Despite injuries, Bendix, Schumaker confident in internal candidates

JUPITER, FL—It's been a turbulent spring for the Marlins health-wise. With their star pitcher Sandy Alcantara (Tommy John surgery) already down for the season, multiple dominoes have fallen in line, most recently Eury Perez, who will begin the season on the injured list due to elbow inflammation. Though the Marlins have avoided any other major disparagements this spring, they will need to get creative to start the season. That said, president of baseball operations Peter Bendix is remaining confident in how his first Marlins' Opening Day roster is shaping up.

"I feel really good about the team right now," Bendix said on Friday afternoon. "Probably even more than I would have guessed coming into spring. Some guys are making really positive impressions."

To start the season, the Marlins announced that their rotation will be built up of Jesús Luzardo, converted reliever A.J. Puk, Ryan Weathers and Trevor Rogers. The fifth starter is yet to be determined. Bendix stated that, while he never rules out the possibility of going outside of the organization for help, internal options are present of mind.

"There's always consideration for that," Bendix said. "But we have so many good arms in house here that we really want to give them an opportunity if it's available."

If the Marlins continue to stay in house, their pitching depth will be tested early this season. Internal candidates to join the Marlins on Opening Day include multiple pitchers that likely would have started the season with Triple-A Jacksonville. Still, Bendix remains satisfied with the amount of depth the Marlins organization holds if they have to draw even more from that well.

"You can never have too much pitching and I think we're going to test that. But I do feel really good about the arms that we have really, even all the way down through the Jacksonville rotation and bullpen," Bendix said. "A lot of different types of pitchers at different points in their careers, but guys that, if they have to come up for a day, a week, a month, I feel really good about."

Throughout the course of the spring, both Bendix and manager Skip Schumaker have stated their desire for as many players as possible to force their hand and make final roster decisions tough. Bendix stated that, even with some roster spots opening due to injuries, the club will still have to have difficult conversations.

"The easy decisions, it usually means something went wrong," Bendix said. "The tough decisions mean that there are players that had really good springs. There's players that are making it very difficult on you, which in the moment makes it tough on the decision, but ultimately is a really good thing for the organization."

Schumaker reiterated Bendix's sentiments, stating that tough conversations will need to be had soon, but that he has been pleased with the way players competed during camp.

"I'm not looking forward to a couple of these; I'll be honest with you. But this is what you want. I've been part of them as a player where you are a bubble guy because you've made the situation difficult on the manager," Schumaker said. "After you tell them they did not make the team, they're going to hear white noise and it doesn't matter what you tell them after that."

One of those tough conversations was undoubtedly held on Friday with Dane Myers who was optioned to Jacksonville. Myers had hit .412 in 34 spring ABs, including three home runs. His excellent Grapefruit League production could not change the reality that all of the Marlins' veteran outfielders made it through camp healthy and he has two minor league options left.

Despite the need to make some tough calls, Schumaker emphasized that there will be plenty of roster turnover over the course of the long season.

"They're going to help at some point this year. We didn't have 26 guys last year; we had to use the 40-man and then some. So they're going to be huge helps."

Miami begins their 2024 season against Pittsburgh this coming Thursday at loanDepot park.