Bullpen Depth Charts: Relievers To Stream — 5/13

 

Injuries and Transactions

• Chris Martin and Sean Newcomb are back in Atlanta. Grant Dayton was placed on the IL in a corresponding move.
• Devin Smeltzer headed to IL for Minnesota. Shaun Anderson was called up to replace him.
• Washington recalled Wander Suero from the IL and optioned Paulo Espino to make room.

 

Yesterday’s Performances

• After Brandon Woodruff got into a tiny bit of trouble in the 8th, Devin Williams threw just two pitches to get the final out of the inning. He then picked up his first win of the season after Ryan Helsley gave up a three-run shot to Avisaíl García, breaking the tie. Josh Hader then closed the door in the 9th, picking up his eighth save of the year. Both of the Brewers’ relief aces have worked on back-to-back nights, so J.P. Feyereisen and Brent Suter could be in line for more work tonight.
• James Karinchak picked up a win in the 10th inning after Amed Rosario’s walk-off single sealed the game against the Cubs. Both he and Emmanuel Clase have gone back-to-back, opening the door for Nick Wittgren to vulture a save.

 

• Héctor Neris picked up his seventh save after being called upon to defend a three-run lead against the Nationals in the 10th. He and José Alvarado both threw more than 20 pitches two nights ago, so they’re certainly off today — Sam Coonrod and Brandon Kintzler should pick up the slack in the last game of their series against Washington.
• Neris notched that save after Brad Hand blew the save in the top of the 9th when he allowed a home run to Odubel Herrera. Hand then returned to the mound to face Bryce Harper to open the inning, allowing a single, only for Kyle Finnegan to come in and give up three more hits, allowing Hand’s runner and the ghost-running Andrew McCutchen to score. Hand struck out three, but he allowed three baserunners in the process, also hitting McCutchen in the 9th.

 

• In the first game of the doubleheader in Colorado, Mark Melancon worked a little harder than usual to pick up his 12th save, facing 10 batters and picking up the last five outs of the game. The Padres will have today off, which helps explains why he stayed in the game as long as he did.
• In the second game, Daniel Bard threw 29 pitches in his third blown save of the year, only for Yency Almonte to pick up the win in the 8th after the Rockies walked off the Padres in the second game of the doubleheader. Bard could be off today after that high pitch count, though it’s more speculative than others who pitched in back-to-back games.

 

• Jake Diekman struck out two of the three Red Sox batters he faced to pick up his second save in two days. That means he’s likely off today, making Lou Trevino the probable closer tonight. Diekman and Trevino have both had multiples shots to cement the role, but with Diekman pitching like his old self of late, signs are pointing not just to him being the closer again, but to him having the skills to make something of it.
• Aroldis Chapman did what he does best and protected a 1-0 lead for the Yankees, picking up his second save in two nights against the Rays. Fire up your Chad Green shares tonight.

 

• In Toronto, A.J. Cole picked his first save on a Jordan Romano off day. It may take some time to get an understanding of the pecking order there with Rafael Dolis out, and with Romano coming off an IL stint, there may be more than a few chances for others to get save chances. It’s worth watching to see which patterns  — if any — emerge in the next few weeks.
• Detroit’s Gregory Soto picked up just his fourth save of the year, working around a bases-empty walk and striking out pinch-hitter Hanser Alberto. He was pitching his second in a row, so newly-appointed setup man Michael Fulmer could be next in line.

 

• Lucas Sims cleanly picked up the win for Cincinnati in the 10th after they gave him a four-run cushion. Sean Doolittle went back-to-back and should be considered off today, and with Amir Garrett still suspended, Sims and Tejay Antone should be predictably in line for relief appearances.
• Miami’s Yimi Garcia closed out his sixth save of the year in style with some help from Jesus Aguilar, who caught a liner before touching first to record a game-ending unassisted double play.

 

• Chicago allowed Liam Hendriks to throw 29 pitches in a non-save situation.  Hendriks has not been particularly overworked in the past week, but with a doubleheader coming up on Saturday, it would be surprising if he threw today.
• Pirates closer Richard Rodriguez is also likely off today after two non-save appearances in the past two days. Should the Pirates have a save chance today, Chris Stratton might be the best of their rested options.

 

Bullpen Depth Charts

 

 

Photo by Kent Kanouse/Flickr | Adapted by Justin Redler (@reldernitsuj on Twitter)