Bullpen Report: April 23, 2021

NEW FEATURE ALERT! We have added an upgraded version of RosterResource’s Closer Depth Chart to FanGraphs. Read more about it here.

We will always include a link to the full Closer Depth Chart at the bottom of the Bullpen Report each day. It’s also accessible from the RosterResource drop-down menu and from any RosterResource page. Please let us know what you think.

The 2021 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.)

Notable Workloads

•Stefan Crichton, ARI: Back-to-back days; 10 pitches on Thursday. | RosterResource

There aren’t many fresh arms in the Diamondbacks’ bullpen. If Crichton isn’t available on Friday, Yoan López and J.B. Bukauskas could be the most likely candidates for a save chance.

•Sean Doolittle, CIN: 30 pitches on Thursday; Lucas Sims, CIN: 26 pitches on Thursday. | RosterResource

Tejay Antone, Amir Garrett, and Jose De Leon are likely candidates for a save chance if Doolittle and Sims aren’t available on Friday.

•Gregory Soto, DET: Back-to-back days; 15 pitches on Thursday. | RosterResource

Bryan Garcia is a likely candidate for a save chance if Soto isn’t available on Friday.

•Edwin Díaz, NYM: 24 pitches on Thursday. | RosterResource

Trevor May is a likely candidate for a save chance if Diaz isn’t available on Friday.

•Richard Rodríguez, PIT: Back-to-back days; 15 pitches on Thursday. | RosterResource

Kyle Crick, Chris Stratton, and David Bednar are likely candidates for a save chance if Rodriguez isn’t available on Friday.

 

 

Injury News

•Stefan Crichton, ARI: Removed from Thursday’s game (hand). | RosterResource

Pitching with a six-run lead in the bottom of the tenth, Crichton recorded one out before allowing back-to-back singles, the second of which hit him in the palm of his pitching hand. He was removed from the game, although x-rays were negative.

The Diamondbacks said X-rays on Stefan Crichton's hand were negative. He exited the game after being struck by a comebacker in the 10th inning.

— Nick Piecoro (@nickpiecoro) April 22, 2021

 

Since Crichton might not have been available on Friday, anyways, after pitching back-to-back days, the Diamondbacks have a couple of days to evaluate him and decide if he’ll be ready to go again on Saturday.

Outlier Saves

•None

 

Committee Clarity

•Sean Doolittle and Lucas Sims, CIN | RosterResource

One day after it had become obvious that a struggling Amir Garrett probably needed to be removed from the closer’s situation, at least temporarily, Doolittle and Sims had their worst outings of the season.

Entering a 4-4 game versus the Diamondbacks with two men on base and nobody out in the seventh, Doolittle allowed a pair of singles and three walks before retiring the side with his team down by four runs. The Reds’ offense fought back, however, tying the game and sending it into extra innings.

After retiring the final two batters in the ninth, Sims took the mound in the top of the tenth. He allowed a leadoff RBI single to start the inning and then allowed another single and a walk to load the bases. He struck out the next batter before he was removed for Cionel Pérez, who allowed a bases-clearing triple and a homer to put the game out of reach.

While this isn’t likely to put Garrett back in the mix for save chances right away — it’s not clear either way, but he’s been shaky in every single appearance thus far — either Doolittle or Sims could’ve begun to separate themselves with a strong performance on Thursday. As things stand, both could be unavailable on Friday and someone like Antone or De Leon could get a chance to prove themselves in a high-leverage spot.

 

 

Losing A Grip

•None

 

Click HERE to view the full Closer Depth Chart.