With Hayden Wesneski likely closing in on the fifth spot in the rotation, according to Patrick Mooney of The Athletic, Assad will probably begin the season in the bullpen.
Assad has looked sharp this spring in limited work, but Wesneski has also turned heads, and the latter seems to have the inside track on a rotation spot. That will likely push Assad into a long-relief role, though he certainly could start at some point this year. The righty made his MLB debut last season and held his own across nine appearances (eight starts), registering a 3.11 ERA.