Bullpen Report: May 14, 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.
- 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.
- Injury News
- Outlier Saves: Explanation for a non-closer earning a save during the previous day.
- Committee Clarity: Notes on a closer committee that clarify a pitcher’s standing in the group.
- 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: Back-to-back days; 19 pitches on Thursday. | RosterResource
Aaron Bummer is a likely candidate for a save chance if Hendriks isn’t available on Friday.
•Emmanuel Clase, CLE: 3 consecutive days; 18 pitches on Thursday. | RosterResource
James Karinchak is a likely candidate for a save chance on Friday.
•Gregory Soto, DET: 3 consecutive days; 18 pitches on Thursday. | RosterResource
Michael Fulmer has pitched on back-to-back days. Daniel Norris and José Cisnero are likely candidates for a save chance on Friday.
•Alex Reyes, STL: 20 pitches on Thursday. | RosterResource
Giovanny Gallegos is a likely save candidate if Reyes isn’t available on Friday.
Injury News
•Drew Pomeranz, SDP: Placed on 10-Day IL (strained lat). | RosterResource
Mark Melancon hasn’t needed much help closing out games for the Padres, but Pomeranz has been the most obvious candidate to replace him if he’s ever unavailable. At least for the next week — Pomeranz’s Injured List stint is retroactive to May 10 — that “next in line” role likely belongs to Emilio Pagán with Austin Adams and Tim Hill also in the mix.
Outlier Saves
•Garrett Whitlock, BOS | RosterResource
One of the more impressive Rule 5 picks in recent years, Whitlock picked up his first career save on Thursday by pitching the final three innings of his team’s 8-1 win over the A’s. The 24-year-old has now pitched at least two innings in seven of his 10 appearances and has allowed just one run in those multi-inning stints. In addition to the save, he also has five holds for the first-place Red Sox.
•Bryan Shaw, CLE | RosterResource
In a bit of a surprise, Clase was called on to pitch for a third consecutive day with his team-leading the Mariners 4-2 in the ninth inning. After retiring the first two batters of the inning on only three pitches, he walked the next three batters, including six balls in a row before manager Terry Francona had seen enough. Shaw, who was the most likely candidate for a save chance if Clase and Karinchak were both unavailable after pitching back-to-back days, was needed after all. He struck out Luis Torrens to close things out and pick up his first save.
Despite not allowing an earned run in 18 of 19 appearances, Clase usually does make things at least kind of interesting. He has just five “3 up, 3 down” innings and has multiple strikeouts in only three games. But this is the first game he’s walked more than one batter and he’s seven-for-eight in save chances. That’s why he’s not in the “Losing A Grip” section after a potentially disastrous outing on Thursday. If anything, it’s Karinchak’s continued dominance that could eventually force Francona to make a change.
•Michael Fulmer, DET | RosterResource
Like Clase, Soto pitching on a third consecutive day was a surprise. And it also didn’t go well. Handed a 4-1 lead in the ninth, the Royals scored two runs on a walk and two hits before manager Mike Matheny went to Fulmer with the tying run on and only one out. He retired the next two batters to close out the 4-3 win and pick up his second save.
The 28-year-old Fulmer is taking advantage of an opportunity to claim a high-leverage bullpen role. In his last four outings, he’s allowed just two hits over five scoreless innings while picking up two saves and a hold.
•Tyler Rogers, SFG | RosterResource
After struggling over a five-outing span from April 17 to April 27, McGee’s hold on the closer’s job appeared to be slipping. Manager Gabe Kapler said that Rogers could be used more in the ninth inning. But McGee got the next three save chances, converting all three while still appearing to be very much the team’s closer. Even after Rogers picked up his third save on Thursday after pitching a scoreless ninth in a 3-1 win over the Pirates, Kapler made it clear that McGee was just getting another day off after making his 16th and 17th appearances of the season on Monday and Tuesday.
Jake McGee's absence was a usage decision. Kapler wanted him to have consecutive days off. Thus Tyler Rogers got the save chance. (It is quite convenient that Rogers almost never needs a day off.)
— Andrew Baggarly (@extrabaggs) May 14, 2021
Committee Clarity
•None
Losing A Grip
•None
Click HERE to view the full Closer Depth Chart.
Great job as usual. I think Fry is ahead of Scott. If you look at the last 3ish weeks of 8th inning opportunities in front of Valdez, more of them have gone to Fry.
But the bigger reason is that Scott has 15 walks in 15 innings! It’s a minor miracle his ERA is as low as it is.
In this case, I’ve had Scott there since the beginning of the season (and Fry way down on the depth chart after a terrible spring) and hadn’t had moved Scott because he’s been effective enough despite the walks. And the usage trends don’t stand out as much because the Orioles are not ahead consistently enough. So thanks for pointing it out. I’ll take a look.