Bullpen Report: Boys Of Some Are (Healthy)

Welcome to your first Bullpen Report of the season. How’d day one of your season go? You know, besides losing two top 30 players moments before lineup lock. Unfortunately, that’s more likely to be the norm than the exception. If you didn’t already (you donkey), build any flexibility into your fake teams that you can. On the pitching side that means having a reliever that can juice a category for you when a body is needed in a pinch.

• • The big free agent this week was Zack Britton with Aroldis Chapman hitting the COVID-IL. If you missed out on him I’d suggest considering Adam Ottavino. Britton is getting the first call but I wouldn’t be shocked if Ottavino gets a look if Boone feels the matchups favor him.
  • Kwang-Hyun Kim is being anointed the Cardinals closer. I’m holding my breath here. It’s hard to trust someone who’s never pitched an inning stateside to immediately walk into the closer role. To me, it feels more like they’re set on the injured Giovanny Gallegos and don’t want to disappoint Ryan Helsley with a demotion this early.
  • I’m targeting the options behind Kyle Crick as the Pittsburgh closer. Just a gut feel that Crick can’t hack it in the ninth. Richard Rodriguez and Nick Burdi get much more swing and miss with their stuff.
  • Yoshihisa Hirano is another COVID delayed player of the early year. That may give Matt Magill enough leash to take over the closer gig in Seattle. It was kind of his last year. He was kind of going to close this year. Now he can at least win or lose it on his own merit.
  • Let me remind you that Corey Knebel has nasty movement on his off-speed stuff. He’ll need to find his fastball velocity with reports of it in the low 90s thus far in summer camp. If he can get that up a few ticks he could immediately figure into the ninth for the BrewCrew.

Closers In Waiting

The next men up for the ninth. More saves than ever are going to be spread among trusted arms.

1. Ryan Helsley
2. Drew Pomeranz
3. Kevin Ginkel
4. Michael Lorenzen
5. Matt Barnes
6. Ryne Stanek

K It Up

Get a category enhancer from these high K/9 strikeout artists.

1. Adam Ottavino
2. Dellin Betances
3. Corey Knebel
4. Jose Quijada
5. Nick Burdi
6. Blake Treinen

Ratio Darlings

1. Seth Lugo
2. Tommy Kahnle
3. Aaron Bummer
4. Will Harris
5. Tony Watson
6. Yusmeiro Petit

Long Men

1. Matt Strahm
2. Chris Martin
3. Chris Devenski
4. Jesse Chavez
5. John Gant
6. Chad Green