Bullpen turmoil is nothing new, but it seems to have hit a new level of horror this year. This week, I have contemplated a wide variety of issues with major league bullpens. Injuries have taken a toll. Ineffectiveness is also present in abundance.
In moments of inner peace that come from not watching baseball games with my closers in the game, I imagined a world in which we no longer counted saves as a category, and I could sleep peacefully at night without having to contemplate the San Francisco Giants’ closer situation.
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Or the Detroit Tigers. Or the Colorado Rockies. The nightmare continues, but we still need to find these saves in an ever-changing market. Let’s get to it without any further hand-wringing by this writer.
AL East
Rico Garcia is holding the top job in Baltimore as Ryan Helsley nurses a sore elbow on the 10-day IL. Word on the street is that Helsley will begin a throwing program this weekend. Garcia has two saves and a paltry 0.53 ERA with a 33.3% K%.
Three guys with saves in Tampa Bay this week. Are we doing this again, Kevin Cash? Bryan Baker earned the first one, Cole Sulser the next, and Ian Seymour the last. Baker has nine saves and remains the favorite most nights to close games.
AL Central
Chicago added Trevor Richards to their bullpen this week and optioned former closer Jordan Leasure to Triple-A. Seranthony Dominguez has eight saves through the first week of May, which would have led the team in 2025.
Cade Smith has rattled off three consecutive saves this week and has a lock on the job in Cleveland with 11 saves. Lefty Eric Sabrowksi leads the major leagues with 15 holds.
Detroit: watching this one carefully. Kenley Jansen‘s ERA is now 5.40 despite his six saves, and his grip on the job may have loosened. Kyle Finnegan remains here and could be an option, but he blew a save on Friday night. I think Jensen has a longer leash than many folks think, but we will see what happens.
Carlos Estevez has a shoulder injury suffered in his rehab assignment. Lucas Erceg should continue to close for the beleaguered Kansas City bullpen. He had a win and a save this week as the Royals try to right their ship.
AL West
Athletics: Did you spend a bunch of FAAB on Jack Perkins last week? Many of us did; is he even the closer right now? Lefty Hogan Harris got his second save of the season on Friday night. Perkins blew a save on Wednesday in a 33-pitch performance. I think Perkins is the best bet most nights, but we will see how he bounces back. Joel Kuhnel leads the team with four saves.
In Houston, Bryan King has quietly seized the closer job. King notched a 37-pitch save this week and has three on the season. Would-be closer Bryan Abreu has a Little League-ish 9.39 ERA through the first week of May.
Los Angeles: Kirby Yates is off the IL but has only pitched once. Right now, it is Sam Bachman and Ryan Zeferjahn in the captain’s chair for saves. Zeferjahn nabbed his first save this week, but with a 4.35 ERA, he may not be the answer. I am leaning towards Yates and have added him already in several leagues.
Andres Munoz continues to underwhelm in Seattle. He has seven saves, but a 6.00 ERA despite a 37.9% K%. He earned a save on Monday, but then blew a save on Tuesday. I am guessing that he was off on Wednesday when lefty Jose A. Ferrer earned his second save. Watching this, but Munoz should remain the closer in Seattle…for now, at least.
Jacob Latz looks to be the guy in Texas, but another name to know who is rising up the ranks is Gavin Collyer. Latz only pitched once this week, and it was a non-save situation.
NL East
Raisel Iglesias returned in Atlanta and went right back to the closing role with Robert Suarez in the top setup spot. Iglesias got his sixth save on the first night he was back, with Suarez earning the win. It should stay this way in Atlanta.
Miami: Tyler Phillips is the current closer with Pete Fairbanks out, but he has not picked up a save this week. Part of the problem has been the bridge guys getting a lead to him. Fairbanks is scheduled to throw live batting practice this weekend and is traveling with the team to their series next week in Minnesota. He should return shortly.
New York: Devin Williams looks like he is back this week, nabbing two saves in the process and grabbing a win on Friday night. Williams has seven consecutive scoreless appearances.
Gus Varland earned a save this week in Washington. Lefty PJ Poulin also got one on Friday night. Varland is likely the best option for saves, but they could mix and match here all season.
NL Central
Daniel Palencia returned and earned his second save of the season on Thursday. Phil Maton also came off the IL this week as the Cubs try to piece their pitching together.
Cincinnati lost Emilio Pagan to a hamstring issue, and the rest of the bullpen is in disarray. It seems like manager Terry Francona will use a committee made of Tony Santillan and Graham Ashcraft. Ashcraft has outperformed Santillan, but who knows how this shakes out?
Gregory Soto looks like the best bet for saves in Pittsburgh. He got two this week and a win, while co-closer Dennis Santana earned a hold. Things have shifted to Soto, who is the better pitcher.
NL West
Los Angeles: As expected, lefty Tanner Scott has taken over for the injured Edwin Diaz. Scott notched two saves this week. Alex Vesia and Blake Treinen are the top setup options for the Dodgers at this point.
In San Francisco, it looks like a true committee. Ryan Walker had been the closer, but he has slipped recently, and his ERA has jumped to 5.52. Caleb Kilian and Keaton Winn are part of the committee here, with Winn getting three holds this week, while Kilian took a loss and also earned a save. My gut is to lean slightly toward Kilian right now, but that could all change by the time I write this article next week.
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