MILWAUKEE -- Marlins right-hander Sixto Sánchez made his long-awaited return to the mound on Tuesday, nearly three years after his last appearance in the Majors.

Sánchez tossed one inning in a rehab appearance at Double-A Pensacola. It was his first game action since the 2020 NLDS, though he made three appearances in 2021 Spring Training.

Since finishing seventh in 2020 NL Rookie of the Year voting, Sánchez has been beset by right shoulder injuries. His shoulder initially started bothering him in March 2021, when he was the No. 15-ranked prospect in baseball per MLB Pipeline.

Sánchez has since undergone surgery twice -- in July 2021 and last October. He’s spent the past few years rehabbing at the Marlins’ Spring Training complex in Jupiter and joined Double-A Pensacola over the weekend.

He struck out two batters Tuesday, allowing a single and a walk.

Sánchez made seven starts as a rookie in 2020, finishing with a 3.46 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 39 innings. He threw five scoreless innings in the Marlins’ series-clinching win over the Cubs in the 2020 NL Wild Card Series.

It’s been a long and challenging road since then, but Tuesday was a key moment in his journey to get back to Miami.