Could see early save chances Bass is an option to close for the Marlins at the beginning of the season with Dylan Floro delayed by a hip issue, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports. Impact Floro was expected to be the ninth-inning man for Miami to begin the season, but he has yet to appear in a Grapefruit League game while dealing with hip soreness. Of the remaining options for saves, Bass has the most experience, recording 12 saves for the Mariners and Blue Jays between 2019 and 2020, but Anthony Bender is viewed as having the best stuff, while Richard Bleier could also see work against left-handers at the end of games. "I think we're going to be more of a mix-and-match club," manager Don Mattingly said Friday. "We're not sitting here with Mariano [Rivera] or Kenley [Jansen] or these dudes that you say, 'This is my ninth-inning guy, he gets the ball every time.' That might develop like that, but right now, I don't think we're there." While Mattingly may talk in terms of a committee, his track record suggests he much prefers having one set closer, so if Bass or Bender have a quick start to the season in the role, they may well end up keeping it for awhile.
MARCH 27, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
