With shoulder surgery approaching, pitching prospect Sixto Sanchez shut somewhere near Miami Marlins

Miami Marlins beginning pitcher Sixto Sanchez will miss the rest of the season after a MRI uncovered a small tear in his right shoulder on Monday.

The highly regarded prospect will have arthroscopic surgery, with the group trusting he will be prepared to return on schedule for spring training next year.

It's anything but a disappointing year for Sanchez, 22, after an amazing debut season in 2020 for Miami. He went 3-2 of every seven beginnings last year as the Marlins progressed to the playoffs, sporting a 3.46 ERA with 33 strikeouts in 39 innings. He additionally showed up.

Yet, his re-visitation of the club for spring training went off track, as the Dominican right-hander was deferred by a visa issue and afterward a false positive on a COVID-19 test.

"I don't feel frustrated, but it was a weird feeling," Sanchez said at the time, via an interpreter. "That false positive spoiled my momentum, but I'm not that far behind. I just can't pitch as many innings as the other guys."

He didn't show up for Miami in the regular season, as he combat shoulder soreness. Sanchez recently experienced a setback while expanding speed in a throwing program.

"Obviously, awful news starting with him and for us as an organization," Miami manager Don Mattingly said Monday. "I know we'd like to take the conservative route and hope we wouldn't get to this, but obviously we have."

Sanchez was gained two years prior in the exchange that sent catcher J.T. Realmuto to the Philadelphia Phillies.