Bullpen Report: July 25, 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
•David Robertson, CHC: 22 pitches on Sunday; 11 pitches on Saturday. | RosterResource
Mychal Givens, Rowan Wick and Scott Effross are all closing options on Monday. Chris Martin threw 23 pitches Sunday and may not be available.
•Craig Kimbrel, LAD: Three of the last four days; 14 pitches on Sunday. | RosterResource
Evan Phillips and Alex Vesia have also worked three-of-four, so Yency Almonte and Caleb Ferguson could be the likeliest closers on Monday.
•Josh Hader, MIL: 23 pitches on Sunday; 21 pitches on Friday. | RosterResource
A couple of inefficient outings in the past couple of days for Hader means that Devin Williams could get a save chance on Monday.
•David Bednar, PIT: 16 pitches on Sunday; 17 pitches on Saturday. | RosterResource
Bednar’s Monday availability could go either way. Wil Crowe or Yerry De Los Santos could close if Bednar’s down for the day.
Injury News
•None
Outlier Saves
•Taylor Clarke, KCR | RosterResource
Closer Scott Barlow threw 20 pitches across two efficient innings on Saturday, and with the way Mike Matheny has leaned on Barlow this season, it wasn’t a given he’d be unavailable on Sunday. But evidently he was, with Clarke getting the ball in the ninth instead. Clarke retired all three batters he faced for his second save of the season.
The righty Clarke, signed to a split contract after being non-tendered by the Diamondbacks in the offseason, has emerged as a key piece in the Royals bullpen. He’s pitched to a 3.83 ERA in 42.1 innings with 38 strikeouts and only six walks.
•Clarke Schmidt, NYY | RosterResource
Schmidt spent nearly the first three months of the season as a little-used long reliever out of the Yankees bullpen, with just 14 appearances totaling 24 innings until he was optioned out to get consistent work as a starter on June 24th. Summoned back to the big club to replace Shane Greene (who replaced Michael King, now out for the season), Schmidt ended up being the only arm used in relief of Nestor Cortes, taking a 5-0 lead in the 7th and pitching the final three innings of what ended up being a 6-0 victory.
Schmidt has been impressive in his limited outings, with a 2.67 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 27 innings, though he has walked 14 batters and hit another. He could play a key role in the King-less Yankees bullpen, at least until the Trade Deadline on August 2nd.
•Jeff Brigham, MIA | RosterResource
What a story: nearly two years to the day since his last major league appearance, Brigham comes back to an injury-ravaged Marlins team and earns the save in the tenth inning. Brigham was out of action for the entirety of 2021 and 19 months in total with a dead nerve in his biceps keeping him off the mound, but returned to Triple-A as a strikeout machine, punching out 37% of opponents. With Tommy Nance headed to the IL on Sunday, Brigham got the call and ended up closing the game out in extra innings. He didn’t have his best control (11 of 20 pitches for strikes) but struck out two of the five batters he faced to hold on to the two-run lead that had been shaved in half.
Committee Clarity
•None
Losing A Grip
•None
Jon Becker manages RosterResource's team payroll pages and assists with all other aspects of RosterResource, too. Follow him at your own peril on Twitter at @jonbecker_ and on BlueSky at @jon-becker.com.
I think it’s safe to say that Tanner Scott has lost his grip on the job and ought be mentioned. Bass was in line for the save Sunday and Scott has appeared in non-save situations his last two appearances.