MIAMI -- At the time MLB cancelled the remainder of Spring Training and delayed the start of the regular season due to the coronavirus, the Marlins already had a pretty good idea of how their 26-man Opening Day roster would look.
According to manager Don Mattingly, about “three or four” positions were still up for grabs. Now it is unclear how many players will be on the active roster or when MLB teams will be back on the field.
Mattingly addressed the topics on Monday as a guest on Sev & Geff Live, which aired at noon ET via social medium platforms.
“Even though there were still some decisions to be made, I think we have a pretty good feel for our club,” Mattingly said. “We were probably down to the last three or four guys. That 26-man really gives you a different perspective on how you set up your roster.”
Sev & Geff Live is hosted by Fox Sports Florida Marlins play-by-play announcer Paul Severino and Marlins Radio announcer Glenn Geffner. The interview with Mattingly can be accessed off their @SevGeffLive Twitter account.
“Obviously, the questions of roster management come up at the end of camp,” Mattingly said. “If you take this guy, you have a chance you’re going to lose another guy on your roster somewhere in there. And our roster is getting tough to manage.”
The interview was Mattingly’s first since MLB put the sport on hold on March 12.
The shutdown occurred exactly two weeks before Opening Day, and Mattingly is currently at his home in Evansville, Ind., where he is keeping in touch with team and MLB officials, as well as his coaching and training/medical staffs and players.
The Marlins had been enjoying a competitive camp, with plenty of intense battles for roster spots.
After two consecutive last-place seasons, Miami's Spring Training was upbeat as a wave of top prospects pushed veterans and showed they are close to reaching the big leagues.
Mattingly noted that he has no indication when the Marlins will be back on the field, but he did say he has been in touch with MLB executive Chris Young, the former big league pitcher, regarding possible logistics to get the players back in game shape for whenever the season starts.
“I talked just briefly with Chris Young from MLB,” Mattingly said. “He had questions about what we would need if we would come back. All kinds of hypotheticals. It’s hard to give answers when you don’t know what timeframe we’re talking about.”
To stay ready for if and when players are called back into camp, Mattingly has discussed what that might look like with bench coach James Rowson, infield coach Trey Hillman and outfield coach Billy Hatcher.
Additionally, Mattingly texts the players regularly, including on Sunday to wish them Happy Easter.
“We don’t know a timeframe [to return], so we’re all really floating out here, not knowing what’s going to happen next,” Mattingly said.
What is clear is the Marlins will have some tough roster decisions ahead, as they eventually put together an active roster without risking losing players on the 40-man roster.
That’s an issue president of baseball operations Michael Hill and the front office discuss with Mattingly and his staff.
“Mike Hill is going to have his hands full moving forward, because we’re going to be one of those teams with a stacked system,” Mattingly said. “Guys are pushing to get to the big leagues. You can only protect so many. Teams are going to be kind of cherry picking our roster in the next couple of years. We’re going to be losing some good players, that’s for sure.”