Bullpen Report: April 6, 2021

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

•Amir Garrett, CIN: 25 pitches on Monday. | RosterResource

Sean Doolittle and Lucas Sims will be candidates for a save chance on Tuesday if Garrett is not available.

•Gregory Soto, DET: 24 pitches on Monday; Bryan Garcia, DET: 21 pitches on Monday. | RosterResource

Michael Fulmer, Daniel Norris, and Jose Cisnero are candidates for a save chance on Tuesday if neither Soto or Garcia is available.

•Jake McGee, SFG: 25 pitches on Monday. | RosterResource

Tyler Rogers and Reyes Moronta will be candidates for a save chance on Tuesday if McGee is not available.

 

Injury News

None

 

Outlier Saves

•Alec Mills, CHC | RosterResource

With Rowan Wick on the Injured List to begin the season, it has yet to be determined who is the Cubs’ primary setup man after three games. Therefore, who would be the team’s top choice for a save chance if Craig Kimbrel wasn’t available was also a mystery heading into Monday’s game.

The Cubs took a 5-3 lead into the 9th inning after Andrew Chafin struck out the side in the eighth. Ryan Tepera and Brandon Workman appeared to be the most logical options for the save opportunity based on experience and track record. But it was Mills who got the call.

The 29-year-old, who threw a no-hitter last September, lost out on the team’s final rotation spot and was sent to the bullpen in a surprise move at the end of Spring Training. With a fastball that barely touches 90 MPH, a late-inning relief role was not really anticipated. Manager David Ross trusted him with the game on the line, though, and he came through with a 1-2-3 inning to pick up his first career save. Whether this leads to more high-leverage opportunities in the late innings is to be determined, but he’s no longer under the radar.

•Mike Mayers, LAA | RosterResource

Raisel Iglesias was unavailable after throwing 30 pitches on Sunday, leaving Mayers as the obvious choice for a save chance on Monday. After the Angels scored four runs in the bottom of the eighth to take a 7-5 lead over the Astros, the 29-year-old Mayers was called upon to close things out in the ninth. He allowed a one-out homer to Kyle Tucker, but was able to hold on for his first save in his third appearance of 2021. Despite being the team’s best reliever in 2020, he didn’t pick up a save until his 26th appearance.

•Randy Dobnak, MIN | RosterResource

Dobnak entered with a 15-1 lead in the seventh inning and proceeded to pitch 2 2/3 scoreless innings. The final out to complete the three-inning save didn’t come easy, though. The 26-year-old right-hander allowed five consecutive batters to reach, capped off by a grand slam by Akil Baddoo, before he was able to close out the 15-6 victory.

•Jose Alvarado, PHI | RosterResource

Alvarado and Archie Bradley were the Phillies’ likeliest closing options with Hector Neris unavailable on Monday. With the team leading 5-2 over the Mets in the ninth, manager Joe Girardi went with the lefty Alvarado, who was impressive in Spring Training and had pitched a pair of scoreless innings in his first two regular season games with the Phillies. After striking out the first two batters, he allowed a run on three consecutive singles before ending the game on a Pete Alonso flyout.

 

Committee Clarity

•Jesse Hahn, KCR | RosterResource

In 2020, Greg Holland took hold of the closer’s role after Trevor Rosenthal was traded in late August. When Holland suffered a season-ending oblique injury with a week to go in the season, it was Hahn who picked up a save in each of the team’s final two wins. It was a well-deserved opportunity after he had allowed just one earned run over his first 15.1 innings on the season. With Holland back in the mix after re-signing this offseason, the assumption was that he’d resume his role as the Royals’ closer while Hahn, Josh Staumont, and Scott Barlow would continue to serve as the setup men.

On Monday, the Royals took a 3-0 lead over Cleveland into the ninth inning. With Holland rested, having last pitched on Opening Day, manager Mike Matheny still opted to go with Hahn for the save chance. After allowing the first two batters to reach, Hahn got Eddie Rosario to hit into a double play before ending things on a Franmil Reyes groundout.

Whether it’s just Hahn and Holland or a more wide-ranging closer committee is yet to be determined, but Matheny does have several reliable options he can go to on any given day.

Losing A Grip

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