Bullpen Report: June 11, 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

•Kenley Jansen, ATL: Three of the last four days; 12 pitches on Friday. | RosterResource

A.J. Minter and Will Smith are the likeliest closers on Saturday if Jansen is unavailable.

•David Robertson, CHC: 28 pitches on Friday. | RosterResource

Rowan Wick and Mychal Givens are the top choices for a save chance on Saturday if Robertson is down for the day.

•Tanner Scott, MIA: Three straight days; 10 pitches on Friday. | RosterResource

Anthony Bass and Dylan Floro are the most plausible fill-ins on Saturday, if needed.

•Giovanny Gallegos, STL: 33 pitches on Friday. | RosterResource

Co-closer Ryan Helsley should be good to go on Saturday,

Injury News

•Andrew Kittredge, TBR: Will undergo Tommy John surgery. | RosterResource

Rough week for Kittredge, to say the least. He was just activated from the IL after recovering from a back injury on Sunday, before heading back onto the sidelines on Thursday with an elbow injury. Initially, the belief was that Kittredge just had loose bodies in his elbow that needed removing, which typically only keep pitchers out for a month or two. All of a sudden, he’s out for the rest of this season and a majority of next year in all likelihood, too.

Kittredge elected free agency at the end of 2020 after being outrighted off the 40-man roster, and re-upped with the Rays on a minor league deal. After making the 2021 team out of Spring Training, the righty’s been nothing short of excellent. In the past two season, he totaled 91.2 innings and 13 saves while posting a 2.16 ERA, earning himself an All-Star berth last season.

Outlier Saves

•None

Committee Clarity

•Tanner Houck, BOS | RosterResource

The Red Sox’s closer situation is ever-evolving, and Houck was the latest entrant into the fray on Friday against the Mariners. It took him 22 pitches and four batters, but Houck was able to keep the Mariners off the board in the ninth to lock down his first save this year.

Houck has made a few starts here and there and pitched fine, with a 4.32 ERA, but where he’s really shined is the bullpen. Friday’s outing lowered his ERA as a reliever this season to 2.88 over 25 innings, to go along with 27 strikeouts and just 19 hits allowed. He may now be the top closing option for the Red Sox, with Hansel Robles and John Schreiber pitching well also.

Losing A Grip

•Dany Jiménez, OAK | RosterResource

As recently as the end of the day on May 26th, Jiménez’s ERA was a spotless 0.00. After being charged with the loss in allowing three runs to the Guardians (who walked it off when one of Jiménez’s inherited runners scored on a sacrifice fly against Sam Moll), it stands at 4.91. Jiménez has only had one scoreless outing in his past five, recording 11 outs and allowing 11 earned runs.

Zach Jackson (3.70 ERA, 34 strikeouts in 24.1 innings), A.J. Puk (1.85 ERA), Moll (1.47 ERA) and Domingo Acevedo (3.76 ERA) have all been somewhere between solid and excellent this year. The A’s may elect to mix and match from here on out.