"The Marlins arrived in Phoenix with the fourth-best record in the National League. But they won't be getting contributions any time soon from their two marquee players.

Shortstop Hanley Ramirez wasn't in the lineup Monday because of lower back stiffness and tingling in his upper left leg.

And starting pitcher Josh Johnson's return from the disabled list won't come until the middle of next week at the earliest, meaning the team probably will call up a starter from the minors to pitch June 7.

The more immediate concern is Ramirez, who said he might get an MRI in the next day or two. He was pulled from Sunday's game in the second inning and said the back pain got so bad that he had to stand during most of the team's flight from Los Angeles to Phoenix.

"I feel it doing anything. I can't even put my shoes on. To get up from bed I have to take 10, 15 seconds. I have to do everything slow,' Ramirez said. "That's the worst pain I've ever had in my life, in my career.'

He said the back stiffness has bothered him "about a month" and now is affecting his upper left leg.

"I'm getting tingles in my leg. That's not a good sign,' he said. "That's what we're worried about right now, to get this thing out of my leg.'

Ramirez, a three-time All Star, has never been on the disabled list. He knows that's a possibility.

"I don't want to be (on the DL). We want to wait. If it doesn't get better, maybe we'll get an MRI,' he said.

Johnson, a two-time All Star, is eligible to come off the disabled list Wednesday. But he said that won't happen because he hasn't thrown off a mound yet.

"It doesn't hurt, but it doesn't feel great. I'll wait until it's 100 percent,' he said Monday.

"There's no point in try to air it out if it doesn't feel 100 percent. It's definitely getting better.'

Relief pitcher Brian Sanches started in Johnson's most recent start Saturday when the Marlins used five relievers to beat the Dodgers 6-1.

Manager Edwin Rodriguez said he prefers not to use another "bullpen start" June 7, when Johnson's next slot comes up."