Minutes away from starting game, FIU pitcher Christian Santana taken to hospital

FIU right-hander Christian Santana was 20 minutes away from his second start of the season Saturday when his arm started to swell.

He was immediately rushed to the hospital.

“When I woke up, my arm felt funny, but nothing too crazy,” Santana told the Miami Herald on Monday afternoon from his hospital bed at Baptist Hospital. “But when I was warming up, my arm got huge, and they told me I had to get it checked out.”

Santana said doctors found a blood clot under his clavicle.

“They are going to dissolve it and put me on blood thinners to ensure it won’t happen again,” said Santana, 21. “They said they caught it early.

“I know I will pitch again. It’s just a matter of when.”

This is not Santana’s first setback. He had shoulder surgery in May of 2019, and he made his long-awaited return to the mound this year on Feb. 20, pitching five scoreless innings.

He thought he was on the way to a big year until his arm got swollen.

“It just happened so fast — from the game to the emergency room,” said Santana, who is set to graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in sports management this summer. “It’s frustrating. But God has a plan for everyone.

“I’ll be back.”

As for the rest of the FIU team, the Panthers (4-3) split four games against Miami of Ohio this past weekend. However, a 16-5 loss in 10 innings on Sunday left a bitter taste for FIU.

“We should’ve won,” FIU coach Mervly Melendez said.

The coach was referring to FIU’s 6-2 lead entering the ninth inning. Relievers Richie Pena and Garrett Rukes couldn’t nail down the save as Miami Ohio scored four runs in the ninth, including two on walks, before adding a nine-spot in the 10th inning.

FIU has three more home games this weekend, against Indiana State, before visiting Coastal Carolina, the program that won the 2016 College World Series.

Here’s a closer look at where FIU’s baseball team stands heading into the third weekend of the season:

▪ Rotation: Tyler Myrick is 1-0 with a 0.75 ERA after two brilliant starts. He struck out a career-high 13 batters on Friday, walking just one and allowing no earned runs in six innings.

Myrick had ERAs of 3.73 and 3.86 his first two years but then missed 2019 after elbow surgery. Last year, he struggled (0-2, 6.50) in four starts, but he is clearly recovered.

FIU’s third starter (behind Santana) is true freshman Matt Fernandez, who is 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA, showing potential.

With Santana out, another true freshman, Orlando Hernandez Jr., figures to jump into the rotation behind Fernandez. Hernandez has a 4.15 ERA in 4.1 innings.

“I’m very happy with our starting pitching,” Melendez said, “and that’s the one area I was uneasy about entering the season.”

▪ Bullpen: Aside from Myrick, Santana, Fernandez and Hernandez (combined 1.79 ERA), the rest of FIU’s pitchers have a 12.02 ERA.

Two FIU relievers who have pitched well so far are Steven Casey (4.2 innings) and Jan Figueroa (4.1 innings). Both have a 0.00 ERA. Figueroa has three career saves. Casey has two career saves, and both of them came back in 2018 – before he had elbow surgery.

“Not everyone can be a closer,” Melendez said when asked about his bullpen. “For the other relievers, there will be different roles. It’s about us learning about our players and who can get it done. It’s a bit of a process of elimination.”

▪ Offense: FIU is 13-for-14 on steals. FIU’s opponents are just 4 for 6 on steals, making this a team strength.

But FIU has been outhomered 9-2, and opponents have 22 extra-base hits to 14 for the Panthers.

The only two FIU hitters to homer are a pair of true freshmen: first baseman Adrian Figueroa and backup outfielder Christian Eiroa. And Figueroa’s shot was an inside-the-park homer.

▪ Defense: FIU seems to be in good shape defensively. Melendez really likes true freshman shortstop Steven Ondina (two errors). Veteran second baseman Derek Cartaya (no errors) is tied with Ondina for the team lead with 16 assists.

As for FIU’s catchers, Melendez praised veteran Luis Chavez for his handling of the pitchers. Humberto Torres, who has the strongest arm of FIU’s catchers, is used late in games due to his ability to shut down a running game. He has gotten into five of FIU’s seven games.