Bullpen Notes
8/10
LAB REPORTS
Bullpen Notes🗒️(8/10)
TOR: Woods Richardson pitched the 5th, 6th, and 7th allowing a run on one a play I have never seen before but picking up a win. Go look it up since it took about 15 minutes for them to make a ruling. Rogers pitched the 8th with a 2-1 lead allowing a two out walk. He picked up a hold. They went with Varland in the 9th and he allowed a lead off double but locked in and got the next three batters out. Rogers and Varland are the guys to roster here and they are two of the best.
NYM: Devin Williams hit the IL and that opens up the closers spot a week after the 6th, 7th and 8th were opened up at the deadline. With a 7-4 lead in the 5th today they went with Jonathan Pintaro who allowed a run. Nate Lavender pitched the 6th against the top of the order and started the 7th allowing a double. He would be pulled for Daniel Duarte who got the next six outs allowing just a walk. He faced the bottom of the line up in the 7th and got the one and two batters out in the 8th. Both guys would pick up holds. That left the 9th for Kodai Senga who faced the middle of the order and allowed a two out walk while picking up his first save. I'm surprised that it was Senga. I expected Duarte. I would say that both guys should be considered for saves. Senga might be worth an add but I cant see him having success. He could refine his pitch arsenal and improve I suppose. If I had to pick I am still going with Duarte ROS but it does appear that Senga is the first choice for now.
BAL: Things fell apart in the 7th and 8th. They were down 2-1 in the 7th when Rico Garcia came in. He faced four batters and didn't retire a single one allowing two runs on single. They went with Grant Wolfram to face a lefty and he allowed a three run dong. Wolfram would return for the 8th and allow a couple runs in that inning before getting pulled for Josh Walker. In total Garcia was charged with four runs and Wolfram was charged with three and the game was 9-3. Neither of them should be rostered as Cano and Kittredge are battling for closers role. Kittredge is my pick.
STL: They were down for the bullpen innings and Luis Gastelum pitched the 6th and got an out in the 7th. Down 3-2 they went with Caleb Ferguson and he walked three and allowed a run scoring double. Gordon Graceffo got a double play to end the inning and returned for the 8th allowing a two run double to make it 6-2. Justin Bruihl pitched the 9th with the score now 6-5 and kept it at that. None of these guys should be rostered but Bruihl could find himself in higher leverage spots if Soriano continues to struggle.
PHI: The bullpen was down most of its big names but they had a lead and went with Alan Rangel. He got two outs in the 6th with the score 3-2, pitched the 7th with a 4-2 lead, and pitched the 8th with a 6-2 lead. He would allow three runs in the 8th to make it 6-5 but he ended up getting credited with a hold. Duran had pitched back to back nights so they went with Jonathan Bowlan in the 9th. He was perfect and picked up the save. I have been saying he appears to be the best choice right now for high leverage spots and tonight helped his case. Duran is the closer but Bowlan is the guy I would go with now that Kerkering has been struggling.
LAA: Jose Fermin struggled in the 7th with the game tied getting two outs and putting two on. Tayler Saucedo got the final out on a ball that was robbed at the wall. Ben Joyce dominated in the 8th with a perfect inning. Samy Natera Jr. let the lead off guy reach in the 9th but go through that. Luke Murphy faced three batters in the 10th getting one out and was pulled for Blake Weiman who allowed all three runners to score. Murphy was charged with three runs one of which was the ghost runner and took a loss. Joyce and Natera are the guys here. I think they split time the rest of the way since they wont want to push Joyce too hard.
TEX: Tyler Alexander got a couple outs to end the 6th with the game tied. Chase Silseth ran into trouble in the 7th letting two on but getting two out. Robby Ahlstrom got the final out of the 7th and pitched the 8th. Peyton Gray pitched the 9th picking up the win. Jacob Latz had the 10th with a 4-1 lead and he picked up a save despite walking a batter. Latz is the closer and it looks like Ahlstrom and Gray are the preferred high leverage men. I would be carful rostering either but if you need holds you could take a shot.
ATH: They went into the 8th with a 6-2 lead. Seth Johnson started the inning and faced four batters allowing a three run dong to make it a 6-5 game and getting pulled after a walk. Jose Suarez was brought in and he allowed the next four to reach with three more scoring. He did get one out. Scott Blewett came in and allowed two inherited runners to score while getting the final out. Johnson and Suarez were both charged with 4 earned runs. This is what happens when you have a bunch of minor leaguers and DFA guys pitching in big spots. Harris is the closer no one else is worth rostering here.
SDP: Yuki Matsui pitched the top of the 7th with the team down 2-1. He was perfect and would pick up a win for his effort. With a 3-2 lead in the 8th they went with Adrian Morejon who allowed a single but got an inning ending double play. Mason Miller had the 9th as expected and he allowed a two out walk but the runner was caught stealing to end it. The bullpen is very good with Morejon and Estrada getting the ball to Miller. Both holds guys are worth rostering.
SFG: JT Brubaker needed to get one out in the 6th with a 2-1 lead and after walking a guy to load the bases he did. He would return for the 7th and got an out before allowing a solo dong that tied it. He was charged with a blown save. Sam Hentges got the next three outs. Two in the 7th and one in the 8th and was in line for the win. Keaton Winn got the final two outs in the 8th to pick up a hold. In the 9th with a 3-2 lead they went with Dylan Smith. He walked a guy with one out and allowed the runner to reach second on a wild pitch. With two outs and two strikes the guy dribbled one past the second baseman which scored the run while the batter was thrown out a second. Smith was charged with the blown save. Jason Foley pitched the 10th and allowed three runs one of which was the ghost runner. He was charged with a loss. This was a tough blown save for Smith as the wild pitch could have been blocked and the grounder could have been fielded. I think he still gets the next chance but he needs to convert. Hentges and Winn are looming.
HOU: Steven Okert pitched the 8th with the team down 3-2. He faced the top of the line up and allowed a lead off single but nothing else. After tying the game at 3-3 they used Josh Hader in the 9th and 10th. He was perfect in both innings and ended up getting the win. Hader is pretty much the same guy he was before the injury which is very impressive. Abreu and Okert offer strong value for holds in the bullpen.
KCR: With two on and two out in the 6th and a 3-2 lead they brought in John Schreiber. He walked a batter and allowed a bases clearing double that put them down 5-3. He was charged with a blown save. They tied it at 5-5 in the 7th and went with Alex Lange who allowed three hits and a run. He was charged with a loss. Jose Cuas pitched a perfect 8th. The bullpen stinks outside of Cruz who should close and Pearson who is still in the mix for saves. Would have been interesting to see who they used if they had kept the lead tonight.
LAD: Alex Vesia pitched the 6th with the team down. After taking a 5-3 lead Jack Dreyer pitched the top of the 7th and allowed a two run homer. He was charged with a blown save but would pick up the win. Tanner Scott pitched a perfect 8th picking up a hold and Edwin Díaz was perfect in the 9th against the bottom of the order picking up a save. This was the kind of outing that Díaz needed as he had struggled since coming back. He is the closer here and Scott is a great option for holds.
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