Bullpen Report: May 13, 2021

The 2021 version of Bullpen Report includes five different sections, 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

•Liam Hendriks, CHW: 28 pitches on Wednesday. | RosterResource

Aaron Bummer is a likely candidate for a save chance if Hendriks isn’t available on Thursday.

•Tejay Antone, CIN: 21 pitches on Wednesday; Sean Doolittle, CIN: Back-to-back days; 11 pitches on Wednesday; Lucas Sims, CIN: 32 pitches on Wednesday. | RosterResource

In all likelihood, Antone and/or Doolittle will be available for a potential save chance on Thursday. Heath Hembree is also an option.

•Emmanuel Clase, CLE: Back-to-back days; 19 pitches on Wednesday. | RosterResource

James Karinchak has also pitched back-to-back days. Bryan Shaw and Nick Wittgren are likely candidates for a save chance if neither Clase or Karinchak are available on Thursday.

•Daniel Bard, COL: 29 pitches on Wednesday. | RosterResource

Mychal Givens is a likely candidate for a save chance if Bard isn’t available on Thursday.

•Gregory Soto, DET: Back-to-back days; 19 pitches on Wednesday. | RosterResource

Michael Fulmer and Daniel Norris are likely candidates for a save chance if Soto isn’t available on Thursday.

•Josh Hader, MIL: Back-to-back days; 4 of last 5 days; 31 pitches on Wednesday. | RosterResource

Devin Williams has also pitched back-to-back days and four of the last five. J.P. Feyereisen and Brent Suter are likely candidates if neither Hader or Williams is available on Thursday.

•Aroldis Chapman, NYY: Back-to-back days; 4 of last 5 days; 31 pitches on Wednesday. | RosterResource

Chad Green and Jonathan Loaisiga are likely candidates for a save chance if Chapman isn’t available on Thursday.

•Héctor Neris, PHI: Back-to-back days; 11 pitches on Wednesday. | RosterResource

José Alvarado has also pitched back-to-back days. Sam Coonrod is a likely save candidate if neither Neris or Alvarado is available on Thursday.

•Richard Rodríguez, PIT: Back-to-back days; 3 of last 4 days; 15 pitches on Wednesday. | RosterResource

David Bednar has also pitched back-to-back days. Chris Stratton is a likely save candidate if neither Rodriguez or Bednar is available on Thursday.

•Brad Hand, WSN: 24 pitches on Wednesday. | RosterResource

Daniel Hudson is a likely save candidate if Hand isn’t available on Thursday.

 

Injury News

•None

 

Outlier Saves

•A.J. Cole, TOR | RosterResource

After Jordan Romano’s 29-pitch save in Tuesday’s win, it was very likely that anyone else would be closing on Wednesday if the opportunity arose. Cole probably wouldn’t have been anyone’s first, second, or third guess to get a save chance, but the 29-year-old right-hander was handed a three-run lead in the ninth. He pitched a scoreless inning to close out the win and pick up his fourth career save.

Despite a solid 2020 season with the Jays (3.09 ERA in 24 appearances), Cole was removed from the 40-man roster in the offseason and didn’t return to the big league roster until five days ago.

 

Committee Clarity

•Tejay Antone, Sean Doolittle, Lucas Sims, and Heath Hembree, CIN | RosterResource

In Wednesday’s 5-1 win over the Pirates, Antone was called on to get the last out in the fifth before pitching a scoreless sixth. Doolittle followed with a 1-2-3 seventh, including a pair of strikeouts. With the game tied at one, Sims retired six consecutive batters in the eighth and ninth, striking out four to send the game into extra innings where the Reds scored four runs in the tenth. Hembree, who might’ve gotten the call in the tenth even it was a save situation, closed it out with his seventh consecutive scoreless outing since joining the Reds.

It has been clear that Antone and Doolittle have been atop the team’s closer depth chart, but Sims and Hembree appear to have also worked their way into the mix. At least on Wednesday, one of the two was very likely going to be called upon if there was a save chance. In any case, the Reds’ committee likely includes more than just Antone and Doolittle. And unlike earlier in the season when the closer uncertainty was mostly due to a lack of reliable options, the current situation is not quite clear because there are several good options.

 

Losing A Grip

•Daniel Bard, COL | RosterResource

Since opening the season with two saves and no earned runs over his first four appearances, Bard has allowed ten earned runs in his last nine innings with three blown saves in four chances. His latest failed save chance came in game two of Wednesday’s double-header, which the Rockies ended up winning. That could lessen the spotlight on the struggling closer, but manager Bud Black has to at least be contemplating his next move should Bard continue to falter. Mychal Givens is likely next in line.

The 31-year-old Givens, who had 11 saves for the Orioles in 2019, lowered his ERA to 2.63 with a scoreless inning in game one on Wednesday. He’s allowed a run in only three of his 14 appearances. Robert Stephenson, who had allowed only one earned run over his last nine innings pitched before giving up a run on Wednesday, is also an option.

•Brad Hand, WSN | RosterResource

Hand began the season with ten consecutive scoreless innings, converting all three save chances over that span. But in his last three games, he’s had a blown save, loss, and a blown save/loss. After allowing a game-tying solo homer to Odúbel Herrera in the top of the ninth, he allowed a single to Bryce Harper to start the tenth. That run, as well as the automatic runner on second, came around to score after Hand was removed.

Daniel Hudson, who was the closer during Nationals’ World Series run in 2019, is off to a strong start with only two earned runs allowed in 10.2 innings. At the least, it’s possible that manager Dave Martinez could begin to work the 34-year-old right-hander into the closer mix with Hand taking a step back after his latest struggles.

 

Click HERE to view the full Closer Depth Chart.