Bullpen Report: July 14, 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.

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

•Alexis Díaz, CIN: Back-to-back days; 9 pitches on Wednesday. | RosterResource

Hunter Strickland is a likely candidate for a save chance on Thursday if Díaz isn’t available.

•Daniel Bard, COL: Back-to-back days; 3 of last 4 days; 112 pitches on Wednesday. | RosterResource

If Alex Colome (hamstring) is available on Thursday, he is a likely candidate for a save chance if Bard isn’t available. If not, Carlos Estévez is an option.

•Tanner Scott, MIA: 27 pitches on Wednesday. | RosterResource

Anthony Bass is a likely candidate for a save chance on Thursday if Scott isn’t available.

•Josh Hader, MIL: Back-to-back days; 12 pitches on Wednesday. | RosterResource

Devin Williams (17 pitches on Wednesday) and Brad Boxberger (25 pitches on Wednesday) have also pitched back-to-back days. Trevor Gott is a likely candidate for a save chance on Thursday if neither Hader, Williams, nor Boxberger is available.

•Clay Holmes, NYY: Back-to-back days; 12 pitches on Wednesday. | RosterResource

Michael King (10 pitches on Wednesday) and Wandy Peralta (6 pitches on Wednesday) have also pitched back-to-back days. Aroldis Chapman (20 pitches on Wednesday) is a likely candidate for a save chance on Thursday if neither Holmes, King, nor Peralta is available.

•David Bednar, PIT: Back-to-back days; 4 of last 5 days; 15 pitches on Wednesday. | RosterResource

Yerry De Los Santos is a likely candidate for a save chance on Thursday if Bednar isn’t available.

•Paul Sewald, SEA: 26 pitches on Wednesday  between both games of double-header). | RosterResource

Diego Castillo is a likely candidate for a save chance on Thursday if Sewald isn’t available.

 

Injury Report

•Kenley Jansen, ATL: Activated from 15-Day IL. | RosterResource

In his first appearance since June 26, Jansen pitched a scoreless 8th inning on Wednesday with his team trailing 7-1 to the Mets. The 34-year-old retired all three batters he faced on nine pitches, lowering his ERA to 3.48. His next outing will likely come with the game on the line.

•Tanner Rainey, WSN: Placed on 60-Day IL. | RosterResource

Rainey hasn’t gotten a lot of attention because he pitches for one of the worst teams in baseball, but he’s quietly had a solid season (3.30 ERA, 10.8 K/9, 12 saves in 16 chances) as the Nationals’ closer. But, for at least the next two months and possibly the remainder of the season, he’ll be on the Injured List due to a sprained elbow. It has not been determined whether he’ll require Tommy John surgery.

Kyle Finnegan is the top candidate to take his spot, although the Nats have an interesting group of pitchers who could work well as a committee. Carl Edwards Jr., Steve Cishek, and Tyler Clippard have plenty of experience in the late innings, while Andres Machado has not allowed a run over his last 10 appearances (11 IP, 0 R) and Jordan Weems has looked great the last few times out (5.1 IP, 0 ER, H, 8 K). But if the Nats are looking ahead to 2023, which they should be doing, they probably want to find out if the 30-year-old Finnegan is capable of doing the job, as well as taking a good look at Mason Thompson and Hunter Harvey, who have limited big league experience but can throw fastballs in the upper 90s.

 

Outlier Saves

•Evan Phillips, LAD | RosterResource

Phillips came into Wednesday’s game with a streak of 16 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run. He extended that streak to 17 after recording three quick outs to close out the Dodgers’ 7-6 win over the Cardinals. Why not Craig Kimbrel? Because he had already pitched the bottom of the 8th inning with his team trailing 6-5. Here’s the explanation …

FYI: Craig Kimbrel pitched the eighth (it had been four days since his last outing, so they wanted to ensure he got in the game) so Evan Phillips is now warming for the save situation in the bottom of the ninth

— Jack Harris (@Jack_A_Harris) July 14, 2022

Therefore, it was Kimbrel who picked up the win, his 3rd of the season, and Phillips picked up his first save of 2022.

•Garrett Richards, TEX | RosterResource

Since Joe Barlow was removed from the closer’s role, the Rangers’ “closer’s committee” has consisted of Brett Martin, Brett Martin, and Brett Martin. That’s right. The team has won three times and Martin has picked up the save in each game. It sounds like Martin is the preferred choice of manager Chris Woodward when his team is leading by three runs or less in the 9th inning. But, after pitching four of the last five days, it was likely that we’d see someone else if there was a save situation on Wednesday.

And if there was anyone who could make us wonder whether Martin would not be the team’s primary closer on days he was available again, it was José Leclerc. The former Rangers’ closer came into Wednesday’s game with seven appearances under his belt since returning from the Tommy John surgery that sidelined him for the past two seasons. Woodward ruled him out of the committee, at least for now, but he had not allowed a run over his last four outings (7 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 5 K).

Thus, allowing him to pitch the 9th inning with a 5-0 lead against the A’s was just another step towards a return to a high-leverage role. He struggled, however, allowing a pair of solo homers, a walk, and a two-out double before he was removed with the tying run at the plate. Richards threw one pitch to Stephen Vogt, who flied out to end the game.

 

Committee Clarity

•None

 

Losing A Grip

•None

 

Click HERE to view the full Closer Depth Chart.