Bullpen Report: May 6, 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

•Kenley Jansen, BOS: 22 pitches on Friday. | RosterResource

22 pitches isn’t a ton, but this was Jansen’s first appearance in six days, having dealt with back tightness during his last appearance, so the Red Sox might want him to take it easy on Saturday. Chris Martin or John Schreiber could close.

•Alex Lange, DET: Three straight days; 22 pitches on Friday. | RosterResource

Jason Foley or Will Vest could close on Saturday.

•Carlos Estévez, LAA: Three of the last four days; 19 pitches on Friday. | RosterResource

Matt Moore or Ryan Tepera could close if Estévez is unavailable.

•Jhoan Duran, MIN: 18 pitches on Friday; 16 pitches on Thursday. | RosterResource

Jorge López has also worked back-to-back games, albeit on eight fewer pitches in total. If both are unavailable, Griffin Jax would probably close.

•Jason Adam, TBR: 12 pitches on Friday; 25 pitches on Thursday. | RosterResource

It’s anyone’s best guess as to who could close for the Rays on Saturday, but Colin Poche and Ryan Thompson are the most feasible options.

•Will Smith, TEX: 27 pitches on Friday. | RosterResource

Jonathan Hernández, Brock Burke, and José Leclerc are all very plausible closing options on Saturday.

•Andrew Chafin, ARI: Three of the last four days; 15 pitches on Friday. | RosterResource

Miguel Castro, Scott McGough, or Joe Mantiply could close if Chafin is down on Saturday.

•Camilo Doval, SFG: Three of the last four days; 17 pitches on Friday. | RosterResource

Tyler Rogers will definitely be unavailable after 33 pitches Friday, which leaves John Brebbia and Taylor Rogers as the likeliest closers.

Injury News

•Raisel Iglesias, ATL: Activated from the 15-day IL on Friday. | RosterResource

The Braves closer missed the first month-plus of the season with a shoulder strain, and his activation will provide a big boost to the bullpen. A.J. Minter picked up seven saves in Iglesias’s action, but also gave up 13 runs in 15.2 innings. Iglesias, on the other hand, was brilliant after his midseason trade to Atlanta last year, with a 0.37 ERA in 26.1 innings as Kenley Jansen’s top setup man. He should now be back to a familiar role that he occupied with the Reds and Angels since 2017.

Outlier Saves

•None

Committee Clarity

•Reynaldo López, CHW | RosterResource

It had looked like the intent from the start of the season was for López to handle closing duties with Liam Hendriks on the IL, but the best laid plans didn’t work out, as López got hammered for nine runs on four homers in his first 8.2 innings of work. He did have three straight scoreless appearances before giving up three runs to the Rays on April 30th and a run to the Twins on Thursday, but that didn’t stop the Sox from giving him a closing chance on Friday, which he converted. Keynan Middleton is still probably the top choice to close until Hendriks is back, though.

•Mark Leiter Jr., CHC | RosterResource

Since the end of last season, Leiter Jr. has gone from being outrighted of the 40-man and re-signing on a minors contract to making the team out of Spring Training and ultimately ending up as the sole closer listed on the Cubs’s RosterResource page. Leiter Jr. has been nothing short of brilliant this season, striking out 23 in 14 innings pitched with only eight hits and six walks allowed. Michael Fulmer and Brad Boxberger have both been shaky, with Adbert Alzolay and Keegan Thompson excelling in multi-inning roles, which gives Leiter Jr. sole possession of the closer’s spot for now, it appears.

•Adam Ottavino, NYM | RosterResource

The Mets haven’t named a closer with Edwin Díaz out for the year, and they don’t plan to, but it sure looked as if David Robertson had taken hold of the role, with Ottavino pitching worse than Robertson and not earning a save since April 19. But Buck Showalter used Robertson against the tougher part of the order in the eighth, letting Ottavino close out the game in the ninth for his fourth save of the year. It appears as if Robertson is the team’s top reliever, but won’t be pigeonholed into the ninth.

Losing A Grip

•None