Bullpen Notes

7/11

LAB REPORTS

By: The Lab

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Bullpen Notes🗒️(7/11)

PIT: They were down in game 1 and were using Carmen Mlodzinski as the bulk guy. He came in for the 6th and ended up pitching three innings and allowing one run. Pretty typical outing for him as he allowed some runners and a run but they took the lead and he picked up the win. With a 7-6 lead they turned to Gregory Soto for the 9th and he made it very interesting. A single and a walk mixed in between an out before loading the bases due to an error by the short stop. He then got a third to home double play with the bag touched at third and the runner tagged out at the plate. Nothing inspiring about this performance but he picked up the save. Game 2 was another close one. Newly acquired Brandon Eisert got an out in the 5th. Yohan Ramirez got through the 6th with the game tied and picked up the win. Dennis Santana had the 7th and Isaac Mattson had the 8th with both picking up holds. Mason Montgomery pitched the 9th and despite allowing a lead off walk had no other trouble. I would say Monty did more for his chances of closing today but him and Soto are the two who should be in the mix. Not Santana.

MIL: Game one didn't go well for one man in the bullpen. Chad Patrick pitched the 6th with a 6-3 lead and allowed the lead off man in the 7th to reach picking up a hold before being pulled. They brought on Aaron Ashby and he put a couple guys on before allowing a grand slam that made it 7-6. He was charged with a blown save and picked up the loss. In game two Uribe pitched the 8th with the team down. Trevor Megill is still the closer here and a very good one at that.

MIN: They put to use newly acquired Tommy Nance in the 7th with a 3-2 lead. He allowed a couple singles one of which scored a run. In addition to being charged with a blown save he picked up a win. They did take the lead and went with Woo-Suk Go in the 8th. He struggled a bit allowing a couple runners but didn't allow any runs and picked up a hold. In the 9th they turned to Yoendrys Gomez just like the two pitchers before him he let a couple on with one out but picked up the save. Nance will jump into the late innings here but I doubt he sees save chances since he is more of a junk ball thrower. Gomez is the best option for saves but he will still occasionally cede the 9th to other guys based on the managers match up approach.

ATH: Luis Medina got one out in the 6th after hitting a batter and pitched the 7th with the team down 1-0. Hogan Harris pitched the 8th without issue and since he threw 11 pitches might have returned for the 9th. Alvarado had pitched two innings so he likely wasn't available. Could have used Leiter or Barnett. Medina has moved up in the bullpen but Harris and Alvarado are my two picks for the 9th.

CWS: They used Hudson and Murphy for the 1st and 2nd innings and neither allowed a run. Both can be taken out of the mix for saves on a routine basis. Sean Newcomb pitched the 7th with a 1-0 lead and allowed a walk with a guy already on second but pitched his way out of the trouble. Newcomb gave up a lead off triple in the 8th and got an out before being pulled. He picked up a hold for his effort. Grant Taylor got the final two outs of the 8th and didn't allow the run to score. He returned for the 9th and allowed a one out walk while picking up the save. Taylor was throwing strikes and looked good. He seems to be the leader for saves here but the bulk inning problem remains. Newcomb is next in line and after that it could be Hicks over Domínguez who seems to be completely out of the job.

NYY: The top guys got the job done today. Brent Headrick got the last out of the 7th but loaded the bases first. He picked up a win. With a 4-2 lead in the 8th and 9th they turned to Cruz who got the hold and Bednar who picked up the save. Bednar had pitched two innings yesterday so this was a bit of a surprise. Both guys are very good options for holds and saves.

WSN: Today they did what they should have and still blew the game. PJ Poulin started which was semi expected so he wasn't around for the late innings. Tom Cosgrove had another productive 6th and 7th picking up a hold. Orlando Ribalta started the 8th and got an out, allowed a solo homer, and walked a batter before getting pulled for Clayton Beeter. Beeter allowed the first two he faced to homer and another to double before being pulled with the team down 4-2. Beeter took a loss and a blown save and Ribalta picked up a hold. Krook finished the game but the life had been taken out of the team. They really don't have a late inning stud and Beeter at best seems more like a 7th inning guy. Maybe they will make a move but otherwise the season will continue to have constant bullpen issues.

SFG: They gave us a nice curve ball after yesterdays disaster and let JT Brubaker pitch the 8th and 9th. With a 4-1 lead in the 8th Bru allowed a homer to make it 4-2. He pitched a perfect 9th and picked up his first save. I doubt he gets the next chance as he really is more of a bulk guy and doesn't have traditional closer's stuff. They had used Kilian and Miller back to back while Winn and Hentges have had injury issues so they might have had the day off as well. I doubt we see Kilian get the next chance so it appears it could be any combination of Winn, Miller, or Hentges in my opinion.

CLE: With the two main guys having pitched back to back and Erik Sabrowski just sucking lately we saw the lower men get a shot with a lead late. Shawn Armstrong was the first in and allowed an inherited runner to score making it a 2-1 lead but picking up a hold in the 7th. With a 4-1 lead they let Franco Aleman pitch the 8th and he picked up a hold allowing just a double. Colin Holderman was brought on for the 9th and he pitched a perfect inning converting the save. Holderman has some low end holds value as he could benefit the most from Sabrowski's struggles or an injury to the main three.

DET: Kenley Jansen pitched the 9th with the team down 4-2. It is always a scary situation when the big man is in with nothing on the line. He allowed a hit but had no other issues and he is the closer here.

PHI: Jonathan Bowlan was the first man in with a couple guys on in the 8th and a 4-1 lead. He hit a guy to load the bases and got a double play that scored a run before walking another guy and getting out of the inning. He picked up a hold for his work and the run was the starters. Jhoan Duran pitched the 9th and had no issues but didn't have a strikeout. He picked up a save. Interesting that they used Bowlan instead of Brad Keller or Orion Kerkering neither of which have pitched in days. Keep an eye out to see if some injury news pops up with those two.

BAL: They used Wells in the 9th with a 6-1 lead. It was never going to be a save but he had no issues. Tomorrow will be the interesting day if both Kittredge and Wells are available to see who pitches and when.

TEX: They had a big lead but used Chris Martin in the 9th. He struggled allowing a couple hits a balk and two runs. Had to tell what they will do with him since they have a very young bullpen. I would guess he gets a nice rest over the break rather than DFA'd but we will see.

CHC: Drew Pomeranz came on with a 3-2 lead in the 6th and gave up a homer to the first batter he faced. He let a couple more on before getting out of the inning with a double play. He could be getting DFA'd again when some of their hurt guys start to return from the IL. Caleb Thielbar pitched the 7th picking up a hold. Unfortunately Jacob Webb pitched the 8th against the middle of the lineup and he picked up a hold despite allowing a walk. That left the 9th to Ryan Rolison he put a couple on while getting two outs before getting pulled for Trent Thornton and picking up a hold. Thornton threw three pitches and got the final out. They continue to use Webb as the fireman and Thornton cleans up saves if he has pitched prior to the 9th. You can make the case to roster both though I prefer Webb.

STL: Luis Gastelum pitched the 7th and gave up a run. Today they went to George Soriano in the 8th and he pitched a perfect inning striking out two and picking up a hold. Riley O'Brien had the 9th and let a couple guys on allowing a hit and hitting a guy but he got out of it picking up a save. He is tied for the NL lead with 24. ROB remains the closer and we wait to see what they do at the deadline with the rest of the bullpen mainly Romero who is the 8th inning guy.

SDP: The bullpen was on early if you consider Matt Waldron a reliever and he pitched three innings. Yuki Matsui came on for the 6th with a 7-4 lead and put a couple guys on while getting two outs. Bradgley Rodriguez was next in and he gave u a three run homer to the first guy he faced. Blown save for him and Matsui got a hold. They rallied though and Rodriguez ended up getting the win. Morejon and Miller pitched the 8th and 9th and each allowed a the lead off guy to reach before getting out of the inning. They picked up a hold and a save. Those two are probably the only two I would roster since Rodriguez has struggled in the bigger spots so far.

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