Welcome back to the latest edition of our Reliever Ranks series! This will bring you up-to-date bullpen depth charts every morning for the day’s games and makes for an excellent tool for those looking to stream saves or wins. This series runs seven days a week, so check in every morning to get your daily bullpen fix!
Notes
Transaction and Schedule Notes
- There were eleven games across the Monday slate with eight teams enjoying a scheduled off day: NYY, DET, ATL, MIA, NYM, WSN, STL, and LAD.
- Atlanta has not announced a starter for today’s game as of publish so it could be either Collin McHugh or Dylan Lee as an opener or first-out-of-the-pen option with Allan Winans or Darius Vines as a candidate to handle the bulk role. An option for a win here for sure.
- Cardinals closer JoJo Romero was transferred to the 15-day injured list a couple of days after allowing three runs to take the loss against the Pirates. Ryan Helsley will assume the closer’s role with Giovanny Gallegos also in line for more high-leverage opportunities. Gallegos notched a save on Sunday night but was thrown in earlier on Saturday. Helsley should see the next opportunity but it could be a fluid role so eyes on it.
- Somewhat surprisingly, the Oakland A’s optioned useful lefty Kirby Snead to Triple-A Las Vegas Aviators to make room for Luis Medina in the rotation. Snead looked more at home in the majors this year with a 4.63 ERA and 9:6 K:BB over 11.2 relief innings. Dany Jiménez will be thrust into a setup role for the time being.
Yesterday’s Performances
BAL 6 – LAA 3
HD: None
SV: Yennier Cano (6)
- Orioles closer Yannier Cano picked up his first save since Aug. 26th as the Orioles continued their march to the AL East crown. Gunnar Henderson’s three-run blast off Gerardo Reyes in the top of the seventh inning gave Baltimore some breathing room before Brandon Drury delivered a solo strike off young lefty DL Hall in the eighth to bring up the save situation for Cano. He needed just eight pitched to retire all three hitters in the ninth.
- Reyes undid all the impressive work from the unheralded Kenny Rosenberg by hanging a ball for Henderson to smash out of the park. It is yet another sorry tale in the ongoing saga of the putrid Angels bullpen. Jaime Barría and Carlos Estévez threw scoreless frames after the Reyes horror show.
PHI 9 – SDP 7
HD: Gregory Soto (19), Jeff Hoffman (6), Craig Kimbrel (5)
SV: José Alvarado (7)
- The Phillies bullpen made this interesting after the lineup burst out to a 8-1 lead within three innings. Andrew Bellatti and Gregory Soto both got into trouble after starter Taijuan Walker struggled through five frames with command issues. It got dicey late on with closer Craig Kimbrel pitching the eighth but allowing two baserunners with Manny Machado stepping to the plate. Kimbrel struck out the star on a 3-2 count before getting Xander Bogaerts to groundout to end the inning. José Alvarado walked the first two batters he faced before striking out Luis Campusano and Ha-Seong Kim to bring about an emotional ending to an enthralling contest.
- Veteran Rich Hill gave up a bases-clearing double to Alec Bohm before homers from Edmundo Sosa and Trea Turner knocked him out of the game in the second inning with six earned runs to his name. Matt Waldron then handled the bulk of the innings before the Padres late rally, giving up three runs in four and a third frames.
MIL 2 – PIT 4
HD: Colin Holderman (24), Carmen Mlodzinski (4)
SV: David Bednar (32)
- The Brewers dropped another game with Corbin Burnes as the starter to allow the Cubs to close the gap atop the NL Central. Burnes gave up all four runs in his six frames with Hoby Milner and Bryse Wilson throwing two scoreless frames in relief.
- Converting his ninth straight save opportunity, David Bednar was successful in retiring the side in order on 13 pitches to notch his 32nd save of a stellar season. His stat line reads an impressive 2.02 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, and 64:16 K:BB across 58 frames. The amazing “Hold” man came through with a perfect frame to collect his 24 of the season – nice work Colin.
COL 2 – ARI 4
HD: Kevin Ginkel (8)
SV: Paul Sewald (30)
- Nick Mears pitched impressively over two scoreless innings after Paul Lambert’s mediocre six frames. Mears has bounced around since joining the Pirates as an undrafted free agent back in 2020.
- Paul Sewald walked a high wire on his way to his 30th save of the season – the former Mariners closer entered with a three-run lead but walked Charlie Blackmon and then gave up a double to Elias Díaz to bring the tying run to the plate. However, Nolan Jones could only fly out to deep center field on Sewald’s 26th pitch of the night. Assume Kevin Ginkel, who struck out two of the three batters he faced in a perfect eighth will get the save chance today if applicable.
SEA 3 – CIN 6
HD: None
SV: Ian Gibaut (2)
- Luke Weaver was available out of the bullpen after seemingly being dropped from the rotation – he threw 46 pitches across two and a third innings after Bryan Woo had leaked five runs over five frames to hand the Reds the advantage.
- After the Reds bullpen fell apart on Sunday, they used seven different relievers in a bullpen game to get the win over the Mariners. Buck Farmer was asked to come back out for the ninth after a clean eighth inning but got into trouble with two runners on base with two outs and the top of the Mariners’ order looming. Ian Gibaut, charged with a blown save on Sunday, was brought in to get the final out but gave up an RBI single to J.P. Crawford straight out of the gate. Give the reliever credit, he struck out Julio Rodríguez in a high-pressure situation with a called strike at the knees to seal only his second save of the season in a setup role.
TOR 6 – OAK 5 (10)
HD: None
SV: None
- The Blue Jays went back-and-forth with a now exciting young A’s lineup in this one with Jordan Romano just about coming away with a win despite giving up a lead-off two-run homer in the bottom of the tenth to Lawrence Butler after watching his side put up three runs in the top of the inning. Romano walked Tony Kemp to make things very interesting but then forced Zack Gelof into a groundball double play to escape the jam.
- Lucas Erceg was fantastic over two innings as the A’s pushed the Blue Jays all the way to extras, however, Francisco Pérez ruined a history of three straight scoreless appearances by giving up three runs on two hits in the top of the tenth to give Toronto the advantage.
The best of the rest…
- Collin Snider hurled two scoreless frames in relief of the unstoppable Cole Ragans as the Royals demolished the woeful White Sox 12-1. Ragans allowed just one hit and struck out seven across six phenomenal innings. Elite!
- Justin Steele threw eight scoreless frames, striking out 12 while allowing just two hits and two walks in the Cubs’ 5-0 win over the Giants. Jose Cuas finished off the shutout. Tristan Beck relieved Logan Webb and threw 27 pitches so will be unavailable today.
- The Astros piled on the Rangers bullpen, pummelling them for 10 runs across three frames – Glenn Otto and Martín Pérez both gave up two homers with Josh Sborz allowing a three-run blast to Yainer Diaz to seal the Rangers’ fate. J.P. France only went five innings so the Astros bullpen will be restricted today. Closer Ryan Pressly was not used, however.
- Masataka Yoshida’s two-run homer off Andrew Kittredge proved to be the deciding blow as the Red Sox beat the Rays 7-3. Yoshida struck in the top of the eight with Boston holding onto a two-run lead. Chris Devenski had earlier allowed a three-run blast to Triston Casas, the first hitter he faced in relief of Aaron Civale, who departed with 12 strikeouts through five and two-thirds, leading 3-1. Ouch!
- 20 runs on 20 hits for the Twins powered them past a beleaguered Guardians, who hung utility man David Fry out to dry through the last four frames to eat some innings. Fry gave up seven runs on ten hits including three long balls as he threw 64 pitches under 60 mph. Starter Lucas Giolito also gave up three homers in just three frames. Miserable.
Bullpen Depth Charts
The Hold Up: Ranking the Top 100 Relievers for Holds Every Thursday
Closing Time: Ranking the Top 30 Closers
Top 100 Relievers for Save+Hold Leagues
Photos by Icon Sportswire | Adapted by Doug Carlin (@Bdougals on Twitter).