Bullpen Report: September 21, 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

•Brad Hand, CLE: 26 pitches on Sunday. | RosterResource

James Karinchak is a likely candidate for a save chance on Monday.

•Daniel Bard, COL: Back-to-back days; 35 pitches on Sunday. | RosterResource

Mychal Givens only threw one pitch on Sunday, but he had a 26-pitch outing on Saturday. Therefore, Monday could be a good day to give former Marlins’ closer AJ Ramos a save chance. He threw a scoreless inning in his Rockies’ debut on Saturday.

•Ryan Pressly, HOU: Back-to-back days; 14 pitches on Sunday. | RosterResource

Josh James, Enoli Paredes, and Brooks Raley are candidates for a save chance on Monday. Unlike earlier in the season when multiple pitchers would’ve been options because all were equally unreliable, this time the Astros have multiple options because they’re all capable of closing out a win.

•Brandon Kintzler, MIA: Back-to-back days; 22 pitches on Sunday. | RosterResource

Yimi García is a likely candidate for a save chance on Monday.

 

Injury News

•None

 

Outlier Saves

•Mychal Givens, COL | RosterResource

After recording the final out in the eighth, Bard was one out away from closing out a 6-1 win over the Dodgers and picking up his seventh save. But back-to-back singles and a walk put the winning run at the plate with Bard’s pitch count at 35. Givens came in to retire Chris Taylor, who grounded out on the first pitch. It was his first save of 2020 after he saved 20 games for the Orioles over the previous two seasons.

Bard has likely done enough to enter the offseason as the team’s projected closer for 2021, although Givens is a pretty good backup plan and it wouldn’t hurt to bring in at least one other potential candidate.

 

Committee Clarity

•Cesar Valdez, BAL | RosterResource

Despite throwing a fastball that can barely reach the mid-eighties, all signs had been pointing to the 35-year-old Valdez getting a chance to be the Orioles’ primary closer before season’s end. He got his chance on Sunday and responded with a 1-2-3 inning to secure a 2-1 win over the Rays. It’s his second save of the season and his seventh scoreless outing in eight chances.

If you’re wondering how he gets batters out with a mid-eighties fastball, the answer is that he almost never throws it. He throws this pitch nearly 85% of the time …

Cesar Valdez’s splitter moves so much it makes his catcher look bad. This is disgusting 🤢 pic.twitter.com/Hd4Dy07YZc

— Danny Vietti (@DannyVietti) September 17, 2020

Not sure if it’s a split-finger or a change-up, but the movement is ridiculous and the threat of him throwing another pitch that travels about 8-10 miles per hour faster is probably why it’s is so effective. Fortunately for Valdez, this late-season success should be enough to keep him on the roster for at least the beginning of next season. I imagine that big league hitters will eventually figure him out, but his story is one of many several great ones amongst journeyman relievers in 2020.

 

•Andrew Miller, STL | RosterResource

Since Miller’s last save on August 17, four Cardinals’ pitchers have recorded saves. But he finally got another on Sunday with a perfect ninth inning to close out a 2-1 win over the Pirates and keep the Cardinals in line for the sixth seed in the playoffs. With his latest appearance, the 35-year-old lefty also had his $12 million option vest for 2021.

 

Losing A Grip

•None