Rookie right-hander Jose Fernandez makes his major-league debut amid a season-opening 1-4 skid Sunday when the Miami Marlins visit Citi Field to wrap up a three-game series with the New York Mets.
Fernandez, a native of Cuba who was the 14th overall pick in the 2011 draft, debuted in the minors in 2011 and was 0-1 in two starts with a pair of teams on the Single-A level.
He exploded in his second season of pro ball, however, winning 14 of 15 decisions across 25 starts with a combined 1.75 earned run average at Greensboro of the South Atlantic League and Jupiter of the Florida State League.
The 6-foot-2, 240-pounder struck out 158 batters and allowed only 89 hits in 134 innings.
He was labeled the No. 5 big-league prospect of 2013 by Baseball America and was ranked No. 7 by mlb.com.
New York, meanwhile, counters with journeyman lefty Aaron Laffey, who makes his first appearance for the Mets - his fifth team since reaching the majors in 2007.
Laffey, who turns 28 on April 15, debuted with the Cleveland Indians in 2007 and was 18-21 with them in four seasons before splitting 2011 between the Seattle Mariners and New York Yankees, going 3-2 in 47 appearances.
He made 16 starts in 22 games with the Toronto Blue Jays last season and was 4-6 with a 4.56 ERA in 100 2/3 innings.
He signed as a free agent with the Mets on Dec. 27, 2012.
On Saturday, Ex-Marlin John Buck had four RBI and New York used a three-run seventh inning to snap a tie and win, 7-3. David Wright finished 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored, while Collin Cowgill added a solo homer for the Mets, who halted a two-game slide.
Josh Edgin recorded the final out of the top of the seventh and Brandon Lyon (1-0) pitched the eighth to get the win.
Greg Dobbs totaled two hits and drove in two runs for the Marlins, who couldn't maintain momentum from a 7-5 win in Friday's series opener.
Ryan Webb (0-1) was charged with the defeat after giving up three runs (two earned) and two hits with two walks over 1 2/3 relief frames.
The Mets won 12 of 18 games against Miami last season - including seven of nine in New York.
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