Bullpen Report: May 5, 2018

Just when the St. Louis Cardinal fans thought the closer position was settled down Bud Norris goes out and pitches like… well… Bud Norris. Not exactly analysis, but ask most Cardinal fans what they think of their bullpen at the moment. In a game against their biggest rival, the Chicago Cubs and a game where Miles Mikolas pitched a gem, Norris was one swing away from blowing this one.

The Cubs made loud contact against Norris five times in the inning, including the three base hits that allowed two runs to score. In the end, Norris would convert but not before Cardinal Nation likely threw a few things at the television.

After Jake McGee allowed back to back hits and a run in the 9th, Wade Davis, and his .122 opponent batting average, was called upon to save the game with the three-run lead and nobody out. His command seemed shaky in this one and you could tell right out of the bullpen. Davis spiked a fastball about a foot in front of the plate as his first pitch in the game. He would go on to face six batters, allowing hits to two of them and a free pass to another. A run would score but the lead was still protected as Davis struck out two on his way to his 12th save of the young season.

The Yankees team must have a flair for the dramatic. Entering play yesterday, four of their last eight games were decided in the ninth inning. This one was not any different. With a FIVE run lead in the eighth inning, Chasen Shreve would enter and face four batters but wouldn’t record a single out. Instead, he would allow four runs on three hits and a walk and manager Aaron Boone would be forced to bring in David Robertson. Robertson did get three outs in the eighth but not before he allowed a run of his own. All was forgiven though because in the bottom half the Yankees would fight back and plate a run on a bases-loaded walk by Aaron Judge. With a one-run lead in the top of the ninth, in comes Aroldis Chapman to lock it down. What does he do? Of course, he gives up another run. Chapman missed with his fastball in this outing by several feet on multiple occasions including one time to advance the winning run to third and then to score that run on another wild pitch. In total, the Yankees would walk it off in the bottom half of the inning against Cody Allen but the Yankees pen would allow six earned runs in while getting the last six outs of the game. Not ideal.

Quick Hits

Fernando Rodney was able to lock down his fourth save of the season for Minnesota. Rodney didn’t allow a baserunner in this one and only needed 14 pitches (11 strikes) to shut down the White Sox. This makes four consecutive outings without allowing a run, which brings his season ERA to 4.22.
26-year-old Felipe Vasquez got his 30th career save against Milwaukee Saturday night. The Pirates closer was asked to get five outs in this one and did so in just 20 pitches. Vasquez has done a good job of preventing runs this year but is giving away too many free passes. In 13 innings pitched this season Vasquez has allowed 12 hits and walked 6.

Raisel Iglesias pitched around a one-out single to close the door on Miami but was able to convert easily for this fourth save of the season. So far in the early going of 2018, Iglesias may be the recipient of some good fortune. His FIP before the game yesterday was at an even 5.00 while his ERA was 2.13.

Thirteen of Kelvin Herrera’s fourteen appearances this season have been scoreless ones, including this outing against the Tigers where he picked up his sixth save of 2018. Combining nine outings last year with his 14 this year, Herrera hasn’t allowed a walk to a batter in 23 games pitched.

Blake Treinen was successful yet again for the Athletics, this time collecting his fourth save of the season and not allowing a single baserunner in the ninth. This was his tenth appearance of the season and only the third where Treinen hasn’t allowed at least one man to reach base. With a 1.50 WHIP through 14 innings, you would expect with his ERA to increase quite a bit from its current 1.29 or his ability to keep guys off base to improve.

Not Very Stable
Hot Seat
Bullpen Report — 5/5/2018
Team Closer First Up Second Up Minors/DL
ARI Brad Boxberger Archie Bradley Yoshihisa Hirano
ATL Arodys Vizcaino A.J. Minter Dan Winkler
BAL Darren O’Day Brad Brach Mychal Givens Zach Britton
BOS Craig Kimbrel Matt Barnes Joe Kelly
CHC Brandon Morrow Carl Edwards Jr. Steve Cishek
CWS Joakim Soria Nate Jones Bruce Rondon Danny Farquhar
CIN Raisel Iglesias Jared Hughes Wandy Peralta
CLE Cody Allen Nick Goody Zach McAllister Andrew Miller
COL Wade Davis Adam Ottavino Jake McGee
DET Shane Greene Joe Jimenez Alex Wilson
HOU Ken Giles Chris Devenski Brad Peacock
KC Kelvin Herrera Brian Flynn Brad Keller Justin Grimm
LAA Cam Bedrosian Justin Anderson Jim Johnson Keynan Middleton
LAD Kenley Jansen Pedro Baez Ross Stripling
MIA Brad Ziegler Kyle Barraclough Drew Steckenrider
MIL Josh Hader Jeremy Jeffress Jacob Barnes Corey Knebel
MIN Fernando Rodney Addison Reed Zach Duke
NYM Jeurys Familia AJ Ramos Robert Gsellman Anthony Swarzak
NYY Aroldis Chapman David Robertson Dellin Betances
OAK Blake Treinen Lou Trivino Santiago Casilla Ryan Buchter
PHI Hector Neris Luis Garcia Tommy Hunter Pat Neshek
PIT Felipe Vazquez George Kontos Michael Feliz
STL Bud Norris Greg Holland Jordan Hicks
SD Brad Hand Kirby Yates Phil Maton
SF Hunter Strickland Tony Watson Sam Dyson Mark Melancon
SEA Edwin Diaz Juan Nicasio Nick Vincent
TB Alex Colome Sergio Romo Jose Alvarado
TEX Keone Kela Jake Diekman Jose Leclerc Chris Martin
TOR Roberto Osuna Ryan Tepera Seung Hwan Oh
WSH Sean Doolittle Ryan Madson Brandon Kintzler





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slappy jack
5 years ago

Bedrosian came in during the 6th, Anderson the 8th (got no one out),
that would have been setting up J.Johnson to close (except he got lit up too) bad night for Angels bullpen .. and now I have no idea who gets the next save