With the first round of the playoffs in the rearview mirror, here are some thoughts and observations about how relievers performed.
American League
Detroit Tigers
Capping a comeback in Game 2, Will Vest recorded his first postseason save after securing two in the regular season. He also posted 1.2 clean frames in Game 1 with two strikeouts. Jason Foley allowed three hits and an earned during one-third of the ninth in the first game of the series. Beau Brieske allowed a walk but induced two outs on 17 pitches for his first save of the playoffs. He recorded one during the regular season.
If there’s anything we’ve learned about the Tigers, different match-ups will be deployed in each game. From a fantasy perspective, monitoring how the relievers are used going forward may determine their roles in 2025.
Reliever of interest: Will Vest
- He was scoreless in 11 of his last 12 appearances in the regular season, with 12 strikeouts against one walk (22 K-BB%), a 0.57 WHIP, and a 9.2 swinging strike percentage.
- Against Houston, he retired all eight batters faced, five via strikeout (62.5 K%), throwing 31 pitches (24 strikes – 77.4 Strike%) with three whiffs.
Here’s his Statcast box from Game 1:
Houston Astros
Heavily invested in the backend of the bullpen, things went differently than planned for first-year manager Joe Espada. First, why was Josh Hader pitching with his team down by three in Game 1? With a one-run lead at the top of the eighth, Ryan Pressly took over against Detroit. After striking out Parker Meadows, he allowed consecutive singles by Kerry Carpenter and Matt Vierling, putting runners at the corners. The game-tying run scored on a wild pitch during the next at-bat, ending with Riley Greene striking out. However, this handed Pressly his first postseason blown save, snapping an eight-game scoreless streak in the playoffs.
Hader took over with two runners on and two outs. He issued Spencer Torkelson a four-pitch walk loading the bases. With an 0-2 count on pinch-hitter Andy Ibáñez, he hung a sinker rather than throwing a slider:
During the regular season, here were his splits by pitch:
- Sinker: 71.5 percent usage, 24.8 K-BB%, 67.7 Strike%, .286 wOBA, 16.1 SwStr%, 70.4 percent contact allowed
- Slider: 27.4 percent usage,59.2 K-BB%, 65.3 Strike%, .175 wOBA, 32.2 SwStr%, 41.1 percent contact allowed
Hader’s postseason ends with 2.1 innings, allowing three hits, an earned run, and two walks with zero strikeouts. He threw 50 pitches (62 Strike%) and produced five whiffs (10 SwStr%). Bryan Abreu was in line for the win after tossing 1.1 scoreless innings, walking one and striking out two on 18 pitches in Game 2.
Kansas City Royals
Entering the playoffs, Lucas Erceg was scoreless in 19 of 23 games since his acquisition, converting 11 of 13 save opportunities with the Royals. He recorded an impressive 31 strikeouts versus three walks (28.9 K-BB%) with a 0.84 WHIP and a 15.2 swinging strike percentage. Against the Orioles, he secured the save in both games of a sweep, throwing 32 pitches (21 strikes – 65.6 Strike%) through 2.1 scoreless innings, allowing a walk and striking out three.
Although his change-up was his least used pitch during the regular season, he threw 11 in Game 1 and four in Game 2, producing four combined whiffs (26.7 SwStr%). This goes against his trends by month but may signal a newfound trust in a pitch that could help him flourish in 2025. Stay tuned.
National League
Milwaukee Brewers
Preserving a two-run win in Game 2, Devin Williams retired the side on ten pitches (80 Strike%) with two whiffs. In Game 3, things were drastically different. Entering with a two-run lead again, “The Airbender” issued Francisco Lindor a lead-off walk, a high-leverage mortal sin, especially in the playoffs. After striking out Mark Vientos, Williams allowed Brandon Nimmo’s single, followed by Pete Alonso’s go-ahead three-run home run on this pitch:
On “X,” Jomboy shared this video clip, displaying Williams tipping his pitches, verified by two former MLB players (Trevor Plouffe and Trevor May). There are very slim margins in winning and losing. Any information like this can make or break an outing.
There are no long-term effects on his health or performance for Williams; he’s a dominant reliever. But, through three postseason appearances, he owns a 3.478 WHIP over 2.1 innings, throwing 75 pitches (60 Strike%) with ten whiffs (13.3 SwStr%).
New York Mets
Shutting the door on his first career save, David Peterson worked a scoreless bottom of the ninth, giving up a hit and striking out one. Edwin Díaz collected his first win in Game 3, logging 1.2 scoreless innings, issuing two walks, and recording three strikeouts. He threw 39 pitches (21 strikes – 53.8 Strike%) and produced six whiffs (15.4 SwStr%). Of more concern, he allowed three stolen bases in his outing.
Since August 29, he’s logged 16 appearances, 14 scoreless, with 33 strikeouts versus seven walks (37.1 K-BB%) with a 0.90 WHIP across 17.2 innings, including his game against Milwaukee during the postseason. Using more four-seams and fewer sliders has spurred this level of production:
His outcomes against Philadelphia will be pivotal, but they will be aggressive on the bases in this series.
San Diego Padres
During his team’s two-game sweep in the Wild Card round, Robert Suarez turned in two scoreless outings, including a save during a one-run win in Game 2. He threw a combined 22 pitches (14 strikes – 63.6 Strike%) with one whiff. Of more interest, he has not relied on his four-seam fastball. Setting a baseline, here are his pitch usage percentages from the regular season:
In the postseason, he’s been using his sinker with a much higher frequency:
- Sinker: 15 pitches (68.2 usage percentage)
- Four-seam: 5 pitches (22.7 usage percentage)
- Change-up: 2 pitches (9.1 usage percentage)
Taking this a step further, here are his usage patterns in these two playoff games by hitter handedness, courtesy of Brooks Baseball:
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Statistical Credits:
