Bullpen Report: August 18, 2020

The 2020 version of Bullpen Report includes six 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.
6. Reliever On The Rise: Non-closer who is quickly moving up the depth chart based on potential and recent performance.

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

•Kenley Jansen, LAD: 3 of last 4 days; 26 pitches on Monday. | RosterResource

Blake Treinen could get a save chance if Jansen is unavailable on Tuesday.

•Aroldis Chapman, NYY: 20 pitches on Monday. | RosterResource

Zack Britton will likely be the closer on Tuesday with Chapman not expected to be available after he made his season debut on Monday.

•Daniel Hudson, WSN: Back-to-back days; 21 pitches on Monday. | RosterResource

Tanner Rainey has also pitched back-to-back days and Will Harris threw 25 pitches on Monday. If manager Dave Martinez wants to rest all three on Tuesday, Javy Guerra could be the most likely candidate for a save chance.

 

Injury News

•Aroldis Chapman, NYY | RosterResource

The expectation was that Chapman would pitch in a save situation after being activated on Monday, but would not be available on back-to-back days this week. Yes, he did pick up his first save on 2020.

Aroldis Chapman closes out the @Yankees' victory in his season debut!#TheRivalry l #MLBNShowcase pic.twitter.com/1YEP6crMhF

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) August 18, 2020

•Kirby Yates, SDP | RosterResource

Yates is reportedly leaning towards season-ending surgery to clean out the bone chips in his elbow.

Kirby Yates was seen by Dr. Keith Meister. The expectation is Yates will have surgery and miss the rest of the season.https://t.co/NDB7zkO9ri

— Kevin Acee (@sdutKevinAcee) August 18, 2020

 

Outlier Saves

•Blake Taylor,HOU | RosterResource

With Ryan Pressly unavailable after pitching consecutive days, Taylor got his first chance to prove he’s a reliable “next in line” for the closer’s job. It wasn’t an easy one, either. Leading 2-1 over the Rockies in the ninth, he allowed a leadoff single to Charlie Blackmon before retiring Nolan Arenado, Daniel Murphy, and Raimel Tapia on fly outs to end the game. The 25-year-old Taylor has allowed just two earned runs in 11.2 innings.

 

Committee Clarity

•Jeremy Jeffress, CHC | RosterResource

Rowan Wick had thrown seven pitches in game one of Monday’s double-header and manager David Ross probably wasn’t quite ready to give Craig Kimbrel another save chance. With his team clinging to a 5-4 lead in game two, Ross went with Jeffress, who recorded the final three outs on seven pitches for his second save. Jeffress, Kimbrel, and Wick should all be available for Tuesday’s game.

•Andrew Miller, STL | RosterResource

That’s two saves in two days for Miller, who pitched a 1-2-3 inning to close out a 3-1 victory in game one of Monday’s double-header. Giovanny Gallegos (IP, 0 R, 2 K) pitched the sixth inning of the seven-inning game, which makes sense because right-handed sluggers Javy Baez and Willson Contreras were the first two hitters he faced. The match-ups, therefore, might’ve been the primary reason for why Miller got another save chance. Gallegos only had one save, however, in 66 appearances during his breakout season of 2019. It’s possible that manager Mike Shildt just prefers to use him in high-leverage situations prior to the last inning.

 

Losing A Grip

•Trevor Gott, SFG | RosterResource

Having confidence in your closer after two of the worst possible outings of his career isn’t a bad thing. I’m sure Gott appreciates that manager Gabe Kapler wasn’t going to remove him from the closer’s role after he allowed nine earned runs while blowing two saves on Friday and Saturday. But giving him another save chance just two days later, resulting in yet another blown save on a walk-off homer to Tommy La Stella, probably wasn’t the best way for the 27-year-old Gott to regain his confidence. Even one low-leverage outing could’ve been helpful.

A lack of alternatives probably has as much to do with this as Kapler having confidence in Gott. In any case, expect Tony Watson or Tyler Rogers to get the team’s next save chance.

•Daniel Hudson, WSN | RosterResource

Hudson saved a struggling Nationals’ bullpen when he was acquired last July 31, helping to lead his team all the way to a World Series championship. But after giving up leads in two of his last four appearances, including an ugly blown save to the Braves on Monday that ended with a walk-off homer by Dansby Swanson, it’s clear that the 33-year-old right-hander might not be able to carry the load again in 2020.

It’s also not likely that a change is coming anytime soon as long as Hudson can bounce back in his next couple appearances. Rainey has been dominant, however, and sure does look like the team’s closer of the near future. The 27-year-old, who has allowed one run in 10.2 innings with 17 strikeouts, could possibly take over for Hudson if the Nats make a change at any point in 2020.

 

Reliever On The Rise

•Joely Rodriguez, TEX | RosterResource

Signed to a two-year, $5.5 million contract in the offseason after spending two seasons pitching for the Chunichi Dragons, Rodriguez was hoping to prove that his success from his final year in Japan (1.64 ERA, 2.1 BB/9, 11.5 K/9 in 64 appearances) was no fluke. If the hard-throwing lefty had really improved his command, the Rangers could have themselves a bargain.

After getting a late start to the season due to a lat injury, the 28-year-old’s return to the major leagues was official on August 6 when he allowed a run on two hits and a walk in two-thirds of an innings against the Athletics. The results weren’t great, but he came back two days later and picked up his first hold when he recorded two outs in the eighth inning of a 2-0 game, including a strikeout of Mike Trout.

via GIPHY
 

The following day, Rodriguez pitched a scoreless seventh inning with his team up 6-3. With two runners on and two outs, he was able to escape the inning by retiring Trout on a groundout. Since, he’s retired nine consecutive hitters — five by strikeout — as the Rangers’ bullpen is beginning to take shape with Rodriguez, Jonathan Hernandez and closer Rafael Montero.