Welcome back to Relievers to Stream for Wins and Saves! This will bring you up-to-date bullpen depth charts every morning for the day’s games and makes for a great tool for those of you looking to stream saves or wins. This series runs seven days a week, so be sure to check in every morning to get your daily bullpen fix!
Notes
Schedule Notes
- All 30 teams were in action yesterday, with nine saves recorded across the league. Bullpens were busy across the board, and a number of closers will likely be unavailable to pitch, so ensure you check our depth chart updates prior to today’s games.
- The most promising outlook for a win comes in the form of Sam Coonrod for the Phillies. Starter Vince Velasquez has failed to go more than five innings in each of his last four starts and is desperately struggling for command. The Phillies used five arms out of the bullpen yesterday in the defeat to the Nationals, so Coonrod should be called upon to potentially pitch multiple innings in relief.
Transactions/Injuries
- The Reds activated Tejay Antone off the 10-day IL in time for yesterday’s game. Antone gave up a double to record a blown save but also picked up the win on his return – the impressive reliever now sports a 2-0 record with a 1.38 ERA and a 41/11 K/BB ratio over 32 2/3 innings so far this year. He should be back in the late-innings mix for an ever-changing Cincinnati bullpen.
- The Nationals’ bullpen woes continue as they were forced to place Kyle Finnegan on the 10-day IL with a hamstring injury. Finnegan has been one of the steadier arms in the Washington bullpen and had picked up a win and two holds in his last four outings.
Yesterday’s Performances
- Will Smith, take a bow! The Braves closer registered his third save in three days by closing the door on the Mets in the ninth inning. Smith has now successfully converted 14-of-15 save opportunities so far this season, and this hat-trick solidifies his role for Atlanta. His WHIP is down to 1.08, and he now has 40 strikeouts through 30 2/3 innings.
- The leader in saves in Major League Baseball had a shaky night but picked up his 22nd save of the season – protecting a two-run lead, Padres closer Mark Melancon gave up a solo home run to Austin Barnes to make things dicey, but the wily veteran’s experience shone through in the end, and he retired Justin Turner on a flyout to end the game. The 36-year-old continues to roll back the years thanks to a healthy 28/12 K/BB ratio.
- Nationals closer Brad Hand played his get-out-of-jail-free card last night in a narrow 3-2 win over the Phillies. Hand got the final out in the eighth inning but had big problems when he came back out for the ninth – Alec Bohm hit a leadoff double; Hand then hit Ronald Torreyes and gave up an infield hit to Matt Vierling to load the bases. The veteran closer then induced Odubel Herrera to fly out before forcing Rhys Hoskins to ground out on a 3-2 pitch to secure the win. Hand now has 16 saves on the year.
- Ryan Pressly is locked in in 2021 – the Astros closer gave up a hit but struck out Freddy Galvis and Trey Mancini to pitch a scoreless frame and close the door on the Orioles yesterday. Remarkably, Pressly has two wins and four saves in seven outings in June.
- Only four of Pirates closer Richard Rodriguez’s last 15 appearances have been save opportunities, which tells you how badly the hapless Pirates have been struggling. He did pick up his ninth save in 10 chances, however, yesterday by pitching a clean frame against the dangerous White Sox lineup. Rodriguez boasts a 1.84 ERA through 29 1/3 innings this year with 25 strikeouts. He is a prime trade candidate for a contender.
- Speaking of trade candidates, the Mariners’ ninth-inning man Kendall Graveman is doing himself no harm after notching his six save of the season yesterday. A terrific 0.65 WHIP and 21/4 K/BB ratio over 21 2/3 innings has the speculation growing that the ball club in Seattle will cash in before the trade deadline if they trail off in the hunt for a wildcard spot.
- The baffling disappearance of Josh Staumont continues in Kansas City as Greg Holland was once again handed the ball in the ninth inning to close out the game against the Yankees. The thought of Holland being anywhere near the closer role after a dreadful start to the season was simply crazy, but yet here we are. Don’t look for any form of consistency here, though.
- The same could be said in Cincinnati, where recently preferred closer Lucas Sims pressed the self-destruct button protecting a three-run lead in the bottom of the eighth. He left the game without recording an out after giving up a home run to Trevor Larnach and an almost-home run to Miguel Sano that was marked as a double on review. Tejay Antone then gave up a double to Alex Kirilloff in relief of Sims, charging him with three earned runs. Things remain messy for the Reds.
- Jordan Romano is looking like the guy to own in the Blue Jays bullpen going forward – he threw eight of his nine pitches for strikes to close out a one-run win over the Marlins. After an impressive multi-inning outing against the Orioles at the weekend, where he picked up the win, he has now improved to 4-1 on the season with four saves and five holds.
- The Rays, however, are in desperate need of a steady arm at the back of their bullpen after Pete Fairbanks took the loss against the Red Sox. A dramatic top of the 10th inning saw Fairbanks lucky to come away unscathed, but he gave up three runs on four hits in the 11th inning in what was a less-than-impressive outing. With Diego Castillo also unpredictable right now, the Rays may look to the trade market once again.
Bullpen Depth Charts