Tanner Houck has transitioned into the Red Sox bullpen and will reprise the “Garrett Whitlock” role from last season, but that doesn’t mean he will just become Garrett Whitlock. Houck will no doubt be a help to this bullpen in desperate need of quality arms, but whereas Whitlock has three plus pitches, Houck is still missing a secondary offering to help him combat left handed hitters and that makes me a bit nervous. As long as the Red Sox are smart and pick and choose their spots with him, he should be a contributor, but I’m not expecting a ton of saves from him, although he could generate some solid hold numbers if this team can find ways to win games more consistently. For now, it’s still a bullpen I’d prefer to stay away from, but if you are looking for the long-term upside play, Houck is probably still the choice.
Notes
- Jason Adam picked up his second save of the season last night, and with Andrew Kittredge looking at an extended absence, could see more save chances moving forward. With how the bullpen is currently constituted, an Adam / Colin Poche closer timeshare seems to make the most sense, and given how well Adam has pitched, he’s close to a must-roster player in standard mixed leagues.
- After signing a two-year, $17 million deal with the Angels this offseason, Aaron Loup was looking like a steal after the first month of the season but followed that up with a really rough May. Since the start of May, Loup has put together an 8.38 ERA, and 2.172 WHIP with only 2 holds over 9,2 innings. At this point, I’d say he doesn’t need to be rostered in most holds leagues until things turn around.
- Caleb Ferguson has returned to the Dodgers bullpen and immediately has picked up two holds. Ferguson was great back in 2020, and arguably the best left handed non-closer reliever in baseball for the shortened season. His return will likely dampen Alex Vesia’s value as it looks like Ferguson has taken back the left handed setup role.
- Tanner Scott has picked up the past two saves for the Marlins and can be considered the favorite for saves moving forward. Scott has always been a bit of a rollercoaster given his command issues, but his stuff is undeniable and certainly closer worthy. For the month of June, Scott has allowed just two hits and zero earned runs to go with an 8/0 K/BB rate while adding two wins and two saves over four innings.
- Kenley Jansen and Dennis Santana were the only relievers with 3 SV+HLD over the past week. I talked about Santana a bit yesterday in the Hold Up while Jansen has been as steady as ever despite an elevated ERA.
| PITCHER | TIER | NOTES |
|---|---|---|
| Aroldis Chapman | 3-4 | Achilles. Could return sometime next week but isn’t expected to return to his typical closer role. |
| Andrew Kittredge | 3-4 | Elbow. Back on hte IL with a new issue, Kittredge should be back after the All-Star break. |
| Drew Pomeranz | 3-5 | Flexor Tendon. On the 60 day IL so don’t expect to see him until June/July. Progressing to bullpens. |
| Nick Anderson | 3-5 | UCL. Still likely out until (at least) the All-Star break. Has down some mound work. |
| Ken Giles | 3-5 | Finger tendon injury. Has struggled in his rehab but should be back by the end of the month |
| Kirby Yates | 3-5 | TJS. Don’t expect to see Yates until after the All-Star break (at the earliest). Has been throwing off a mound. |
| Blake Treinen | 3-5 | Shoulder. Now out until after the All-Star break. Played catch last week. |
| Jonathan Loáisiga | 3-5 | Shoulder. Its uncertain how long he will be out, but shoulder issues are never great. Is throwing again. |
| J.P. Feyereisen | 4-6 | Shoulder. Bone bruise in shoulder will keep him out at least two more weeks. |
| José Leclerc | 4-6 | TJS. On the 60 day IL, moved his rehab to AAA and his return is imminent. |
| Jonathan Hernández | 4-6 | TJS. On the 60 day IL, also rehabbing at AAA and could be back by the end of June. |
| Pete Fairbanks | 4-6 | Torn Lat. Tough break for Fairbanks who will now miss at least 3 months of the season. Look for him to be back around the All-Star break. |
| Trevor May | 4-6 | Arm. Stress reaction will cause May to miss a minimum of 8-12 weeks. Could return in August. |
| Lucas Sims | 4-6 | Back. Has begun a throwing program but no rehab date as of now |
| Tim Mayza | 4-6 | Forearm. Started rehab stint and should be back next week |
| Tyler Matzek | 4-6 | Shoulder. Matzek has been shut down from throwing and likely wont return until July. |
| Collin McHugh | 4-6 | Covid. Tested positive and will likely be out at least a week if not more. |
| James Karinchak | 5-6 | Shoulder. A teres muscle strain has shut down Karinchak but he started his rehab assignment last week. |
Photos by David John Griffin/Icon Sportswire | Adapted by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns on Twitter)
Why did Matt Strahm experience a significant drop despite locking down 2 saves this week? I was hoping it was a sign of him taking SOME control of the closer situation in BOS
He had the eighth tonight, with Houck getting his first save opportunity (a shaky conversion). It’s a committee.
Hey Rick. I’m a regular reader of your column. I think you’re underrating A.J. Minter. He’s has a 37% K rate and only a 4% BB rate. He’s consistently being given the 8th inning for a good team. His ratios compare favorably to Bednar’s and he’s on pace for about 35 holds. I’ve been watching the list for a few weeks expecting him to rise but he’s barely moved.
Agree 110%.