Reliever Ranks – 7/16

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

 

• Inclement weather played a role yesterday, and only 14 teams took the field yesterday. The Chicago Cubs and New York Mets play a double-header with games starting at 1:20 pm and 7:05 pm CST.
• All 30 teams play today in their final series before the All-Star Break.

 

• The San Francisco Giants activated Steven Wilson while optioning Tayler Scott to the Triple-A affiliate. Wilson makes for a nice upgrade to the bullpen as he notched five holds with a 27% K-rate and 3.62 ERA in 27.1 innings prior to his IL stint.
• The Philadelphia Phillies activated Connor Brogdon from the COVID-19 IL. He’ll jump back into a middle relief role, where he should be able to provide some holds and solid ratios.

 

• The Kansas City Royals activated Josh Staumont from the 15-day IL. This couldn’t come at a better time as the team is in Toronto and depleted for MLB talent. As we slot him back into the setup role, he could be useful today with Scott Barlow needing a breather after pitching back-to-back games.
• The Colorado Rockies placed Carlos Estévez on the paternity list and activated Chad Smith.

 

• The Boston Red Sox made a couple of moves. Matt Strahm was placed on the 15-day IL, and Phillips Valdez was optioned to the minors. With the bullpen needing an arm, the team activated Garrett Whitlock from the IL. Whitlock’s versatility makes him very useful to this pen, and he could end up grabbing some save opportunities by the end of the season

OAK 5 – HOU 1

• In a tightly contested game through six innings, the bullpen ran out Domingo Acevedo(1.0 IP, 1 BB, 2 K), Zach Jackson(0.2 IP, 1 BB, 1 K), and A.J. Puk(0.1 IP, 1 K) in the seventh and eight inning-each earned a hold. Finally, up by four and in a non-save situation, closer Lou Trivino(1.0 IP, 1 H) induced a double-play to finish the game.
• José Urquidy was cruising through six innings before disaster struck. He allowed three straight hits with a pair scoring before Ryne Stanek(0.2 IP, 1 H) came on for relief. Stanek allowed a single, which tacked another earned run onto Urquidy. Completing the final two frames was Seth Martinez(2.0 IP, 2 H, 2 ER) while allowing a late two-run shot to Skye Bolt.

 

DET 5 – CLE 6

• As the first RP out of the pen in the sixth inning, Andrew Chafin(1.0 IP, 1 BB, 1 K) earned his 12th hold because he preserved the lead. However, Michael Fulmer(0.2 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 K) allowed way too much action on the base paths and took the loss. Alex Lange(1.1 IP, 1 H) stopped the bleeding in the seventh and completed the eighth.
• After pitching back-to-back nights and three times in four days, closer Emmanuel Clase was unavailable. So, up by a run in the ninth inning, the team turned to Trevor Stephan(1.0 IP, 2 K). He locked up his second save with ease as ten of his 13 pitches went for strikes. Eli Morgan(1.0 IP. 1 K) nabbed his eighth hold with an appearance in the eighth inning, and Bryan Shaw(2.0 IP, 1 H) scooped up his fourth W.

 

KCR 1 – TOR 8

• Recently activated Carlos Hernández(4.0 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, 2 K) piggy-backed starter Zack Greinke for the final four frames. The Royals were down big early and never went to another bullpen arm besides Hernández.
• After another gem by Alex Manoah, and massive run support, Trevor Richards(1.0 IP, 2 K) and Anthony Banda(1.0 IP, 1 H, 2 K) kept things very quiet for the final six outs.

 

PHI 2 – MIA 1

• Down 0-1 in the seventh inning, José Alvarado(1.0 IP, 3 K) made the first appearance for the pen. Both, he and Brad Hand(1.0 IP, 1 K) earned holds since the bats put up a pair of runs in the seventh inning. In the ninth inning, trouble arose for Seranthony Domínguez(1.0 IP, 3 BB, 1 K) as he loaded the bases with one out before slamming the door shut for his fourth save.
• Miami had Sandy Alcantara on the mound, and of course, he went eight innings. Elieser Hernandez(1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 2 K) gave the much over-worked bullpen a night off as nearly every high-leverage RP recently pitched on back-to-back nights.

 

MIL 5 – SFG 8

• Milwaukee was comfortably up 5-2 in the ninth inning as Josh Hader(0.1 IP, 5 H, 6 ER) imploded as we have never seen. The usually surefire RP allowed three HRs and tallied the blown save. While the pitch velocities looked fine, the spin rates were way down, and there might be a concern as this is Hader’s second consecutive poor outing.
• On the other spectrum, the Giants utilized lower leverage arms for a majority of the game. Tyler Rogers(0.1 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 2 BB) couldn’t find the strike zone, but when he did it got crushed. Finally, Sam Long(1.0 IP, 1 BB, 2 K) earned the win as he fired off a scoreless ninth inning.

 

ARI 3 – SDP 5

• MadBum coughed up five earned runs by the fifth inning, but that was all the scoring the Padres would need. The bullpen completed the final three frames by not allowing a single base runner. Kyle Nelson(1.0 IP), Luke Weaver(1.0 IP), and Caleb Smith(1.0 IP 1 K) completely shut down San Diego’s bats.
• For the Padres, Nick Martinez(1.0 IP, 1 H) was the first RP out of the pen in the eighth inning. Following him, Taylor Rogers(1.0 IP, 1 K) hurled ten of his 11 pitches for strikes and made his 25th save look easy.

 

LAD 9 – LAA 1

• We got vintage Clayton Kershaw last night as he dominated for eight innings of no-run ball. With back-to-back appearances by Craig Kimbrel and Evan Phillips, both were unavailable for this one. Instead, the team elected to toss Reyes Moronta(1.0 IP, 1 ER, 1 K) for the final three out.
• The Dodgers’ bats hung two runs in the second(charge to starter Patrick Sandoval), and eight by the sixth inning (two more ER to Sandoval and three to José Marte). That kind of scoring will lead to mop-up duties for someone, and that someone was Jaime Barria(3.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 3 K)

 

PIT 2 – COL 13

• The Pirates bullpen allowed seven total earned runs, but six of them were charged to Dillon Peters(2.0 IP, 8 H, 6 ER, 1 K). The only other RP appearance came from Chris Stratton(1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K).
• By the time any RPs entered the game for Colorado, they had a cushy five-run lead. Robert Stephenson(1.1 IP) and Ty Blach(1.0 IP) finished he final seven outs.

 

CIN 3 – STL 7

• After the Reds’ bullpen saw extensive use on Thursday, the team elected to use lower-leverage arms for the final four innings. Dauri Moreta(1.0 IP) fired a clean eighth inning, and Joel Kuhnel(0.2 IP, 1 BB) kept things scoreless, but the rest of the pen stunk up the joint.
• On the other side, the Cardinals’ bullpen was tremendous as they combined for four innings of no-run ball. Giovanny Gallegos(1.0 IP, 1 H, 3 K), Jordan Hicks(1.1 IP), and Génesis Cabrera(0.2 IP, 2 H, 1 K) kept a tight lid on things before Ryan Helsley(1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 K) notched his eighth save.

 

CHW 6 – MIN 2

• After both teams put up two runs in the first inning, it appeared we’ve have a high-scoring affair. However, things settled down quickly, and the White Sox bullpen was lights out. Joe Kelly(1.0 IP, 2 K) earned hold number eight, and Reynaldo López(1.0 IP) plus Kendall Graveman(1.0 IP, 2 H) kept the scoreboard clean through the eighth inning. In the ninth, Liam Hendriks(1.0 IP, 1 K) completed an inning during a non-save opportunity.
• Starter Devin Smeltzer only lasted three innings, and the Twins turned to a mixture of five RPs. Emilio Pagán(1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 2 K) was tarnished with the loss, and Griffin Jax(0.2 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 K) didn’t have his stuff working. Although, Jovani Moran(2.0 IP, 4 K) was electric and could start pushing into a bigger role for this bullpen. Tyler Duffey(1.1 IP) was, once again, extremely effective in the fifth inning.

 

SEA 8 – TEX 3

• Texas found very little offense until late against starter Robbie Ray. Erik Swanson(0.1 IP, 1 K) entered the game with Ray’s runner on first base and two outs; He struck out Kole Calhoun to nab his sixth hold. Due to Seattle’s bullpen getting a bit of work on Wednesday and Thursday, Matt Brash(1.0 IP, 1 K) and Penn Murfee(1.0 IP, 3 K) finished out the eighth and ninth inning.
• The Rangers deployed Matt Bush(1.0 IP, 1 H) as an opener, and he tossed a scoreless first inning. However, Taylor Hearn and AJ Alexy combined for six innings and five earned runs. José Leclerc(2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K) allowed a solo HR but looked solid otherwise.

 

BAL 4 – TBR 5

• Baltimore’s starter Tyler Wells was solid for most of the game…until the sixth inning. After three consecutive doubles he was removed for Cionel Pérez(0.1 IP, 2 H, 2 ER), who allowed an HR to Christian Bethancourt with an inherited runner on second base. Additionally, Félix Bautista(1.0 IP) fired a clean eighth inning and drops his ERA down to 1.72.
• Since this was Luis Patiño’s first start back after a lengthy IL stint, we knew the bullpen would be in full force. Matt Wisler(1.0 IP, 1 H, 2 K) was in the right place at the right time to pick up the win. Furthermore, Ryan Thompson(1.0 IP, 1 K) and Colin Poche(1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 2 K) notched holds. Finally, in true Tampa Bay fashion, a random Luke Raley(1.o IP) save occurred-his sixth of the season. Raley pitched back-to-back nights and won’t be available tonight.

 

BOS 5 – NYY 4

• Boston got a much-needed shot in the arm by Garrett Whitlock(2.0 IP, 3 K) joining the bullpen. He earned his first hold by tossing a pair of scoreless innings and keeping the game tied. Tanner Houck(2.0 IP, 2 H, 2 BB) had a rough go of it-specifically finding the strike zone. As the game entered extra innings, Ryan Brasier(1.0 IP, 2 K) nailed things down and grabbed his first save. Lastly, John Schreiber(1.2 IP, 1 H, 1 K) made an appearance in the fifth inning.
• For the Yankees, in the seventh inning, Aroldis Chapman(1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 2 K) struggles continued. Wandy Peralta(2.0 IP, 1 H, 2 K) was spectacular as he pushed the tied game into extras. Clay Holmes(1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 3 K) sat down all three batters via three strike counts. Michael King(1.0 IP) was ticked with the loss since the ghost runner scored on a wild pitch.

 

ATL 8 – WSH 4

• Atlanta scored early and often, then never looked back. Additionally, the bullpen was without Kenley Jansen as he pitched back-to-back nights. Instead, A.J. Minter(0.1 IP, 1 BB, 1 K) collected save number five because Will Smith(0.2 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 2 BB) was a dumpster fire.
• Washington needed to find innings for Kyle Finnegan(1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 1 K) and Carl Edwards Jr.(1.0 IP, 1 K) because they hadn’t pitched since Sunday(7/10). Those pair of RPS and Erasmo Ramírez(2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 K) were the only bullpen arms to see action in the loss.

 

Bullpen Depth Charts