Marlins use 10 pitchers in loss to Mets in 12 

MIAMI -- The Marlins’ brain trust already was in the office when manager Don Mattingly returned following Friday night’s 6-5, 12-inning loss to the Mets at loanDepot park, where all 10 relievers were used, and the backup catcher was warming in the bullpen. With that type of workload, Miami anticipates making roster moves ahead of Saturday’s 4:10 p.m. ET first pitch.

“You’ve got to protect certain guys and we will have some guys available, but we'll have a number of guys that would not be available tomorrow, so we'll have to work through that,” Mattingly said.

All season, the Marlins have been manipulating off-days and moving around parts to fill out their rotation with Elieser Hernandez and Sixto Sánchez sidelined. The former is scheduled for his second rehab start on Sunday and could rejoin the club by the end of the month. As a result, the Marlins’ bullpen has thrown the ninth most innings (166) in the Majors.

But Friday marked the first time Miami found itself in this predicament. A scheduled bullpen game turned into a less-than-ideal situation when right-hander Jordan Holloway experienced right groin soreness. Holloway, who had started the last two turns in the rotation, was expected to go three or four frames after having thrown 74 pitches last Saturday. After Holloway’s scoreless second, Ross Detwiler replaced him on the mound in the third and later collected his first hit since 2013 in the bottom half of the frame, because the club is fielding a four-player bench.

“They were trying to get it loosened up and see if he was going to be able to go back out. That didn't happen,” Mattingly said of Holloway. “I don't think he did anything major or major damage where he ripped the thing apart or something. I think it was just tightening up and it wasn't loosening up. For a pitcher, that's probably one of the injuries you see over the years you just can't pitch with.”

Below is a breakdown of each pitcher, as the Marlins must decide what to do next:

First inning: John Curtiss
Usage: 17 pitches
Last pitched: Tuesday

Second inning: Jordan Holloway
Usage: 18 pitches
Last pitched: Saturday

Third inning: Ross Detwiler
Usage: Six pitches
Last pitched: Thursday

Fourth inning: Zach Pop
Usage: 21 pitches
Last pitched: Thursday
Status: Rule 5 Draft pick, so he can’t be optioned

Fifth inning: Richard Bleier
Usage: Seven pitches
Last pitched: Tuesday

Sixth-seventh innings: Anthony Bender
Usage: 21 pitches
Last pitched: Tuesday

Eighth inning: Anthony Bass
Usage: Nine pitches
Last pitched: Tuesday

Ninth inning: Yimi García
Usage: 18 pitches
Last pitched: Wednesday

10th inning: Dylan Floro
Usage: 19 pitches
Last pitched: Tuesday

11-12th innings: Adam Cimber
Usage: 30 pitches
Last pitched: Thursday

Cimber, Miami’s 10th pitcher of the game and final remaining reliever, permitted three runs on three hits in his second frame of work as the Mets spoiled the debut of the Marlins’ City Connect Series uniform. He nearly won the game at the plate in the 11th, but his inning-ending liner (.520 xBA) was caught in right field. This marked the second most pitchers used in franchise history (11 -- Sept. 27, 2019), with the club turning to a different arm in each of the first six frames.

It came at an inopportune time, as the homestand opener marked Miami’s fourth game during a stretch of 13 straight days in action. The club also didn’t arrive in South Florida until 4 a.m. upon the completion of its second straight three-city, 10-game trip. Cody Poteet, Sunday’s scheduled starter, had thrown a bullpen session earlier in the day and was unavailable.

“Losing Holly early, a guy we kind of counted on to add a number of innings in his bag, really sets off the dominoes to start falling,” Mattingly said. “Trying to get through the game, stay in the game.”