Marlins right-hander Henderson Alvarez has picked up where he left off in 2013. His streak of 13 hitless innings, which included a no-hitter against Detroit to finish the season, finally ended when he yielded a single to Atlanta outfielder B.J. Upton on Wednesday.
Mike Redmond has been particularly impressed this spring with Alvarez. "He looked similar to me," he told MLB.com. "...I think he, probably unlike anyone else we have, is able to pitch successfully at 89 [mph], and then he can throw 96 when he needs to. That's the beauty of Henderson Alvarez. He's crafty when he wants to (be). When he wants to turn it on, he can turn it on."
Alvarez closed strong last season, during which he was 5-6 with a 3.59 ERA that was far superior to the 4.85 ERA he recorded in 2012. He is penciled in as the third starter in 2014.