Bullpen Report: April 20, 2022

The 2022 version of Bullpen Report includes five different sections, as well as the closer chart, which can be found at the bottom of the page.

  1. Notable Workloads: Primary closers or valuable members of a closer committee who have been deemed unavailable or likely unavailable for the current day due to recent workload.
  2. Injury News 
  3. Outlier Saves: Explanation for a non-closer earning a save during the previous day.
  4. Committee Clarity: Notes on a closer committee that clarify a pitcher’s standing in the group.
  5. Losing A Grip: Struggling closers who could be on the hot seat.

The “RosterResource” link will take you to the corresponding team’s RosterResource depth chart, which will give you a better picture of the full bullpen and results of the previous six days (pitch count, save, hold, win, loss, blown save.)

Click HERE to view the full Closer Depth Chart.

Notable Workloads

Tanner Rainey, WSN: 22 pitches on Tuesday. | RosterResource

Kyle Finnegan pitched both ends of Tuesday’s double-header, leaving Sean Doolittle (9 pitches on Tuesday) and Steve Cishek (17 pitches on Tuesday) as the likeliest candidates for a save chance on Wednesday if Rainey isn’t available.

 

Injury News

•None

 

Outlier Saves

Trevor May, NYM | RosterResource

Edwin Díaz, Seth Lugo, and Adam Ottavino each pitched an inning in Game 1 of Tuesday’s double-header, leaving Drew Smith (scoreless 8th inning) and May (1-2-3 9th) to close out Game 2 and complete the sweep over the Giants. The 32-year-old May had allowed a run in each of his first two appearances of 2022 before pitching a scoreless inning over the weekend and now another to pick up his 12th career save.

Zach Jackson, OAK | RosterResource

Currently without closer Lou Trivino, who is on the COVID-19 IL,  the A’s turned to Dany Jiménez on Monday to close out a 5-1 win over the Orioles. He threw 24 pitches, meaning that he would likely be unavailable on Tuesday. So, with a 2-1 lead heading into the 9th, the A’s called on another rookie to close things out. Lefty Sam Moll, a 30-year-old journeyman, had an opportunity to finish the game if he could retire the side in order. But he allowed a one-out single before striking out Cedric Mullins and departing in favor of the 27-year-old Jackson, who had already pitched in five of the team’s first 11 games. He promptly struck out Anthony Santander on four pitches to pick up his 15th professional save (14 in the minors).

 

Committee Clarity

Garrett Whitlock, BOS | RosterResource

With only two days of rest following a 30-pitch appearance on Saturday, it wasn’t likely that the Red Sox would be counting on Whitlock for more than six outs again on Tuesday. But it was still surprising to see him used as a traditional closer, entering in the 9th inning to close out a 2-1 victory over the Blue Jays and pick up his first save of 2022. Next thing you know, he’ll be pitching back-to-back games and ready to be anointed as the Red Sox closer. We shouldn’t get ahead of ourselves, though, as the starting rotation lacks depth and Whitlock might still be needed there at some point. Hansel Robles also continues to be very good — he’s pitched five scoreless innings with only one hit allowed  —  and will continue to be in the mix for save chances.

Josh Staumont, KCR | RosterResource

In case anyone wasn’t convinced that Staumont was at least in a co-closer role with Scott Barlow after picking up his first save of the season on April 16, the Royals went with the same formula in their very next game, Tuesday’s 4-3 win over the Twins. As was the case on Saturday, Barlow picked up a hold after a scoreless outing and handed off the 9th inning lead to Staumont, who picked up his second save.

Staumont, who had been hyped as a future closer after an impressive 2020 season, picked up five saves last season in a span of 11 appearances from April 24 through May 19. But he didn’t get another save while Barlow appeared to take hold of the job by season’s end. So, maybe we shouldn’t read too much into Staumont’s back-to-back saves. Three in a row, however, and I’d pretty close to calling him the Royals’ closer.

Tyler Duffey, MIN | RosterResource

After trading Taylor Rogers the day before their season opener, the Twins had no obvious options for save chances, although Duffey had the most reliable track record and Jorge Alcala certainly has the ability to be a closer. Eleven games into the season, things haven’t become much clearer. The team has no saves. Alcala is on the Injured List and Duffey had the lone save chance, which he didn’t convert. He had a chance to hold a one-run lead in the 6th inning on Tuesday, but again gave up the lead for his second blown save and second loss.

Rookie Jhoan Duran looks the part, but he’s allowed a homer in back-to-back appearances and there is no indication how soon the Twins would hand over the job to him. In the meantime, Emilio Pagán has looked terrific in two of his three appearances and could be the team’s best option to either be a stopgap or a co-closer with Duran.

 

Losing A Grip

•None

 

Click HERE to view the full Closer Depth Chart.

 

Not Very Stable
Hot Seat
Committee
Bullpen Report — 4/20/2022





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Marty McFly
1 year ago

Would you dump Bender for Staumont if you were a Barlow owner who does not own Floro?

montrealmember
1 year ago
Reply to  Marty McFly

Not me. Bender is a better pitcher until Staumont can prove he has better control. Long term Staumont all the way but not short term.