday as the Marlins look to stabilize a rotation that has cycled through stopgap options for more than a month.