CHICAGO -- It hasn’t been a week since Carlos Marmol was pulled from his closer role, but manager Dale Sveum suggested Monday that the right-hander could get the job back, at least temporarily.

With new closer Rafael Dolis used for two innings on Sunday, as well as pitching in four of the last five games, Sveum was giving his right-hander a much-deserved night off.

With four left-handed hitters in the Braves’ lineup, Sveum could go with left-hander James Russell at closer if necessary. But there is always Marmol.


Just to be sure, Sveum was asked if he might go back to his former closer in the ninth inning.

“There’s a chance of it, yeah,” Sveum said of Marmol. “We’ll see where we are with the lineup and everything. They have such a diverse lineup with so many left-handed hitters and quality guys. We’ll have to see what happens.”

With left-handed hitters Freddie Freeman and Brian McCann batting back-to-back out of the Nos. 3 and 4 spots, it’s possible that if the duo bats in the eighth inning, Russell will have to be used there instead of in the ninth.

“Without Dolis in there we’ll mix and match and see what innings we have to use guys to get out of it,” Sveum said.