March 28, 2016
Philadelphia Phillies – A week after saying that Andrew Bailey had taken the lead in the Philadelphia closer race, Phillies skipper Pete Mackanin said that he needed “to see more out of him,” including better velocity and command. This comes in the wake of two rough outings for Bailey, and while he righted the ship with a clean inning on Sunday, there’s speculation that he could actually start the year in the minors to see if he can regain his form. Injuries have kept David Hernandez from pitching a lot this spring, but Dalier Hinojosa has thrown seven strong innings, allowing just two earned runs and a tidy 7/1 K/BB ratio. This situation is still wide open, with any of the three relievers a possibility to start the season in the 9th inning role.
Hierarchy remains: *Bailey | Hernandez | Hinojosa.
* = closer-by-committee
