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.
ANGELS: Manager Brad Ausmus admitted Wednesday that Cody Allen is no longer the closer. It’s unclear what he will he need to do to get the job back. Ty Buttrey came in Wednesday night but ended up with a loss and a blown save. It’s not close to being that bad though as the Angels, amazingly, tried to get him to cover three innings (he got up to 2.2 innings before giving up a run). Buttrey hadn’t worked more than 1.1 innings in a game this season and he had 27 previous big-league outings with nary a one lasting two innings. Hard to blame Buttrey much given all that. He’s still been nails, compared to Allen, with a 12.00 K/9, 1.17 WHIP and he hasn’t allowed a homer in his big-league career.
BRAVES: A.J. Minter’s the guy at the moment, as basically the only fully healthy and semi-trustable piece in the bullpen. Minter has a save in each of his last two outings as he’s generated four strikeouts over the six outs. He’s also walked just one batter his last five outings.
BREWERS: Jeremy Jeffress has worked 3.2 scoreless innings over his four outings. That said, his velocity is still way down. After throwing 95.3 mph last season the fastball, the mark sits at a mere 91.7 mph this year. He’s yet to get a hold or a save to this point. The lack of velocity is a legitimate concern after he missed the start of the year with dead arm.
MARINERS: Anthony Swarzak has three saves and two wins in his 7.1 innings. He’s also struck out an impressive 11 batters. He has allowed a homer in each of his last two outings, and that’s eight homers allowed his last 33.2 frames dating to last year causing some concern. Roenis Elias is clearly in the saves mix, even though he’s a lefty, without impressive stuff, who didn’t have a single big-league save before this season. Elias also has a led than ideal 43 percent fly ball rate since the starts of last season, and his career walk rate is 3.43 per nine. This should be Swarzak’s gig, but he’s sharing it at the moment and seems to actually be in danger of falling behind.
ORIOLES: The Orioles have five saves with the fifth, finally, going to “closer” Michal Givens. He’s still the guy to own, likely the only option worth a damn. Still, he has allowed six runs in 12 innings so it’s hardly been a clean start to the season for him.
PHILLIES: Seranthony Dominguez has seven strikeouts, on walk and no runs allowed his last seven outings. Still, he seems behind Hector Neris who is flat out rolling right now. Neris has a 13.97 K/9 rate and a 1.86 BB/9 mark this season, and if we go back to last season Neris has a 16.46 K/9, 2.30 BB/9, 0.33 HR/9 and a 0.80 WHIP over 27.1 innings.
RANGERS: Jose Leclerc has five saves, but he has struggled. Over his last six outings he’s walked six men, allowed two homer and seven runs. He’s been really bad. A move hasn’t been made in Texas, but there has to be some serious concern. Meanwhile, Shawn Kelley has allowed two runs in 10 innings and has nine strikeouts and no walks. He picked up a save in his last outing.
RAYS: We know the Rays always do their own thing. We know that they were likely to mix and match a bit in the bullpen. We had no idea that the mix and match would add a third arm. Emilio Pagan has the last two saves for the Rays coming in back-to-back outings. Jose Alvarado threw back to back games on April 20/21, so you could explain him not getting a chance on April 22nd, but the 23rd as well? Alvarado has been domain with a 13.50 K/9 rate this season, though he did give up a single run in each of his last two outings. Yet another one of those uncertain situations we have to deal with, but Alvarado still appears to be the top own.
REDS: Raisel Iglesias has been better of late (4-straight scoreless outings with three strikeouts in 3-of-4 outings) and he has saved 5-of-6 chances. The velocity is back to as in it’s a direct match for the 95.2 that he was pumping in there last season.
RED SOX: Ryan Brasier leads the way with six saves, a 0.88 WHIP and a 5.50 K/BB ratio. Matt Barnes has just one save, with two blown, but man has he ever been dominant with 22 strikeouts amongst his 31 outs (19.16 K/9) with a 0.97 WHIP.
ROYALS: Seemingly they have no discernable plan. Ian Kennedy has one save, the same total as Wily Peralta and Brad Boxberger. Kennedy has a blown save, Boxberger two and Peralta three. Boxberger has been awful (2.13 WHIP). Peralta not even passable (1.55 WHIP). The guy pitching the best is Kennedy (1.42 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 12.08 K/9) and he leads the pen with 12.2 innings pitched. His last save was March 30th.
TWINS: Blake Parker was the closer. Then he wasn’t as it seems like it’s now Taylor Rogers gig. Maybe. Rogers has a 1.54 WHIP though he does have two saves his last two outings (his previous save was on Opening Day back in March). Rogers is a lefty that might be better off being used in a setup role, a role he’s filled for most of this season. For his part, Parker has allowed one run this season in nine outing and he has two saves and two holds his last four outings. As pointed out by Aaron Gleeman, take Rogers and Hildenberger out of the mix and the rest of the bullpen owns a 5.74 ERA and a 1.40 K/BB ratio over 53 innings. This one’s a mess to decipher at the moment and we don’t feel at all confident in the current listed pecking order.
WHITE SOX: Alex Colome has four of five team saves and he’s been effective with eight strikeouts and two walks over 9.2 frames. In fact, the only hiccup has been a couple of homers allowed. Kelvin Herrera is more than a mph and a half below his heater mark of last season, and three below his career rate. Still, he’s be effective as well with a 5.00 K/BB ratio, no homers allowed and a 0.84 WHIP.
YANKEES: Aroldis Chapman has four saves, a 1.10 WHIP and has been effective, though his 11.70 K/9 rate is way off expectations (luckily, he’s only walked two guys in 10 innings to help offset that). Chad Green has been sent to the minors after a dreadful start to the year.
