The Florida Marlins are going with 13 pitchers for at least two series and then may make a change .
The Marlins will carry 13 pitchers and four bench players. But that won't last long. "We'll see how long were going to carry 13," manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "I would like to carry them maybe through the Phillies series (which ends Sunday).
What will determine whether the Marlins add a position player is how deep in the game the starters go. If the bullpen is having to do extended duty, the Marlins will probably, and should, keep 13 pitchers for the entire road trip.
While only having four bench players, and let's be honest, it's three. There is no way the backup catcher for that day is going to play unless the starting catcher gets hurt. As it stands right now, Jacobs is the emergency catcher and the last thing the Fish will do is make him strap on the gear and get down in the crouch when he is coming off a quad injury.
Yeah, it means Hendrickson gets to pinch hit or Olsen becomes a pinch runner, but so be it. The Marlins did it earlier in the year and Fredi did a good job of working around a short bench. And anyway, it's not like the fill-in pitchers will do something stupid such as sliding into second base head first and risking injury, or at least I hope they don't.
Once again, it's not the ideal situation but it can be dealt with.