Reliever Ranks – 8/9

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

 

• More than half of the league has the day off on Monday (BOS, TB, CWS, CLE, COL, DET, HOU, KC, LAD, MIA, MIL, MIN, PHI, TB, TEX, STL).
• All 30 teams will return to action on Tuesday, with the White Sox and Royals playing in a doubleheader.
• 14 teams have this upcoming Thursday off, while the Cubs and Reds have Friday off as they return from a showdown in Dyersville, Iowa.

 

 

WAS 3 – CHC 6

• WAS: Mason Thompson pitched in his second straight game since being recalled this weekend, this time throwing a scoreless eighth inning, giving up a hit and a walk while striking out one. Saves and holds may be far and few between for the Nationals between now and the end of the season, but Thompson could grab a few of the latter if he can stay up with the Nats’ bullpen the rest of the way.
• CHC: Rowan Wick picks up his fifth save of the year. This marked the first save recorded by the Cubs since the trade deadline passed, confirming what most everyone expected, that Wick would get the first chance to close out games with the Cubs sending away just about every other high leverage reliever in their pen. His job should be safe unless he does anything to force the Cubs’ hand.

 

LAA ? – OAK ?

• LAA: Aaron Loup and Ryan Tepera closed out the final two innings in perfect fashion for the Angels on Monday, in that order, providing Loup with his 12th hold and Tepera with his second save on the season. Tepera should continue to be turned to in save opportunities for the Angels, though clarity may take a while on who will get the bulk of the opportunity with Raisel Iglesias being shipped to Atlanta.
• OAK: Zach Jackson was the only reliever used by Oakland on Tuesday, pitching a perfect ninth in a losing effort. Jackson hadn’t seen the mound since Thursday so it’s no surprise to have seen him in a close game Monday, regardless of the situation. He should still be considered an option for possible saves moving forward, perhaps just not on Tuesday.

 

PIT 0 – ARI 3

• PIT: Despite not giving up an earned run, Manny Bañuelos took the loss after allowing just one hit through two innings of relief. Though the Pirates’ bullpen can expect to get plenty of work the rest of the way if their starters continue to fail to get through four innings, this is not a situation to dive into beyond true desperation.
• ARI: Ian Kennedy picked up his seventh save for the Diamondbacks, establishing himself as the strongest option in the new Arizona closer committee. Even with Mark Melancon grabbing the save on Sunday, Kennedy should now be considered the favorite for opportunities when they arrive in Arizona. Joe Mantiply, who very well may be in this committee as well, pitched a perfect eighth inning to set up Kennedy, picking up two strikeouts and recording his 14th hold. This marked Mantiply’s third straight game however, so even if he may vulture a save or two in the coming weeks, it probably won’t be coming in the next few days.

SF 1 – SD 0

• SF: Every San Francisco pitcher took home a decision on Monday with starter Alex Wood pickgin up his eighth win, followed by John Brebbia and Tyler Rogers, who each pitched one-hit scoreless innings, each picking up a hold for their trouble. Camilo Doval closed things out on 12 pitches, recording his 15th save of the year. This marked back-to-back games for both Brebbie and Doval, which could lead to Rogers returning to the ninth on Tuesday, especially if Dominic Leone is still resting from his 23 pitch outing on Sunday.
• SD: Josh Hader made his Padres debut (finally), striking out two and pitching around one hit. The Padres have yet to provide a save opportunity since the trade deadline, but once they do we all know it’s going to Hader. Nick Martinez impressed with two and a third perfect innings, striking out five of the seven batters he faced. Martinez can be useful if he continues this recent run of successful multi-inning relief appearances. Since July 15, Martinez has thrown 10 innings, struck out 9, and has only given uop one earned run through eight appearances.

 

NYY 9 – SEA 4

• NYY: With the Yankees up four runs, Aroldis Chapman was used in the eighth inning, while Clay Holmes continued to be saved for the ninth. Neither came in for a hold or save opportunity, but those plugged Chapman back in their line ups this week hoping for a return to the final inning surely were disappointed. For whatever it’s worth, Chapman faired well, giving up just one hit and striking out one while Holmes allowed an earned run off two hits in the final frame. Holmes also needed 22 pitches to get through this inning of work. Between the 20+ pitches and the less than stellar results, a rest day Tuesday should be expected, setting up Chapman’s return to the ninth after all.
• SEA: Five Seattle relievers combined for five innings of work on Monday, with Ryan Borucki being the only one to give up any runs, though the second was thanks to Matt Festa allowing his inherited runner to score. Penn Murfee was the first man up, pitching scoreless fifth and sixth innings, followed by a perfect seventh and eighth by Eric Swanson and Matt Brash respectfully.

TOR 4 – BAL 7

• TOR: After being optioned over the weekend, Trent Thornton returned to action for the Blue Jays on Monday to fill in for the now injured Tim Mayza, pitching two inning and giving up a solo home run as the only blemish to his return.
• BAL: Félix Bautista picked up his fifth save of the season and second since the trade deadline sent former closer Jorge López to Minnesota. Dillon Tate pitched a clean seventh inning but struggled to the tune of two earned runs off two hits after coming back out in the eighth. Tate hasn’t recorded as much as a hold since July 13 and has struggled enough in general to be ignored in all fantasy formats if he wasn’t already.

 

CIN 1 – NYM 5

• CIN: In not completely unexpected fashion the Reds’ bullpen got some work in with starter Justin Dunn making his Cincinnati debut Monday. While Ian Gibaut and Luis Cessa did their job, combining for two an d a third perfect innings, Ryan Hendrix finished things off, providing the Mets with a pair of insurance runs in the eighth inning, helping to ensure the win for Mets’ starter Chris Bassitt, but pushing the save opportunity out of reach for Adam Ottavino.
• NYM: Even without the day off the vast majority of the Mets bullpen got the night off, with Adam Ottavino being the only arm used to close out their four run victory over the Reds. Regardless of how many times we’d like to listen to Edwin Díaz enter a game, it was nice to see him get the day off after throwing 49 pitches across three outings in the previous four days.

 

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