‘Our responsibility is to be ready’: Marlins players hold group workout amid MLB lockout
They convened in Palm Beach Gardens, a group of Miami Marlins players getting ready for an uncertain start date to their 2022 season.
And they came with a message.
“We’re getting ready,” shortstop Miguel Rojas said on an Instagram Live recording. “We’re getting prepared. We’re negotiating something, but at the same time we’re working together to be ready to give you guys a good product and put a good product on the field.”
MLB players on 40-man rosters are at a standstill right now. They are locked out by the league until a the league and the players association come to terms on a new collective bargaining agreement. They can’t use team facilities or be in contact with anyone from their parent club.
Spring training, set to start next week for pitchers and catchers, is all but guaranteed to be delayed. Opening Day, set for March 31, can be in jeopardy too if a deal isn’t agreed upon in the next couple weeks considering players most likely need at least four weeks to get ready.
Marlins players aren’t taking the risk of being unprepared.
So the players who have been working out in South Florida decided to get together and hold the first of what Rojas says will be several informal workouts until a new CBA is ratified.
Rojas, the Marlins’ player representative for the MLBPA and the team’s unofficial team captain, posted highlights of Thursday’s workout session on his Instagram story, giving fans insight to the process.
Fifteen players on the Marlins’ 40-man roster were spotted or identified by Rojas on the video as being in attendance.
The group: Pitchers Sandy Alcantara, Anthony Bender, Richard Bleier, Paul Campbell, Daniel Castano, Braxton Garrett, Sean Guenther, Jordan Holloway, Jesus Luzardo and Cody Poteet; catcher Nick Fortes; first basemen Garrett Cooper and Lewin Diaz; middle infielders Jazz Chisholm Jr., Isan Diaz and Rojas; and utility infielder Jon Berti.
Minor-leaguer Deven Marrero and former Marlin/current free agent outfielder Lewis Brinson were also there Thursday.
Luzardo, Bender, Guenther, Holloway and Alcantara threw live batting practice to the hitters — “This is our first time facing live pitching in a long time,” Rojas said on an Instagram Live video. Fortes caught each of the pitchers.
Bender has begun throwing a changeup which Rojas said made him “look like an idiot” in the batter’s box. Luzardo and Guenther were already hitting the upper-90s with their fastballs.
“Our responsibility is to be ready [for the season] whenever that is,” Rojas said. “After that, anything can happen.”
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