Over the last 30 years or so, MLB bullpen usage has evolved (devolved?) into clearly defined roles for relievers. The closer pitches the ninth inning. The setup guy pitches the eighth. The left-on-left matchup guy is saved for a specific hitter or two. The long man only pitches in blowouts or when the starter gets knocked out early. So on and so forth.
Indians manager Terry Francona guided his club to the World Series last year by breaking away from those norms. He used Andrew Miller in whatever he deemed the most important moment of the game, and often for multiple innings. During the regular season you can’t use a reliever as much as Francona used Miller in the postseason, not if you want to avoid burnout, but breaking away from bullpen norms? That’s doable.
The Oakland Athletics and Cincinnati Reds, two rebuilding clubs not expected to contend this year, are steering clear of defined bullpen roles this season. On Monday, A’s manager Bob Melvin used left-hander Sean Doolittle to close out his team’s win over the Royals (OAK 2, KC 0) because Kansas City had a bunch of lefties due up in the ninth. On Opening Day, righty Santiago Casilla got the save against the Angels (OAK 4, LAA 2) because a bunch of righties were due up.
Tuesday morning, Melvin confirmed Doolittle and Casilla are essentially co-closers. His ninth inning bullpen usage will be dictated by matchups. Doolittle will face tough lefties and Casilla will face tough righties.
#Athletics Manager Bob Melvin on A's closer role: "It's not that complicated, it's gonna be Doolittle or Casilla depending on the match-ups"
— MLB Network Radio (@MLBNetworkRadio) April 11, 2017
Reds manager Bryan Price is taking an even more extreme stance with bullpen usage. He’s getting away from set roles entirely and is instead focusing on putting his team in the best position to win, even if it means using a key reliever earlier than usual.
Bryan Price's explanation for how he's using the bullpen: "Don't worry about saves, holds, etc...just help us shake hands after the game" 👍
— Dan Hoard (@Dan_Hoard) April 11, 2017
On Monday the Reds beat the Pirates (CIN 7, PIT 1) after both starting pitchers failed to record an out after the second inning. Starter Brandon Finnegan was taken out after two innings, and Price went to righty Michael Lorenzen, his best available reliever, and let him throw three innings. After Lorenzen came lefty Cody Reed, arguably the team’s second best available reliever. He tossed three innings as well.
Cincinnati’s bullpen strung together seven perfect innings en route to the win Monday. Raisel Iglesias, the team’s bullpen ace, recorded a two-inning save against the Cardinals last Friday (CIN 2, STL 0) because he was the best option to get those final six outs. Rather than try to squeeze three outs from someone else and save Iglesias for the ninth, Price cut out the middle man and went to his best reliever. He did that on several occasions last year as well, then made sure to give Iglesias appropriate rest.
Managers manage to the save stat. We know that. We see managers wait to use their closer, often their best reliever, in that save situation rather than at an important moment earlier in the game. That’s the safe, boring move. Use your closer earlier in the game and it doesn’t work and the manager opens himself up for second guessing, and they all hate that.
Some teams, like the A’s and Reds, are starting to break away from bullpen norms. Will it catch on around the league? I suppose only if it works. The players have to buy in, too, and that’s the tricky part, because saves still equal big bucks in arbitration. For now, it appears traditional bullpen roles are starting to go away, but they’re far from gone for good.
