Bullpen Report: July 19, 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. 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

•Joakim Soria, ARI: 17 pitches on Sunday; 19 pitches on Saturday. | RosterResource

Noé Ramirez, Riley Smith and Joe Mantiply could all feasibly fill in for Soria in what’s a very beleaguered Diamondbacks bullpen.

•Alex Reyes, STL: 19 pitches on Sunday; 19 pitches on Saturday. | RosterResource

Ryan Helsley, Génesis Cabrera and Giovanny Gallegos have all worked back-to-back days as well, but it figures at least one would be available for a save chance. If not, Andrew Miller and John Gant are options. Jake Woodford—who hasn’t thrown more than 83 pitches in either MLB or AAA this season—is starting on Monday, so the Cardinals might have to get creative with their bullpen.

•Brad Hand, WSN: 31 pitches on Sunday. | RosterResource

Daniel Hudson threw 22 pitches on Sunday, but it was his first appearance since before the All-Star break, so he may well be available Monday anyhow. If he’s not, Austin Voth is the top choice to substitute.

Injury News

•None

Outlier Saves

•Bryan Shaw, CLE | RosterResource

James Karinchak and Emmanuel Clase both worked on Friday and Saturday, and clearly both were down on Sunday. Cleveland’s second line had no problem closing things out, with Nick Wittgren, Phil Maton and Shaw combining to retire all nine men they faced with five strikeouts. It was Shaw’s second save of the season in his return to Cleveland, which has been a career-reviving year (2.83 ERA, 29% K%).

•Trevor May, NYM | RosterResource

Edwin Díaz threw 24 pitches in his blowup outing on Saturday that culminated in a walk-off grand slam by Jacob Stallings. As such, May filled in on Sunday. Things didn’t start out well, as he walked the first batter he faced, but he retired the next three to earn his second save of the season. It was the end of an impressive day for the Mets bullpen, as the unit had to record 26 outs with Taijuan Walker unable to escape the first. They did so in scoreless fashion.

Committee Clarity

•Héctor Neris, PHI | RosterResource

The embattled Neris lost his job to José Alvarado, then an Alvarado-Archie Bradley combination, and now Ranger Suárez, but it was he who got the ball with a three-run lead in the ninth on Sunday. Suárez, Bradley and Alvarado had all worked back-to-back days, so the Phillies were short-staffed in the bullpen, going from Connor Brogdon to Bailey Falter to Neris. It nonetheless appears that Neris may have moved himself off of shaky ground for the time being, even if he’s not the top option (or even the second or third) to close for the Phillies. It certainly helps that he impressed with a 1-2-3 inning with three strikeouts on Sunday, and he may keep picking up the occasional save if he continues pitching like this.

Losing A Grip

•Yimi García, MIA | RosterResource

Losses aren’t the end-all be-all for any pitcher, but they can be more telling for closers, whose job is to—if nothing else—avoid losing the game. García taking his seventh loss on Sunday, then, is notable. The two-run homer he allowed to J.T. Realmuto isn’t quite as bad as it looks (the extra-innings runner was on base, so only one run was earned), but it nonetheless rose García’s ERA to 3.67, including 7.10 since the start of June.

Miami’s bullpen doesn’t exactly have household names, but they have plenty of impressive members who could take García’s place; Anthony Bender, Anthony Bass, Dylan Floro, Richard Bleier and John Curtiss are all options.

Click HERE to view the full Closer Depth Chart.