Bullpen Report: August 15, 2022

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

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.

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

•Ian Kennedy, ARI: 23 pitches on Sunday; 19 pitches on Saturday. | RosterResource

Co-closers Mark Melancon and Joe Mantiply should both be available on Monday if Kennedy isn’t.

•Kenley Jansen, ATL: Three of the last four days; 16 pitches on Sunday. | RosterResource

Raisel Iglesias could once again handle a save chance on Monday as he did for game two of the doubleheader on Saturday.

•Alexis Díaz, CIN: 29 pitches on Sunday. | RosterResource

Hunter Strickland should be available on Monday.

•Tanner Scott, MIA: 36 pitches on Sunday. | RosterResource

If Scott is even still the closer (more on that in the Losing A Grip section), he won’t be available for a save on Monday. Steven Okert should be good to go but Dylan Floro is likely unavailable after working three of the last four days and throwing 24 pitches on Sunday.

•Camilo Doval, SFG: Three straight days; 20 pitches on Sunday. | RosterResource

Everyone else in the Giants bullpen should be available on Monday, with John Brebbia, Dominic Leone and Tyler Rogers the top righty options, with Jarlín García and Alex Young from the left.

Injury News

•None

Outlier Saves

•Kendall Graveman, CHW | RosterResource

For years now, the White Sox have built a strong late-inning relief corps, which is especially important depth to have on days that Liam Hendriks is unavailable after back-to-back days. Graveman did give up a ninth-inning homer to Harold Castro, but he, Jake Diekman and Jimmy Lambert overall dominated the Tigers in the late innings, striking out seven of the 12 batters they faced in their three innings of work. Graveman’s save was his sixth of the season as he continues to be Hendriks’ top lieutenant with the White Sox making a playoff push.

•José Leclerc, TEX | RosterResource

The Rangers were operating with a very limited late-inning relief group on Sunday, with Matt Moore on paternity leave and Brock Burke (40 pitches on Saturday), Jonathan Hernández (39 pitches between Friday and Saturday) and Brett Martin (25 pitches between Friday and Saturday) all evidently unavailable. So, manager Chris Woodward had to piece things together after Martín Pérez’s six quality innings. Josh Sborz went two overpowering, hitless innings with five strikeouts, and Leclerc locked down the ninth on just seven pitches with a strikeout.

It’s been a long road back for Leclerc, who missed most of 2020 and all of 2021 after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Saturday’s save was his first since July 24th, 2020. He’s pitched to a 3.54 ERA with 25 strikeouts in 28 innings in his return to the majors this year.

Committee Clarity

•None

Losing A Grip

•Tanner Scott, MIA | RosterResource

Scott’s career has always been an enigmatic one; the lefty is blessed with a left arm that has produced a hard fastball and a wipeout slider, but also a level of erratic pitching that’s pretty unparalleled for a closer. In his first taste at closing this year, Scott has earned 16 saves, but has also walked a staggering 34 batters in 47 innings, which negates a lot of the good that his 67 strikeouts have done. It’s one thing to get hit around and produce a 4.60 ERA, but a closer just can’t be relied upon if he walks that many batters. It was the walks that killed Scott’s outing on Sunday, as he walked three (albeit one intentionally) and threw just 21 of his 36 pitches for strikes.

The Marlins may be a team going nowhere this season, but they do have some intriguing bullpen options beyond Scott. Steven Okert has 53 strikeouts in 40.1 innings; former closer Dylan Floro has rebounded from a slow start to put up a 3.62 ERA; and 32-year-old rookie Huascar Brazoban has struck out over one-third of batters faced in his first taste of the majors.