Reliever Ranks – 9/11

Welcome back to the latest edition of our Reliever Ranks series! This will bring you up-to-date bullpen depth charts every morning for the day’s games and makes for an excellent tool for those looking to stream saves or wins. This series runs seven days a week, so check in every morning to get your daily bullpen fix!

 

Notes

 

Transaction and Schedule Notes

 

• All 30 teams are back in action today for a third consecutive day.
• The following teams have Monday off: BAL, BOS, NYY, CWS, KC, MIN, OAK, SEA, PHI, WSH, MIL, STL, COL, SD.
• Texas and Miami are anticipating a Monday doubleheader.
• The Pirates, Reds, Rays and Blue Jays will participate in Tuesday doubleheaders.

 

• SF: Dominic Leone was released; the right-hander recently completed his fifth year of service time.
• SD: Pierce Johnson was activated from the 60-day IL. Reiss Knehr was optioned to the minors in a subsequent move.
• NYY: Luke Bard cleared waivers and was outrighted to the minors; the 31-year-old reliever has two years of MLB service to his name.
• LAD: Blake Treinen was placed on the 15-day IL (shoulder). Andre Jackson was recalled and is active in the Dodgers bullpen.
• CIN: Art Warren was optioned to the minors.
• PHI: The Phillies will activate Seranthony Domínguez from the 15-day IL (tricep) prior to today’s game.

 

 

NYY 10 – TB 3

Yankees: The Yankees bullpen needed just five outs to seal this one; those outs came with a six-run cushion. Lou Trivino (2/3 IP) and Jonathan Loáisiga (1 IP) recorded a combined four outs on contact with one strikeout, allowing one hit. Saturday was Loáisiga’s first appearance in three days, while New York has not used closer Clay Holmes since his 27 pitches on Wednesday.

Rays: It was bullpen day for the Rays on Saturday, as none of their seven pitchers threw more than two innings. It wasn’t due to an opener strategy, however; starter Corey Kluber allowed six runs on eight hits, failing to complete a single inning. Top relief performances came from setup man Brooks Raley (1 IP, 3 BF) and Garrett Cleavinger (2 IP, 6 BF, 4 K). Tampa Bay did preserve top relievers Pete Fairbanks, Jason Adam and Colin Poche, so their bullpen could be in great shape for the Sunday series finale.

 

SF 5 – CHC 2

Giants: Camilo Doval shut this one down for his 21st save of the year, tossing a perfect ninth. John Brebbia was the eighth-inning bridge, stranding a walk and otherwise tossing a perfect eighth. After a combined 28 pitches of relief work, and after two days of minimal bullpen use, Gabe Kapler can manage freely as his club finishes the set in Chicago.

Cubs: On the heels of back-to-back appearances by Brandon Hughes, the Cubs were forced into their bullpen after the fourth inning on Saturday. Sean Newcomb tossed a three-inning chunk of scoreless work, doing wonders to preserve his teammate’s arms. Michael Rucker allowed one run in the eighth, the lone blemish in five total relief innings. Jeremiah Estrada capped off the ninth but danced around two hits. Rowan Wick could be in line for a bounce-back save today, having not thrown since an 18-pitch blown save on Thursday.

 

CWS 10 – OAK 2

White Sox: Zero earned runs! Starter Lance Lynn allowed Oakland’s two unearned runs, while Jimmy Lambert, Jake Diekman and José Ruiz each tossed an inning. The relief trio combined to sit down all nine batters they faced, and with closer Liam Hendriks collecting saves on alternating days since Monday, the pattern can continue for a rested Sunday opportunity. Kendall Graveman hasn’t thrown since Monday (27 pitches), so he is a prime candidate for a hold.

Athletics: Oakland needed 16 outs from their bullpen; Kirby Snead was first in relief, stranding three hits and collecting two strikeouts over two innings. Sam Moll capped off one of Snead’s innings and preserved his ERA with a quick putout to end the sixth inning. Domingo Tapia was then given the seventh and two outs in the eighth, but a three-hit, three-walk, three-run showing did little to save the bullpen that was left. (A.J. Puk, Domingo Acevedo and Joel Payamps all pitched on Friday.) Norge Ruiz would later retire all four batters he faced, but it merely ended a second day of collective bullpen burnout.

 

DET 8 – KC 4

Tigers: Kansas City storms took away the final nine outs of this one, so the Tigers scored themselves an early win and some further bullpen rest. Andrew Chafin was the only reliever used, allowing one (unearned) run in 2/3 of an inning. Detroit hasn’t pitched Gregory Soto, Joe Jiménez or Alex Lange in the past three days, so they might find themselves pitching today no matter the score.

Royals: Four relievers pitched in one inning a piece; the most dominant showing came from Carlos Hernández, tossing a perfect seventh with a strikeout. Anthony Misiewicz allowed a hit but otherwise shut down the Tigers in the ninth, recording two strikeouts, while Amir Garrett had two K’s of his on in a scoreless sixth. The Royals have seen just nine pitches from closer Scott Barlow over the past five days, while setup man Dylan Coleman also hasn’t pitched since Wednesday.

 

BOS 17 – BAL 4

Red Sox: There wasn’t much cooking for the Orioles at the plate in Saturday’s later innings. Ryan Brasier, Matt Strahm, and Eduard Barzardo each threw a scoreless inning, while the Red Sox preserved arms like Garrett Whitlock, John Schreiber, and Matt Barnes. Boston already had a 10-3 lead once their relievers came on to pitch; those that did pitch on Saturday did a great job setting up today’s rested bullpen.

Orioles: 16 outs were tasked to the Baltimore bullpen; for reliever Joey Krehbiel, it was a fairly-clean 1 1/3 innings. For everyone else, it was fairly bleak; Keegan Akin allowed five hits and two runs in two innings, while Yennier Cano allowed seven runs on three walks and six hits (1 2/3 IP). Three of Cano’s runs were scored off position player Ryan McKenna. Baltimore emptied the bullpen tank on Friday with arms like Dillon Tate, Cionel Pérez and Bryan Baker, and after a laborious Saturday, the Orioles could use a deep start on Sunday before catching their breath with Monday off.

 

PHI 8 – WSH 5

Phillies: Late-inning drama unfolded in Philadelphia with Connor Brogdon allowing three hits and a walk in the ninth. One run would score on Brogdon but with plenty of others stranded, this score could have been far different. Andrew Bellatti and Sam Coonrod set the table with holds (combined 1 1/3 IP), and the effort on Saturday was ideal in preserving a tired core of high-leverage arms. Brad Hand, José Alvarado and Bellatti all pitched on Friday, while David Robertson hasn’t pitched since Thursday (21 pitches).

Nationals: Five different relief arms took the hill for Washington on Saturday and only two had scoreless appearances (Mason Thompson, 1/3 IP; Steve Cishek, 1 IP). Three home runs were hit against other Washington relievers. Damage was already done once the Phillies scored four runs against starter Erick Fedde, so the Nationals avoided top relievers like Carl Edwards Jr. and Kyle Finnegan. Neither has thrown since Thursday.

 

NYM 11 – MIA 3

Mets: Starter Carlos Carrasco handed a 10-1 lead over to the Mets bullpen; despite a rocky seventh by recent call-up Bryce Montes de Oca (1 IP, 3 H, 1 R), the young reliever did collect three strikeouts. Trevor Williams allowed a run on two hits in the eighth, while Alex Claudio had a strong ninth inning, working around a single baserunner. Edwin Díaz has thrown a total of six pitches in the past six days, so somebody makes sure Timmy Trumpet oils his valves and keeps his chops ready.

Marlins: After a dominant showing by Miami relievers on Friday, the tune on Saturday was a heavy deficit once the bullpen was called upon. Jeff Brigham tossed a laborious 41 pitches in ‘long’ relief (2 IP), while a 13-pitch ninth by Cole Sulser (0 R) kept the bullpen from getting any more fatigued. Richard Bleier has thrown just 10 pitches in the past six days, so he could be in line for a hold (while eying an end-of-season ERA in the twos, perhaps).

 

TOR 11 – TEX 7

Blue Jays: It was smooth sailing from the sixth inning on, after a two-run showing by Zach Pop (2/3 IP). Toronto had an early eight-run cushion, but a four-run sixth meant a save was potentially in play. Texas hitters wouldn’t have much luck against Anthony Bass, Adam Cimber, and Tim Mayza, and despite a four-run victory, Mayza’s situation qualified him, and gave him, his first save of 2022. It took four outs to get it, after Cimber allowed two baserunners in the eighth. Normal closer Jordan Romano was down after collecting two saves in the previous three days.

Rangers: Six innings of scoreless work by the Texas bullpen here; it came after starter Kohei Arihara allowed 11 runs in three innings, but this contest moved along quickly from there. John King tossed three innings of scoreless long relief, allowing one hit. A trio of Dennis Santana, Brett Martin, and Jonathan Hernández then pitched one inning each, allowing two total hits and working around three walks. Martin’s perfect ninth lowered his ERA to 3.56, and Hernández’s figure could have jumped well above a 3.15 after allowing a hit and two walks. Matt Moore is now the most rested arm in the Texas bullpen; he could be in line for a save after José Leclerc threw 20 pitches in a Friday loss.

 

LAA 6 – HOU 1

Angels: Shohei Ohtani’s win was preserved on Saturday night thanks to a combined four scoreless innings of relief. It took some top options; setup man José Quijada and closer Jimmy Herget tossed a combined 50 pitches, retiring six of the seven batters they faced. Ryan Tepera is now four days removed from a 30-pitch outing on Tuesday, and with Herget and Quijada likely down today, it could be either Tepera or Aaron Loup tasked with late-inning saves or holds.

Astros: Four innings of scoreless relief followed a six-run start. Will Smith had a dominant eighth inning in this one, facing the minimum and striking out two. Phil Maton was then tasked with the ninth, working around a walk and striking out two of his own. Two innings by Seth Martinez (1 H, 0 R, 3 K) have set the table for a rested relief core, as arms like Bryan Abreu and Héctor Neris are eying big situations today after multiple days of rest.

 

CLE 6 – MIN 4

Guardians: Emmanuel Clase earned his 33rd save of the year on Saturday, but it didn’t come easy. Bryan Shaw entered for a non-save ninth but allowed four runs (three earned) on four hits, retiring just two batters. Clase then allowed two hits of his own, allowing some inherited runner traffic to score. It took one out on contact for Clase to finish this thing, but Cleveland flirted with disaster even with their closer on the hill. They now feature one of the more tired bullpens in baseball. Sam Hentges hasn’t pitched since Wednesday, and with an already-impressive 2.72 ERA, today could be his day to make a further statement.

Twins: Cole Sands was first in relief for Minnesota, but his five-walk showing did little to set the Twins up for success (3 1/3 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 5 BB, 1 K). Emilio Pagán and Trevor Megill finished off the final 3 2/3 innings, allowing one run and striking out five. Middle innings proved costly, and with many arms pitching on back-to-back days this week, the Twins could be struggling into their Monday off day.

 

MIL 5 – CIN 1

Brewers: Three innings of scoreless relief – one frame each by Matt Bush, Taylor Rogers, and Brad Boxberger – capped off a dismal day of offense by Cincinnati hitters. Milwaukee allowed one single hit in this contest, and while several top arms emerged in the later frames, closer Devin Williams is still rested since Thursday. Rogers has now thrown in four of the past six days, so he could be down until at least Tuesday after the series finale and a Monday off day.

Reds: Cincinnati needed 12 outs from their relievers and the early going was strong. Reiver Sanmartin and Fernando Cruz combined to pitch two innings of scoreless work, but a rocky eighth and ninth inning by Ian Gibaut (1 IP, 2 H, 1 R) and Joel Kuhnel (1 IP, 2 H, 2 R) pushed a save off the table for the other side of the ball. Alexis Díaz has been rested since his 27 pitches on Thursday, while the Reds do not have the luxury of a Monday off day.

 

STL 7 – PIT 5

Cardinals: One of six saves on the day; closer Ryan Helsley collected save number 15 this year, but he allowed a rare earned run in the ninth on two hits. (An already-head-turning 1.12 ERA has followed.) Giovanny Gallegos earned a win after a perfect eighth, while JoJo Romero allowed a solo homer but otherwise worked a strong frame. Jordan Hicks and Chris Stratton are the best bets for relief work today, while Helsley’s 24 pitches on Saturday could push him unavailable.

Pirates: A non-save situation did not treat closer Wil Crowe well; this contest was tied until Crowe allowed three runs on three hits and a walk. Pittsburgh called upon Duane Underwood Jr. for a dominant seventh (3 BF, 0 H, 0 R), but a move for Robert Stephenson in the eighth came with two hits allowed and a run scored, giving Stephenson his third blown save of the year. There have been a lot of pitches thrown by Pittsburgh relievers in the past few days, and with no off day on Monday, they could really use a deep start by Mitch Keller today.

 

COL 4 – ARI 1

Rockies: Daniel Bard’s 29th save of 2022 was earned in a scoreless ninth, pushing his ERA even lower to 2.06. Carlos Estévez was the eighth-inning bridge, working his way around a walk, while sidearm fireballer Justin Lawrence earned a win with 1 2/3 innings of relief work. A 5 1/3-inning, one-run start by Jose Ureña paved the way. The reliever trio was then able to tame any late-inning, elevation-fueled damage, as was the case by Rockies hitters on Friday night.

Diamondbacks: Colorado native Mark Melancon returned to his home state, posting an eighth-inning zero despite allowing two hits. Taylor Widener polished off the seventh inning with one hit and one walk allowed (0 R), and with a combined 41 pitches thrown, both could be down until Arizona takes on the Dodgers this week. Joe Mantiply has made just one appearance in the past six days, and with manager Torey Lovullo continuing his strategy of a closer committee, Mantiply could be the go-to arm for a Saturday save.

 

LAD 8 – SD 4

Dodgers: Seven innings by Julio Urías paved the way for a Dodgers victory in this one. Phil Bickford and Heath Hembree each tossed an inning, but damage was done against Hembree with three hits and two runs scored. San Diego’s late-inning threat was quieted without the need for any further relievers, so arms like Evan Phillips, Alex Vesia, Chris Martin, and Craig Kimbrel can go to work on adequate rest today.

Padres: A tough extended relief showing by Nabil Crismatt (2 1/3 IP, 2 H, 3 R) led to some low-leverage short relief outings. Steven Wilson and Pierce Johnson threw a combined 19 pitches in the final two frames, allowing just one hit and collecting a combined three strikeouts. Starter Sean Manaea was then tasked with a tune-up ninth inning, striking out two and allowing one hit. Josh Hader has pitched on alternating days since Monday and Nick Martinez has been recovering since three consecutive outings from Monday through Wednesday. After high pitch counts on Friday by Luis García and Robert Suarez, it could be an arm like Adrian Morejon taking a hold-type situation if the Padres find themselves ahead of the Dodgers today.

 

SEA 3 – ATL 1

Mariners: Our fifth and final save of the day came from Paul Sewald in a perfect, two-punchout ninth inning. Two holds led up to it; setup crew Andrés Muñoz and Erik Swanson threw a combined 22 pitches, facing the minimum six combined hitters. Nothing was cooking for Atlanta for pretty much this entire contest; if it comes with any relief, they might see a little easier bullpen on Sunday after three top arms were used on Saturday.

Braves: Kirby Yates needed 21 pitches to finish off the eighth inning, but he powered through to his four batters faced and kept another arm from entering. Jesse Chavez allowed one run in the seventh, and in late innings, the Braves were otherwise stuck watching the Mariners do to them what Atlanta did to Seattle on Friday. Kenley Jansen could be back today after throwing 15 pitches two days ago. Raisel Iglesias has thrown in three of the Braves’ past five games; without Monday off, he could be down until Tuesday.

 

 

 

Bullpen Depth Charts

 

 

Also, if you’re looking for a detailed list or ranking of RPs, check out Rick Graham’s weekly pieces:

The Hold Up: Ranking the Top 100 Relievers for Holds Every Thursday

Closing Time: Ranking the Top 30 Closers

Top 100 Relievers for Save+Hold Leagues

 

Photos by Icon Sportswire | Adapted by Doug Carlin (@Bdougals on Twitter)