The 2019 season is underway and, predictably, it’s a disaster. Some teams seem to have no plan at all. Other teams are continually searching for answers to get the last out, either because of poor performance or injury. Very few are the situations that have nary an issue. Each week we will try to get a handle on who the closer is, who is next in line and who is bringing up the rear as the third option in the pen. We will do our best, though it’s likely that the teams will not comply fully as we hope.
THE 2019 CHART
GREEN – There is a closer who has the role on lockdown.
WHITE – There is clarity as to who the closer is, but there is some uncertainty about his ability to hold on to the role.
RED – There is no clarity as to who the closer is, or what the true plan is for the 9th inning.
This is NOT a rankings list. It merely lists all 30 team situations in one of three categories (the teams are not listed in a ranking order even on the tier – they are just listed by tiers).
Craig Kimbrel remains a free agent with reports suggesting that he would be willing to take a 3-year deal.
BLUE JAYS: Ken Giles is still the closer, but he’s battled the flu and some rough outings thus far leading to a 5.63 BB/9 rate that is flat out terrible. Still, he didn’t walk a batter his first five outings, and he does have 12 punchouts in eight innings of work.
BRAVES: This team could use Craig Kimbrel. Arodys Vizcaino is done for the season after his seemingly minor shoulder issue ended up resulting in surgery to repair his labrum. The surgery will end his season. A.J. Minter’s the guy-ish. His velocity remains down a wee bit, and after a season with a 14.9 swinging strike rate, his current mark of 9.5 percent is pretty scary. I know we’re only talking seven outings, but he also has allowed two homers and four walks over 5.2 innings. He’s just not on his game at the moment. The good news for Minter is that Chad Sobotka has been awful and so has Jonny Venters who is hurt. It sounds like the team could move one of their young arms to full the open spot in the bullpen.
BREWERS: Jeremy Jeffress has been activated from the DL, and it’s certainly possible that he works his way into primary closing duties with the Brewers so that Josh Hader can be used in a multi-inning manner. Jeffress had 15 saves and 18 holds last season with 89 strikeouts overs 76.2 innings. Hader has 18 punchouts and two walks with just one run allowed in his 10 innings, as dominant an effort as anyone out there. Still, the Brewers seem to want to use him in multiple innings, versus saving him for the ninth inning. Both men are likely to generate saves, so add Jeffress if he’s still somehow on your waiver-wire.
CARDINALS: Jordan Hicks has generated four saves in his seven games with a 1.00 WHIP. He’s struck out nine in eight innings, but he also has walked four with all those walks coming his last five outings. Massive heat and a 69 percent ground ball rate suggest he’s got a strong chance to run away with the 9th inning gig.
MARINERS: Hunter Strickland, Anthony Swarzak and Roenis Elias lead the team with two saves. Swarzak is the man to own having one walk, with nine strikeouts over 5.1 scoreless innings. Brandon Brennan has looked sharp in support (9.45 K/9, 2.03 BB/9, 0.68 HR/9), but this is starting to look like Swarzak’s bullpen.
ORIOLES: Paul Fry, Richard Bleier, Miguel Castro and Mike Wright have saves. Mychal Givens has none. Givens has given up a run his last three outings though he has seven strikeouts amongst the 10 outs he’s generated.
PHILLIES: They have no discernable plan it would seem. David Robertson is on the DL and sounds like he might be about 2-3 weeks away from a return (grade one flexor strain in his elbow). Seranthony Dominguez has worked four straight scoreless outings walking one batter while striking out five. Hector Neris allowed two runs in his first outing, but since it’s 7-straight scoreless, a run that includes two saves in his last four outings (he has two strikeouts in 3-of-4). Pat Neshek has allowed one earned run in eight outings. He’s allowed just one walk. I would suggest that Neris is in the leader right now, but who really knows? Over his last 28 outings he has a series of stupendous numbers that include a 2.19 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, 1.80 xFIP, 16.42 K?9 and 0.36 HR/9. That’s flat out dominance.
RANGERS: Jose Leclerc just can’t quite lock it in. He has five saves, but he’s also allowed five runs over his last three innings. Gotta figure he has some rope, but keep a close eye on the hurler. Shawn Kelley has been nails with a strikeout per inning and no walks in eight outings.
REDS: Raisel Iglesias has struggled in the early going with some extremely poor numbers (1.95 WHIP, 2.70 HR/9, 6.75 BB/9). He’s also seen his career 1.22 GB/FB rate plummet to 0.63 as his slider has lost bite and velocity. He doesn’t look like the guy we saw last year. Jared Hughes has looked solid except for one outing where he was simply bashed (four earned runs and two outs). David Hernandez hasn’t ben missing bats (5.14 K/9).
RED SOX: Matt Barnes or Ryan Brasier at the moment? With nary a lead to protect as the starting pitching has been a disaster, neither guy is producing saves. Brasier allowed a grand slam in the 7th inning Wednesday night which is the second homer he has allowed in four outings. Overall, he’s pitched well, other than that one ill-fated inning. Barnes has walked one batter while punching out 12 batters in 6.1 dominant innings. He’s still searching for his first career season with two saves (he’s tied his career best with one). Another truly muddled situation.
ROYALS: Ian Kennedy has walked one batter and allowed one run over 9.1 innings. He also has 10 strikeouts while allowing a tiny 20 percent hard-hit rate. Wily Peralta has allowed one run his last five outings. During that time, he’s walked one, picked up a save and a hold, but he has only one strikeout in four outings. Brad Boxberger stinks. He’s allowed five runs his last four outings and on the year he has a 4.32 BB/9 rate and he has allowed three homers. Richard Lovelady got one out last time while allowing three runs and Kyle Zimmer was sent to the minors.
TWINS: Blake Parker hasn’t allowed a run since his first outing. The last three he’s walked three while striking out five. Overall, he has four saves and two holds, and has pitched well other than the occasion bout of wildness. Taylor Rogers hasn’t had a save since his first outing. In his last three outings, and 4-of-5, he’s picked up a hold. He’s pitched well overall with one run allowed in eight outings. Trevor Hildenberger has only thrown 5.2 innings in his nine outings, but he’s been dominant walking one while striking out nine. Trevor May has walked a batter in 3-straight, and in each of his last two outings he’s allowed two runs.
