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 15 games on Tuesday and there will be 15 games on Wednesday, so plenty of bullpen action to go around.
- The Giants activated John Brebbia from the 60-day injured list. Brebbia had been working as one of the many openers deployed by San Francisco, and should slot back into that role, along with middle innings work.
- Josh Sborz was placed on the 15-day injured list with a hamstring strain the day after he allowed 5 earned runs in only two-thirds of an inning. Sborz had been second on the team in holds behind Aroldis Chapman, but had struggled lately and was seeing his usual work go to the likes of Chris Stratton and José Leclerc. As part of the move, they recalled Ian Kennedy, who should start by taking on the role Sborz had been recently filling.
- After breaking his pinky in a weightlifting accident, Carlos Carrasco is done for the season. In a corresponding move, Sam Coonrod was called up and wasted no time getting into the game… and making the game closer, allowing 4 runs without recording an out. As long as he isn’t sent right back down, the early innings are where he will most like be used.
Yesterday’s Performances
MIA 6 – LAD 3
HD: None
SV: Tanner Scott (5)
- Shrugging off a baserunner, Tanner Scott struck out two in his inning of work to reward the Marlins with his 4th save of the season, and 2nd since taking over the closer role from David Robertson. After a solid start from Jesús Luzardo, the game was briefly tied up after A.J. Puk allowed a solo shot from Chris Taylor for his 7th blown save of the season, eliminating Luzardo’s win chance in the process. Andrew Nardi kept things scoreless in the eighth earning him the win instead.
- Clayton Kershaw struggled through five innings of work with one of the slowest fastballs of his career but still managed to keep the Dodgers in the game before giving way to Ryan Yarbrough. The good news: Yarbrough went 3 innings, spelling the rest of the bullpen. The bad news: he allowed 3 runs, and ended up taking the loss.
NYY 5 – DET 1
HD: Tommy Kahnle (13), Jonathan Loáisiga (5)
SV: None
- Gerrit Cole did what Gerrit Cole does and the ever-impressive Yankees bullpen thanked him by throwing scoreless innings. Tommy Kahnle had a perfect 7th for his 13th hold, Jonathan Loáisiga threw a perfect 8th for his 5th hold, and then Clay Holmes allowed 1 hit and struck out 1 in his inning of scoreless relief, but was robbed of a save chance after New York added 2 runs in the bottom of the 8th.
- After only 1 game pitching in relief, Alex Faedo got the start but only managed 2.2 innings before giving way to the bullpen, which luckily was
will vestedwell rested. Will Vest got the bullpen day started from there with 1.1 innings and 2 Ks worth of scoreless work. But things fell apart from there with 4 runs allowed in the final 4 innings by the likes of Joey Wentz, José Cisnero, Miguel Díaz, and Brendan White. On the plus side, should a save situation arise today, the saves + holds hierarchy will be fresh and ready to go.
CIN 7 – SEA 6
HD: Gabe Speier (17), Matt Brash (20)
SV: None
- After Connor Phillips spotted the Mariners five runs, the Reds deployed their innings eaters, led by Chasen Shreve for 1.1 scoreless. When the game ended up tied going into the 9th, Alexis Díaz got the call and threw a scoreless frame, with only a walk to blemish his line, and ended up taking home the win after Cincy walked it off in the bottom of the inning.
- The wheels fell off for the Mariners’ in the 8th and 9th innings last night, starting with Justin Topa allowing three runs in the 8th to make it a tie game. With the game on the line, Seattle turned to their closer Andrés Muñoz to try and keep the game tied and send the game to extra innings… but he didn’t. Muñoz allowed a single and a stolen base to the electric Elly De La Cruz, and then Christian Encarnacion-Strand sent everyone home with a single of his own. Muñoz now has back-to-back losses over the past week. Of note, Matt Brash threw a scoreless 7th for his 20th hold of the season.
BAL 5 -LAA 4 F/10
HD: Jorge López (8)
SV: Shintaro Fujinami (2)
- Baltimore deployed seven relievers in this one after starter Dean Kremer didn’t make it out of the 5th, and it wasn’t exactly pretty. Cionel Pérez started things off well enough with a perfect inning, getting the final out in the 5th and then 2 more in the 6th, but the tandem of Jorge López and Danny Coulombe allowed 2 runs to score to tie the game up. López managed a hold for his work, while Coulombe got the 1st of 3 blown saves given out on the night. When the Orioles went back ahead in the top of the 9th, DL Hall got his chance… and got his own blown save. Finally, Shintaro Fujinami won the saves sweepstakes in the 10th, with a perfect inning. Yennier Cano had gotten the night off after pitching back-to-back and should be good to go today with seemingly the entire bullpen ahead of him having pitched.
- With his entire setup team ahead of him shipped off via waivers, it’s the Carlos Estévez show in Los Angeles/Anaheim and… unfortunately, he couldn’t lock down his 30th save of the season and instead settled for his 3rd blown save after allowing 2 runs on 3 hits and a walk. José Soriano got the 10th with the game tied and going to extras, but fell victim to some favorable (for Baltimore) groundouts that allowed the ghost runner to score.
KCR 7 – CWS
HD: Bryan Shaw (2), Aaron Bummer (12)
SV: None
- Angel Zerpa followed starter Brady Singer with 3 scoreless innings, giving rest to an already rested bullpen. Jackson Kowar threw a scoreless 9th and was rewarded with the win after Kansas City walked it off in the bottom of the inning.
- Bryan Shaw and Aaron Bummer perfectly bridged the gap between starter Dylan Cease and the 9th inning, but Gregory Santos couldn’t hold on to lock down the save and instead was charged with his 4th blown save of the season and 2nd loss.
TBR 8 – BOS 6 F/11
HD: Colin Poche (17), Kevin Kelly (10)
SV: None
- Another extra innings affair in the AL East, another AL East team deploying 7 relievers! Unlike Baltimore, Tampa’s relievers only allowed unearned runs. Shawn Armstrong was charged with the blown save in the 7th inning after infield deflections on 2 separate plays allowed runs to score. Pete Fairbanks was dominant in his 9th inning of work, striking out 3. Erasmo Ramírez came away with the win, despite allowing ghost runner Rob Refsnyder to score (although the run came in after Brandon Lowe dropped a tailing pop-up to second… Lowe made up for it later).
- Kenley Jansen couldn’t record an out in the 11th, and allowed Tampa to walk it off on a Brandon Lowe 3-run shot. Speaking of 3, this was Jansen’s third straight appearance, so not exactly the ideal scenario for your closer. The Red Sox are off on Thursday, so I wouldn’t expect to see Jansen again until Friday. Chris Martin and Josh Wincowski have gone back-to-back, so it’s anyone’s guess as to who could get the save opportunity today with Mauricio Llovera being the most rested of the bunch.
The best of the rest…
- Fresh off the news about JoJo Ramirez, Giovanny Gallegos was called upon to pitch the 8th, and struggled mightily allowing 2 runs, on 1 hit and 1 walk in only a third of an inning. Andre Pallante finished the inning for Gallegos and Ryan Helsley came on for a scoreless 9th, walking 1 and striking out two. Helsley didn’t end up with a save chance after St. Louis tacked a run on in the top of the 9th.
- Trevor Stephan, Cleveland’s team leader in holds, ended up allowing five earned runs in 0.2 innings, ballooning his ERA from 2.83 to 3.54 and taking the loss. This was his second consecutive loss, which could lead to more opportunities for Reynaldo López going forward if he continues to struggle.
- Despite being available, Justin Lawrence did not get the call for the save in Colorado. Instead, it was Tyler Kinley for his second consecutive save. It’s Colorado, so really only chase this if you desperately need saves, but Kinley appears to be getting his shot at the 9th.
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).