Welcome back to Relievers to Stream for Wins and Saves! This will bring you up-to-date bullpen depth charts every morning for the day’s games and makes for a great tool for those of you looking to stream saves or wins. This series runs seven days a week, so be sure to check in every morning to get your daily bullpen fix!
Notes
Schedule notes:
- 26 of 30 teams played yesterday, with LAD and SEA having the day off. The CHW and CLE game was postponed because of snow and will be made up on May 31 as a traditional doubleheader.
- Four teams technically played two games yesterday, as we saw a short ARI/CIN makeup game and a DET/PIT doubleheader. Both of those series continue today, and all four bullpens will feature relatively taxed high-leverage options.
- 14 teams are off today: BAL, TB, TOR, CHW, KCR, MIN, OAK, TEX, ATL, PHI, WAS, MIL, STL, and COL.
- All 30 teams are scheduled to play the full weekend slate, and 23 teams are slated to play at least six in a row before next Thursday’s relatively light slate. While rest decisions might not be made tomorrow, results might set in motion some decisions about who does get rest later on.
Injury news:
- Dinelson Lamet returned from the IL but left the game earlier than expected with forearm tightness. The Padres’ bullpen picked up the slack, throwing seven innings. They’ll face the Dodgers tomorrow as the first of a four-game series.
Yesterday’s performances:
- In a wild game that finished 13–12 after 10 innings, Minnesota closer Alex Colomé (1 run in bottom 9th, 3 runs in 10th) and Oakland A’s closer Lou Trivino (2 runs in top 10th) both attempted to blow things. Colomé actually succeeded, giving the win to Trivino, but neither looked particularly sharp. Injuries and general poor play in Minnesota have limited the number of save chances over the last week, but either way, it’s worth watching just how much longer Rocco Baldelli trusts Colomé, who has now blown three saves and boasts just a 20% strikeout rate on the year.
- The bullpen situation for the Blue Jays took a confusing (but explainable!) turn last night, as righty Anthony Castro picked up a one-out save after replacing lefty Tim Mayza to face J.D. Martínez. FAAB star and presumed “closer” Rafael Dolis faced the heart of the Red Sox order in what was likely a matchups play and gave up a solo shot to Xander Bogaerts, but still picked up a hold.
- If you’re a fan of scorched ground balls sneaking past third basemen, the Royals-Rays game was for you. Everyone the Royals handed the ball to yesterday gave up at least one earned run, including Josh Staumont in the 7th and Scott Barlow in the 9th. Barlow picked up the win, though, after Diego Castillo blew his second save of the year for the Rays. This game had a strange and ARod-approved ending, featuring a successful safety squeeze bunt by Nicky Lopez, who in turn scored the winning run after a Salvador Pérez walk-off single to left field.
- When Dinelson Lamet left his start after just two innings, the Padres’ bullpen was forced to pitch seven innings in relief. They almost pulled it off, but Keone Kela gave two home runs, sinking an otherwise strong team effort. Everyone in the bullpen except for closer Mark Melancon pitched for the Padres today. Barring an eight-inning performance from Ryan Weathers, we should expect the Padres to throw several key arms back-to-back today, setting up some easy choices about holds options to stream this weekend. Of course, those opportunities would come against the Dodgers, so don’t get too excited.
- The Pirates’ Richard Rodriguez and the Tigers’ Gregory Soto both pick up saves in their doubleheader. Neither allowed a hit, and Soto struck out two. More notably, Tarik Skubal pitched three scoreless frames in relief, striking out two and allowing three hits and three walks.
- The Nationals’ Brad Hand picked up his third save in a 1-0 win over Cards, guaranteeing that Max Scherzer’s six scoreless innings produced a win. Tanner Rainey and Daniel Hudson both picked up holds. The Nats only knocked out four hits in this win.
- Yimi Garcia picked up another save, after striking out one and allowing no baserunners, as the Marlins blanked the Orioles. Garcia hasn’t seen much action outside of high-leverage situations since taking the closer role, but he has four saves and two wins in those six appearances. He’s now thrown nine straight scoreless innings.
- Diamondbacks closer Stefan Crichton picked up a save for Diamondbacks in their resumed game against the Reds. The game picked up in the 8th with a one-run lead for Arizona, so this was always going to be the likely scenario. What wasn’t expected, though, was that Reds relief ace Tejay Antone would pitch in back-to-back games. Antone struck out four of the five batters he faced in their second game today, bringing him to a 42.5% strikeout rate on the year. As for the rest of the Reds bullpen? Amir Garrett, Cionel Pérez, and José De León all gave up at least two runs, handing the Reds their second loss of the day.
- A pair of closers gave up runs with four-run leads last night, and so neither picked up saves or produced clear innings. Atlanta closer Will Smith gave up a run with a four-run lead in the 9th on a walk, and then a bloop single, so there’s no cause for concern with him. And the Rangers’ Ian Kennedy gave up a HR to José Iglesías, but with no other interesting options in Arlington, it shouldn’t change our opinions about him either.
Bullpen Depth Charts
Green = long/bulk reliever expected to pitch after starter
Yellow = closer pitched previous day or twice in three days
Red = closer has pitched back to back days and likely is off
Photo by Kent Kanouse/Flickr | Adapted by Justin Redler (@reldernitsuj on Twitter)