Bullpen Report: August 6, 2021

NEW FEATURE ALERT! We have added an upgraded version of RosterResource’s Closer Depth Chart to FanGraphs. Read more about it here.

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. Relievers on the Rise: Notes on relievers who are performing well of late, moving up in the bullpen hierarchy.
6. 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).

Notable Workloads

•Aroldis Chapman, NYY: 30 pitches on Thursday. | RosterResource

Chad Green threw 27 pitches on Thursday, so he may not be available either. Jonathan Loaisiga and Zack Britton seem like the best picks.

•Tyler Clippard, ARI: Three of last four days; 23 pitches on Thursday. | RosterResource

It’s slim pickings in the Arizona bullpen right now, with Sean Poppen and Tyler Gilbert probably the best options to fill in for Clippard.

•Anthony Bender, MIA: Three of last four days; 26 pitches on Thursday. | RosterResource

Fellow closer committee members Dylan Floro and Anthony Bass should both be available on Friday, with Floro the top option.

•Kyle Finnegan, WSN: 26 pitches on Thursday. | RosterResource

As with the Diamondbacks, the Nationals really don’t have many options beyond their closer. Mason Thompson and Ryne Harper were the setup men before Finnegan blew the save on Thursday, so they might be the best bets.

Injury News

•None

Outlier Saves

•Jake Brentz, KCR | RosterResource

It’s been a very fluid closing situation all season for the Royals, but one that the lefty rookie Brentz has never been a part of. While the Royals have a trio of relievers with five or more saves (Greg Holland, Scott Barlow and Josh Staumont), Brentz earned his first career save on Thursday after the other three had already pitched. All the more impressive was that Brentz did it against a White Sox team that hammers lefties, retiring three righty bats in order.

It’s been a great season for Brentz, who turns 27 next month. He’s touched 100 with his fastball, striking out more than a batter per inning of work. Bases on balls have been an issue (15% walk rate), but they’re somewhat mitigated by a grounder rate pushing half of all batted balls.

•Adam Cimber, TOR | RosterResource

Jordan Romano labored to earn the save in a game that the Blue Jays once led 8-0 on Wednesday (he threw 27 pitches), so he was clearly down for the day on Thursday. What’s more surprising is that deadline acquisition Brad Hand wasn’t the choice to close out the game, especially with lefty Bobby Bradley due to lead off the ninth. Hand certainly hasn’t made a good first impression in Canada, allowing four runs (two earned) in his first two innings as a Blue Jay. But he was nonetheless acquired to play a big part late in close games, and yet he didn’t pitch at all on Thursday, and no injury has been reported.

At any rate, the submarining Cimber made quick work of the Guardians, retiring them in order on 14 pitches to earn the save against his former team—just the second in his career and his first since he was with Cleveland in 2019. Cimber’s been brilliant since the Blue Jays acquired him, allowing just one run in 14.1 innings.

•Archie Bradley, PHI | RosterResource

Ian Kennedy’s worked very hard since being acquired from the Rangers, pitching in three of four games since reporting to the club and warming up on the one day he didn’t pitch. Bradley filled in during a much-deserved day off for the veteran Kennedy on Thursday, and while it wasn’t easy—two hits, an unearned run and 26 pitches—Bradley did the job for his second save of the season. It’s been an odd year for Bradley, whose ERA is 2.81, but he’s struck out just 12% of batters faced while walking only one fewer man than he’s set down on strikes. Nonetheless, he’s clearly in Joe Girardi’s circle of trust and is a top choice—along with José Alvarado and Hector Neris—for secondary save chances.

Committee Clarity

•Mychal Givens, CIN | RosterResource

Another day, another closer for the Reds. Michael Lorenzen presumably wasn’t available after throwing 27 pitches on Wednesday and 15 the day before, so it was Givens getting the ball in the ninth and not the struggling Heath Hembree. Thursday’s save was no problem for Givens, needing only 11 pitches to retire three batters and earn his first save of the season. It’s been so far, so good for Givens as a Red, who’s been unscored upon in five innings.

It certainly appears that Lorenzen and Givens have both leapfrogged Hembree in the hierarchy, with Amir Garrett a factor as well. Sean Doolittle, Justin Wilson and Luis Cessa are also possibilities, while Brad Brach had been good but has fallen off as of late.

Relievers on the Rise

This is a new feature with notes on relievers who are performing well of late, moving up in the bullpen hierarchy. Relievers on the Rise will run once a week, following Thursday’s games. For more Relievers on the Rise, click HERE to view the full Closer Depth Chart.

•Joe Barlow, TEX | RosterResource

Barlow, like many relievers, was never really much of a prospect. Drafted out of Salt Lake Community College in the 11th round of the 2016 draft, the righty peaked as a 35+ FV prospect on THE BOARD, earning strong grades for his pitches but being dinged for poor command that led to a walk rate north of 20% in his first taste of Triple-A in 2019. Barlow ultimately, however, got his walk rate down to a still-high (but palatable) 10% in his Triple-A redo, earning his first MLB call-up on June 23rd on the strength of that reduced amount of free passes and a strikeout rate of 37%.

Since that call to the Majors, Barlow has continued that dominance, with similar walk and strikeout numbers (10% and 40%, respectively), and setting a Rangers record by striking out eight straight batters over three appearances. It looks like Spencer Patton is the closer for now in the post-Ian Kennedy era for the Rangers—and there may not be many opportunities for a bad Texas team anyway—but Barlow is certainly setting himself up to be the closer of the future, whether that’s this year or next.

Losing A Grip

•None

Click HERE to view the full Closer Depth Chart.