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We did it, folks. We made it to the final series of the baseball season. The 2024 World Series will be a bi-coastal battle between the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Two teams with very different rosters from top to bottom, but noticeably in the bullpens as well.
The Dodgers had some periods of a somewhat standard bullpen setup this season, but have done better since moving into a committee/hot-hand approach. The Yankees, meanwhile, made the World Series despite having the league leader in blown saves in their bullpen all season (and in the playoffs!).
All that and more in this week's report! 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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World Series Bullpens
New York Yankees
Clay Holmes was the Yankees closer for most of the season. That sound you just heard was the sound of Yankees fans across the world exhaling in anger. Holmes led the league in blown saves with 13, while no other player had more than eight. Eight entire baseball teams had fewer than 20 blown saves, so Holmes approached full team status all on his own.
Near the end of the season, the Yankees removed Holmes from the ninth inning and went with a committee approach. That committee idea only lasted a little while before Luke Weaver took the reins and never let go. Weaver ended up as one of only five relievers in baseball to record 100 strikeouts this season.
In the postseason, Holmes has pitched eight times, recording three holds and a 3.52 ERA. Weaver has pitched eight times as well, saving four games and posting a 2.61 ERA. Tommy Kahnle has pitched in seven games, has two holds, and hasn't given up a run yet. Kahnle, in keeping with Yankees reliever tradition, now only throws one pitch.
Play the hits!
Dating back to Game 2 of the ALCS, @Yankees reliever Tommy Kahnle has thrown 48 straight changeups! pic.twitter.com/x2HzJD0v4z
— MLB (@MLB) October 19, 2024
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers did things a little differently in their bullpen compared to the Yankees this season. Fourteen different Dodgers pitchers recorded a save this year, with four different guys recording at least five each. Meanwhile, only one Yankee (Clay Holmes) had more than five saves this season.
The committee approach has been a very Dodgers thing for the past few seasons, but there was a point in the 2024 season where it seemed like they had an almost standard closer position filled by Evan Phillips. He ended up leading the team with 18 saves, but his time as closer ended fairly quickly when he had midseason struggles.
In the postseason, we've seen Dodgers manager Dave Roberts work very creatively, with guys like Michael Kopech on the mound in the ninth inning one game, then opening the game in another. Kopech, Blake Treinen, Daniel Hudson, and Phillips have been and will likely continue to be the leverage guys for L.A. Alex Vesia, if healthy, should be in that role as well.
Michael Kopech, 99mph ⛽️ pic.twitter.com/2Cshu1akaH
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) October 17, 2024
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