Bullpen Report: May 1, 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

•Michael Fulmer, CHC: Three of the last four days; 11 pitches on Sunday. | RosterResource

Co-closer Brad Boxberger should be available on Monday if Fulmer isn’t.

•Alexis Díaz, CIN: 6 pitches on Sunday; 14 pitches on Saturday. | RosterResource

If Díaz isn’t available for a third straight day, Alex Young or Ian Gibaut could close. Lucas Sims might not be available after 23 pitches Sunday.

•Evan Phillips, LAD: 8 pitches on Sunday; 26 pitches on Saturday. | RosterResource

Co-closer Brusdar Graterol has pitched three straight days, so definitely won’t be available Monday. That could leave Shelby Miller or Caleb Ferguson to close.

Injury News

•Reynaldo López, CHW: Exited with bicep fatigue during Friday’s game. | RosterResource

López had another outing worthy of putting him into the Losing A Grip section, but we’ll put him here since he left the outing with an injury. There’s no specificity right now, but the beleaguered White Sox bullpen probably can’t really afford to lose him for very long, even though he’s got an 8.76 ERA now. The team is sorely missing closer Liam Hendriks, though he’s started rehabbing in Arizona and could be back by the end of May. Without him, they’ve been going without a clear closer. More on that in the Committee Clarity section.

Outlier Saves

•Yennier Cano, BAL | RosterResource

Félix Bautista has worked quite hard the past few days, with 18 pitches on Wednesday, 31 on Thursday, and 10 on Saturday. That led the Orioles to stay away from him on Sunday and turn the ball over to standing rookie Yennier Cano. As has been customary for Cano, he retired every batter he faced, including two strikeouts, for a four-out save. He’s now pitched 11 hitless, walk-less innings (he has hit a batter, though) with 12 strikeouts, making him Bautista’s most-trusted setup man.

•Matt Brash, SEA | RosterResource

The Mariners elected to use closer Paul Sewald in the bottom of the ninth of a tied game in a wild affair where they took a 4-0 lead, then ended up down 8-4 before storming back in the eighth and ninth. Sewald allowed a leadoff double in the ninth but was able to push the game to the tenth, where Cal Raleigh hit a two-run homer to give the Mariners the lead. Enter Brash.

Brash’s nasty slider was on display in his inning, striking out two and allowing a bloop single to earn the save. He’s had a few rough outings, but has struck out a whopping 43.3% of batters faced this year, making him a key strikeout arm for a bullpen absent Andrés Muñoz.

Committee Clarity

•The White Sox | RosterResource

As mentioned in the Reynaldo López blurb in the Injury News section, the White Sox’s bullpen has struggled with poor performance and a bevy of walks issued. Only Joe Kelly, Keynan Middleton, and Gregory Santos are currently in the bullpen and have walked under 10% of batters faced, which might just make those three the least-infuriating closing options going forward. Santos has been especially good, topping out at 103 mph en route to a 1.88 ERA and 16 strikeouts in 14.1 innings.

Losing A Grip

•None