PHILADELPHIA — As the Marlins try to put together one more push up the National League Wild Card standings, one of the most important members of their bullpen is a step closer to returning.
Right-handed reliever Anthony Bender, sidelined since the final week of June by a stress reaction in his right shin, will begin a rehab assignment on Tuesday night with Triple-A Jacksonville.
It's the next step for the 31-year-old vet after three successful bullpen sessions. He hit 95 mph with his fastball in the most recent bullpen session on Friday, just a tick below his season average of 96.4 mph.
This was the second straight season Bender dealt with a right leg injury. A year ago on Aug. 17, he made his final appearance of 2025 before missing the final six weeks with a right tibial stress reaction.
Last offseason, Bender visited a specialist who told him that he would continue to feel the discomfort depending on how much he pitched and how much stress went through the shin.
"I've been feeling it, been able to maintain it all season, and then been throwing a lot more, and it kind of just hit its threshold," Bender said on July 1. "So we're just going to give it a minute to calm down."
Bender is a vital piece of Miami's late-game bullpen mix, sometimes as a setup man, and sometimes as the bridge to the setup man. Of his 35 appearances this season, four have come in the ninth inning with 11 in the eighth, five in the seventh and nine in the sixth. He's also recorded more than three outs nine times.
He was at his most effective before the injury this summer, with 23 scoreless outings among 26 appearances since April 20.
Nardi done for 2026
The news on left-handed reliever Andrew Nardi was not nearly as positive. Nardi elected to undergo left elbow surgery, which will be performed by Dr. Keith Meister. A date has not yet been scheduled.
Nardi had been shelved since mid-April with a left rib injury. He experienced elbow discomfort earlier this month during a throwing program while attempting to return.
The lefty has missed ample time the last three seasons because of a left elbow muscle injury in 2024 and recurring back problems that cost him all of 2025.
"It was a difficult [situation] because we know how hard it was last year, how much he went through and how difficult it was for him to get back," manager Clayton McCullough said. "Even early in Spring Training, it wasn't a given that Nard was going to break camp with us, some things still were going to have to go right. He trended so well and put in so much work. He was going to be a really important part of our group.
"Unfortunate for him to go down, and then as he starts ramping back up, feel the forearm. I feel for Andrew. He's going to be looking at a lengthy time away. It's tough to miss that much time. You get away from your teammates and the chance to compete again. I'd love for him to be here with us right now with a chance to pitch in meaningful games."
If healthy, he might have helped in this week's three-game series in Philadelphia. Phillies lefties Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber and Brandon Marsh are a combined 0-for-6 with five strikeouts against him.