Bullpen Report: August 16, 2023

The 2023 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

•Andrés Muñoz, SEA: 42 pitches on Tuesday. | RosterResource

Matt Brash and Justin Topa should both be available Wednesday, and we might not see Muñoz on Thursday either.

Injury News

•Jordan Romano, TOR: Activated from the 15-day IL (lower back inflammation) on Tuesday. | RosterResource

Romano spent just the minimum time on the IL, and looked to be in perfectly fine shape in his return on Tuesday, pitching a 1-2-3 inning with two strikeouts for the save, his 29th of the year. Jordan Hicks, Erik Swanson, and Yimi García held down the fort just fine in Romano’s absence and will now return to key setup roles—Hicks for the first time as a Blue Jay.

•Hunter Harvey, WSN: Activated from the 15-day IL (right elbow strain) on Tuesday. | RosterResource

Elbow strains can be scary diagnoses, but Harvey ultimately missed under a month, having been placed on the IL on July 17th. He was pitching very well upon suffering his injury, with a 3.12 ERA, and he gave up just two runs (one earned) in 9.2 innings over his final ten appearances. However, with Kyle Finnegan pitching so well, he’ll remain the closer. Harvey will be Finnegan’s top setup man.

Davey Martinez says Kyle Finnegan (who hasn't allowed a run in his last 12 appearances) will remain as closer, with the returning Hunter Harvey slotting into a setup role.

— Mark Zuckerman (@MarkZuckerman) August 15, 2023

Outlier Saves

•Tayler Saucedo, SEA | RosterResource

Andrés Muñoz couldn’t seal a five-out save chance, but the Mariners bailed him out by taking a 10-8 lead in the top of the tenth against the Royals. After Muñoz’s blowup, Saucedo made things nice and anticlimactic in his save chance, needing just six pitches to retire the side in order for his first career save. He’s been a key cog in the Mariners’ bullpen, with a 2.13 ERA in 38 appearances.

•Ryan Yarbrough, LAD | RosterResource

Los Angeles went with the piggyback on Tuesday, with Yarbrough following Bobby Miller’s six brilliant innings with three innings of one-run ball, with the only blemish being a Carlos Santana homer. Yarbrough’s often been used as a bulk guy behind openers dating back to his Rays days, so this was his first career save. Yarbrough has a 1.74 ERA in 10.1 innings since joining the Dodgers at the deadline.

Committee Clarity

•None

Losing A Grip

•Andrés Muñoz, SEA | RosterResource

The Mariners tried to stretch Muñoz for five outs on Tuesday, and he just couldn’t get it done, throwing a whopping 42 pitches before finishing the ninth in a tied game. All in all, the Royals scored three runs off Muñoz, and while all were unearned, he was far from sharp, throwing just 26 of his pitches for strikes and walking two. The Mariners are too fringe a team and the bullpen is too good to stick with Muñoz much longer. He’ll be out of commission for a few days anyway, which gives the M’s the chance to audition Matt Brash or Justin Topa.