The Miami Marlins bullpen must deliver when play resumes next week

Will a newly constructed bullpen be able to deliver for the Miami Marlins as they try to regroup after a work stoppage due to the spread of the Coronavirus?

We are not sure exactly which Miami Marlins will suit up when the team resumes play.

What we do know as Miami Marlins fans are that when the season starts up again, and players prepare to get back on the baseball field, the pitching staff will be called up to pick up where it left off.

Asking a young group of arms to once again heat up after starting training camp in February, stopping in the middle of March, starting again in July and being placed on temporary hold because of the spread of the virus isn’t the easiest of rides so far this calendar year.

Manager Don Mattingly made the decision to pitching prospects on the 30-man roster because over the course of 60 games, having better depth in the bullpen could mean the difference in staying home for the playoffs or using as many relievers as possible to get to the second season.

Alex Vesia, Jordan Holloway, and Nick Neidert may not have had an opportunity to take the hill if not for a shortened season in 2020. It may have been another year of preparing for this moment.

Mattingly and his coaching staff will also count on players the team signed this offseason in free agency – most notably Yimi Garcia, Stephen Tarpley, and Sterling Sharp.

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Both Vesia and Neidert got their first taste of MLB hitters before the team’s season was placed on hold again. The coaching staff will need more consistency from them and the remade bullpen. The front office also added more depth this week by claiming right-handed pitcher Mike Morin off waivers from the Brewers on Tuesday.

In moves made previously, the Miami Marlins signed right-hander Justin Shafer and lefty Josh D. Smith.

The Marlins are in a tough spot as their issues with COVID-19 have affected other teams in scheduling and how games may be made up prior to the end of the season.

“The extra relievers join the organization as all of the Marlins’ games through Sunday have been postponed,” Joe Frisaro explained. “Major League Baseball said it was allowing the Marlins time to focus on providing care for their players and planning their baseball operations for a resumption early next week.”