Rays manager Kevin Cash reiterated that he won't name a closer for now, and will take a closer-by committee approach to start the season, per the Tampa Tribune on Wednesday.
"We're not going to name a closer," Cash said. "There's going to be guys that we'll lean on to pitch in those (high) leverage situations. It just doesn't make sense to me to come out and name a closer when the game can be on the line in the seventh and eighth inning."
Brad Boxberger, who saved two games last season, was deemed as the favorite by Cash earlier this spring to see the ball in the ninth while Jake McGee is sidelined with an elbow injury. Grant Balfour and Ernesto Frieri have combined for 152 out of 164 career saves on Tampa Bay's active roster.
Cash indicated that he will revisit his closer approach once McGee returns from injury.
"We'll revisit it," Cash said, "but it's too early to tell."