Bullpen Report: July 26, 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

•Ryan Pressly, HOU: 11 pitches on Sunday; 27 pitches on Saturday. | RosterResource

Ryne Stanek and Blake Taylor are the two likeliest to step in for Pressly if he’s down for the day on Monday.

Injury News

•None

Outlier Saves

•Drew Steckenrider, SEA | RosterResource

Kendall Graveman (29 pitches total) and top setup man Paul Sewald (41 pitches total) both pitched on Friday and Saturday, so it was a day of much-needed rest for the unheralded righties. Steckenrider’s proven he’s a more than able substitute, with Sunday’s save lowering his ERA to 2.08. He’s also struck out more than a batter per inning pitched, picking up three saves along the way. With Rafael Montero having just been DFA’d after a half-season of poor performance along with bad batted-ball luck, Steckenrider plays an even more vital role in the Mariners’ largely-unknown but highly effective bullpen.

After a 2019 and 2020 lost to ineffectiveness and injury, Steckenrider working his way onto the roster after signing a minor league contract in the offseason, eventually pitching his way into the late-inning mix is one of the best stories on a surprising playoff contender. Nonetheless, if the Mariners do thread the needle of adding and subtracting at the same time—for example, by trading away Graveman, who’s a free agent in the offseason—Steckenrider’s lining himself up for more saves.

•Joe Kelly, LAD | RosterResource

It’s been a heavy workload of late for both Kenley Jansen and Blake Treinen, each of whom had worked three of the past four day prior to Sunday. As such, the Dodgers deployed the “B Team” of bullpen arms, each of whom was up to the challenge. Jimmy Nelson, Brusdar Graterol and Phil Bickford combined to hurl four shutout innings before Kelly took the mound for the ninth. Kelly followed suit, allowing a weak infield single to start the inning but then retiring the next three batters faced.

Sunday’s was Kelly’s first save of the season and just the fourth of his career. It’s been a great season for Kelly, who started the season on the IL but returned with 26 innings of 3.46 ERA ball. Best of all for the righty, his walk rate is just 6%, by far a career low and more than ten percent lower than his 2020 rate.

Committee Clarity

•None

Losing A Grip

•None

Click HERE to view the full Closer Depth Chart.