Right-handed pitcher Rick van den Hurk is no longer pitching for Gigantes de Carolina in the Puerto Rican Winter League. He went to Philadelphia to have minor surgery (hernia) and is already back home in Miami. The 24-year-old is expected to be healthy at the beginning of spring training in February.
Van den Hurk made four starts in Puerto Rico, going 1-0 with an ERA of 1.80 and 18 strikeouts (one walk) in 25 innings. He had a 3-2 record with an ERA of 4.30 in eleven starts (58.2 IP, 49 SO, 21 BB) in the MLB this year. The Eindhoven-native is going to compete for a spot in the Florida Marlins rotation besides Josh Johnson and Ricky Nolasco. Anibal Sanchez, Sean West, Chris Volstad, Hayden Penn and Andrew Miller will be his main opponents.
