Bullpen Report: May 25, 2018

On a day that featured only eight games on the schedule, the only real closer intrigue took place in Cincinnati. In the first Reds game that provided a save opportunity since Raisel Iglesias (biceps) went on the 10-day disabled list on Wednesday, it looked as if Amir Garrett was primed to record his first career save. The lefty relieved David Hernandez with two outs in the top of the seventh inning and a 5-2 lead against the Pirates. He proceeded to get the next four outs, three of which came by way of strikeout.

Having used only 16 pitches to get those outs, Jim Riggleman brought Garrett out for the ninth inning to finish the game. Corey Dickerson put the first blemish on Garrett’s afternoon, singling on an 0-2 pitch, but then he appeared to get back on track, striking Jose Osuna out on three pitches. Then, with one swing, Garrett’s campaign to get the save took a blow when Austin Meadows turned on a 95 mph fastball that caught the inside of the plate and pulled it for a two-run homer. With the Reds’ lead carved down to one run, Jared Hughes took over and got the final two outs, as well as the save.

Riggleman had previously stated that he planned to go with a committee during Iglesias’ absence, which may not be that long. Garrett may not have disqualified himself from a future save opportunity with this performance, but neither he nor Hughes is worth a pickup in the vast majority of leagues.

Blake Treinen successfully converted his eighth straight save on Thursday, getting the final four outs (including two by strikeout) against the Mariners. All eight saves have come in May, and only Brad Hand has a higher save total (nine) for the month. Prior to this month, Treinen was leading all qualified relievers in O-Swing% with a 52.3 percent rate. Since then, regression has hit Treinen hard in that regard, as he has induced chases at a 33.1 percent rate in May. However, hitters have been making contact on pitches outside the strike zone at a minuscule 40.0 percent rate against Treinen this month.

Since he has been locating in the zone at just a 40.7 percent rate this season, Treinen will need to continue this trend if he is to avert regression in his strikeout rate. So far this month, he has posted a 34.6 percent K-rate, boosting his mark to 30.5 percent for the season.

If not for the stellar work of the A’s middle relievers, Treinen may not have had a save opportunity to convert on Thursday. Bob Melvin started Josh Lucas, who had not started a game since 2013, and that was with Short-Season Class A State College. Though a bullpen day was clearly in Melvin’s plans, Lucas lasted only two innings, and Chris Hatcher took over in the third. He preserved Oakland’s 4-2 lead for two innings and then handed off to Yusmeiro Petit, who turned in three scoreless innings with four strikeouts.

Last season, Petit was a top-30 reliever in Roto value (per ESPN’s Player Rater) despite recording only four saves for the Angels. Part of Petit’s fantasy allure was the sheer volume of quality innings he pitched, finishing with a 2.76 ERA and 0.95 WHIP over 91.1 innings. So far in 2018, he has provided the innings (32.0), but he has been short on strikeouts (17.2 percent rate), as well as on ERA (3.38) and WHIP (1.22). Perhaps he is turning a corner, though. Over his last 11.1 innings, Petit has only seven strikeouts, but a 12.7 percent swinging strike rate and 18.3 percent called strike rate over that span could portend for more strikeouts ahead. He has also been inducing more flyballs and throwing strikes, so his WHIP is already heading in the right direction.

Quick hits: Jace Fry gave up his first hit of the season, allowing a two-out Craig Gentry single in the top of the eighth inning in the White Sox’s 9-3 loss the Orioles on Thursday. However, he kept his scoreless streak for 2018 intact. He has now thrown 9.1 innings of shutout ball…The Rays split the two games in which Sergio Romo started against the Angels last weekend, and now they’re going to use short relievers to start all three games against the Orioles this weekend. Romo will get the nod on Friday and Sunday, and Ryne Stanek will start on Saturday…Collin McHugh tossed two scoreless innings against the Indians on Thursday, extending his scoreless innings streak to 17.1. During that span, which goes back to April 6, McHugh has struck out 25 batters and walked four…The Red Sox activated Hector Velazquez on Thursday, and he went right to work. He pitched a scoreless seventh inning in the 6-3 loss to the Rays; lowering his ERA to 2.03. Going back to the beginning of 2017, Velazquez owns the fifth-lowest pulled flyball rate (11.3 percent) of any pitcher who has allowed at least 50 flyballs.