Bullpen Report: September 8, 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.
6. Reliever On The Rise: Non-closer who is quickly moving up the depth chart based on potential and recent performance.

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: 3 conseuctive days; 15 pitches on Monday. | RosterResource

Nick Wittgren and James Karinchak are candidates for a save chance on Tuesday.

•Brandon Kintzler, MIA: 3 consecutive days; 23 pitches on Monday. | RosterResource

Yimi García, who has yet to allow a run in 7.2 innings this season, is a likely candidate for a save chance on Tuesday.

 

Injury News

•Chris Devenski and Blake Taylor, HOU: Placed on 10-Day IL due to elbow soreness. | RosterResource

Taylor has been the Astros’ more reliable setup man and Devenski, who had recently returned from a stint on the Injured List, was one of the lone veterans in the bullpen. Without that duo, the team will likely rely heavily on Enoli Paredes, Brad Peacock, and Cionel Pérez to bridge the gap to closer Ryan Pressly.

 

Outlier Saves

•Nick Vincent, MIA | RosterResource

After Kintzler blew a 4-3 lead in the ninth, the Marlins regained the lead with a run in the top of the tenth. Vincent retired all three batters faced in the bottom half of the inning to pick up his third save on the season.

•Héctor Neris, PHI | RosterResource

Closer Brandon Workman pitched a scoreless ninth with the game tied at seven against the Mets. After the Phillies took a two-run lead in the top of the tenth, Neris was called on for his first save chance since August 20 when he blew his third consecutive opportunity. The 31-year-old, who has pitched much better since Workman was acquired, allowed an RBI single before closing out the victory for his third save.

•Yohan Ramirez, SEA | RosterResource

It’s getting difficult to call all of Ramirez’s saves outliers — he has three saves in his last three appearances — but the circumstances have all been unusual. The first was in extra innings after closer Taylor Williams had already been used. The next came on Saturday with Yoshihisa Hirano likely unavailable and the team ahead by three. On Monday, the Mariners went to rookie left-hander Aaron Fletcher in the ninth with an 8-2 lead. Five batters later, only one out had been recorded and the tying run was on deck. In came Ramirez to save the day, allowing a sacrifice fly and a walk before closing out the game for yet another save.

Despite Ramirez’s recent success in high-leverage games, it’s still unlikely that manager Scott Servais will be going to him the ninth inning with the Mariners up by a run or two. He now has 15 walks in 14.2 innings and Hirano is still a much more reliable option at this point.

 

Committee Clarity

•Sam Coonrod, SFG | RosterResource

As any well-functioning closer committee would do, the Giants have used three different pitchers to close out games during their current three game winning streak. After Tony Watson and Tyler Rogers saved games on Saturday and Sunday, it was Coonrod who got a four-out save on Monday in a 4-2 win over the Diamondbacks.

 

Losing A Grip

•None

 

Reliever On The Rise

Early in the season, picking out a “Reliever On The Rise” was a simple task with several options to choose from each day. Not so much over the last few weeks, though. Most of the breakout relievers have already been identified. As a result, this section will highlight a pitcher or two only once per week through the end of the season.