Bullpen Report: July 26, 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.

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

•Garrett Whitlock, BOS: 19 pitches on Monday, back-to-back days. | Roster Resource

Now listed as a co-closer (see the Committee Clarity section below), Whitlock will likely need a day off. That will probably put the ball back in the hands of Tanner Houck or John Schreiber on Tuesday.

•Kyle Finnegan, WSN: 14 pitches on Monday, back-to-back days. | Roster Resource

With Tanner Rainey on the IL Kyle Finnegan has stepped up and filled the closer role nicely. But, everyone needs a break and if Finnegan is unavailable on Tuesday, Steve Cishek is the likeliest to get a save opportunity since Carl Edwards Jr. is also on “High Usage Alert”.

 

Injury News

•None

 

Outlier Saves

•Erik Swanson, SEA | Roster Resource

By the looks of Seattle’s bullpen usage in Monday’s game against the Texas Rangers, you would think it went into extra innings. The Mariners used Andrés Muñoz, Paul Sewald, Diego Castillo, and Erik Swanson, in that order. Chris Flexen 플렉센, the starter, did go a full six innings, but the game was close throughout and Mariner’s manager Scott Servais chose to bring in the high-leverage arms right away. The Mariners’ bullpen has been solid this season, ranking seventh in ERA (3.40), fifth in K/9 (9.76), and first in LOB% (77.9%) in the majors. That’s not to mention names waiting in the ranks like Matt Brash, Ryan Borucki, and Matthew Festa. However, no bullpen is perfect, and Erik Swanson was brought into the game in the ninth inning after Diego Castillo gave up a home run, a single, and a walk to make the score four to three. But, Swanson came in with runners on first and second and got two quick outs on only three pitches. While Paul Sewald remains the listed closer in Seattle, there certainly seems to be a next-man-up approach occurring while the Mariners surge into contention in the AL West.

•Scott Effross, CHC | Roster Resource

Cubs closer David Robertson was coming off of back-to-back appearances Saturday (win, 11 pitches)  and Sunday (save, 22 pitches). The 28-year-old Effross, who has been in the Cubs system since 2015 but made his major league debut last season, has worked largely as a middle reliever. But, the side-winding righty has impressed in his time with the big league club. He recorded a 11.05 K/9 in only 14.2 IP in 2021, but has maintained that mark so far in 2022 at 10.47. His xERA of .216 is actually lower than his actual ERA of 2.72 and he rarely gives up hard contact, ranking in the 93rd percentile for Barrel%, 95th percentile for xSLG, and the 82nd percentile for average exit velocity (Baseball Savant). It’s likely those marks that gave manager David Ross the confidence to send Effross out for the ninth inning with a one-run lead. Mychal Givens handled the eighth inning with two strikeouts, a single, a walk, and a fly-out. Effross closed out the game with a groundout, a single, a fly-out and a strikeout. Scott Effross is now listed as a “Reliever on the Rise”.

Committee Clarity

•Garrett Whitlock, BOS | Roster Resource

Prior to Monday’s contest against the Cleveland Guardians, the Red Sox went 5-15 in the month of July. As of this writing, they currently sit second from the bottom in the AL East, only one game ahead of the Baltimore Orioles. On the season, their bullpen has the eighth worst ERA in the majors at 4.25, ninth-worst in recorded losses with 19, and they are tied for fifth with the Twins for fewest saves recorded with 20. There are eight relievers on the team who have recorded saves and Tanner Houck has the most with six. All of this is to say that the Boston Red Sox need to figure out something in their bullpen and Monday night was an attempt to find a pitcher who can instill some confidence. It was thought that Houck would be the man to do that when he went on a stretch in mid-June where he converted five save opportunities in a row. While Houck has not been recording too many losses or blown saves as of late, he has been walking a lot of batters, six in his last five appearances or seven innings.

Garrett Whitlock has not recorded an earned run in his last four appearances and has struck out nine in those six innings pitched. He has appeared mostly as a middle reliever this season, but moving into high-leverage situations in short stints may be what both the Red Sox and Whitlock need. While the Red Sox disappointing season so far cannot be totally blamed on the bullpen, they’ll need to tighten things up if they want to turn their season around. That likely means Whitlock and Houck will be sharing closer duty for the foreseeable future.

Losing a Grip

•None