Bullpen Depth Charts: Relievers To Stream — 6/14

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

 

• The following teams are slated to have a day off Monday and will be a bit fresher going into Tuesday’s action – NYY, HOU, TEX, ATL.
• In terms of win vulture opportunities, Tony Gonsolin is making his second start in his return from the IL after having just gone 1.2 IP on 66 pitches in his last start. Both David Price and Jimmy Nelson saw work out of the bullpen in that one, but, with Nelson being a bit fresher and working on an 11.1 IP scoreless streak, I’m going to say he’s the guy to target.

 

Transactions/Injuries

 

• The Giants sent Caleb Barager to AAA Sacramento. This is likely because Barager has options and the Giants needed a fresh arm in the pen. He should be back up soon and will continue to be a decent source of holds.
• Dellin Betances started a rehab assignment in St. Lucie for the Mets. Talk about a blast from the past. The Mets could certainly use the 2018 version of Betances in their pen, but who couldn’t? Why does 2018 feel like so long ago?

 

Yesterday’s Performances

• It was the season debut for Jimmie Sherfy who actually has two saves and a 2.85 ERA in 44 career appearances. He touched 96 on his fastball and delivered a 41% CSW on his primary pitch, the slider. It’s an overall intriguing debut, but it was against the slumping Nationals. He’s still a ways away from any high-leverage work, though.
• The Nationals bullpen only needed a single inning from Sam Clay to get through their game on Sunday. Daniel Hudson was placed on the IL and that leaves a huge hole open as a bridge to closer Brad Hand in the short term. Hudson was the team leader in holds by a large margin. With Tanner Rainey continuing to struggle, the Nationals could turn to Kyle Finnegan, but they may be better suited turning to the other Kyle, Kyle McGowin. Since a multi-week stint in the minors in mid-May, McGowin has been dominant and has a line of 10.1 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 14 K since May 20th.

 

• The Yankees were down big early, but we still saw an inning from Jonathan Loáisiga who is working on a ten-inning scoreless streak. He’s second on the team in holds and first in innings out of the bullpen.
• We only saw Connor Brogdon for one pitch, but it’s an opportunity to talk a bit about him as I was pretty high on him going into the year. He’s been a bit unlucky, but not enough to recommend him going forward. At first glance, the chart on his four-seamer seems to show him missing more over the middle of the plate where he was in on the hands to righties more often in 2020. No issues with velocity or movement, so maybe he can still turn it around.

 

• Don’t trust the Rockies bullpen. Just don’t. As a team, their bullpen is next to last in the majors in ERA and third to last in saves. There’s not much meat on this bone.
• Lucas Sims worked two scoreless frames to end the game on Sunday in a non-save situation. Sims had just worked a third of an inning in the past week, so the Reds likely saw an opportunity to get Sims some work in a low leverage situation. In #ForeignSubstanceWatch news, the spin rate on Sims’ four-seamer was down 188 rpm (7.0 %) and his curveball was down 310 rpm (9.6%). He only threw three curveballs, so we should put exactly zero weight on this for now.

 

• The Padres didn’t have many high leverage innings this week, so they used some of their top relievers here in this four-run game. Mark Melancon got his first work since last Monday and didn’t miss a beat. He cruised through a 1-2-3 inning in just 11 pitches.
• It was a tough game for Jeurys Familia as he gave up four earned and picked up a blown save and a loss. With Seth Lugo returning, the eighth inning is locked down for the Mets and Familia is now one of a large group who will be fighting over the scraps of holds that fall through.

 

• Kendall Graveman worked for the second straight day in his return from the IL. This outing was a bit of a mixed bag. Pro: Graveman worked the ninth in just his second game back, although it was not a save situation. Pro: Graveman is already trusted to go back-to-back days. Con: His sinker velocity was down for the second straight appearance. Con: He clearly wasn’t feeling his slider today and barely threw it. I’d suggest giving him another week to get settled in weekly leagues.
• Look at Bryan Shaw go! He’s the team leader in holds and has a really red Statcast page despite a very high walk rate.

 

• The Rays used Michael Wacha as an opener here, so technically seven innings of relief, but not really. The team is third in bullpen ERA and third in team saves. If you need good ratios with an outside chance of a save, the Rays have a number of options for you.
• César Valdez was again used in a low-leverage situation and struggled. Any trade value he had is likely gone and the conversation now shifts to who will be getting save opportunities for this team in the second half. My guess? A combination of Paul Fry, Tanner Scott, and Hunter Harvey that will be a bit of a headache for fantasy.

 

• The Blue Jays were up double digits by the time they turned to their bullpen, so we shouldn’t read too much into their usage here.
• It was a tough day to be a Red Sox pitcher. Ryan Weber was absolutely hung out to dry in his 2021 debut with the big league club. Poor guy. Beyond Weber, the Red Sox used two position players to get the rest of the outs and I wouldn’t recommend Marwin Gonzalez as a good source of holds or ratios despite his 1-2-3 inning.

 

• Liam Hendriks picked up save number 17 on the season supported by Evan Marshall’s sixth hold of the year. Hendriks had allowed his first runs since April 24th on Friday’s strange affair and he’s promptly started a new scoreless innings streak which could easily go until the All-Star break with how he’s pitching. He has gone three out of four days, so the White Sox may be hesitant to use him on Monday. Aaron Bummer could be called upon if a save chance against the Rays emerges.
• Gregory Soto was the last pitcher out of the Tigers ‘pen and is the most likely guy to get save opportunities in the absence of Michael Fulmer. Who knows when that next opportunity will come, though.

 

• Will Smith secured his 12th save of the season for the Braves with holds coming from Luke Jackson and Chris Martin. Shane Greene also worked a scoreless inning as he continues to work his way back to game speed. His velocity looked good in this one as he sat 93 on his sinker after sitting 92 last year. The results have been progressively better in each of his first three appearances of the year and he could easily start to see holds chances soon.
• The Marlins needed 18 outs from their bullpen in this one and they didn’t do too bad. We didn’t see any of their three most interesting relievers, though, nor were there any holds.

 

• The Astros were up 11 runs when they turned to the bullpen for just six outs. I wouldn’t recommend looking too hard at Ralph Garza Jr. but, hey, congratulations on getting the final out of a Major League game.
• It was a very tough day to be a Twins pitcher. I keep waiting for Alex Colomé to regain his form and he just hasn’t. He sat 95 in this one, so it’s not a velocity or injury problem. I was advocating for patience with Colomé earlier in the year and I think that was a mistake in hindsight. I don’t know if he figures it out this year.

 

• Well, hello, Geoff Hartlieb. His sinker sat at 96 in this one after being 94 in his first outing. He could even stumble into a big role if the Pirates sell everything that isn’t nailed down at the deadline.
• Three saves in three days for Josh Hader! It’s interesting. Just last weekend, they opted to rest Hader on Sunday instead of throwing him for the third time in four days. Here, they use him in three straight. He was absolutely dealing as he generating eight swinging strikes in 21 pitches and struck out the side. Hader will certainly get the day off Monday and is possibly looking at two days off. Brad Boxberger is looking at a save opportunity if it comes up against the Reds.

 

• Nothing too exciting going on for the Royals here. Kyle Zimmer broke a 12.1 IP scoreless streak.
• Lou Trivino earned his tenth save of the season with Yusmeiro Petit and Jake Diekman earning holds. Trivino has earned each of the past four saves for the Athletics and hasn’t allowed an earned run since May 5th. Diekman hasn’t been nearly as sharp and may have fallen out of a committee.

 

• The Angels were up seven runs when they called upon their bullpen, so they didn’t send out their A-team. Nothing to note fantasy-wise.
• Come on, Ginkel! This was supposed to be the year Kevin Ginkel stepped up and seized the Diamondbacks’ closer role. The door is still wide open, but Ginkel has now allowed seven homers in 26.1 IP. He may at some point reach the heights of his potential that was flashed in 2019, but it seems far away for now.

 

• With Ian Kennedy hurt, the only guy I’m interested in writing about among the Rangers relievers is DeMarcus Evans. He didn’t pitch, so I got nothing.
• It was much more stressful than Dodgers fans would have ever wanted or expected for a game where they entered the ninth with a five-run lead, but the end result was the 15th save of the year for Kenley Jansen. He’s had problems with walks, but Jansen has just continued rolling despite some preseason rumble of him being replaced as closer. He’s gained a bit of velocity from 2020 and, even though he’s being treated with kids gloves a bit more this year, is still an excellent source of saves and ratios.

 

• A light bullpen day for the Cardinals as the combination of Carlos Martínez’s solid start and a road loss caused them to only need one inning from their relievers, a much-needed rest day after Saturday’s disaster.
• That makes three saves in three days for Craig Kimbrel and four in the past five days. He only needed three pitches to record Saturday’s save and only nine on Sunday, so it’s not been a particularly stressful stretch as far as four games in five days, but Kimbrel will almost certainly be unavailable on Monday nonetheless. Ryan Tepera recorded his 13th hold and is working on a 14.1 IP scoreless streak dating back to May 7th. He may get the call should a save opportunity arise on Monday, but Andrew Chafin, the team’s leader in holds, is a bit fresher and could get a look if the save is on the lower-leverage side.