As the second half gets underway, it feels like bullpen hierarchies have finally settled in. The clubs who believe in closers have settled on them, and barring some sort of injury or other disaster, there aren’t a ton of loose saves to be found on the waiver wire.
Of course, this is 2023 we’re talking about, so there’s always one injury or another — and this past week was no exception, with Jordan Romano coming down with a balky back during his appearance in the All-Star Game. And with the trade deadline looming less than two weeks away, we’re bound to see bullpens all around the league get shaken up. We’ll go through all that and more along with a full depth chart of every bullpen in the league.
Relief pitcher notes: Week 16
- Aroldis Chapman had been working in a set-up capacity to Will Smith since being acquired by the Texas Rangers last month, but that changed over the weekend, when the hard-throwing lefty was called upon to lock down his first save despite Smith being fresh and available. Chapman got the job done, remaining unscored upon since coming over to his new team. Smith drew the ninth inning the next day and also pitched a clean inning, but it feels like this is at most a timeshare now — and Chapman is clearly the more talented of the two pitchers. It’s only a matter of time before that talent wins out, even if Chapman gets called upon for highest-leverage situations that aren’t in the ninth.
- Romano has yet to be put on the IL, but he’s also yet to appear in a game for Toronto since tweaking his back while pitching in the All-Star Game. Yimi Garcia got the call in the Jays’ first save chance on Saturday, and while he got the job done, he made it interesting with a couple of baserunners. Perhaps due to that shakiness, it was Erik Swanson who came on for the ninth on Sunday, and he didn’t fare any better, allowing a bases-clearing double to Ketel Marte before finally sealing the deal. At this point, it’s anyone’s guess how this might shake out in the event that Romano needs an IL stint — but given that Garcia was the first choice and hasn’t allowed a run in a month, he’s our bet for now.
- Just when it seemed like Scott McGough had run away with the closer’s job for the Arizona Diamondbacks, well … whoops. The righty has fallen apart recently, with seven runs (six earned) allowed on seven hits and two walks in just 3.1 innings of work. He hasn’t actually blown any saves over that stretch — Arizona has been struggling mightily of late — but this recent run could reopen the door for someone like Andrew Chafin to earn some more opportunities. The lefty makes for a good speculative add this week.
- Something to watch as the trade deadline looms: As the San Diego Padres continue to spin their wheels, teetering between buying and selling, could a Josh Hader trade represent a middle path? Hader has been sensational this year, but he’s also a pending free agent, and dealing him to a contender could allow San Diego to claim that they’re not bailing on this year while still recouping some value after shelling out a ton in both money and prospects over the last year or two. It feels like that possibility gets more likely with each Padres loss, and if Hader does get dealt, Nick Martinez would likely become a must-add as the new closer in town.
- Another situation to monitor is in Miami, where closer A.J. Puk has coughed up five earned runs and two blown saves in his last four innings of work. Manager Skip Schumaker has reiterated the team’s commitment to Puk in the ninth, but it’s hard to ignore what set-up man Tanner Scott is doing: The lefty has a 2.91 ERA so far this year, with a whopping 64 Ks in 43.1 innings. He’s racked up four holds already this month — giving him a league-leading 18 — but even if you’re not in a saves+holds league, it’s worth stashing Scott in case Puk continues to struggle. Worst case, he’ll help your Ks and ratios while picking up the odd save for a Marlins team that’s addicted to playing close games.
