Reliever Ranks – 9/30

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

 

• Ten teams had Thursday off: NYY, TOR, HOU, ATL, NYM, WSN, CIN, PIT, STL, and ARI.
• All 30 teams play Friday, including a doubleheader between the Phillies and Nationals. Doubleheaders often lead to heavy bullpen usage, but both pens appear reasonably well rested.

 

• The Royals activated Taylor Clarke from the IL on Thursday, demoting Jose Cuas to make room for him on the roster. We slid Clarke back in as an option for holds over the final few games.
• Steven Okert of the Marlins went on the IL Thursday, ending his season. In a corresponding move, Miami activated Tommy Nance.

 

 

CHC 2 – PHI 0

• Javier Assad gave the Cubs five shutout innings before giving way to the bullpen in the sixth after a leadoff walk and single. Replacing him was Michael Rucker, who did an excellent job getting out of the inning without any damage, preserving the shutout and earning his fifth hold. Keegan Thompson took over in the seventh and pitched the final three innings for the save.
• Ranger Suárez pitched well and deserved a better fate after allowing only two runs over six innings. David Robertson and Connor Brogdon held the Cubs in check over the final two frames, although Robertson made it interesting by walking the bases loaded. However, the Phils’ offense couldn’t overcome the mighty Cubs pitching staff in a game they kind of needed to win.

 

BOS 5 – BAL 3

• Nathan Eovaldi came off the IL and held the Orioles to two runs (one earned) over four and two-thirds innings. He must have been on a pitch count as he left with two outs and no one on in the fifth. Following Eovaldi was Eduard Bazardo, who finished the fifth and threw a clean sixth. After Boston took the lead, Matt Strahm gave it back in the seventh on a Kyle Stowers home run. Zack Kelly took over for the eighth and earned his first MLB victory when the Sox rallied in the bottom of the inning. Kaleb Ort got the nod to close this one out, and he did for his first career save. It was a day of firsts for the Red Sox.
• Mike Baumann got the start for the O’s and allowed two runs over four innings. Supplanting him was Bryan Baker, who tossed a scoreless fifth. Cionel Pérez took over in the sixth, and the Red Sox scratched out a run against him. Next up for Baltimore was Logan Gillaspie, who set Boston down in order. Dillon Tate was the last pitcher for the Orioles on the day, and he didn’t fare well, taking the loss after J.D. Martinez took him deep. The O’s are running out of time.

 

DET 10 – KCR 3

• Eduardo Rodriguez pitched into the seventh inning for the Tigers, leaving with two outs, runners on first and second, and a 6-0 lead. Jason Foley got the last out of the inning but ran into trouble in the eighth. After a single, walk, and two doubles, Foley hit the showers and was replaced by Angel De Jesus, who finished the game. Foley’s ERA took a hit, but it hardly mattered as the Tigers had scored ten runs.
• Jonathan Heasley took the loss after getting knocked out of the game in the fifth down 5-0. Fresh off the IL, Taylor Clarke got the last out of the inning. Brad Keller came on in the sixth and gave up another run. Keller’s day was far more successful than Max Castillo’s, who loaded the bases before recording an out. Luke Weaver replaced him and did him no favors by hitting Victor Reyes and allowing two more runs off a sac fly, double, and single. Three of the four runs in the inning were charged to Castillo, though Weaver’s performance was arguably worse.

 

CHW 4 – MIN 3

• Lucas Giolito left after five innings, with the score tied at two. Five hurlers followed him, starting with Jimmy Lambert, who walked two of the three batters he faced before making way for Aaron Bummer. Bummer gave up a single to the first batter he faced, which tied the score at three (the ChiSox scored in the top of the inning), then retired the next two batters to end the inning. In a fun bit of baseball scoring, Lambert earned a hold despite putting two runners on, while Bummer took a blown save. Reynaldo López, Kendall Graveman, and Liam Hendriks put the Twins down over the subsequent three frames, allowing only two baserunners. Lopez got the win, Graveman a hold, and Hendriks a save for their efforts.
• The Twins starter Louie Varland matched Giolito’s five innings with two runs scored. Griffin Jax took the sixth and allowed a run off a couple of hits and a sac fly. After a scoreless seventh by Jorge López, Caleb Thielbar started the eighth and ended up with the loss even though the run that scored was unearned. Thielbar only faced three batters, recording one out, before Michael Fulmer replaced him and finished the inning. Trevor Megill threw a scoreless ninth, but there was no comeback in the Twins’ bats. Lopez probably won’t be available tonight as he’s pitched in back-to-back games.

 

CLE 2 – TBR 1

• Cal Quantrill allowed only one run over six innings but left the game trailing. Bryan Shaw and Enyel De Los Santos gave their offense a chance by shutting the Rays out over the following two frames and the offense delivered in the bottom of the eighth. With Emmanuel Clase and James Karinchak unavailable, Trevor Stephan got the call to close the game and made it interesting by walking the bases loaded with one out. However, he struck out Ji-Man Choi and got Isaac Paredes to pop up to end the game, securing his third save. Stephan had to throw 34 pitches, so it’s doubtful he’ll be available tonight. In case you’re keeping score, De Los Santos got the win.
• Jeffrey Springs tossed six scoreless for the Rays and handed off to Shawn Armstrong in the seventh. Armstrong’s first inning went well, but he allowed three hits, a walk, and two runs in the eighth, which cost the Rays the game and dropped his record to 2-3. Tampa’s pen has worked hard lately, so they may be looking for Drew Rasmussen to give them some innings tonight.

 

MIA 4 – MIL 2

• Braxton Garrett got the start for the Marlins and gave them four innings, allowing two runs. Bryan Hoeing came on in the fifth but was hit by a comebacker on the second batter he faced and left the game. Jeff Brigham finished the fifth and covered the sixth as well. Tommy Nance, Jake Fishman, and Dylan Floro followed Brigham with consecutive scoreless innings. As Miami rallied in the top of the eighth, Nance got the win, Fishman got his first hold, and Floro earned his ninth save. Floro has thrown 41 pitches over back-to-back-to-back games and will have a lawsuit pending if he goes again tonight. Tanner Scott has the best shot at a vulture save if the opportunity arises.
• The Brewers turned to Eric Lauer in a must-win situation, and Lauer did his part, allowing only one hit over five innings while striking out nine. Peter Strzelecki did his part, too, earning his fourth hold with a scoreless sixth. Craig Counsell then turned to starter Freddy Peralta in the seventh, and he retired the side in order. However, the plan didn’t go as well the following inning. The Brewers loaded the bases off Peralta and, with two outs, Avisaíl García hit a grand slam, crushing Brewers fans’ hopes all over Wisconsin. Justin Topa got the last four outs, but the Brewers remain a half-game behind the Phillies.

 

SFG 6 – COL 4

• Carlos Rodón continued his quest to impress the Cy Young voters by hurling six shutout innings for the Giants, striking out ten. Jharel Cotton took over in the seventh and got through two innings without issue, but in the ninth, it got a bit dicey for San Francisco. Cotton gave up two singles to start the inning but got the next two outs with only one run plating. Gabe Kapler had seen enough, though, and asked John Brebbia to get the last out. Brebbia failed to accomplish this, allowing a two-run home run, a single, and a triple which cut the lead to two. Camilo Doval had to get the last out for the Giants, which was good for his fantasy managers as it resulted in his 27th save.
• In contrast to Rodon, Ryan Feltner’s six innings ended with five runs on the board for San Francisco. Austin Gomber followed and finished the game for Colorado, allowing one more run over the final two innings.

 

LAA 4 – OAK 2

• Shohei Ohtani dominated the A’s over eight innings, striking out ten with nary a run scored. Maybe he should be MVP after all. Aaron Loup took over in the ninth but is no Shohei Ohtani. A double, a walk, a hit-by-pitch, and a run later, and Ryan Tepera replaced Loup with two outs. Tepera allowed another run to score on a wild pitch but got the last out for his fifth save.
• Cole Irvin had issues keeping the ball in the park, allowing two dingers and three runs over four innings. Collin Wiles replaced him in the fifth, throwing a scoreless frame. Next up for the Athletics was Norge Ruiz, who pitched the sixth and seventh innings and allowed a homer of his own to Max Stassi. Sam Selman finished the game for the A’s with a clean eighth inning.

 

LAD 5 – SDP 2

• The Dodgers used Brusdar Graterol as an opener in this one, but the plan backfired after he allowed two runs off three hits in the first inning. Andrew Heaney followed and pitched four scoreless innings, earning the “W.” Los Angeles proceeded to trot out five more pitchers over the final four innings, including former closer Craig Kimbrel, Caleb Ferguson, Chris Martin, Alex Vesia, and David Price. This strategy worked, as the five did not allow another run to score. The first four on the list earned holds, while David Price was the latest Dodger to earn a save. Vesia has gone back-to-back and probably won’t throw tonight.
• Not to be outdone by their big brother to the north, the Padres used an opener too. Steven Wilson pitched the first, but unlike Graterol, he came out unscathed. Sean Manaea followed and held the lead for the Friars, surrendering only one run over four innings. In the sixth, it fell apart for San Diego, though, as the Dodgers roughed up Pierce Johnson. Johnson allowed three runs off four hits and a walk before he could record his third out, and Adrian Morejon had to finish the inning. Morejon pitched two more frames, giving up a dinger to Will Smith in the eighth. Craig Stammen completed the game for the Padres with a scoreless ninth.

 

TEX 9 – SEA 8

• Marco Gonzales started for Seattle and allowed three bombs in five innings. Penn Murfee took over in the sixth but lasted only three batters before turning it over to Matt Brash with two on and one out. Brash finished the inning in style, striking out the only two batters he faced. Scott Servais went to Paul Sewald in the seventh, but the typically reliable Sewald didn’t make it out of the inning. After surrendering back-to-back homers to Marcus Semien and Nathaniel Lowe, Servais pulled him after a two-out walk. Andrés Muñoz finished the inning and the eighth, followed by Diego Castillo with a clean ninth. In the tenth, Erik Swanson allowed the inherited runner to score, but Seattle tied it in the bottom of the inning. Chris Flexen duplicated this effort in the 11th but earned the win when the Mariners plated two in the bottom of the inning. Sewald, Munoz, and Swanson have thrown in back-to-back contests, so Diego Castillo could vulture a save tonight if the opportunity presents itself.
• Jon Gray wasn’t any better than Gonzales as the Mariners hit three bombs off him as well, scoring six runs in his five innings. Brock Burke followed Gray and promptly gave up another dinger to Jarred Kelenic to start the sixth. There must’ve been something in the Seattle water last night. Burke settled down after that and got the Rangers through the seventh without further damage. Matt Moore and Jonathan Hernández held the M’s hitless and scoreless over the next two innings, and it was off to extras. Jose LeClerc had a save opportunity in the bottom of the tenth but allowed the inherited runner to score, which tied the game. John King had a similar opportunity in the 11th but took the loss after allowing three singles in a row which sealed the victory for Seattle.

 

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)