Bullpen Report: April 29, 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

•None

 

Injury News

•None

 

Outlier Saves

•Taylor Clarke, KCR | RosterResource

The 28-year-old Clarke, who was signed to a major league deal this past offseason after being non-tendered by the Diamondbacks, has quietly worked his way into the mix for some high-leverage innings. On Thursday, he was the next man up after the Royals took a 5-2 lead over the White Sox in the top of the 10th inning.

The team’s co-closers, Scott Barlow and Josh Staumont, had already pitched during the previous two innings. But Clarke getting the save chance ahead of Amir Garrett and Dylan Coleman, neither of whom had pitched since Sunday, could be an indication that he’s quickly moving up the bullpen hierarchy. And he showed exactly why that could be the case after he struck out the first two batters on seven pitches, then retired AJ Pollock on a groundout to close out the win and pick up his second career save.

•Cole Sulser, MIA | RosterResource

Anthony Bender was likely unavailable after picking up saves the previous two days and it’s no surprise that Sulser got the save chance on Thursday. He was impressive, striking out Josh Bell with two outs and two runners on in the eighth inning to preserve a 3-2 lead and then closing out the game with a scoreless ninth inning.

Considering how good Sulser was in 2021 (2.70 ERA, 8 Sv, 6 Holds) and has continued to be in his first season with the Marlins (8.2 IP, ER, 1 Sv, 4 Holds), it’s a bit perplexing that he hasn’t been given more save chances over Bender, who has been shaky at times. But Thursday could be the performance that could put him in the mix for more save chances.

•Devin Williams, MIL | RosterResource

Josh Hader had pitched four of the last five days, including a 26-pitch outing on Wednesday, so it was almost a given that Williams would be in line for a save chance on Thursday. And I say “almost a given” because it wasn’t that long ago that the 27-year-old had an ugly string of outings (2 IP, 4 ER, 5 H, 6 BB from April 12-17) that had to have the Brewers questioning whether he could continue as their primary setup man.

But he’s bounced back just fine with six scoreless innings since, including Thursday’s dominating performance against the Pirates. He struck out the side to close out a 3-2 win and pick up his first save of 2022.

•Griffin Jax, MIN | RosterResource

Similar to Pirates’ pitcher Wil Crowe, Jax was the odd man out in the rotation and figured to get a shot as a multi-inning reliever. And, like Crowe, he’s been so effective that he could quickly move into a higher-leverage role.

On Thursday, Jax inherited a 7-1 lead in the 7th inning over the Tigers and didn’t allow them to get any closer. The 27-year-old finished with three scoreless innings to pick up his first career save. He’s allowed only two earned runs in nine innings pitched, all out of the bullpen.

 

Committee Clarity

•Rafael Montero, HOU | RosterResource

After Ryne Stanek picked up his first save of the season in Wednesday’s game, it was Montero’s turn on Thursday. With a 3-1 lead over the Rangers in the ninth inning and both Stanek and Héctor Neris likely unavailable, the 31-year-old Montero got the save chance against the team with whom he resurrected his career a few years back. He did allow his first run of 2022, a solo homer to Corey Seager, but was able to close out a 3-2 win and pick up the save.

•Ryan Thompson, TBR | RosterResource

Only three Rays’ pitchers have saves in 2022 and the only one with multiple saves coming into Thursday’s game, Andrew Kittredge, is regarded by many as the team’s best reliever. So, things haven’t been quite as unpredictable as the Rays can often make them. But I’m not sure anyone would’ve guessed that Thompson would have two of the team’s six saves in April.

The 29-year-old has been an effective pitcher out of the bullpen since entering the league in 2020, but had only one career save in his first 68 major league appearances. With a 2-1 lead over the Mariners in the ninth inning of Thursday’s game, it was actually left-hander Colin Poche’s save to have if he could retire the side in order. But he allowed a leadoff single to J.P. Crawford and, two outs later, Thompson was called on to face right-handed hitting Tom Murphy. He struck him out to close out the victory and pick up his second save in his last two outings.

 

Losing A Grip

•None

 

Click HERE to view the full Closer Depth Chart.