Bullpen Report: August 23, 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

•Cole Sulser, BAL: 33 pitches on Saturday. | RosterResource

Miguel Castro and Mychal Givens are the leading candidates for a save chance on Sunday.

•Matt Barnes, BOS: Back-to-back days; 3 of last 4 days; 18 pitches on Saturday. | RosterResource

If Barnes get a day off on Sunday, the Red Sox could go with Austin Brice or Phillips Valdez in a save situation.

•Brandon Workman, PHI: 26 pitches on Saturday. | RosterResource

Workman could need a day off after a disappointing debut with his new team. Called upon with one out, runners at the corners, and a 4-3 lead over Atlanta in the eighth inning, he allowed a two-run double to Matt Adams. After his team tied it at five in the top of the ninth, he allowed the game-winning run to score in the bottom of the ninth.

Given the level of difficulty on his first save chance — he needed to strand the tying run at third with one out and then get three more outs in the ninth — the 32-year-old Workman should get a pass. It was Hector Neris‘ mess, after all, that Workman was unable to clean up. If someone is going to get bumped out of a high-leverage role, it could be him. Look for Adam Morgan, Tommy Hunter or Heath Hembree to get a save chance on Sunday.

 

Injury News

•Keone Kela, PIT: Day-to-day with forearm tightness. | RosterResource

Here’s the latest update after Kela was removed from Friday’s game after throwing just five pitches.

Per the Pirates, Keone Kela was re-examined by the team's medical staff today. They'll re-assess his throwing status early next week. He's day-to-day with right forearm tightness.

— Jason Mackey (@JMackeyPG) August 22, 2020

•Chaz Roe, TBR: Placed on 10-Day IL with elbow soreness. | RosterResource

Roe picked up his first save of 2020 on Tuesday against the Yankees and then began the ninth inning the following day with a chance for what would’ve been his career-high second save. But he walked the first two batters of the inning and left with only one out, leaving the save to Jalen Beeks.

Three days later, the 33-year-old Roe is on the Injured List with an elbow injury. The Rays’ bullpen is deep, but are without several key relievers, including Jose Alvarado, Oliver Drake, Andrew Kittredge, Colin Poche, and now Roe, their most consistent reliever since joining the team in 2017.

 

Outlier Saves

•None

 

Committee Clarity

•Giovanny Gallegos, STL | RosterResource

Gallegos got his first and only save of 2019 in his 61st appearance. In 2020, he got it in his fifth outing. Ahead 3-0 versus the Reds in the eighth, the Cardinals went to Andrew Miller, who has had both of the team’s saves since the Cardinals returned from a 17-day absence. The lefty wasn’t at his best on Saturday. A leadoff walk was erased by a double-play, but he allowed a single and walk to the next two batters. Gallegos was called on for a four-out save, which he executed with no problem.

Regardless of manager Mike Shildt’s reluctance to use him in save situations last season, Gallegos still appears to have the best chance of separating himself from the other pitchers in the closer committee.

 

Losing A Grip

•None

 

Reliever On The Rise

•Caleb Ferguson, LAD | RosterResource

Ferguson quietly had a breakout season in 2018 as a 22-year-old rookie (3.49 ERA, 2.2 BB/9, 10.8 K/9, 7 W, 2 Sv, 5 Hld) and followed that up by retiring nine of 10 batters he faced in the playoffs. But he regressed in 2019, posting an ERA near 5.00 while walking more than five batters per nine innings. He’s back on track in 2020, though, mostly dominating with his mid-nineties fastball. But he’s scrapped a mid-seventies curveball in favor of a high-eighties slider.

It was clear early in the season that his new fastball-slider combination would be very effective. Here he is striking out the side against the Astros in his second appearance of 2020.

Caleb Ferguson struck out the side in the seventh inning with three nice pitches—a slider away and then two high and away 96 MPH fastballs pic.twitter.com/bzd5T4XLYV

— Ben Palmer (@benjpalmer) July 29, 2020

After another scoreless inning on Saturday, the 24-year-old lefty has thrown 11.1 innings on the season with only one run allowed. He has just two walks and 16 strikeouts. While Brusdar Graterol is considered by many to be the heir apparent to Kenley Jansen as the Dodgers’ closer, Ferguson could change some minds if he continues on his path to become one of the best lefty relievers in the game.