DENVER — The Miami Marlins placed high-leverage reliever Anthony Bender on the 15-day injured list with a right shin stress reaction Tuesday afternoon, losing one of baseball’s most dominant late-inning arms just as the All-Star break approaches.
Bender, who has posted a 2.62 ERA and a 0.961 WHIP across 35 outings this season with eight holds and two saves, said he expects to return when Miami opens the second half July 17 in Milwaukee. Since April 20, the right-hander has been nearly untouchable — allowing just three runs over 26 2/3 innings (1.01 ERA) spanning 26 appearances.
“I’ve been feeling it, been able to maintain it all season, and then been throwing a lot more, and it kind of just hit its threshold,” Bender said. “So we’re just going to give it a minute to calm down. A 15-day IL stint goes pretty much right into the All-Star break, and the plan is to be back hopefully right at the end of the break.”
The injury is the second straight season a right leg problem has sidelined Bender, who didn’t pitch after Aug. 17, 2025, due to a right tibial stress reaction. A specialist told him over the offseason that he would continue to feel discomfort depending on his workload and the stress going through the shin. Bender last pitched Saturday in St. Louis, tossing 1 1/3 scoreless frames.
“There’s no way to sugarcoat: Anthony’s been terrific,” manager Clayton McCullough said. “He has been one of our best relievers. He’s probably one of the best relievers in baseball for the last six weeks or so. So, it’s not about trying to replace what Anthony’s done, but we have — we feel like — a lot of good pitchers that can go get outs whenever they’re called upon.”
With Bender sidelined, the Marlins will lean on other arms to bridge the gap to closer Pete Fairbanks. Right-hander Michael Petersen carries a team-high 13 holds, while Calvin Faucher has added nine holds in a setup role this season.
Miami opens its second-half schedule July 17 in Milwaukee, the target date for Bender’s return to the bullpen.