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We're another week closer to Opening Day (or, in between Opening Days for Dodgers and Padres fans). That means we have our first two official saves of 2024! Besides that, bullpen hierarchies are starting to look much more defined, and injuries are still ravaging pitchers on seemingly every team.
In this weird liminal space where two teams have already played "real" games while the rest of the league continues Grapefruit and Cactus League play, let's take a look at the bullpen news this week, some parts covering actual games that count and other parts covering ones that don't.
Be sure to also keep an eye on our Fantasy Baseball Closer Depth Charts for saves, holds, and bullpens. They will be updated daily or sometimes even more often throughout the 2024 baseball season.
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Minnesota Twins - Bullpen and Closer News
The Minnesota Twins bullpen looked like it would be one of the stronger ones in the AL Central heading into spring training. Jhoan Duran closing things out with Griffin Jax, Justin Topa, and Brock Stewart setting things up along with lefties Caleb Thielbar and Steven Okert felt like a very strong relief corps. Two injuries struck this week, though, as both Duran and Thielbar will start the season on the injured list.
Duran is dealing with an oblique strain. It's been described as "moderate," but oblique strains can be tricky and expected timelines are tough to trust with soft tissue injuries. Thielbar has a strained hamstring and could be looking at a similar tricky and unpredictable return timeline. While Duran is out, Griffin Jax will take over closing duties. He's been excellent in spring training (7 IP, 12 K, 0 BB, 0.00 ERA) and should be a strong closing option for as long as he has the role.
Risers: Griffin Jax, Brock Stewart (holds leagues)
Fallers: Jhoan Duran, Caleb Thielbar
Caleb Thielbar getting huge break on his curveball pic.twitter.com/jY6o2n9U0Y
— Nick Pollack (@PitcherList) April 15, 2021
San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers - Bullpen and Closer News
A quick look at the Seoul Series shows us that both games, while wildly different, ended with saves. The first save of the 2024 baseball season went to Dodgers closer Evan Phillips in a 5-2 win. Daniel Hudson ended up with a win in relief, throwing a scoreless seventh inning. Joe Kelly followed with a scoreless inning of his own for his first hold of the season, and then Evan Phillips came in for a perfect ninth inning, including a strikeout for his first save.
On the Padres side, Enyel De Los Santos, Yuki Matsui, and Wandy Peralta all earned their first holds of the year before Jhony Brito (with a nod to Jake Cronenworth's glove) coughed up the lead, taking a blown save and a loss.
In the second game of the series, a much different final score of 15-11 in San Diego's favor featured just one hold and one save. The Dodgers ended up using seven pitchers, but starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto was the only pitcher of record on their side, taking the loss after a rough one-inning debut.
On the Padres side, Michael King earned a win in relief, pitching 3 1/3 innings. He's expected to make most of his appearances as a starter this season, though. Stephen Kolek didn't pitch well (2/3 of an inning, charged with two runs allowed on a walk and a hit batter), but he earned the only hold in this game. Closer Robert Suarez came in, allowed both runners he inherited (Kolek's) to score, but ultimately got four outs without allowing any runs of his own and recording two strikeouts, earning a save.
Risers: N/A (but Evan Phillips could be one of the best closers in fantasy baseball if the Dodgers keep him in that role)
Fallers: Yoshinobu Yamamoto (not a bullpen guy, but yikes)
Evan Phillips, Wicked 85mph Slider. 🤢 pic.twitter.com/rbMwHplE7X
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) March 20, 2024
Short Relief - Other Bullpen News and Notes
-Tanner Scott is probably fine. After an incredibly rough start to Grapefruit League play, Scott has now pitched in three games in five days and allowed no runs and no walks in that time.
-The White Sox bullpen battle continues, with Michael Kopech looking like the momentary favorite, but Jordan Leasure making a case and John Brebbia bringing the most experience.
-Tyler Kinley and Justin Lawrence continue their own battle for Colorado's ninth inning. Kinley has a 4.26 spring ERA with eight strikeouts and four walks in 6 1/3 innings and Lawrence has a bloated 9.82 ERA but 10 strikeouts and only three walks in 7 1/3.
-For a bit, it sounded like Mariners reliever Matt Brash was going to be done for the whole season. All of a sudden, he's long tossing at max effort and has already gotten back to throwing off a mound. He's going to be an elite holds league option when healthy.
-Pirates closer David Bednar has been dealing with a lat injury but has ramped things up lately and made his spring debut on Thursday. He hopes to be ready by Opening Day, but at the worst, it seems like he should be ready soon after assuming no setbacks.
-Nationals closer Kyle Finnegan is dealing with a tight back and hasn't appeared in a game for almost two weeks, but the team does not seem concerned and is saying that he is healthy and ready to go.
-Blue Jays closer Jordan Romano is "one to two days away" from throwing again, so his season debut may be a bit delayed, but at least it doesn't sound like he'll have an extended absence.
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