Their arms didn’t fall off. Not literally.
But for a bullpen that was called on frequently to make up for the repeated shortcomings of the Marlins’ starting pitchers in 2017, it must have felt as though they would.
Last season, Marlins relievers logged 612 innings, the second-highest total by any bullpen in major-league history.
“It was challenging, for sure,” said Marlins veteran reliever Brad Ziegler.
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The absence of Jose Fernandez, a league-wide philosophical shift toward greater bullpen usage and an overall lack of staying power by the starting staff added up to the most demanding season in team history for Marlins relievers.