Bullpen Depth Charts: Relievers To Stream — 5/6

 

Roster moves:

• The Rays placed closer Diego Castillo on the IL with a groin injury. Pete Fairbanks was recalled and could immediately become a piece of the Rays’ closer puzzle.
• The Angels activated setup man Mike Mayers from the COVID-19 IL and optioned relief arm James Hoyt. They also DFA’d Ben Rowen in a series of other moves.
• The Braves optioned Sean Newcomb to the minors and recalled Max Fried.
• Cincinnati sent down reliever José De León and replaced him with Cionel Pérez.
• Colorado recalled reliever José Mujica from the minors.
• The Dodgers called up Edwin Uceta when placing Edwin Ríos on the IL.
• Brandon Waddell was optioned by the Twins, with Lewis Thorpe coming up.
• The Yankees called up Albert Abreu and placed Rougned Odor on the IL.
• Seattle called up Wyatt Mills to replace Keynan Middleton, who was placed on the IL.

 

Yesterday’s performances:

• Daniel Bard picked up his third save for the Rockies, but he did allow an unearned run in the process. That run did come after an errant throw on a double steal, though.
• Cardinals closer Alex Reyes had one strikeout en route to his ninth save of the season during the first game against the Mets. Giovanny Gallegos picked up his sixth hold of the year in the sixth. Most of the rest of the teams’ bullpen appeared in the second game, a 7-1 loss, so don’t bet against Reyes or Gallegos pitching again today.
• Atlanta’s Will Smith notched his sixth save of the year against the Nats, striking out pinch-hitter Juan Soto in the process. Josh Tomlin put the team in trouble and created that save chance after giving up a two-run shot to Trea Turner in the 8th, forcing A.J. Minter into action on his second day in a row to pick up his seventh hold of the year.
• For the Nats, Kyle Finnegan sat down Austin Riley, Dansby Swanson, and William Contreras on nine pitches in the sixth, picking up just the fifth immaculate inning in Nats history. The last was by Stephen Strasburg on July 3, 2019, and Max Scherzer claims two of the other three, with the last belonging to Jordan Zimmerman.
• Aroldis Chapman struck out two and closed the door on the Astros to pick up his seventh save of the year. He threw two splitters, both well outside, but the rest of his stuff did its job just fine.
• The Phillies’ José Alvarado vultured a save in his first game back from suspension. Héctor Neris was still off after throwing 40 pitches on Monday.
• Matt Barnes, pitching his second day in a row, had 3 ks in 9th in a non-save situation. He should now have an off day, as will typical setup man Adam Ottavino, so Darwinzon Hernandez could be the man in line to vulture a save.
• Former Tigers starter Michael Fulmer picked up his first career save in the bottom of the 10th in a win over the Red Sox. Gregory Soto, the team’s seeming “9th inning guy” got the win but did allow two runs, 1 earned.
• Kenley Jansen’s line (1 unearned run, 3 BB) might suggest some command issues, but it only tells part of the story: the run was from a ghost runner, and two of the walks were intentional. The Cubs had the winning run on 3rd with one out in the bottom of the 10th, but Jansen induced a double play and the Dodgers stayed alive, only for Garrett Cleavinger to blow the game after picking up two strikeouts in the bottom of the 11th.
• Texas closer Ian Kennedy struck out three and picked up his second save in two nights, his ninth of the year. Some combination of Josh Sborz and Brett de Geus could be the next man up after Joely Rodríguez also went back-to-back.
• Cleveland gave James Karinchak the chance to pick up his third save of the year, and he closed the door on the Royals in Kansas City, picking up two strikeouts. Nick Wittgren struck out three to pick up his second win in two nights.
• The Padres’ Mark Melancon is up to eleven saves on the year after a video-review filled ninth against the Pirates: first, the Padres challenged the call on a Kevin Newman single that could have (but was not) the last out of the game, and then what was a Phillip Evans single was overturned on review.
• Ryan Yarbrough got the win after Andrew Kittredge opened the game for the Rays, as expertly predicted by Benjamin Haller yesterday. Jeffrey Springs got a four-out save, converting the first chance handed out since Diego Castillo’s IL move. As mentioned earlier, Pete Fairbanks is the only arm of the late-inning rotation who didn’t pitch yesterday, so he’s likely in line for some work tonight, though which inning is anyone’s guess. Whether Kevin Cash settles on a new closer or not in the next week or so is worth watching.

 

 

Bullpen Depth Charts

 

 

Photo by Kent Kanouse/Flickr | Adapted by Justin Redler (@reldernitsuj on Twitter)