For years, the Marlins always had a lefty specialist, someone they could always bring in to face the Ryan Howards, Freddie Freemans and Bryce Harpers of the National League East.
They have no such southpaw now.
With long-time lefty reliever Mike Dunn leaving via free agency, the Marlins are counting on their late-inning right-handers to handle the formidable task.
It’s one of the reasons they spent some of their offseason dollars on Junichi Tazawa, who has enjoyed about the same success against left-handed hitters as he has against right-handers.