Bullpen Report: June 7, 2023

The 2023 version of the 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

•Liam Hendriks, CHW: Three of the last four days; 14 pitches on Tuesday. | RosterResource

The Sox were off Monday, though it doesn’t seem very likely Hendriks gets pushed to pitching in four of five games. Kendall Graveman should be good to go Wednesday.

•Caleb Ferguson, LAD: 30 pitches on Tuesday. | RosterResource

Co-closers Evan Phillips and Brusdar Graterol both pitched Tuesday, but had much lighter workloads. They should both be available Wednesday.

Injury News

•Andrés Muñoz, SEA: Activated from the 15-day IL (shoulder strain) on Tuesday. | RosterResource

Muñoz made just four scoreless appearances before being placed on the IL, ultimately missing nearly two months of action. Paul Sewald’s grip on the closer’s job is very secure, and the long layoff could mean Muñoz gets eased in a bit anyway, but they could definitely use a Muñoz similar to the one who dominated last year. He’ll form a dominant bullpen corps with Sewald, Justin Topa, and Matt Brash.

•A.J. Puk, MIA: Activated from the 15-day IL (elbow nerve irritation) on Tuesday. | RosterResource

Puk missed just shy of three weeks with his elbow injury that began as (or was thought to be) a case of dead arm. Dylan Floro was pretty solid in his absence, not blowing any saves but inflating his ERA with a few blowup outings. But Puk is definitely a more dominant arm (he struck out just under 30% of batters faced before hitting the shelf) and fits the closer stereotype better, so he should have his job back in short order if not right now. Skip Schumaker isn’t one to shy away from matchups, so the righty Floro should still be a factor, at least occasionally.

Outlier Saves

•None

Committee Clarity

•Liam Hendriks, CHW | RosterResource

He’s back! It might not have been a perfectly poetic first save since beating cancer (he gave up a leadoff homer to Josh Donaldson) but Hendriks got the job done, retiring the three batters after the leadoff blemish in his fourth game back from the Injured List. He might not be available on Wednesday on account of his recent workload—and Kendall Graveman might get sprinkled in regardless—but it sure looks like he has the job. Hendriks was at 95-96 with his fastball, a little bit down from his best, but he should continue to tick upwards with more reps and the adrenaline of the ninth.

Losing A Grip

•None