Bullpen Report: September 19, 2020

The 2020 version of Bullpen Report includes six 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.)

Notable Workloads

•Matt Barnes, BOS: Back-to-back days; 18 pitches on Friday. | RosterResource

Phillips Valdez is a likely candidate for a save chance on Saturday.

•Jeremy Jeffress, CHC: 26 pitches on Friday. | RosterResource

Craig Kimbrel is a likely candidate for a save chance on Saturday.

•Aroldis Chapman,  NYY: Back-to-back days; 27 pitches on Friday. | RosterResource

Zack Britton is a likely candidate for a save chance on Saturday.

•Héctor Neris, PHI: 4 of last 5 days; 25 pitches on Friday. | RosterResource

David Phelps and Blake Parker are likely candidates for a save chance on Saturday.

 

Injury News

•Evan Marshall, CHW: Placed on 10-Day IL (shoulder inflammation) | RosterResource

A pair of rookie right-handers, Codi Heuer and Matt Foster, will be asked to pick up the slack in the seventh and eighth innings with Marshall out. Also in the mix will be lefty Garrett Crochet, who made his professional debut on Friday after being taken with the 11th pick in the 2020 draft. The 21-year-old struck out two in a perfect inning with his last six fastballs all exceeding 100 miles per hour.

Garrett Crochet was drafted in June, and he's already on big-league mound pumping 101. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/AItTWkN8Wn

— MLB (@MLB) September 19, 2020

•Rafael Dolis, TOR: Removed from Friday’s game with knee discomfort. | RosterResource

With nine games to go and a four-game lead for the last playoff spot, the Blue Jays could probably get by without Dolis for at least a few games. There is currently no word on the severity of his injury.

Anthony Bass could take over primary closing duties while Dolis is out, although there are a few others who could be in the mix. A.J. Cole has been very good in 2020, while Julian Merryweather and Thomas Hatch each have the arsenal to succeed in the late innings.

 

Outlier Saves

•Ryan Sherriff, TBR | RosterResource

Sherriff followed a scoreless inning from Nick Anderson with a perfect ninth to close out a 2-1 win over the Orioles and pick up his 1st save. He is the 11th Rays pitcher to earn a save in 2020, matching the team’s total from 2019. The difference is 11 pitchers saving 46 games last season versus 11 pitchers saving 19 games thus far.

With Peter Fairbanks, Aaron Loup, and Ryan Thompson having combined for 88 appearances and no saves, my money is on one of them being the twelfth Rays’ pitcher to earn a save.

 

Committee Clarity

•Ryan Helsley, STL | RosterResource

Cardinals’ manager Mike Shildt must really believe in Helsley’s ability to be his closer. Despite allowing at least one run in five consecutive appearances since returning from the Injured List on September 1, including back-to-back blown saves, the hard-throwing 26-year-old got the call with a one-run lead, nobody on base, and two outs to go in game one of Friday’s double-header versus the Pirates.

After getting Bryan Reynolds to line out, he walked the next batter. A throwing error put a second runner on base before Helsley walked Josh Bell to load the bases. With the count 2-0, John Ryan Murphy flew out to end the game, giving Helsley his first career MLB save.

In game two, Andrew Miller struck out the side in a scoreless inning. He and Helsley remain the team’s most likely candidates for save chances over the team’s final 12 games.

 

Losing A Grip

•None