Bullpen Notes

7/18

LAB REPORTS

By: The Lab

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Bullpen Notes🗒️(7/18)

PIT: Game one went very well for the bullpen with Carmen Mlodzinski getting a hold and pitching the 6th, 7th, and 8th. He didn't allow a run and they opened the game up. In game two things got ugly for the bullpen. Mason Montgomery started so that took him out of the late inning equation. Yohan Ramirez got two outs in the 7th but allowed two to reach picking up a hold. Brandon Eisert got out of the inning and was brought back for the 8th with a 3-0 lead. He gave up a couple singles, got an out, and allowed a run scoring single while picking up a hold. Gregory Soto was next in and he allowed a run to score on a wild pitch and a run to score on a single. He was charged with the blown save though both runs were charged to Eisert. Dennis Santana's nightmare season continued in the 9th as he allowed a single, a double that the runner was miraculously thrown out at the plate, and a two run homer that ended it. He was charged with a loss. You really can't start Montgomery and expect the rest of the group to keep a lead. Santana should never be pitching in a high leverage spot at this point. Eisert isn't the answer and Soto continues to be the guy he has been the last two months. They need to do something about this bullpen quickly. They need a right-handed pitcher or closer.

CLE: They got mauled in game one and really didn't use anyone of importance. In game two they were down a majority of the game but rallied in the 8th to tie it. They used the entire bullpen besides Gaddis. Erik Sabrowski got a couple outs in the 5th. None of the guys gave up any runs. Smith pitched a perfect 9th and picked up the win after they wont it in the bottom half of the inning. Smith is a stud and Gaddis, Holderman, and Sabrowski have value for holds.

CHC: Sticking with the current theme of teams showing us how they want to use their bullpens today we saw that here. Caleb Thielbar pitched the 7th with a 5-1 lead. He allowed a solo homer to one of the LHB he was brought in to face. Trent Thornton pitched the 8th with a 6-2 lead and allowed a single. Jacob Webb had the 9th with the game still 6-2. He allowed the first two to reach but got a double play when the third batter hit another single but a guy got hung up between home and third and second and first. After that he struck the last batter out. For now Webb is the closer and Thornton is next in line. Thornton and Thielbar are holds options but they should be adding to the bullpen at the deadline and Palencia should be back soon as well.

PHI: Somewhat interesting usage of Orion Kerkering who pitched in the 6th. With the score 4-1 they had him face the middle of the order. He picked up the hold in a perfect inning. I wouldn't look too much into this as the game got delayed later due to rain. It is possible they just wanted to get him an inning in. He is a terrific option for holds and should pitch in the 8th for the remainder of the year or until they make a splash bullpen move at the deadline (Miller rumors anyone).

CWS: Sean Newcomb came on with two outs and a runner on in the 6th. He allowed a double and walk to load the bases but got the final out. He also pitched the 7th with no issue. They were down 1-0 at the time and they didn't rally. Jordan Hicks pitched the 8th and had no issue against the middle of the lineup. Grant Taylor is option one for the 9th but today highlights the issue with the bullpen. They clearly wanted to get the lead or tie the game by the 8th which would have allowed them to use Taylor to close it out. While that would have been great if he went two innings he wouldn't be available for tomorrow or the next day.

TOR: Strong three innings from the bullpen. Hoffman worked the 7th allowing a lead off walk but nothing else while picking up a hold. Tyler Rogers had the 8th and allowed a bunt single to start but a caught stealing helped him get through the inning and he picked up a hold. Louis Varland pitched the 9th without a base runner and picked the save. All three guys were pitching with a 1-0 lead and this is the ideal setup for this bullpen with the guys on the roster right now.

TBR: This game highlighted the lack of depth in the bullpen. They used Kelly in the 4th and 5th with a 5-3 lead. He pitched two scoreless innings but they were very early for this level of pitcher. Casey Legumina got though the 6th and allowed a lead off double in the 7th picking up a hold. Cole Sulser came on and the first guy he faced reached on an error which killed them. He ended up getting two outs while allowing two runs one of which was charged to Legumina. He was pulled for Garrett Cleavinger who allowed a two run homer to the LHB he was brought in to face. The inning ended with them down 7-6 and Cleavinger was charged with a blown save and loss. They really need at least one more mid to high leverage guy to compete for a title.

BOS: They were down until the 7th when they scored in the bottom half of the inning. Ryan Watson pitched the 6th and 7th picking up the win. Garrett Whitlock pitched a perfect 8th picking up a hold. Aroldis Chapman walked a two guys with two outs in the 9th before getting a ground out to end it. He picked up a save. That is now 12 wins in a row and they are moving from sellers to buyers which will take Whitlock and Chapman off the market.

ATL: They had a 5-3 lead going into the 6th when things fell apart. Tyler Kinley started the inning allowing a double and a homer that tied the game. He got an out and walked a batter before being pulled for Dylan Lee. Lee ended up allowing another Kinley run to score as well as one of his own before getting out of the inning with the score 7-5. Kinley was charged with a blown save and loss. Danny Young, Didier Fuentes, and Raisel Iglesias got through the last three innings in that order. The bullpen setup remains the same with Lee the top holds option and Iggy the closer.

TEX: Robby Ahlstrom got the final out of the 6th with two on picking up a hold. Tyler Alexander pitched the 7th allowing a run on a double that made the score 7-6 and picked up a hold. Jakob Junis returned from the IL and got two outs in the 8th before walking a batter and being pulled for Jacob Latz. Junis picked up a hold. Latz got four outs without allowing a runner and picked up the save. Junis's return is huge for this team as he is a strong holds option and gives them a veteran presence in the bullpen. Latz remains the closer and now they might only need a mid leverage arm if they add to the bullpen.

HOU: They were down or tied for all of the bullpen innings today. AJ Blubaugh, Bryan Abreu, and Josh Hader got through the 6th all the way to the 10th in that order with Blubaugh going two innings. Steven Okert allowed the ghost runner to score in the 10th but they tied it in the bottom of the inning. Enyel De Los Santos gave up two runs in the 11th one of which was the ghost runner and ended up being charged with the loss. Bullpen remains the same with Okert and King who has struggled as holds options and Hader as the closer. They really could use a high leverage RHP but Abreu might end up being the answer if they don't add one.

BAL: Rico Garcia allowed an inherited runner to score in the 7th and was charged with a blown save. He needed to get two outs with a runner on third and couldn't. Cano and Wells pitched the 8th and 9th with the game tied and neither allowed a base runner. Kittredge had a chance at a save in the 10th with a 2-1 lead but allowed the ghost runner to score. He struggled loading the bases but getting a double play on a fly out with the runner gunned down at the plate. After picking up the win yesterday Cam Sanders pitched a perfect 11th with a 4-2 lead picking up a save today. Nice run for a castoff from PIT. Wells is the closer and Kittredge and Cano are the top holds options with Garcia pitching in the 6th and 7th generally.

MIA: They used Cade Gibson in the 4th and Tyler Zuber in the 5th with a 3-2 lead. Gibson put two on and Zuber put one on but both got out of it. Calvin Faucher came on for the 6th and allowed the first four guys to reach before getting a couple outs and allowing a double. He was charged with four runs, a blown save, and picked up the loss. Ryan Gusto got the final 7 outs allowing a couple runs in the 8th. Faucher is still pitching in big spots and really shouldn't be rostered right now. Fairbanks is the closer and Petersen is the best holds option.

MIL: Uribe pitched the 7th with the team up 6-3 and picked up a hold. He allowed only a single. They scored a couple runs in the top of the 8th and used Craig Yoho in the 8th which he had no issue in but they brought him back in the 9th and he hit a batter, walked a batter, and allowed a three run homer. Trevor Megill came on with the game now 8-6 and got three outs with no issues picking up a save. Megill is pitching as well as any closer in the game right now and is a great guy to roster.

ARI: The bullpen had a 5-2 lead for a majority of the innings pitched. Ryan Thompson allowed an inherited runner to score in the 6th but got the last two outs and picked up a hold. Loáisiga got two outs and let two on in the 7th before being pulled for Garcia who got a LHB out to end the inning. Both guys picked up holds. Ginkel allowed a two out walk in the 8th but picked up a hold. Paul Sewald had the 9th and allowed a solo homer that made the game 5-3 but he picked up a save. Sewald took the loss last night so this was somewhat of a bounce back. I wouldn't be to worried about him yet as he continues to convert his save chances. Ginkel might be their best holds option with Morillo struggling.

SFG: The game was tied for the bullpen innings. Sam Hentges got out of the 7th and got a couple outs in the 8th. Keaton Winn got the final out of the 8th. Erik Miller had no trouble in the 9th. Dylan Smith ended up taking the loss in the 10th after allowing a sac fly that ended it. The ghost runner scored so he wasn't charged with a run. Miller appears to have an inside edge to the 9th at the moment but I would think Winn is likely involved. Kilian appears to be out of high leverage spots and save opportunities for now.

SEA: Gabe Speier had the 7th, Eduard Bazardo had the 8th, and Andrés Muñoz pitched the 9th. The game was tied for all of the innings and Bazardo was the only one who allowed a runner. Jose Ferrer picked up the win in the 10th preventing the ghost runner from scoring. This is the expect order of the bullpen with Ferrer working as the fireman prior to the 9th.

WSN: Max Kranick returned after being out for just over a year. They were already getting mauled and he didn't help. He started the 7th and ended up being charged with 4 runs. No help for this bullpen from him at the moment. None of the main guys pitched so Beeter remains the best option for saves though they really don't have a closer.

ATH: They finally won a game and it was a blowout so dont look too much into the usage. Harris got two outs in the 7th. Leiter pitched the 8th with out allowing a run and Medina had the 9th. Medina did allow a couple hits and a run which made the game 15-1. Still think Alvarado and Harris are the closers here but it is hard to tell since they haven't had a save opp or even a close game in weeks.

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