Chicago White Sox pitcher Evan Marshall. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
The Chicago White Sox answered the question about who would close games for them in 2021 when they signed Liam Hendriks, the top free-agent closer on the market this season, to replace another free agent, Alex Colome.
But baseball in the 21st century means more than just starters and closers. With pitch counts being tightly monitored and workloads being a constant concern for the guys in the rotation, the bridge guys in the bullpen — those valuable, but often overlooked, setup men who get the ball from the starter to the closer — are extremely valuable.