Matt Lindstrom back soon?

Matt Lindstrom could return to the Marlins as early as the end of next week.  And just when you thought you could flush your high-blood pressure medicine down the toilet.  But take heart, he won't immediately be closing.

Marlins reliever Matt Lindstrom, on the disabled list since June 24 with a right elbow sprain, will pitch in a rehab assignment game for Class A Jupiter on Saturday.

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If all goes well, he could join the Marlins in early August, perhaps when the team heads to Washington for a three-game set beginning on Aug. 4.

"The final test will be when he goes back-to-back," manager Fredi Gonzalez said.

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When he's ready to return, it's not automatic that he will close. At least immediately, Gonzalez said on Friday that he's leaning towards easing Lindstrom back.

"We may ease him into it," Gonzalez said. "I think it's only fair for him and to the team."

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So the thinking is to get Lindstrom work in a setup role, the sixth, seventh or eighth innings. In the meantime, Leo Nunez remains the primary closer option, with Dan Meyer being a left-handed alternative.

In the time he has been gone, which covers 25-games to date, the only save the Marlins have blown was a technical one on July 1st when Pinto got a BS in the sixth inning.  The Marlins went on to beat Washington 5-3.

Just saying.