Bullpen Report: June 16, 2021

NEW FEATURE ALERT! We have added an upgraded version of RosterResource’s Closer Depth Chart to FanGraphs. Read more about it here.

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).

Notable Workloads

•Matt Barnes, BOS: 21 pitches on Tuesday; 15 pitches on Monday. | RosterResource

Adam Ottavino is the top candidate to close on Wednesday if needed.

•Liam Hendriks, CHW: 22 pitches on Tuesday; 14 pitches on Sunday. | RosterResource

Hendriks never seems to really need a day off, so odds are he’s available on Wednesday. If Tony La Russa forces him to take a seat, though, Aaron Bummer, Evan Marshall or Garrett Crochet would fill in.

•James Karinchak, CLE: 19 pitches on Tuesday; 23 pitches on Monday; Emmanuel Clase, CLE: 19 pitches on Tuesday; 12 pitches on Monday. | RosterResource

Chances are, at least one of Cleveland’s closers is available on Wednesday, if not both. Bryan Shaw is an option to fill in, though he threw 31 pitches on Monday and may still be out, or at least limited. Nick Wittgren and Nick Sandlin are also possibilities.

Injury News

•None

Outlier Saves

•Yusmeiro Petit, OAK | RosterResource

Co-closers Lou Trivino and Jake Diekman had both worked back-to-back days, so Petit was tasked with shutting the door with a three-run lead. He immediately gave up a home run to Jared Walsh to tighten the score, but retired the next three batters in order for his second save of the season.

The rubber-armed Petit (he leads the league in appearances, with 34) has been brilliant for a fourth straight season in an A’s uniform, with a 3.16 ERA, walking a minuscule three percent of batters faced.

•Amir Garrett, CIN | RosterResource

The Reds have had a fluid closing situation every year, and that’s even more true with Tejay Antone currently on the IL. Cincinnati’s current top option is Lucas Sims, who pitched the bottom of the ninth of a scoreless ballgame. After the Reds took the lead in the top of the tenth, Heath Hembree attempted to shut the door, but couldn’t quite finish the job in his third straight day on the mound. Thus, Garrett was tasked with shutting the door, and needed just four pitches to do so. It was his third save of the year.

It’s been a massive struggle for Garrett this season, who had been expected to be one of the Reds’ top closing options. Instead, he’s pitched his way out of the back end of the bullpen, allowing 18 runs in 19.1 innings, walking just under 15% of batters he’s faced, while also allowing 19 hits and seven home runs.

•Blake Treinen, LAD | RosterResource

Kenley Jansen picked up saves on Sunday and Monday, so he was just down for the day on Tuesday. Treinen had no problem shutting the door with a three-run lead, facing just four batters (and the one who reached was on a fielding error). For Treinen, it was his third save of the season and the 75th of his career.

Treinen’s been great this year as the Dodgers’ top setup man, pitching to a 2.93 ERA and striking out nearly 30% of batters faced while averaging nearly 98 miles per hour on his fastball.

•Seth Lugo, NYM | RosterResource

Edwin Díaz threw 18 pitches on Monday and worked Friday and Saturday as well, so it looked like Tuesday was just a day off for the Mets’ closer. Lugo, who’d saved nine games for the Mets during Díaz’s sometimes-shaky tenure, needed just ten pitches to retire the Cubs in order in the eighth, so he was sent back out for the ninth.

Things were much more difficult in the final inning for the Mets’ righty, who needed 27 pitches—and a perfectly-executed relay by Kevin Pillar and Luis Guillorme—to escape with his first save of the season. Lugo’s been his usual excellent self since coming off the IL after recovering from elbow surgery, striking out 12 of the 30 batters he’s faced, with just two walks and one run allowed in 7.2 innings.

Committee Clarity

•Josh Sborz, TEX | RosterResource

Things didn’t go well for Sborz on Tuesday, as he blew a save on a Carlos Correa homer in the ninth, but it’s worth noting he got the first crack at closing with Ian Kennedy on the IL with a bad hamstring. Sborz’s ERA isn’t good (4.39) but his peripherals are much better (3.32 xERA, 3.42 FIP), and he’s struck out over 30% of opponents.

Sborz will probably still be the top option to close as long as Kennedy is hurt, but Brett Martin has pitched well all year, and Spencer Patton has dominated since being called up. Demarcus Evans got the second shot at closing after the Rangers took the lead in the tenth, but that was after Patton and Martin were already used earlier in the game. Evans certainly didn’t help matters by walking two batters and giving up a walk-off grand slam to Jose Altuve, which should keep him lower in the pecking order.

Losing A Grip

•None

 

Click HERE to view the full Closer Depth Chart.