Ronny

Henriquez

Henríquez underwent internal brace surgery in December and is slated to miss the 2026 season, though he should be ready to go in 2027. He looked like a potential closer last season, amassing a 2.25 ERA with a 98/27 K/BB in 73 innings.

The deal, which was agreed to earlier this week, is now official after the 32-year-old right-hander passed his physical. The contract includes a $1 million signing bonus and Fairbanks will have the potential to pick up an additional $1 million in incentives. He’ll step in as the Marlins primary closer — in place of an injured Ronny Henriquez and over incumbent Calvin Faucher — after recording 75 saves for the Rays over the past three seasons.

That’s a bummer. Henriquez looked like a legitimate closing candidate during a breakthrough 2025, and while we figured the Marlins would acquire a true closer this winter, that they’ve missed out so far had Henriquez shaping up as quite the sleeper. That’s obviously off the table now, so it really is a must that they bring in a couple of quality relief arms. Calvin Faucher is probably the team’s favorite for saves at the moment.

Henriquez was called on to protect a three-run lead with two runners on and two outs in the eighth inning. After recording the final out, he returned for the ninth and gave up two runs on three hits and an error before holding on to secure the win with his seventh save of the season.

Bender will be away from the club for the next couple days on paternity leave. The 30-year-old righty has locked down three saves this season to go along with a sparkling 2.30 ERA across 47 innings (48 appearances). It’ll continue to be Ronny Hendriquez and Calvin Faucher splitting the closing duties for Miami.

Faucher is again the Marlins’ top choice in the ninth; he’s earned three of the team’s last four saves, with Tyler Phillips recording the other. Ronny Henriquez, who seemed to have the job one a month ago, has earned just one save since July 3. Henriquez and Phillips both pitched perfect innings to set Faucher up today.

Faucher made quick work of the bottom of the Cardinals’ lineup here after Ronny Henriquez came in with a runner on base in the eighth inning and walked Alec Burleson before striking out Willson Contreras and Nolan Arenado to end the threat. Henriquez may be considered the more high leverage reliever in this pen, and Faucher is the Marlins’ only reliever to save multiple games since the All-Star break. Henriquez, Anthony Bender, and Tyler Phillips each have one save. This is clearly a closer by committee situation.

The Padres opened the inning with a walk and two doubles to trim the Marlins’ lead from three runs to one, but Henriquez recovered from there, retiring Jake Cronenworth, Jose Iglesias and Trenton Brooks to finish the inning. It’s not the first nor the last loss the Padres will take after deciding they only needed to field two-thirds of a lineup this season. This makes back-to-back shaky outings from Henriquez, but he should still be the Marlins’ closer for now. After all, the primary healthy fallback, Anthony Bender, is a near lock to be traded.

Henríquez has been the Marlins’ primary closer of late, but the Marlins had him come in with a 1-0 lead in the eighth today and watched him give up a solo homer to Salvador Perez. Fortunately, they came back with two in the bottom of the inning, and since Bender closed it out, Henríquez picked up his sixth win. Henríquez still seems like the pitcher worth rostering in the Marlins pen. Bender is about as much of a lock as anyone to be traded at the deadline.

Bender got the call to record the final out of the ninth inning with the Marlins holding a four-run lead and the potential tying run standing in the on-deck circle. It looks like Ronny Henriquez will be the primary closer for Miami until further notice, but it wouldn’t be surprising for Bender to vulture the occasional save chance in the second half.