Bullpen Report: August 25, 2020 | FanGraphs
Bud Black after Monday’s game: “We feel, right now, that Daniel [Bard] is a great option for us in the ninth inning.”
Bard collected his second save of the year on Monday night, entering a 3-2 ballgame in the ninth and sitting down the Diamondbacks’ six, seven and eight hitters in order. Jason Martinez of FanGraphs notes how the Rockies had “lost seven straight games since manager Bud Black said he would be using a closer committee.”
Five Rockies relievers have thrown ten or more innings this year (Diaz, Almonte, Estevez, Bard and Hoffman). Four of them have recorded a save.
“Bard and Estevez have separated themselves as the most reliable relievers on the team. After Monday, the odds likely increased that Bard will eventually become the team’s primary closer.”
Estevez currently holds the lowest ERA of those aforemented five. He has pitched in 14 games this year, and 10 of those outings have been for one inning of work. Black called him in last night with two outs in the seventh, as two runners were on base and Colorado held desperately to a one-run lead.
Black may have easily reasoned that situation as one to bring in a “reliable” reliever: Estevez had the highest win probability added (WPA) of all players in Monday’s game.
Daniel Bard had the second highest.
The Colorado Rockies are on a one-game winning streak, and the bullpen combined for three shutout innings. Bard may have set the framework for continued work in the ninth, while Estevez continues to improve on a career-best ERA.
Rockies beat D-Backs behind Ryan Castellani, end 7-game losing streak | The Denver Post ($)
In the longest start of his career, Ryan Castellani collected his first big league win. He did so in his hometown of Phoenix, Arizona.
Bud Black is quoted saying Castellani has a “different maturity” this year. “I think it’s just personal growth.” The right-hander’s previous start came in Houston where he allowed four earned runs over the fifth and sixth innings. Last night, he posted two zeros in those respective frames.
The right-hander limited damage from three walks on the evening, and the only runs scored by the Diamondbacks came by way of a “hanging slider” and “high changeup” that turned into solo shots.
“‘You can’t make this stuff up,’ said Castellani, who graduated from Brophy College Prep in Phoenix . . . ‘It was an emotional night and it was a lot of fun. It worked out and the bullpen made it happen in the end.’”
Rockies’ recent numbers are sobering; Charlie Blackmon scratched because of tight quad | The Denver Post ($)
Patrick Saunders addresses some “sobering” statistics the Rockies took into the four-game set in Phoenix. If the Rockies win two of their next three games, it will snap a streak of five consecutive losing series. Colorado began the season with five series wins.
Saunders further mentions how David Dahl is set to face Chi Chi Gonzalez in a simulated game today. Dahl was placed on the IL last Wednesday, while Gonzalez has been on the list since August 7.
Colorado Rockies-Arizona Diamondbacks game produces play that has to be seen to be believed | USA Today
There ... there is a lot to unpack here. pic.twitter.com/PwfK50QQUK
— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) August 25, 2020
Arizona Sports 98.7 FM wrote about some entertaining quotes by the baserunner, Kole Calhoun, on the incident that caused Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo to be ejected.
“‘Seemed like the natural thing to do,’ Calhoun said with a laugh.”
★ ★ ★
Please keep in mind our Purple Row Community Guidelines when you’re commenting. Thanks!