MLB Bullpen Red Flags
Bullpen Red Flags, TB's Pen Is Running on Fumes
Published
Relief pitching is a budget, and some teams have been spending like the bill never comes. From the last three days of captured box scores, here is the relief workload around the league, starters excluded.
The most-taxed arms
TB have been playing bullpen roulette, twelve relief appearances in just three games, a 4.0-per-game pace that leaves a manager short of fresh options exactly when he wants them most.
Close behind, CLE have called down 12 times in 3 games.
TEX have leaned on the pen 12 times in 3 games themselves.
Fresh and waiting
At the other end, BOS have used just five relievers across three games. A rested pen usually means the manager gets the matchups he wants late, instead of the ones he is stuck with.
PHI are in similar shape, with just 6 relief outings across 2 games.
Put the two ends side by side and the gap is seven relief appearances in an identical window, which is enormous in bullpen terms.
At a glance
Every pen in the sample, most-taxed first:
| Team | Relief outings | Games |
|---|---|---|
| TB | 12 | 3 |
| CLE | 12 | 3 |
| TEX | 12 | 3 |
| SF | 12 | 3 |
| CHC | 11 | 3 |
The fine print
A quick note on the counting: every pitcher after the starter in each captured box score registers as one appearance, so a one-out specialist and a two-inning bulk arm weigh the same. Imperfect, but honest, and consistent across every team.
Usage is context, not destiny. But when the late innings arrive, yesterday's workload is very real, and it does not care about the matchup.
One to circle: Tampa Bay Rays meet Baltimore Orioles in their next game, and we will find out quickly whether this stretch travels.