PHILADELPHIA — Juan Pierre reached a milestone on Thursday night. On Friday, the veteran left fielder will be looking to do his part in helping the Marlins snap a two-game slide.

In Thursday’s 7-2 loss to the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park, Pierre swiped third base in the first inning. It was career stolen base No. 600 for Pierre.

The 35-year-old is just the 14th player in MLB history to reach 600 stolen bases. He’s also on another exclusive list. He is one of 12 players ever to have at least 2,000 hits and 600 bases.

600 stolen bases; 2000 hits

1) Ricky Henderson 1,406, 3,055
2) Lou Brock 938, 3,023
3) Ty Cobb 892, 4,191
4) Tim Raines 808, 2,605
5) Eddie Collins 744, 3,314
6) Max Carey 738, 2,665
7) Joe Morgan 689, 2,517
8) Willie Wilson 668, 2,207
9) Bert Campaneris 649, 2,249
10) Honus Wagner 639, 2,970
11) Kenny Lofton 622, 2,428
12) Juan Pierre 600, 2,163

MARLINS lineup

1) Pierre, LF
2) Solano, 2B
3) Polanco, 3B
4) Dobbs, 1B
5) Ruggiano, CF
6) Ozuna, RF
7) Brantly, C
8) Hechavarria, SS
9) Nolasco, P

– Joe Frisaro

PHILADELPHIA — Henderson Alvarez’s road to recovery has stalled.

The right-hander, who had been facing hitters recently, has been shut down due to discomfort in his right shoulder. Alvarez opened the season on the disabled list with right shouler inflammation.

The Marlins were initially hopeful that Alvarez was close to pitching in rehab assignment games. Now, he is on no-throw status for a few days before he will be re-evaluated.

News of Alvarez’s injury comes on the day shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria was reinstated from the disabled list.

In other injury-related news, catcher Jeff Mathis, who broke his right collarbone early in Spring Training, is beginning rehab assignment games with Class A Juptier.

– Joe Frisaro

PHILADELPHIA — The Marlins on Thursday reinstated shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria from the 15-day disabled list, and selected the contract of Matt Diaz.

Hechavarria returns to the lineup after being out with a bruised right elbow. Diaz was at Triple-A New Orleans, and the veteran will provided a right-handed bat off the bench.

To make roster room, infielder Nick Green was designated for assignment, and lefty Brad Hand was optioned to New Orleans.

Hechavarria returned to lineup on the first day he was eligible to come off the DL.

Diaz, a career outfielder, has been learning first base. He is an option to start at first base against left-handed pitching.

– Joe Frisaro

MIAMI — Marlins shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria is eligible to come off the disabled list on Thursday, and chances are he will be reinstated.

The 24-year-old went on the DL on April 18 with a right elbow contusion. What the team is waiting for is to see how he performs on Wednesday night in a rehab assignment game for Class A Jupiter.

Barring a setback, he will be brought to Philadelphia, and the Marlins will designate Nick Green for assignment.

“It’s disappointing,” Green said. “Everybody wants to be in the big leagues and you got to try to do the best you can when you get a chance. That’s all I could do.”

Green has been playing well for the Marlins. In Monday’s 4-3 win over the Mets in 15 innings, he delivered the game-tying sacrifice fly in the ninth inning, and the walk-off sacrifice fly in the 15th inning.

In Wednesday’s 7-6 loss to the Mets, Green added two doubles.

The Marlins also are expected to option left-hander Brad Hand to Triple-A New Orleans.

A candidate to have his contract selected is Matt Diaz, who is playing first base at New Orleans. If Diaz gets the nod, he offers a right-handed hitting first base alternative. He can also play left field.

Also on Wednesday, catcher Rob Brantly sustained a cut on his right index finger, which is why he didn’t start. Brantly should be ready in a day or two.

– Joe Frisaro

MIAMI — One more stolen base and Juan Pierre will join some elite company.

The 35-year-old is on the verge of becoming just the 14th player in MLB history to steal at least 600 bases.

Pierre has a chance to reach the milestone on Wednesday afternoon when the Marlins face the Mets at Marlins Park.

“I can’t believe it,” Pierre said of No. 600. “If you said I was to steal one base in the big leagues, I would have said, ‘You’re crazy.’ I never take it for granted. I’m grateful for every one of them.”

Pierre entered Wednesday with eight steals this season, which tops the National League. The speedster also is tied for the second most in Majors, trailing only Boston’s Jacoby Ellsbury, who has 11.

When Pierre swiped No. 500, he was awarded the base. He is hopeful to get the bag for 600.

MLB All-Time stolen base leaders

1) Rickey Henderson 1,406
2) Lou Brock 938
3) Ty Cobb 892
4) Tim Raines 808
5) Vince Coleman 752
6) Eddie Collins 744
7) Max Carey 738
8) Joe Morgan 689
9) Willie Wilson 668
10) Bert Campaneris 649
11) Honus Wagner 639
12) Kenny Lofton 622
13) Otis Nixon 620
14) Juan Pierre 599

– Joe Frisaro

MIAMI — An MRI taken on Tuesday revealed Giancarlo Stanton has a Grade 2 right hamstring strain that likely will keep the Marlins’ slugger out for more than his 15-day disabled list stint.

The Marlins are not setting a time line for Stanton’s return, but best case scenario would be three to four weeks.

“Time-frame wise, we don’t know,” manager Mike Redmond said. “He’s not going to do anything for about three days, and then he will start moving around and see how it is.”

Stanton sustained the injury in the 10th inning in Monday’s 4-3 win over the Mets in a game that lasted 15 innings.

While batting, Stanton tapped a grounder in front of the plate. Sprinting all-out in a tie game at the time, the 23-year-old pulled up as he crossed first base. He reached for his hamstring and stumbled to the ground.

After the 5-hour, 31-minute game, the Marlins announced Stanton was heading to the disabled list.

– Joe Frisaro

MIAMI — Overlooked in the Marlins’ 4-3 win over the Mets in 15 innings on Monday night was the fact Miami pitchers combined for 16 strikeouts.

Seven different pitchers combined to reach the plateau.

Only 13 times in club history have the Marlins recorded as many as 16 strikeouts in a game. The team record is 22, set on July 6, 2005 against the Brewers in 12 innings.

Monday’s marathon lasted 5-hours, 31-minutes.

On Tuesday, the Marlins send Kevin Slowey to the mound in hopes of winning their first series of the season. Miami has won two straight for the first time this year.

Tuesday marks the MLB debut of outfield prospect Marcell Ozuna, called up from Double-A Jacksonville to fill the roster spot of Giancarlo Stanton, who is on the disabled list with a strained right hamstring.

MARLINS TOP STRIKEOUT GAMES

7/6/05 vs. Milwaukee 22 (12 innings)
8/20/99 vs. Houston 21 (16)
8/28/07 vs. Atlanta 19 (11)
7/21/02 vs. Montreal 17 (9)
9/12/07 vs. Washington 17 (12)
5/6/11 vs. Washington 17 (10)
7/18/95 vs. San Francisco 16 (14)
6/8/98 vs. Toronto 16 (17)
8/1/07 vs. Colorado 16 (9)
9/22/09 vs. Philadelphia 16 (9)
9/30/09 vs. Atlanta 16 (9)
4/30/10 vs. Washington 16 (9)
4/29/13 vs. New York Mets 16 (15)

Marlins lineup

1) Pierre, LF
2) Solano, 2B
3) Polanco, 3B
4) Dobbs, 1B
5) Ruggiano, CF
6) Ozuna, RF
7) Olivo, C
8) Green, SS
9) Slowey, P

– Joe Frisaro

MIAMI — The Marlins have dropped the first two of their four-game series with the Cubs.

On Saturday night, Miami sends Alex Sanabia to the mound against Chicago lefty Travis Wood.

The Marlins are hitting .231 on the season vs. left-handed pitching.

Miami went a mostly right-handed hitting lineup.

MARLINS

1) Solano, 2B
2) Polanco, 3B
3) Stanton, RF
4) Kearns, LF
5) Ruggiano, CF
6) Mahoney, 1B
7) Olivo, C
8) Valaika, SS
9) Sanabia, P

– Joe Frisaro

MIAMI — After a disappointing 4-3 loss to the Cubs on Thursday night, the Marlins look to even the four-game series on Friday at Marlins Park.

Wade LeBlanc (0-3, 6.27) seeks his first victory. The Cubs counter with right-hander Scott Feldman (0-3, 4.50).

Miami has struggled all month scoring runs. In fact, they have 57 total runs in 22 games. The fewest amount of runs the club has scored in April ever is 73, turned in a year ago.

CUBS

1) Sappelt, CF
2) Castro, SS
3) Rizzo, 1B
4) Soriano, LF
5) Castillo, C
6) Hairston, RF
7) Ransom, 3B
8) Barney, 2B
9) Feldman, P

MARLINS

1) Pierre, LF
2) Polanco, 3B
3) Stanton, RF
4) Mahoney, 1B
5) Solano, 2B
6) Brantly, C
7) Coghlan, CF
8) Valaika, SS
9) LeBlanc, P

– Joe Frisaro

MIAMI — Adeiny Hechavarra could be a back in the lineup as early as a week.

The Marlins shortstop, placed on the 15-day disabled list on April 18 with a bruised right elbow, did some light infield work on Thursday.

“Hech, he’s going to take some ground balls and make some throws,” manager Mike Redmond said. “The plan is for him to play some games [in Jupiter].”

The club is hopeful that Hechavarria will be reinstated on May 2 at Philadelphia, the first day he is eligible to be reinstated.

“If everything goes well, we’re shooting for him to come off that day,” Redmond said.

Hechavarria fielded grounders and did some light throwing. He is a day or so away from hitting.

Henderson Alvarez, who opened the season on the DL with right shoulder inflammation, is throwing a 45-pitch simulated game on Saturday. The plan is throw him in games on May 2.

Nathan Eovaldi, also out all year with right shoulder inflammation, has started his long-toss progression. He was recently placed on the 60-day disabled list, so he won’t be available until mid-June, at the earliest.

First baseman Casey Kotchman, on the DL since Apirl 5 with a strained left hamstring, is still at least a few weeks away.

Catcher Jeff Mathis, broken right collarbone, could be playing in rehab assignment games as early as May 1.

First baseman Logan Morrison, right knee, could be playing in rehab assignment games on May 10.

– Joe Frisaro