Marlins expect open competition for closer role

Though A.J. Ramos thrived in a ninth-inning role for the Miami Marlins in 2015, president of baseball operations Michael Hill said he expects an open competition for the closer's job this spring, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.

Despite not recording a save through his first three seasons in the major leagues, Ramos looked decidedly comfortable after supplanting Steve Cishek as Miami's closer in May. The 29-year-old right-hander notched 32 saves with a 2.70 ERA and 1.07 WHIP after replacing Cishek, allowing just six home runs while notching 66 strikeouts over his final 55 appearances.

Still, the Marlins seem prepared to let Carter Capps compete for save opportunities after watching the 25-year-old navigate a historically excellent 2015 campaign. Capps, known for his unusual delivery, crafted a 1.16 ERA with a 0.81 WHIP over 30 appearances last year, posting a 8.29 strikeout-to-walk ratio while becoming just the third reliever in history to fan more than 49 percent of opposing hitters in a single season (min. 30 IP).

Irrespective of who ends up handling the ninth inning, Capps and Ramos are poised to form one of the more intimidating setup man-closer combinations in the National League, with the pair projected to earn 2.7 wins above replacement and a combined 2.93 ERA in 2016.

2016 Steamer Projections