Marlins Designate Renyel Pinto for Assignment

Renyel Pinto's days with the Marlins appear to be over:

Struggles against left-handed hitters ultimately cost Renyel Pinto his job with the Marlins.

The 27-year-old lefty reliever was designated for assignment on Wednesday night after the Marlins lost, 6-3, to the Rangers at Sun Life Stadium.

Tim Wood, a right-handed reliever, was recalled from Triple-A New Orleans.

Pinto came off the disabled list on Sunday after he had been out since May 27 with a left hip strain. The first batter he faced Wednesday was Josh Hamilton, who crushed a home run to center field.

A veteran who opened the year as a situational left-hander, Pinto had a rough time against lefty batters. Left-handers were hitting .364 against him, including Hamilton's blast. He also hit four lefty batters with pitches in 20 relief appearances.

Pinto's numbers this season are quite good on the surface (0-0, 2.70 ERA), but beyond that it's easy to see why the Marlins decided to cut their ties with Pinto. His 9/16 walk to strikeout ratio is certainly concerning, but the statistic that had to trouble the Marlins most was that Pinto could not get left handed hitters out. While Pinto has been lights out this season against right handed hitters, lefties have crushed Pinto to the tune of a .364 batting average. It's hard to survive as a left handed relief pitcher, who cannot get out lefties and makes just over $1 million bucks on the frugal Marlins.