Bullpen Notes
8/15
LAB REPORTS
Bullpen Notes🗒️(8/15)
DET: Drew Sommers got a couple outs in the 5th, pitched a perfect 6th, and gave up a run in the 7th while getting one out. He would end up taking the loss. Kyle Finnegan got out of the 7th and pitched a perfect 8th. Tanner Rainey had the 9th with the team down 4-3. Finnegan has fallen off a cliff since the break and Holton is a better guy to roster if you are looking for holds. Kenley is the closer.
CHW: More interesting bullpen usage today. Jordan Hicks entered the game with one out in the 6th and a 3-3 score. He would get the final two outs and return for the 7th. They had a 4-3 lead and he was perfect while picking up the win. In what I would consider a surprise they went with Grant Taylor in the 8th after his five outs yesterday. He faced the top of the lineup and allowed a lead off single but the next guy hit into a double play and he picked up a hold. Bryan Hudson had the 9th and he was perfect getting the save. This is Hudson's first save since July 22 so I wouldn't expect him to take over. They continue to use Taylor in the biggest spots and I was surprised about the back to back usage. Newcomb and Brazz could see the chance tomorrow but really Richards, Smith, and Schweitzer are in the mix tomorrow with Taylor and Hudson likely resting. Taylor is not the closer he is just the best pitcher in the bullpen.
STL: They were up but used a couple of the main guys. Justin Bruihl gave up a single in the 7th but got a double play. Ryne Stanek had the 8th with an 8-3 lead and allowed a couple hits to start and a run would score. Riley O'Brien was perfect in the 9th with a four run lead. ROB is the closer here and Stanek has probably moved ahead of Soriano for holds. Both are on the fringe of rosterability.
NYY: Brent Headrick got two outs in the 6th to get out of a jam with a couple guys on. He returned for the 7th and faced four batters allowing one run and getting one out. He would be charged with the loss. Blackburn got the final two outs of the inning. They were down 2-1 going into the 8th and Tim Hill gave up a couple more runs to make it 4-1. Just a bad day for Headrick and the bullpen but I wouldn't worry too much about it.
TOR: Bullpen game that saw Braydon Fisher pitch the first. Ricky Tiedemann and Simeon Woods Richardson got the game through the 5th allowing just a run. Mason Fluharty pitched a perfect the 6th with the score 1-1 and Spencer Miles pitched a perfect 7th and would pick up the win. Tyler Rogers had the 8th and allowed a two out single but picked up a hold. Just like last night Louis Varland pitched the 9th and struck out the side picking up the save. We know that Varland and Rogers are they guys to roster but keep an eye on Miles if you need a holds sleeper. He seems to be seeing more of the 7th inning work since Hoffman was moved.
SFG: They got blown out but Dylan Smith pitched the 9th. It had been four days since he pitched so it was a work day. He is the closer here. Brubaker pitched the 7th yesterday for anyone wondering.
WSN: Bullpen game here with Bad Brad Lord starting and giving up a couple runs in the 1st. Will Dion got the final out of the inning and pitched the next four without allowing a run. With a 4-2 lead in the 6th Tom Cosgrove allowed a lead off homer and a single but a double play got him out of the inning. Orlando Ribalta pitched a perfect 7th. Clayton Beeter struggled though the 8th against the meat of the lineup but a caught stealing got him a big out. All three guys picked up holds. Yovanny Cruz started the 9th with a 4-3 lead and couldn't lock the door. He allowed a lead off walk, a single, a double that scored a run. He would get an out before giving up the game ending single. It was a rough inning for his first real shot at the 9th after pitching a couple good 7ths. You have to throw strikes in the 9th and he was not to start the inning. This is what they do though with Beeter pitching in the biggest spot on the game. Beeter remains the best option for saves but only sees about 60%-70% of the changes.
NYM: They were down and until the bottom of the 9th and used Jefry Yan to get the last five outs. He celebrated his way to a victory and struck out three. Senga is the closer here and they had him up in the 8th so he was ready if they had taken a lead.
TBR: Down or tied for all the bullpen innings tonight. Casey Legumina pitched the 7th and 8th and Cam Booser had the 9th. Booser allowed the only runner to reach. Bryan Baker had the 10th after they tied it in the bottom of the 9th. He allowed a single to the first batter he faced that put them down 4-3. After that he battled through the inning and didn't allow another run but he did end up with the loss. He is still a stud closer.
BAL: They had a 3-2 lead for all of the bullpen innings prior to the 10th. Alex Hoppe started the 7th and allowed a lead off single but got a couple outs before Josh Walker came in and closed out the inning. Rico Garcia was back in the 8th and was perfect. All three guys picked up holds. In the 9th Andrew Kittredge had the last two in the lineup to start which he retired but then allowed three singles one of which scored a run. That was against the top of the order and the tying run was scored on a little dribbler to third which was bobbled. It would have been a bang bang play at first if he had fielded it cleanly. With a 4-3 lead in the 10th they went with Cam Sanders and he picked up his second save in as many nights. Cano was up in the bullpen in the 10th. The closers spot is still a battle with Kitty and Cano and I do think Kitty still has the slight advantage. They love using Garcia late so he could find his way into the mix if one of the other two struggle next outing.
CIN: Luis Mey pitched the 7th with 4-3 lead which is a big jump up in leverage for him. He let the first two reach but got out of the inning and picked up a hold. Tejay Antone started the 8th and faced 4 guys allowing three to reach while the only out was on a run scoring sac fly. Moll was in next in and also allowed three of four to reach while getting one out. Two more Antone runs scored and one of Molls. Pierce Johnson finished the inning with the game now 7-4. Ron Marinaccio gave up a run in the 9th. Burke probably moves ahead of Antone if you are searching for holds. Tony Santillan made a triple A rehab appearance the other day so he might be back soon. He would slide back into the 8th when he returns and Pagan remains closer.
MIA: Calvin Faucher and Tyler Zuber were the first two in and they got 7 outs with Zuber picking up the win. With a 7-4 lead Michael Petersen pitched the 8th and he was perfect picking up a hold. Pete Fairbanks had the 9th in what was a non-save situation and he was also perfect. The bullpen was good today and Petersen and Fairbanks are the guys to roster despite the weird usage prior to the 9th.
CLE: The bullpen finally showed up and looked like it did in the beginning of the season. With a 4-1 lead in the 7th Colin Holderman got a couple outs but hit a batter. Hunter Gaddis got the final out and pitched a perfect 8th. Both guys picked up holds. They opened up a 6-1 lead in the 9th and turned to Erik Sabrowski who was perfect as well. If this team can get its bullpen going all of these guys could be worth a roster spot in holds leagues. Smith is the closer and isn't losing his job.
SEA: They had a big lead and the bullpen still did its best to allow some runs and make it interesting. Ferrer gave up a couple runs in the 8th to make it a 7-4 game and Seranthony Domínguez gave up one in the 9th. The bullpen needs help as they have all struggled since the break besides Munoz though he got mauled last night.
ARI: Another team with a big lead and they used Jonathan Loáisiga in the 7th and Kevin Ginkel had the 8th. Neither gave up a run and both were really in to get some work in. Philip Abner gave up a run in the 9th. We are waiting for Justin Martinez to return and until he does Brandyn Garcia is the most likely to record a save.
PIT: Wilber Dotel pitched the 6th and 7th with the team down 1-0. Gregory Soto pitched the 8th. They went with Luke Weaver for the 9th and he allowed three runs. It was a rare ugly outing for him and that is more runs than he has allowed the last three months. Not sure what this does to his chances to close since it wasn't a blown save. Monty and Weaver are the most likely to see a save here and maybe now Monty has the slight edge.
BOS: Erik Miller pitched the 8th with a 1-0 lead. He was perfect and picked up a hold. They opened up a 4-0 lead and still used Aroldis Chapman in the 9th. It was a non-save and he was perfect as well. We have been waiting to see who would take over Whitlocks spot in the 8th so it was nice to see Miller here. He might jump over Slaten in the pecking order but he was facing lefties so I wouldn't overreact. Miller has some value as the late inning lefty but Slaten and Guerrero are in the mix for holds. Chapman is the closer.
MIL: With a 4-1 lead in the 7th they went with Antonio Senzatela against the bottom of the lineup. He had no issues and picked up a hold. In the 8th against the top of the lineup they used Aaron Ashby. He pitched a perfect 8th and returned for the 9th. In the 9th he allowed a two out walk and the next man reached on an error but he got a strikeout to end the game and pick up the save. Megill had pitched in three innings the two days prior to last night so they appear to have given him an extra night off. With Uribe on the IL we are looking to see who takes over the 8th from the group of Ashby, Senzatela, and Patrick. It will probably stay as a mix of the three based on matchups.
KCR: To no ones surprise they were using Craig Kimbrel a high leverage spot. That is how bad the bullpen has been. He got the final out of the 6th with a couple on in a 0-0 game and pitched the 7th. The centerfielder made a great catch and he picked off a runner which is why they didn't score. They turned to Nate Pearson in the 8th with the game still 0-0 but against the top of the lineup. He walked the lead off batter who came around to score. Normally I would have expected Cruz here but maybe they are finally using him as the closer. It won't last if Pearson is gonna give up runs. I still prefer Cruz as the guy to add for saves.
LAA: The starter went 8 and they used Ben Joyce in the 9th. He was perfect and picked up the save. I believe he hit 105 on the gun but they did say it was 104.5 and rounded up on the broadcast. It was an impressive performance to say the least. When both Joyce and Natera are available it appears Joyce is the guy for the 9th. I still wouldn't count out Natera completely since I think they will be careful with Joyce. Tonight it was against the bottom part of the lineup and a couple pinch hitters so another reason to not overreact. I still think this will be a 50/50 split the rest of the way so I say hold the Natera shares if you have them.
TEX: Chase Silseth got the final out of the 6th with a runner on second and a 4-3 lead. He was credited with a hold. Jakob Junis returned from the IL and pitched a perfect 7th against the meat of the order. He also got a hold. It had been a few days since Jacob Latz had last pitched and they used him for the 8th and the 9th. He allowed a lead off walk in the 8th but was perfect in the 9th and picked up a save. Getting Junis back is huge for this team. He is the second best reliever they have and is experienced. He is a great holds option if he is available. Latz continues to be a stud at closer.
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