All articles tagged with #bullpen struggles
Jake Bird was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after a series of poor performances following his trade to the Yankees, highlighting ongoing struggles in the Yankees' bullpen.
The Chicago Cubs blew an 8-0 lead against the San Diego Padres, resulting in their fourth loss of the season. The bullpen struggled, particularly Jose Cuas, who allowed three runs to score with just 13 pitches. The Cubs' bullpen issues are adding up, and the team suffered a tough loss on the day they learned one of their best relievers, Julian Merryweather, would miss over a month due to injury.
The Los Angeles Dodgers suffered a 6-5 extra-innings loss to the St. Louis Cardinals despite a strong bounce-back start from Yoshinobu Yamamoto and a late-game rally led by Mookie Betts. The game highlighted the team's bullpen weakness against left-handed hitters, as right-hander Joe Kelly struggled in the seventh inning, ultimately leading to the defeat. The Dodgers' star-studded core showed promise, but the game served as a reminder of the team's remaining weaknesses despite significant offseason spending.
Emerson Hancock impresses with a strong performance, earning the Sun Hat Award, while the Mariners' bullpen struggles in a 12-8 loss to the A’s. Hancock's improved pitching may earn him more MLB opportunities, while the bullpen's difficulties are evident. Julio makes his Cactus League debut, and Brian Anderson's performance presents a roster dilemma. Additionally, the team makes its first spring cuts, sending several players to minor-league camp.
The Chicago Cubs have experienced a month filled with late-game pain, losing five games after holding a lead in the 8th inning or later, which is tied for their most such losses in any single month over the last 50 seasons. The team's bullpen has been plagued by injuries and overuse, exacerbating the problem. The Cubs' failure to tack on runs has also contributed to their late-game collapses. This disappointing stretch has made the end of the season particularly frustrating for fans, as the team's playoff hopes hang in the balance.
The Cincinnati Reds suffered a 7-5 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates, relinquishing three one-run leads as their pitching staff, including rookie starter Andrew Abbott and the bullpen, struggled to hold off the Pirates' offense. With only seven games left in the regular season, the Reds have dropped three consecutive games, hindering their chances of securing a postseason spot. Despite hitting a two-run home run, center fielder TJ Friedl expressed disappointment over the loss and emphasized the team's determination to stay in the race. The Reds now trail the Chicago Cubs by 1.5 games for the third National League Wild Card spot, while also being eliminated from the NL Central division race.
The Texas Rangers' late-season collapse, which has them on the outside of the playoff bracket, can be attributed to several factors. Firstly, their bullpen has been a disaster, blowing leads and stacking up costly relief appearances. Secondly, the offense has come back to Earth after a strong start to the season, scoring fewer runs and struggling with runners in scoring position. Additionally, several individual players have slipped in performance. The Rangers' collapse has been a perfect storm of multiple issues, leaving their postseason hopes uncertain.
The New York Yankees suffered a devastating loss to the Colorado Rockies in a wild extra-inning game, blowing leads twice before ultimately falling 8-7. Despite a strong performance from pitcher Gerrit Cole, the Yankees' bullpen faltered, allowing the Rockies to tie the game in the eighth inning and eventually win on a walk-off home run in the 11th. The loss drops the Yankees into a last-place tie in the AL East and highlights their recent struggles both on the mound and at the plate.
The San Diego Padres suffered a doubleheader sweep by the Philadelphia Phillies, with the second game becoming even more costly as star player Fernando Tatis Jr. rolled his ankle and left the game. The bullpen struggled to maintain leads in both games, contributing to the losses. With their playoff chances dwindling, the Padres are now at least 6.5 games out of the National League's final wild-card spot. The bullpen, once a strength, has become the worst in the majors over the past two weeks.
Despite a dominant performance by Domingo German, a critical error by Gleyber Torres and bullpen struggles cost the New York Yankees in a 7-4 loss to the Chicago Cubs. German allowed only one hit across 6+ innings and left with a 4-1 lead, but Torres' error extended a Cubs rally and the bullpen couldn't hold on. The Yankees enter the All-Star break with a 49-42 record, hoping to make a second-half run despite injuries to key players.
St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Jordan Montgomery left the game early with a hamstring injury, and the bullpen blew the lead twice in an 8-7 loss to the Chicago White Sox. This marked the team's 20th blown save of the season and its 19th one-run loss. Montgomery had been performing well recently, but his injury adds to the Cardinals' ongoing bullpen struggles. The team now awaits news on the severity of Montgomery's injury, hoping for positive results.
The New York Mets' bullpen suffered their fifth consecutive loss as David Robertson gave up a three-run homer in the eighth inning, leading to a 5-4 defeat against the San Francisco Giants. The loss marked the 13th time in June that a reliever was charged with a loss, the most in the majors. The bullpen's struggles have been attributed to giving up home runs, with 15 allowed in June. With the Mets falling 10 games below .500, they may need to seek high-leverage arms if they hope to contend.
The St. Louis Cardinals suffered their 16th blown save of the season as their bullpen faltered in a 10-7 loss to the Houston Astros. Right-hander Giovanny Gallegos allowed five runs, including two home runs, in the eighth inning, expressing frustration and disappointment in his performance. Despite a strong offensive showing, the Cardinals were unable to secure the win and continue their climb in the division race.
The St. Louis Cardinals' bullpen continues to be a major issue for the team, as setup man Giovanny Gallegos gave up a three-run go-ahead homer to Jose Altuve in the eighth inning, resulting in the team's 16th blown save of the season. The Cardinals have struggled to hold onto late leads, and Gallegos has been particularly ineffective, surrendering seven home runs this season. The team is still without their All-Star closer Ryan Helsley, who is working his way back from a forearm injury. The Cardinals' bullpen woes have been a significant factor in their struggles this season, despite strong offensive performances.
Sportsnet LA analyst and former Dodger, Jerry Hairston Jr., criticized the Dodgers' ability to hit in crucial moments and called for more bunting and small ball to be played. The Dodgers lost 7-5 against the San Francisco Giants in extra innings due to the bullpen's struggles and defensive blunders. Hairston Jr. expressed his frustrations on the SportsNet LA Dodgers postgame show, stating that the Dodgers "gave the game away" by not being able to play great, situational baseball.