2020 AL East Preview

February 24, 2020

Baltimore Orioles — We start with what should be one of the worst bullpens in baseball again in 2020. Baltimore’s relief arms had an AL-worst 5.63 ERA last season (amazingly, only the eventual champion Nationals were worse at 5.66). The Orioles did nothing to improve their relief corps, so we believe Mychal Givens opens the year as the default closer. Givens had 11 saves with a 4.57 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 12.3 K/9 mark last year, and could become a valuable trade chip if he starts hot, especially given the strikeout rate. A group that includes Richard Bleier, Miguel Castro and former first round pick Hunter Harvey could compete for saves and holds and what should be a muddy situation all season. 

Starting 2020 hierarchy: Givens | Bleier | Harvey.
Holds candidates: Bleier, Harvey, Castro, Paul Fry.

Boston Red Sox — Longtime Boston reliever Brandon Workman (10-1, 1.88 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 13.1 K/9) surprised as an effective closer once he settled into the role during the 2019 season. After a quiet Red Sox offseason, he seemed like a logical bet to open 2020 as the No. 1 option for saves. Interim manager Ron Roenicke confirmed as much to open the spring, saying Workman “deserves that shot.” Other familiar names will round out Roenicke’s late-inning options, including Matt Barnes, Josh Taylor and Heath Hembree.

Starting 2020 hierarchy: Workman | Barnes | Taylor.
Holds candidates: Barnes, Taylor, Hembree, Colten Brewer.

New York Yankees — The Yankees will again field one of the most stable bullpen situations in 2020. In fact, we didn’t adjust the team’s bullpen hierarchy once in all of 2019, a testament to good health, luck, and really, really good pitching. Atop the hierarchy is established closer Aroldis Chapman, who picked up 37 saves last season and is entering his age-32 season. Chapman was extremely effective last year, finishing with a 2.21 ERA, a 1.11 WHIP, and 13.1 K/9. He is set up by bullpen studs Zach Britton and Adam Ottavino, among others.

Starting 2020 hierarchy: Chapman | Britton | Ottavino.
Holds candidates: Britton, Ottavino, Chad Green, Tommy Kahnle. 

Tampa Bay Rays — Emilio Pagan appeared to emerge from a crowded field of a quality arms to become Tampa Bay’s best save option in 2019, so of course the Rays elected to keep their closer carousel spinning by trading Pagan to the Padres. What’s left is a group of high-impact relievers who will likely form a committee to start the 2020 campaign. Nick Anderson, acquired late last season, pitched to a 2.11 ERA, 0.656 WHIP, and 17.3 K/9 in 23 games after the trade, and appears to be the head of that committee, along with Diego Castillo and Jose Alvarado. 

Starting 2020 hierarchy: *Anderson | Alvarado | Castillo.
* = closer-by-committee
Holds candidates: Alvarado, Castillo, Chaz Roe, Oliver Drake.

Toronto Blue Jays — The Blue Jays have a young and fun corps of hitters, but the pitching staff is a work in progress. Ken Giles (1.87 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 14.1 K/9, 23 saves) is probably the most stable arm among them and should be the primary option for saves again in 2020. If the Blue Jays fall out of contention as expected, they could deal Giles to a contender, limiting his value if he becomes a setup man. Behind Giles in the Jays’ bullpen are Anthony Bass, who picked up a handful of saves last year with the Mariners, and 32-year-old righty Shun Yamaguchi, joining the big leagues after a lengthy stint in Japan, where he worked as a closer and starter, racking up 112 saves, a 3.33 ERA, and a 1.243 WHIP. 

Starting 2020 hierarchy: Giles | Bass | Yamaguchi.
Holds candidates: Bass, Yamaguchi, Sam Gaviglio.

2020 AL Central Preview

February 24, 2020

Chicago White Sox – The White Sox bring back closer Alex Colome and set-up man Aaron Bummer, who are both coming off great seasons in 2019.  They also signed veteran Steve Cishek and he should join Colome and Bummer at the back end of the White Sox bullpen.  Kelvin Herrera and Jace Fry are a couple of guys who will be looking to bounce back in 2020 after struggling in 2019.

Starting 2020 hierarchy: Colome | Bummer | Cishek.
Holds candidates: Bummer, Cishek, Jace Fry.

Cleveland Indians – Brad Hand is the unquestioned closer for the Indians to start 2020 and they will look to keep him strong for the entire season after they had to shut him down in September last year.  Behind Hand, the Indians have a mix of veterans and some very exciting young arms.  Nick Wittgren and specialists Oliver Perez and Adam Cimber are back, and it will be interesting to see how the Indians use Perez and Cimber with the new three batter rule.  Flamethrowers James Karinchak and Emmanuel Clase, the centerpiece of the Corey Kluber trade, are the two most interesting relievers behind Hand.  Francona typically likes to rely on veterans, so we will put Wittgren as the set-up man to start the season and slot Karinchak second in line, but if Karinchak can harness his nasty stuff, he could give the Indians a great 1-2 punch with Hand at the back end of the bullpen.

Starting 2020 hierarchy: Hand | Wittgren | Karinchak.
Holds candidates: Wittgren, Karinchak, Adam Cimber, Oliver Perez.

Detroit Tigers — Joe Jimenez struggled out of the gate last season but settled in pretty nicely to the closer’s role after Shane Greene was dealt mid-season.  Jimenez will return to the ninth in 2020, and Buck Farmer and Jose Cisnero, who were working the seventh and eighth ahead of Jimenez to finish 2019, should round out the back end of the Tigers’ bullpen.  Gregory Soto is a name to keep an eye on as he has impressed with his upper-90s fastball so far in spring training.

Starting 2020 hierarchy: Jimenez | Farmer | Cisnero.
Holds candidates: Farmer, Cisnero, Gregory Soto.

Kansas City Royals — Ian Kennedy saved 30 games for the Royals last season and will return as the closer to start the 2020 season.   Scott Barlow pitched very well as Kennedy’s set-up man at the end of the season, posting an ERA of about 2.00 over the last two months of the season.  The Royals also signed a familiar face in free agency, bringing back former closer Greg Holland.  Lefty Tim Hill could see some time in the later innings and it looks like Glenn Sparkman may be moved to the bullpen.

Starting 2020 hierarchy: Kennedy | Barlow | Holland.
Holds candidates: Barlow, Holland, Tim Hill.

Minnesota Twins — Taylor Rogers was incredible for the Twins last season, recording 30 saves and 90 strikeouts in 69 innings.  He will start 2020 as the closer and the Twins have a very deep bullpen behind him.  They brought back Sergio Romo and added veteran Tyler Clippard.  Tyler Duffey and Trevor May also return and all four guys could see time in the seventh and eighth innings ahead of Rogers.

Starting 2020 hierarchy: Rogers | Romo | Clippard.
Holds candidates: Romo, Clippard, Tyler Duffey, Trevor May.


2020 AL West Preview

February 24, 2020

Houston Astros — It’s been a nice, quiet offseason in Houston, and not much has changed at the back of the bullpen. The ninth belongs to Roberto Osuna, and Ryan Pressly is likely to own the eighth if he can overcome his knee troubles and revert to the amazing form he showed early last season. It’s not yet clear who will be second in line, with Brad Peacock, Joe Smith, and Chris Devenski all in the mix. Josh James could bring his 100 mph stuff to a setup role if he doesn’t get the nod as the team’s fifth starter. Another future starter who could get high-leverage work this season is 22-year-old Bryan Abreu.

Starting 2020 hierarchy: Osuna | Pressly | Smith.
Holds candidates: Pressly, Peacock, Smith, Devenski.

Los Angeles Angels — Hansel Robles should return to the closer role for LA, with Ty Buttrey recovering from an intercostal strain and expected to be healthy and in the setup role by Opening Day. The rest of the Angels bullpen will look familiar too, with perennial “future closers” Cam Bedrosian and Keynan Middleton the top two options for the seventh inning.

Starting 2020 hierarchy: Robles | Buttrey | Middleton.
Holds candidates: Buttrey, Bedrosian, Middleton, Noe Ramirez.

Oakland A’s —  Breakout star Liam Hendriks will try to keep things rolling the same way in 2020, backed up by the same pair of 35-year-olds: Yusmeiro Petit and Joakim Soria. Jake Diekman and Lou Trivino round out the A-team.

Starting 2020 hierarchy: Hendriks | Petit | Soria.
Holds candidates: Petit, Soria, Diekman.

Seattle Mariners — The Mariners have a ton of young arms filling out their bullpen, but the closer role is a two-man race between last year’s top dog, Matt Magill, and free agent signee Yoshihisa Hirano, who has several years of closing experience in Japan. Magill is dealing with shoulder tenderness, which probably gives Hirano the edge. Carl Edwards, Jr. and Sam Tuivailala are also in the high-leverage mix. One impressive rookie this spring has been Yohan Ramirez.

Starting 2020 hierarchy: Hirano| Magill | Edwards.
Holds candidates: Magill, Edwards, Tuivailala, Brandon Brennan.

Texas Rangers — Jose Leclerc will be back to close out games for the Rangers this year, with Rafael Montero reprising his setup role. There are a lot of options for middle relief, but no really good ones, so it’s worth noting that Cody Allen is at training camp as a non-roster invitee. For now, Jesse Chavez and Nick Goody are better bets.

Starting 2020 hierarchy: Leclerc | Montero | Chavez.
Holds candidates: Montero, Chavez, Goody.