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We've made it all the way to the World Series, baseball friends! Probably not the two teams anyone was expecting, but this will likely be a really fun World Series to watch and follow. (Also, it's probably upsetting Rob Manfred, which is always a plus.) Two teams from the west will be competing for baseball's championship "piece of metal", the Texas Rangers and the Arizona Diamondbacks.
We've seen all kinds of bullpen usage this postseason, but both of the remaining teams have followed mostly predictable patterns in the late innings at least. We'll take a look at those patterns and a few other things in this week's report. Thanks for reading!
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Texas Rangers - Playoff Bullpen News
The Rangers made it all the way to the World Series despite not having any reliever with more than 22 saves. That saves leader was William Smith, who is not even pitching high leverage at all in the playoffs. Besides Smith, the entire Rangers bullpen combined for just eight regular-season saves. Eight! Four for playoff closer Jose Leclerc and four for trade deadline acquisition Aroldis Chapman.
Leclerc has been a little shaky in the playoffs, pitching 10 1/3 innings with a 4.35 ERA. He has three saves and one blown save, all while striking out 10 and walking six. Smith led the team in saves by far but has only pitched two innings since the regular season ended. Between those six outs, he's allowed two runs on two hits and two walks while also hitting a batter and striking out two. He's clearly fallen out of favor among the Texas relief corps.
Chapman has had better results, tossing 6 1/3 innings with a 1.42 ERA, but he's walked four and struck out four while also throwing a wild pitch. He has four holds regardless. Finally, Josh Sborz also has four holds in the playoffs. He's tossed 8 2/3 innings with a 1.04 ERA, seven strikeouts, and four walks.
Saves: Jose Leclerc
Holds: Aroldis Chapman, Josh Sborz
Arizona Diamondbacks - Playoff Bullpen News
The Arizona Diamondbacks made the playoffs as the sixth seed in the National League and then just turned everything up to 100 and made it to the World Series. Arizona's bullpen usage was interesting in the first half of the season, but trade deadline pickup Paul Sewald helped settle things down for the Snakes. Sewald, despite being acquired on July 31, ended up leading the team in saves with 13. He was followed by Scott McGough with nine, Andrew Chafin with eight, Miguel Castro with seven, and Kevin Ginkel with four. A few others had one save apiece.
Sewald has been amazing in the postseason, pitching eight scoreless innings so far while only allowing three hits and one walk while striking out 11. He has six saves already as the World Series is set to begin. Kevin Ginkel put on a show in Game 7 of the NLCS and has been excellent throughout the postseason. He's also yet to allow a run, pitching nine innings and allowing six hits and two walks while striking out 13 and earning five holds.
Ryan Thompson has been solid as well, tossing his own 10 2/3 innings with a 2.53 ERA. He has three holds and has yet to blow a lead. Rookie Andrew Saalfrank came into the playoffs with just 10 1/3 innings pitched in his big league career, but he's earned four holds despite pitching just 3 1/3 innings in the playoffs. He's the closest we've come to a LOOGY since the new three-batter minimum rule was enforced. Saalfrank's 3 1/3 innings have included two hits, eight walks, and just two strikeouts. And yet: four holds.
Saves: Paul Sewald
Holds: Kevin Ginkel, Ryan Thompson, Andrew Saalfrank
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