Bullpen Report: August 20, 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

•Brandon Hughes, CHC: Four of the last five days. | RosterResource

Co-closer Rowan Wick should be available Saturday after sitting out Thursday and Friday.

•Kyle Finnegan, WSN: Four of the last five days. | RosterResource

Carl Edwards Jr. has also pitched four-of-five, which means a save situation could fall to Hunter Harvey on Saturday.

Injury News

•Ryan Helsley, STL: Placed on the Paternity List on Friday. | RosterResource

No injury here, don’t worry! Helsley’s been one of baseball’s finest relievers this year, and he can now miss a maximum of three days to welcome his child into the world. Congrats to Helsley, and I shudder to think of how hard he’ll throw with dad strength!

Giovanny Gallegos should handle closing while Helsley is away.

Outlier Saves

•Evan Phillips, LAD | RosterResource

Very standard Outlier Save here: Craig Kimbrel threw 41 pitches between Tuesday and Wednesday, and evidently needed more than just Thursday off. Enter Phillips, who closed out the game in order on just nine pitches for his second save of the season.

Phillips has been one of this year’s best breakout relievers, with a 1.31 ERA and microscopic 0.75 WHIP in 48 innings.

Committee Clarity

•Brandon Hughes, CHC | RosterResource

Friday made back-to-back days with saves for Hughes, so it looks like the lefty is sharing closing duties with righty Rowan Wick for the time being.

The converted position player has had an excellent rookie season, with 49 strikeouts in 39.2 innings, allowing just 28 hits and a manageable 13 walks. It’s also helpful that he doesn’t have notable platoon splits: lefties are hitting .239 off him, and righties only .158.

Losing A Grip

•Josh Hader, SDP | RosterResource

The question with Hader after another blowup outing costing the Padres a game is simple: how long can they let this last? He now has a 16.20 ERA as a Padre, and it’s clear that he’s all out of sorts. The Padres are currently clinging to a Wild Card spot, and they simply cannot afford to have a pitcher who clearly needs a major overhaul to get back to his usual self closing games for them.

If not Hader, Robert Suarez and Luis García have both pitched well for the Padres and are far more reliable lately. Nick Martinez has also pitched quite well as a reliever, though he’s often used for multiple innings.