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).
Before you panic with your closer, make sure you check the recent usage. Many times, guys go 2-days in a row and then get a rest, which is why they aren’t getting a save chance in game #3, not because they have lost their job.
POTENTIAL MLB TRADE PIECES: Alex Colome, Shane Greene, Will Smith, Sergio Romo
ANGELS: Ty Buttrey allowed two runs his last outing to push his ERA to 1.74 on the year. He’s been terrific allowing a single homer and eight walks, along with 37 punchouts, in 31 innings. Hansel Robles has worked three clean outings since his latest blow up. Lefties have a .292 wOBA against him and righties are at .227. Everyone has done nothing against Robles at home (.192 wOBA). Cody Allen has allowed two runs his last 10 outings. Unfortunately, he’s also walked eight men in those 10 innings while allowing eight hits.
BLUE JAYS: Ken Giles is 11-for-12 in save conversions with 42 punchouts and just 19 hits allowed in 25 innings.
BRAVES: Luke Jackson continues to be effective, but there are wobbles, just to make sure you don’t get too comfortable. Jackson has allowed a run in 3-of-6 outings, five runs in total, over 6.1 innings. Piling up the strikeouts though is he (14 in that time).
CARDINALS: Jordan Hicks continues to waffle a bit having been scored on in 3-of-6 outings allowing six runs. Concerns are growing. John Gant has pitched great with a 1.15 ERA, four victories and three saves. Could he get a shot in the 9th if a change is made? Possibly. Same time, if Carlos Martinez doesn’t get back into the rotation, it seems to me that he’s a slightly better option than Gant. Probably. Maybe. Andrew Miller has a 2.00 ERA, 1.90 xFIP and an 11:1 K/BB ratio over his last 10 outings.
CUBS: Craig Kimbrel finally signed, and this is a move the Cubs should have made three months ago. He signed a 3-year deal with the Cubbies to close games out pushing everyone down a spot to where they should be. Kimbrel has 48 more saves than hits allowed in his career. Think about that for a while. He’s likely to be closing in Chicago within a couple of weeks. Brandon Morrow is throwing from 90-feet, though that takes on much less importance than it would have 24 hours ago.
MARINERS: Hunter Strickland (lat) is throwing bullpens, and he’s about ready to throw some BP before heading out on a rehab assignment. Sure seems like he will get a shot to close before the month is out, though it’s possible that if he shows well, the Mariners could deal him away into a setup role with another club. Roenis Elias last 9.1 frames: 7.71 K/9, three homers and 10 runs allowed (eight earned). He’s been horrid.
NATIONALS: This bullpen has been a total disaster. Complete disaster. Sean Doolittle is 13-for-15 converting saves, and he has 33 punchouts in 26.2 innings. He’s already allowed three homers, and that mark is going to go up if he continues to allow this many fly balls (56.9 percent, a five-year high).
ORIOLES: Mychal Givens has five saves, including one the last time out. He’s struck out two batters in 3-straight outings, that 12.43 K/9 sparkles, but his overall game has been spotty at best (4.62 BB/9, 2.13 HR/9). Some have gotten a wee bit excited about Shawn Armstrong, he of the two career saves and current 1.60 K/BB ratio. Givens is still the guy, for what it’s worth, in Baltimore.
RANGERS: Shawn Kelley blew a save Wednesday night (his third), and after the game Chris Woodward said that Jose Leclerc was close to getting the 9th inning gig back. “He’s willing to do whatever we ask. He’s been pitching lights out. Just the command with his fastball and getting the weird swings with his changeup. Yeah, it’s getting close.” Over his last 10 outings Leclerc has allowed two runs, three hits, two walks and has 23 punchouts over 11.2 innings.
ROCKIES: Wade Davis (oblique) threw batting practice Wednesday. It’s not clearly defined what the next step will be – a rehab assignment or straight activation – but he’s getting close.
ROYALS: Ian Kennedy leads the team with three saves. Overall, the 10.95 K/9 and 1.46 BB/9 rates sparkle, as does the 0.73 HR/9 rate from the formally homer prone hurler. He’s worked two scoreless outings, but this comes on the heels of a stretch where he was beating up for six runs over 4.1 innings. Meanwhile, Wily Peralta hasn’t allowed a run in eight outings, but his season long 1.07 K/BB ratio is just flat out hideous.
TWINS: Blake Parker is the nominal closer, but the Twins continue to be liberal with their usage of their arms. Parker allowed three runs Wednesday… while working the 7th inning. I don’t get it either. Parker is 8-for-9 in save conversions, but that 7.06 K/9 rate, 2.13 K/BB ratio and 2.08 HR/9 rate all signal potentially significant struggles in the near future. Taylor Rogers is up to five saves, and his numbers look way better than Parker, even with allowing three runs his last four outings: 11.77 K.9, 2.08 BB/9, 1.57 GB/FB. The Twins are comfortable not having a traditional closer, shown that all season long, and Parker isn’t doing much to change that point of view.
