Dugger 'speechless' ahead of debut in Game 1

It took Robert Dugger a minute to get his wits about him on Sunday morning. Turning around to face the media in the Marlins’ clubhouse for the first time, the 24-year-old’s eyes were wide with excitement.

“I’m just speechless,” he finally confessed. “There’s a bunch of thoughts going through my head right now. I’m just happy to be here.”

The Marlins made it official on Monday, activating him prior to the series-opening doubleheader against the Mets in New York. It’s a reward for a job well done at Double-A Jacksonville, where he began the season and worked to a 6-6 record and a 3.31 ERA in 13 starts before earning a promotion to Triple-A.

New Orleans was a bit tougher on the right-hander, but a combination of a strong showing in Spring Training and the Marlins’ immediate need for a starter meant he got the call to pack his bags on Saturday, following just seven Triple-A starts.

“It’s what you always dream about,” said Dugger, Miami's No. 24 prospect per MLB Pipeline. “I always wanted to be a Major League baseball player, and the time has come. It’s just … I don’t even really have any words for it. I’m numb, I’m anxious to get out there and pitch and just get those nerves out.”

Across the clubhouse was another new arrival, Ryne Stanek, who’d joined Miami in Wednesday’s trade that sent Nick Anderson and Trevor Richards to the Rays. Stanek initially reported to the Minor Leagues to wrap up a rehab assignment for the right hip soreness that landed him on the 10-day injured list July 20, but a flurry of poor weather conditions, the trade and a broken pipe in Bradenton, Fla., that flooded the Class A Advanced field had combined to keep him from facing live hitters since. Miami activated him from the IL on Monday.

“The pipe broke, and then it rained, and [my start] got pushed back. Then it rained, and I got pushed back. I got traded, so I couldn’t do it that day, and then it was rain, rain, and I was like, ‘I just have to get this over with,'” Stanek said with a chuckle. “I finally got a little bit of mound work [Saturday], and they were like, ‘We’re good.’”

Stanek was the Rays’ primary opener and posted a 3.40 ERA in 41 games (27 starts) prior to his injury. The Marlins don’t use an opener, and the righty was told he could be used in an end-game capacity, which makes sense as the Marlins need to fill the closer’s role.

“It’s definitely exciting,” he said of the prospect of working the end of games. “Just to get some opportunities to do that and pitch in a traditional bullpen role will be kind of nice.”

“Everybody felt pretty good about where [Stanek] is at,” manager Don Mattingly added. “We liked [Dugger] in Spring Training. It seemed like he was the guy who slotted into this spot. There were obviously a lot of factors that go into that … but he was on the right day, and everything worked out.”