March 24, 2022
Arizona Diamondbacks — The Arizona bullpen will look completely different this season, after the free agent acquisitions of 37-year-olds Mark Melancon and Ian Kennedy (combined 65 saves in 2021) to handle the late innings. Kennedy says he’s happy to serve in the setup role for Melancon, his Team USA teammate the year before both were drafted in 2006. Behind the old guys is Arizona’s usual mix of passable veterans, the best of whom seems to be Noe Ramirez.
Starting 2022 hierarchy: Melancon | Kennedy | Ramirez.
Holds candidates: Kennedy, Ramirez, Caleb Smith, J.B. Wendelken.
Colorado Rockies – Alex Colome’s solid groundball rate should make him a fair candidate to find closing success at Coors Field. If he runs into trouble, he’ll be backed up by last year’s main (and mediocre) options: Carlos Estevez and Daniel Bard.
Starting 2022 hierarchy: Colome | Estevez | Bard.
Holds candidates: Estevez, Bard, Robert Stephenson.
Los Angeles Dodgers — With longtime closer Kenley Jansen headed off to Atlanta, it may not be as simple as plugging Blake Treinen into the ninth inning. Dave Roberts has been discussing a committee approach that would give him the freedom to use Treinen in the highest-leverage moments. Treinen has the best stuff in the Dodgers’ pen, and so remains the best bet, but don’t be surprised to see Daniel Hudson, lefty Alex Vesia, or others pulling down saves from time to time.
Starting 2022 hierarchy: *Treinen | Hudson | Vesia.
* = closer-by-committee
Holds candidates: Hudson, Vesia, Busdar Graterol.
San Diego Padres — Somehow the Padres went the last 7 1/2 weeks of the 2021 season without a bullpen update, which we’re going to go ahead and claim is a record. Expect the opposite this season. Mark Melancon’s departure for Phoenix has left San Diego without an obvious closer for the first time in 30 seasons. The top candidate is probably Robert Suarez, who led the Japan Central League in saves the last two years; also in the mix are ex-Ray Emilio Pagan, fireballers Danielson Lamet and Luis Garcia, and (once he recovers from flexor tendon surgery) Drew Pomeranz. We’ll throw a committee tag on here to start, but it may be worth speculating that Suarez grabs the job.
Starting 2022 hierarchy: *Suarez | Pagan | Garcia.
* = closer-by-committee
Holds candidates: Pagan, Garcia, Tim Hill, Austin Adams.
San Francisco Giants – Fo the third straight season, Gabe Kapler refuses to name a closer. But unlike some teams who turn to a committee out of desperation, the Giants have three strong relief options: 24-year-old flamethrower Camilo Doval, who had 15 scoreless outings to close out the regular season; lefty Jake McGee, who racked up 31 saves with a sub-1 WHIP; and Tyler Rogers, whose submarine-style delivery was good for 13 saves of its own. The three say they’re fine sharing the role based on matchups, although Rogers gives the edge to the veteran McGee. The best long-term play is obviously Doval, but we think his impressive stuff will give him the edge right out of the gate as well.
Starting 2022 hierarchy: *Doval | McGee | Rogers.
* = closer-by-committee
Holds candidates: Rogers, Jarlin Garcia, Dominic Leone.
