Bullpen Report: July 9, 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

•Scott Barlow, KCR: 28 pitches on Friday. | RosterResource

Taylor Clarke, Dylan Coleman and Jose Cuas both went unused on Friday, so they’ll all surely be available Saturday.

•Raisel Iglesias, LAA: 33 pitches on Friday. | RosterResource

Ryan Tepera threw 20 pitches on Friday, but he’ll probably be available Saturday. If not, Aaron Loup is next-likeliest to close.

•Paul Sewald, SEA: 30 pitches on Friday. | RosterResource

Diego Castillo and Andrés Muñoz both pitches on Friday, but should both be available on Saturday.

•Colin Poche, TBR: 29 pitches on Friday. | RosterResource

Co-closers Jason Adam and Brooks Raley 레일리 should both be good to go on Saturday.

•David Robertson, CHC: 26 pitches on Friday. | RosterResource

Mychal Givens, Chris Martin, Scott Effross and Rowan Wick are all plausible closing options for Saturday’s game.

•Josh Hader, MIL: 24 pitches on Friday. | RosterResource

Hader’s also worked two of the last three days and four of the last six, and he’s allowed runs in three straight appearances now, so it might be time to ease off the throttle. Devin Williams (22 pitches on Friday) and Brad Boxberger are Hader’s top setup men.

Injury News

•None

 

Outlier Saves

•Michael Fulmer, DET | RosterResource

Gregory Soto had an eventful 21-pitch save on Thursday evening against the White Sox, so he was held out of action against the Pale Hose on Friday. Fulmer, his top setup man (who’s been brilliant in his own right) made quicker work of the Sox on Friday. He needed just twelve pitches to retire the side for his second save of the season, lowering his ERA to be 1.97. Fulmer, a free agent at season’s end, will definitely be a hot commodity on the trade market ahead of the August 2nd Trade Deadline, though he’s not likely to be acquired by a team who would promote him to closer.

•Lucas Luetge, NYY | RosterResource

Luetge will be unavailable for at least a couple days after his save on Friday, but the Yankees won’t complain. Their lefty middle reliever was brilliant, recording the final ten outs of the ballgame—including six strikeouts—staying in to finish things off even after the Yankees widened their lead to five, then six, then seven. Luetge’s first save of the year lowered his ERA to 2.70, and his strikeout output gave him 29 in 30 innings of work.

•Alex Colomé, COL | RosterResource

Similarly to Fulmer’s Outlier Save, this was just a matter of the closer being unavailable, with Daniel Bard combining for 29 pitches in his appearances on Wednesday and Thursday. Colomé bent but didn’t break in picking up his fourth save of the season, throwing 23 pitches and allowing a run but hanging on to seal the Rockies’ win. Also similarly to Fulmer, Colomé could find himself on the move at the Trade Deadline.

•Nick Martinez, SDP | RosterResource

Martinez has been an effective swingman for the Padres this season, starting the season in the rotation and then bouncing back and forth from the bullpen as injuries have popped up amongst the Padres’ starting six. In his time in the bullpen, he’s earned up three multi-inning saves as a piggyback long reliever, hurling three innings of two-run ball on Friday after Blake Snell’s six innings to finish the game against the Giants. He’s not a high-leverage reliever by any means, but could continue to earn saves here and there on days Bob Melvin elects to give everyone else in the bullpen a rest.

Committee Clarity

•None

Losing A Grip

•Joe Barlow, TEX | RosterResource

Really, Barlow has already lost his grip, with Chris Woodward removing him from the closer’s role today:

Per Chris Woodward today: Rangers will remove Joe Barlow from closing for time being. Still belief he can close, but Rangers want to take some stress off him

— Evan Grant (@Evan_P_Grant) July 8, 2022

Frankly, Barlow’s spot wasn’t one I considered to be in much jeopardy, even after back-to-back blown saves on July 4th and 5th. Closers will blow one-run leads from time to time, and Barlow just happened to blow two in a row. That said, his peripheral statistics haven’t been great this year. His strikeout rate is under 20%, and a .205 BABIP allowed probably isn’t sustainable.

The Rangers will probably mix and match with Barlow in lower-leverage for the time being; Dennis Santana, Brock Burke and Matt Moore have all been excellent this year, with Santana’s 2.25 the highest ERA of the three. But Friday’s opportunity actually went to Brett Martin, who’s been solid in his own right. Friday’s save (on just ten pitches) was his first of the season, and it lowered his ERA to 3.12.