Bullpen Report: June 8, 2018

In the Astros’ series finale against the Mariners on Wednesday, we saw Hector Rondon get the save, even though incumbent closer Ken Giles had not pitched in three days. The Astros did not have a save situation in Thursday night’s opener against the Rangers, but with a four-run lead heading into the bottom of the ninth inning, they had the next-closest thing. Rondon was likely available after having thrown 20 pitches the night before, but A.J. Hinch went with Giles in the final frame. As has been his wont, Giles had some difficulties in a non-save situation, allowing a run on a pair of doubles, but it was more than good enough for the Astros to walk away with a 5-2 win.

These two games leave us with an unclear picture of the Astros’ bullpen situation, and Hinch’s comments after Wednesday’s game didn’t do much to resolve the ambiguity. He told the Houston Chroncle, “Sometimes you roll with the guys that are hot and doing it, sometimes you have more defined roles, sometimes you don’t. I thought tonight Rondon  could close the game out.” What we can infer from that statement is the Rondon’s use in a save situation — and Giles’ subsequent use in a non-save situation — does not mean that Giles has been moved out of the closer’s role. Whether or not Rondon’s “hot hand” means he will continue to get save chances in the immediate future will remain a mystery, at least until the next opportunity avails itself.

For the second time in five days, Wade Davis was instrumental to the Rockies losing a game in the late innings. Back on Sunday, he gave up three runs in the ninth inning to the Dodgers, enabling them to claim a 10-7 victory. On Thursday, Davis was done in by wildness against the Reds. With a 5-4 lead, Davis started off the ninth inning by plunking Curt Casali. A one-out Jose Peraza single advanced Casali to second base, and then the Reds’ catcher went to third base on a wild pitch with Billy Hamilton at the plate. One batter later, Davis uncorked another wild pitch, allowing Casali to score the tying run. The Reds ultimately prevailed on Jesse Winker’s two-run walk-off homer off Chris Rusin in the 13th inning.

Davis has been one of the wildest pitchers in the majors, posting the third-lowest Zone% (33.8 percent) among qualified relievers. If Adam Ottavino were not out with a strained oblique, it might be time to worry about Davis’ job security, but current set-up relievers Jake McGee and Scott Oberg have had their own issues with consistency. However, Oberg — who was recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque to replace Ottavino on the Rockies’ active roster — has not allowed an earned run in the 11 days he has been back up. He has also collected three holds in the six appearances he has made, covering 6.2 innings.

Dylan Floro got credit for the Reds’ win by finishing the game with three scoreless innings. He recorded only one strikeout, and contrary to his usual form, he allowed three batted balls with exit velocities in excess of 100 mph. Overall this season, Floro has thrived on inducing soft contact. Of 206 pitchers who have allowed at least 80 batted balls. Floro has the 11th-lowest average exit velocity allowed on flyballs and line drives (89.8 mph, per Baseball Savant). According to xStats.org, Floro has compiled a 32.6 percent dribbler rate, which is eight percentage points above the major league average.

Among closers, Davis is in a class of his own when it comes to wildness, with Brad Brach ranking a distant second with a 38.2 percent Zone%. Brach wasn’t especially wild on Thursday night, but a pair of walks contributed to a Blue Jays rally that sent the game into extra innings. Over the past 30 days, Brach has walked seven batters in 10.0 innings despite getting batters to chase pitches out of the zone at a 35.6 percent rate. With Zach Britton (Achilles) possibly less than a week away from returning, Brach could be on the verge of ceding the closer’s role anyway, even if he can curb his walk rate. However, his fantasy owners won’t necessarily need to drop him, as Britton’s role upon his return is not yet clear. The Orioles have even considered making Britton a starter again.

Quick hits: The Dodgers placed Tony Cingrani on the 10-day disabled list with a left shoulder strain. Erik Goeddel pitched in the sixth and seventh innings against the Pirates in a hold situation, which may foreshadow a more prominent setup role for him in Cingrani’s absence….Joe Jimenez gave up a pair of singles in a scoreless eighth inning against the Red Sox. He has allowed only one run over his last 9.2 innings, and it was only the second time in his last seven appearances in which Jimenez had allowed a base hit…After a contact-friendly start to his season (and career), Jordan Hicks has been getting more whiffs lately. Over his last five appearances, Hicks has induced swinging strikes on 13 out of 99 pitches.