Bullpen Notes
8/6
LAB REPORTS
Bullpen Notes🗒️(8/6)
LAA: Mitch Farris got out of the 5th with a guy on and got two outs in the 6th. He ended up picking up the win. Luke Murphy walked a guy but got the final out of the 6th. He returned for the 7th pitched a perfect inning picking up the hold. Tayler Saucedo started the 8th and allowed a walk while getting two outs and picking up a hold. Samy Natera Jr. came in with a 4-1 lead and got a guy out at home. Natera returned for the 9th and was perfect picking up the save. They aren't going to do anything crazy with Joyce so seeing him rest after pitching an inning is not surprising. Natera throws his fastball a lot and has been pretty good. They have enough lefties to allow him to pitch the 9th. He would be my pick for the closer here but well see how they use over time Joyce.
CIN: Emilio Pagán had pitched back to back nights so he was off. They used Pierce Johnson in the 7th for the final out with a guy on and a 5-3 lead. He returned for the 8th and got two outs before being pulled for Sam Moll who got the final out. Both guys picked up holds. Brock Burke got the 9th against the lower part of the lineup with a 6-3 lead. He got an out, allowed a single, and a two run homer that made things interesting. He would get the final two outs to pick up the save. Pagan is the closer here and Burke and Antone are pretty similar for holds. I'd lean Antone.
CLE: They got mauled and the bullpen continued to struggle. It wasn't the main guys today but it is concerning. Festa allowed a run in the 5th and Holderman got though the 6th allowing a couple singles. With the team down 6-5 going into the 7th they went with Craig Yoho and he got though the inning but not before allowing a three run dong. Slade Cecconi started the 8th and didn't retire a batter. Herrin came in and allowed a couple Cecconi runs and a position player finished off the inning. The bullpen is really struggling here but Holderman, Gaddis and Smith are the guys to roster.
PIT: Gregory Soto pitched in the 6th which is now the second time that has happened since the deadline. He allowed a run. Doval had the 7th and Yates had the 8th while the team was down. They still haven't used Weaver yet and I would say it is between him and Monty for the closer spot here. Could end up being a duo but hopefully they have one in mind.
MIL: They were down Megill and Uribe who had pitched back to back days. With a 5-2 lead in the 7th DL Hall came in and allowed a hit but got a double play that ended the inning. Aaron Ashby had the 8th and allowed a one out double but got out of the inning. Both guys picked up holds. Chad Patrick pitched the 9th, walked a guy, and allowed a single but a double play ended the game. He picked up the save which was actually his 5th of the season. They have a very strong bullpen but most of these guys are not the high leverage pitchers. Megill and Uribe are.
TOR: They were up 2-0 going into the 8th and used Braydon Fisher. He was perfect against the lower part of the order picking up a hold. Varland had the 9th against the top of the order. He allowed a lead off single to PCA, got the next two out, and allowed a two run homer to Bregman. He would get out of the inning but was charged with a blown save. Chase Lee got though the 10th without allowing the ghost runner to score. In the 11th Brendon Little allowed a PCA hit but the ghost runner was thrown out at home. PCA went to second and would eventually score on a throwing error by the catcher that ended the game. Varland and Rogers are the guys to roster here.
CHC: Another team that was down the main guys in the bullpen. They were down in the game before tying it in the bottom of the 9th. Rolison and Civale had been pitching with Civale allowing a run in the 7th. They used Caleb Thielbar in the 10th after yesterdays beating but he was better today preventing the ghost runner from scoring. Trent Thornton pitched the 11th and also kept the ghost runner from scoring. He would end up picking up the win. Webb and Zef are the guys you want to roster here and Thielber and Thornton are in the next tier.
PHI: They had a 6-2 lead when they went to the bullpen and it was somewhat of a surprise to see who they used. Orion Kerkering pitched the 6th for the second day in a row and allowed a run. They would score again to make it 7-3 and José Alvarado was perfect in the 7th, Bowlan was perfect in the 8th, and Duran was perfect in the 9th. Could this be the preferred usage of the bullpen? Back to back games with Bowlan in the 8th and the lefties in the 7th. Not sure but this is something to watch. Duran is the closer and after that Bowlan might be the sleeper add for holds.
CWS: Everyone besides Newcomb in the bullpen was used tonight and it was disappointing for Taylor closer believers. Hudson pitched the 5th which is pretty early for him but not uncommon. Jordan Hicks pitched in the 6th with a 7-5 lead and allowed a run while getting two outs. They used Grant Taylor to get out of the 6th inning, he pitched the 7th. and also got two outs in the 8th. An error prolonged the 8th and after allowing a single Huascar Brazoban got the final out. Hicks and Taylor both picked up holds. They brought Brazzy back for the 9th with a 7-6 lead and he allowed a lead off double and a two out single that tied the game. He was charged with a blown save. After that they used Richards, Murphy, and Fredde who ended up with the loss in the 13th. As I have said all year long Taylor wont close on the reg. I'm shocked they turned to Brazoban which was the plan all game long. He was a mid level guy if that for the NYM. The committee he continues since they really cant think Brazzy is a closer though he will be apart of the committee I guess.
BOS: They also used everyone in the bullpen in what was a wild 13 inning game. For the most part guys pitched in the innings you would expect. Slaten pitched in the 5th and allowed two runs with the game tied. He was pitching earlier than normal. They would be down after that until extra innings. Bello picked up the win going two innings after throwing three the on Tuesday. Chapman and Whitlock pitched the 10th and 11th and they are the best two guys to roster.
MIA: Bullpen got beat up pretty good in this one. Tyler Zuber pitched a scoreless 4th. John King got though the 5th but allowed 4 runs (1 unearned) in the 6th. Victor Vodnik got all three outs in the but 6th allowed two Kings runs to score and gave up a couple runs of his own in the 7th. Cade Gibson gave up three runs in the 8th but two were unearned after an error extended the inning. Fairbanks is the closer here and I like Petersen as the holds guy.
ATL: They did win big but a couple notes. Danny Young allowed a couple runs and has now had back to back bad outings. They also needed to use Dylan Lee in the 7th to get an out and he picked up a hold. Lee is the holds guy an Iglesias the closer.
KCR: Cruz had pitched back to back if you consider him the closer and wasn't available. Lange pitched in the 7th and picked up a hold allowing a walk. With a 3-1 lead in the 8th they used Aaron Bummer who was recently called up. He got one of the four batters out that he faced before being pulled for Nate Pearson. Pearson allowed a single that plated two more and in the end Bummer was charged with three runs, picked up a hold but took a loss. Pearson got the blown save. The bullpen is awful and Cruz should be their closer if they can ever get him the ball in the 9th.
MIN: Kody Funderburk pitched the 7th with the team down 3-1 and ended up picking up the win. With a 4-3 lead in the 8th they went with typical 8th inning man Andrew Morris who was perfect picking up the hold. Yoendrys Gomez had the 9th with the score the same and he walked the lead off batter but they picked off the runner. Gomez would get the next two out and pick up the save. Hoffman had pitched yesterday but this is good news for Gomez. It is possible that Morris and Gomez remain in their roles with Hoffman pitching in the 7th. Well see what happens next time they have a lead but I would continue to roster Gomez over Hoffman.
ARI: Jonathan Loáisiga pitched in the 4th and 5th today. Hopefully no one fell for Torey's BS about him closing. Juan Morillo pitched the 9th getting a work inning in. They were down and he hadn't pitched in a few days. Garcia is the closer and don't let the matchup BS fool you. When he blows a save we can talk and revisit the closer role.
SDP: Bradgley Rodriguez pitched the 5th with the game 3-1 and the 6th with the game 4-1. He was perfect getting all six outs and picked up a win. Jeremiah Estrada pitched a perfect 7th, Adrian Morejon allowed a hit in the 8th, and Mason Miller allowed a two out hit in the 9th. They had a 5-1 lead when all three guys were pitching so no holds or saves were picked up. This is likely the preferred order but Morejon and Estrada might switch innings based on matchups.
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