Marlins’ Chen not expected to be ready for opening day

Miami Marlins pitcher Wei-Yin Chen. (Matt Slocum/AP)

JUPITER, Fla. — Injury-plagued left-hander Wei-Yin Chen, the Miami Marlins‘ highest-paid pitcher, isn’t expected to be ready for opening day, but the team hopes he can join the rotation sometime during the season.

Chen is entering the third season of an $80 million, five-year contract.

A balky left elbow limited Chen to nine games last year and 22 in 2016. He was a durable starter with Baltimore and has a career record of 53-38 in six seasons, but is only 7-6 with the Marlins.

Chen began a throwing program in mid-January, and the Marlins won’t rush his return, manager Don Mattingly said Wednesday.

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