Bullpen Report: August 7, 2022
The 2022 version of 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.
- 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.
- Injury News
- Outlier Saves: Explanation for a non-closer earning a save during the previous day.
- Committee Clarity: Notes on a closer committee that clarify a pitcher’s standing in the group.
- 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
•Garrett Whitlock, BOS: 27 pitches on Saturday. | Roster Resource
Co-closer Tanner Houck should be good to go on Sunday.
•Scott Barlow, KCR: 21 pitches on Saturday. | Roster Resource
Josh Staumont had the day off on Saturday and should be in line for a save opportunity if one comes up on Sunday.
•Jorge López, MIN: 17 pitches on Saturday, back-to-back days. | Roster Resource
Whoa! The Twins bullpen chart looks like a total mess. All of López, Jhoan Duran, Michael Fulmer, and Griffin Jax have been used in back-to-back games and are on “High Usage Alert”. The only rested reliever going into Sunday’s game is Emilio Pagán. If you are a fantasy manager who likes to stream relievers in daily moves leagues, Pagán seems like a good bet for Sunday. But, the Blue Jays have Kevin Gausman going up against Chris Archer, so the chances of Pagán even getting to a save opportunity seem slim.
•Ian Kennedy, ARI: 18 pitches on Saturday, back-to-back days. | Roster Resource
In yesterday’s bullpen report, Jon Becker wrote about Mark Melancon’s demotion. But Melancon hasn’t thrown since Monday and is still part of a committee. If there’s a save opportunity on Sunday, it could go back to Melancon, or Joe Mantiply could get an opportunity.
Injury News
•None
Outlier Saves
•Erik Swanson, SEA | Roster Resource
Swanson was used in the ninth inning of game one of a doubleheader. He threw a clean inning with one strikeout and recorded his third save of the year. Closer Paul Sewald threw only 12 pitches on Friday and was possibly being saved in case he was needed in game 2. The Mariners were not really in reach of winning the game after the sixth inning, so Sewald was never needed. Swanson has been a good setup and fill-in man all season, showing a solid 11.50 K/9, 2.50 BB/9, and a 71.3% LOB rate. His 1.07 ERA is so small it’s hard to see and it’s a big part of the reason the Mariners are in the wild-card race. With Diego Castillo on the 10-Day IL (shoulder), bullpen arms like Swanson, Andrés Muñoz, and Matthew Festa have pushed Seattle’s bullpen into a 12th-best rank in the major leagues in bullpen WAR. Swanson may not be Seattle’s closer, but he has fantasy relevance if he continues to be used in high leverage situations and prevents runs at the rate he has so far this season. Just beware of regression as his 2.56 xERA is significantly higher than his actual ERA.
Committee Clarity
•None
Losing a Grip
•None
Better put Chapman back in the grid for the Yankees. He’ll be closing again soon.