Boxberger caught the eye of manager Kevin Cash in Tuesday's batting practice session, Bill Chastain of MLB.com reports. "You saw the depth on his changeup, which was great to see. The ball's coming out of his hand really well."

The former closer would already be ahead of the game if he escapes spring training with his health intact, considering an abdominal injury during last year's exhibition slate set the stage for a season that would see him pitch just 24.1 innings and lose his ninth-inning role to Alex Colome. Boxberger could reinvent himself as a dominant setup option this season, and will look to significantly improve on the career-high 4.81 ERA and 1.73 WHIP he generated in 2016.

More News