Bullpen Report: June 25, 2021

The 2021 version of Bullpen Report includes five differentßsections, as well as the closer chart, which can be found at the bottom of the page.

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

•None

 

Injury News

•Lucas Sims, CIN | Placed on 10-Day IL (sprained elbow). | RosterResource

Sims, who had become the team’s primary closer over the past month with six saves and only one run allowed over a span of 12 innings from May 25 through June 21, will miss at least 3-to-4 weeks.

David Bell gives a 3-to-4 week timeline for Lucas Sims. “That’s how I’m going to be thinking about it."

— Charlie Goldsmith (@CharlieG__) June 24, 2021

 

That timetable is probably the best-case scenario and, more likely, wishful thinking from Reds manager David Bell. Tommy John surgery is a very common result following an elbow sprain diagnosis, although it’s too early to speculate on the severity of Sims’ injury. It’s worth noting that the 27-year-old right-hander has continued to increase his curveball/slider usage (44% in 2019; 50% in 2020; 59% in 2021) while his average fastball velocity has also gone up every year since he made his MLB debut in 2017.

 

Outlier Saves

•None

 

 

Committee Clarity

•Brad Brach, CIN | RosterResource

The Reds’ usage of Tejay Antone in 2021 would indicate that they aren’t likely to save him for the final outs of a game. If they can hand him a lead in the 8th inning, however, there is a good chance he could finish things out. After all, he had recorded more than three outs in 13 of his 22 appearances coming into Thursday’s game.

So, there was every reason to believe he was in line for a save chance when he entered with a 4-1 lead over the Braves in the 8th inning. A crazy thing happened, though. Antone had a rare bad outing, allowing five consecutive batters to reach — HR, 1B, E3, 1B, BB — before he ended the threat with his team still ahead by a run. It was only the third outing in which he’s allowed a run this season.

Leading 5-3 in the 9th, the Reds turned to Brach, whose last save came in 2018 while he was with the Braves. He pitched a scoreless inning, allowing just a single to Freddie Freeman while striking out two to close things out and extend his scoreless streak to 8 1/3 innings.

While a committee is still a possibility with Antone and Amir Garrett (four consecutive scoreless appearances) also in the mix, the Reds could continue to go with the veteran Brach in hopes of some late-inning stability.

 

Losing A Grip

•None

 

Click HERE to view the full Closer Depth Chart.