Bullpen Report: Friday, September 4, 2015

According to Chelsea Janes, Drew Storen is rocking a strong 6.11 ERA in the eighth inning of games this year. He gave up a run to the Braves in the eighth inning on Friday, allowing them to tie the game at two. Storen has a 6.32 ERA since the acquisition of Jonathan Papelbon pushed him from the closer role to set-up duties. His 25.4% K%-BB% is still strong, better than his 24.3% that preceded the trade. The 85.1% LOB% differs quite a bit from his 37.0% since he was bumped. His velo isn’t off from earlier in the season. His 3.40 FIP since the transaction is well off from the 1.99 he sported as the closer. He’s obviously not going to be the closer down the stretch for the Nats, barring an injury to Papelbon of course, but I still think he’s someone who could help you with holds and strikeouts in the final month of the season. The Braves lost their 17th of 18 and is their closer really relevant at this point? After Fredi Gonzalez exploded on Thursday afternoon and said that any of his pitchers who were feeling fatigue should “just suck it up”, Arodys Vizcaino had his first outing of the year of more than an inning. He threw 28 pitches, recorded five outs, but also surrendered three hits, a walk and the tying run. Papelbon got the win after twirling two scoreless innings(after being brought in in the ninth down a run!) and Michael Taylor hit a three-run shot off of Brandon Cunniff in the bottom of ten. Vizcaino is still the Braves closer, and if they ever lead a game again, he’d get to protect it.

Andrew Miller has 30 saves! If you gambled that he’d be Joe Girardi’s guy back in April, you are reaping the bennies. He recorded a pair of outs on Friday night, striking out a Ray and only needing four pitches to fan Richie Shaffer and then get Brandon Guyer to fly out to end the game. Check out what Marc Topkin had to say about the Rays pen. Brad Boxberger is publicly still the closer, and Alex Colome will get the opportunity to record some big outs.

A.J. Ramos could not get the door closed on Friday night, surrendering the tying run in the ninth, blowing his sixth save of the year. Carter Capps is still out, but Kyle Barraclough has opened plenty of eyes with his 31.3 K%. His 18.8% BB% has dropped jaws, but if he can chop those walks, the Marlins have another weapon in their pen. Barraclough isn’t going to be taking over for Ramos any time soon, but he could help you if you’re looking to accumulate strikeouts. That .167 BABIP is sustainable, right?

Junichi Tazawa felt right at home, striking out three in a scoreless eighth. The eighth is his happy place. So far from that tumultuous ninth. Acid Wash Jean Machi got the ninth, and he disappointed, surrendering three runs to the Phillies, making Robbie Ross Jr. come in to get the final out of the game, earning his first save. The Sox closer sitch is a bit like when you’re up late and you keep checking the cupboards and fridge to see if something delicious has magically materialized since you and your growling stomach last checked ten minutes ago. It’s Jean Machi. He’s still in there beside the Cheerios, carrots and that yogurt you bought and said you’d start eating for breakfast. Does any of that help your fantasy team? Nope. Stick with Machi if you need saves and don’t care about ratios. Add Tazawa if you need help with strikeouts and ratios and don’t need saves.

Short note: The Giants’ week keeps getting worse and worse and worse. They lost to the Rockies again on Friday, with Boone Logan nabbing his 21st hold. John Axford chopped down the Giants for his 19th save. Huston Street saved his 32nd of the year.

Closer Grid:

[Green light, yellow light, red light: the colors represent the volatility of the bullpen order.]