Note that if you want a full review of bullpens and who is in line to step up should the need arise, that you should check out Howard Bender’s Closer Grid.
Jeanmar Gomez leads baseball with 14 saves. Gomez has been a godsend for the Phillies and has blown only one save chance. He’s done nothing wrong. At the same time he’s still not sexy while guys like David Hernandez, Andrew Bailey and Hector Neris are just more sexy options in the Phillies’ bullpen. Gomez has been exactly who he has always been – merely solid. He doesn’t strike anyone out (6.65 per nine that he currently owns would be a career best), though his 3.20 K/BB ratio would be a career best (career 1.87). He owns a 1.60 GB/FB, right on his 1.68 career mark, and his .286 BABIP is just off his .297 career mark. He’s done nothing to lose the job but he’s not an awe inspiring option. Never will be.
Kenley Jansen is second in baseball with 13 saves. He dominates hitters, something obvious to say when a guy owns a 0.59 ERA and 0.52 WHIP. He’s also walked a total of one batter in 15.1 innings. Crushing it. The only negative is that 9.39 K/9 rate. For a mortal that is stupendous. For Jansen it’s a bit troubling given that he owns a 13.78 mark for his career. The velocity is still there, in fact it’s up a mph from last season though his swinging strike rate of 12.9 percent would also be a career worst (15.4 percent career). Keep an eye on things. I’m not concerned, too early for that, but it is interesting that the K-rate has dipped so precipitously.
Jake McGee, Jeurys Familia, Mark Melancon and A.J. Ramos all have 12 saves. Ramos is striking out 12.18 per nine, a fantastic number. His 5.82 walk rate per nine though… that’s very concerning. He’s been able to maintain success largely because he hasn’t been beaten once by the long ball. Gotta cut that walk rate down, and fast, or trouble looms. Melancon just keeps on keeping on. Familia isn’t walking anyone, and is a legit 12-for-12 in saves. He’s also lost more than two and a half full batters on his K/9 rate as it’s dropped from 9.92 all the way down to 7.27 this season. Likely won’t matter if he can come close to maintaining his current 3.89 GB/FB ratio this is massive (it was an impressive 2.70 last season). McGee owns a 10.72 K/9 rate for his career, a mark he’s not even halfway to over 16 outings this season at 5.17 per nine. That’s scary when a guy loses 50 percent off the rate. S C A R Y. The velocity is down at 93.3 miles per hour, which would be a career worst (career 95.5 mph). McGee is also thrown the fastball less than normal at 83 percent given his 91 percent career rate. He’s basically double his curve ball usage this season to make up the difference. McGee also continues to allow a good deal of fly balls at 41 percent, and it’s likely that his current 4.8 percent HR/FB ratio is going up as the innings pile up at Coors Field.
The 11 save men are: Ryan Madson, Steve Cishek, Jonathan Papelbon and Shawn Tolleson. Madson has a 30 percent line drive rate, a massive number, that belies his .255 BABIP which is .050 points below his career norm. Madson has also yet to permit a homer while his 3.57 BB/9 rate is more than a full batter 
above the rate he posted the last five seasons. Additionally, his K/9 rate is just 6.62 which is more than two batters off his mark the past four seasons. Keep an eye on him. Things aren’t going as well as it appears while Sean Doolittle is performing well (12 strikeouts, three walks a 1.86 ERA and 0.83 WHIP over 13 outings). Cishek has an impressive 10.18 K/9 and 3.29 K/BB ratio. Love those numbers. He’s also the owner of a 1.08 WHIP. However, his .240 BABIP is too low (career .297) and his 0.91 GB/FB ratio is waaaay off his 1.59 career mark. He’s looked totally lost his last two outings as well with five runs allowed. Joaquin Benoit is still the guy I would peg to cover the 9th should Cishek fail… that is when Benoit is healthy enough for the team to trust him (for now it might be Joel Peralta or Nick Vincent who might see some work in the 9th). Papelbon has been smoke and mirrors. His K/9 rate has caved the last two seasons, down to 7.96 per nine last year and it’s even lower this season at 6.32. That’s really, really bad (like my use of big words there?). He’s also getting pounded with a .354 BABIP and .300 BAA as his velocity continues to dip (his 90.9 mph mark is a career worst). He’s also seen his 13.2 percent swinging strike rate vanish to a below average 8.4 percent. The danger zone is approaching. Tolleson is well into the danger zone with Sam Dyson and Jake Diekman lurking. Tolleson now has a 7.00 ERA and 1.71 WHIP, horrific numbers. He’s also blown three of 14 save chances and he’s produced third in the hierarchy of three arms in the Rangers’ bullpen. How much longer can the Rangers continue to turn to him? Dyson appears likely to be the next man in line, though Diekman is pitching pretty well.
There following folks have saved 10 contests: David Robertson, Zach Britton, Fernando Rodney, Craig Kimbrel, Jeremy Jeffress and Francisco Rodriguez. Robertson has a 1.23 ERA and 0.95 WHIP, along with 10.43 strikeouts per nine. Need to cut down that 3.68 BB/9 rate though. Britton seems to be over his ankle woes. He’s a monster with a 1.76 ERA, 0.59 WHIP, a perfect 10-for-10 in saves and a 6.00 K/BB ratio. Rodney has appeared in 16 consecutive games without allowing a run, the second longest streak to start a season (see this video). Kimbrel is 10-for-11 in save chances with 14.82 strikeouts per nine. Batters have no chance as he’s working on a 7th straight season with a batting average against under .190. Jeffress has been perfect with a 10-for-10 save conversion line. I have no idea where the punchouts have gone, just 10 in 16.2 innings, but he’s cut the walk rate so much that the 3.33 K/BB ratio he currently owns would still be a career best. K-Rod has blown one of 11 chances this season and if you remove his first outing this season you would be left with a 2.13 ERA and 1.11 WHIP. Two concerns. The 7.24 K/9 rate is miles from the 9.7 rate he’s posted the last two seasons while the 3.29 BB/9 rate would be his first season over 2.75 in four years.
VIDEOS
Kenta Maeda may need more rest before starts. Jessie Hahn is set to return for the A’s. Drew Smyly’s ERA is rising in May. THE VIDEO.
Jordan Zimmermann almost blows a huge lead. J.A. Happ took a beating from the Rays. Berrios gets sent back down to (AAA) Rochester after bad start. THE VIDEO.
Ray Flowers can be heard Monday through Friday, 7 PM EDT and Friday on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio (Sirius 210, XM 87). You can also hear Ray Sunday nights at 6 PM on the channel talking fantasy sports. Follow Ray’s work at Fantasy Alarm and on Twitter (@baseballguys).