{"id":8053,"date":"2023-09-15T18:03:41","date_gmt":"2023-09-16T01:03:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportrelay.com\/mlb\/?p=8053"},"modified":"2023-09-15T18:03:41","modified_gmt":"2023-09-16T01:03:41","slug":"diamondbacks-bullpen-best-nl-september","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportrelay.com\/mlb\/2023\/09\/15\/diamondbacks-bullpen-best-nl-september\/","title":{"rendered":"The Arizona Diamondbacks Bullpen Has Been Tops in the NL in September"},"content":{"rendered":"

Arizona Diamondbacks: The NL\u2019s Best Bullpen in September<\/h2>\n

For several years, the Arizona Diamondbacks<\/a>\u2019 most glaring weakness has been relief pitching. While improved in 2023, they still were in the bottom ten in the majors and bottom five in the NL for most of the season. September, however, has been a different story, as the Diamondbacks have the highest-rated relief corps in the National League for the month. In addition, they are 0.1 points behind the Detroit Tigers<\/a> for the top \u2018pen in the majors.<\/p>\n

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Overall leaderboards for September, through end of play Sept 14. AL (red) on the left; NL (blue) on the right.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Performance in September<\/h3>\n

Diamondbacks relievers have put up zeroes in September at a higher rate than any other team in the NL. In 45 relief appearances by players in a Diamondback uniform (excluding position pitching), they have allowed an earned run eight times. This gives them a scoreless outing percentage (earned runs only) of 82.2%, the best rate in the National League. In the American League, only the Tampa Bay Rays<\/a> (92.3%) have a higher rate. For context, the NL average is 71.6% and AL average is 71.4%.<\/p>\n

Individual numbers are also impressive. So far in September, 11 pitchers have made at least one relief appearance for the Diamondbacks. Five have 100% scoreless outings \u2014 Andrew Saalfrank<\/a><\/strong> (4-for-4); Bryce Jarvis<\/a><\/strong> (2-for-2), who was optioned to Reno September 7; Luis Frias<\/a><\/strong> (5-for-5); Miguel Castro<\/a><\/strong> (5-for-5); and Ryan Thompson<\/a><\/strong> (4-for-4). Joe Mantiply<\/a><\/strong>, Kevin Ginkel<\/a><\/strong>, and Paul Sewald<\/a><\/strong> are all at 80%, 4-for-5 when counting earned runs only. Kyle Nelson<\/a><\/strong> is at 75% (3-for-4). The remaining two are Scott McGough<\/a><\/strong> (2-for-5, 40%) and Brandon Pfaadt<\/a><\/strong>, a starter who allowed runs in a piggyback role, his lone relief appearance.<\/p>\n

Clutch<\/h4>\n

Clutch has also been a strength in September despite being a glaring weakness for the rest of the season. Sport Relay<\/em> uses Goose Eggs and Broken Eggs in lieu of saves and blown saves (reasoning and stat explanation here<\/a>). The Diamondbacks have seven Goose Eggs and no Broken Eggs in September. In other words, from the seventh inning onward in tie games or while holding a lead of no more than two runs, the Diamondbacks have pitched in eight innings. They did not give up an earned run in any of them, and in seven, they didn\u2019t give up a run at all. (The eighth saw the automatic runner score but no one else.)<\/p>\n

Under these conditions, Ginkel, Sewald, and Thompson have pitched two scoreless innings each. Saalfrank pitched the seventh scoreless inning.<\/p>\n

Other Stats<\/h4>\n

The Diamondbacks are third in the NL in September for reliever WHIP with 1.061, 216 points below the league average of 1.277. Only the Los Angeles Dodgers<\/a> (0.969) and Pittsburgh Pirates<\/a> (1.023) have a lower reliever WHIP in the month. Five Diamondbacks have WHIPs below 1.000 \u2014 Thompson (0.214); Frias (0.400); Castro (0.643); Ginkel and Saalfrank (0.750 each).<\/p>\n

The final category Sport Relay<\/em> uses in its reliever rankings \u2014 and the one with the lowest weight \u2014 is command, which uses strikeout percentage minus walk percentage (K-BB%). As a team, the Diamondbacks are sixth in the NL out of fifteen teams (14.4%; NL average is 13.6%). Individually, however, there are four Diamondback relievers with 20.0% or higher \u2014 Ginkel (42.1%), Castro (33.3%), Frias (21.1%), and Saalfrank (20.0%).<\/p>\n

Factors in the Strong Diamondbacks Bullpen Performance<\/h3>\n

Right-hander Scott McGough attributes the overall success of the unit to \u201ctightening the screws up\u201d and everyone having \u201csolidified roles.\u201d Manager Torey Lovullo<\/a><\/strong> said, \u201cIt\u2019s been a handoff mentality. We have some guys that have carried us early in the year that have handed it off to some newer blood. The injection of Ryan Thompson and Andrew Saalfrank has certainly helped us. We’ve had some guys that have had some very consistent years. And then getting Paul Sewald really was something that made us it solidify things for us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lovullo continued, \u201cIt’s kind of been a cycle. Early on, the bullpen was extremely hot and carrying the workload. They hit a little bit of a lull, (and) the hitters took off. The bullpen handled another little bit of a lull. We got some reinforcements, and that\u2019s where we are today.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Reinforcements<\/h3>\n

The \u201creinforcements\u201d are the three newcomers \u2014 Sewald, Thompson, and Saalfrank. This trio has helped the relief unit out, not only with their performance but by giving Lovullo a higher number of trustworthy options. Lovullo said Sewald gave him a \u201clegitimate ninth-inning closer\u201d and added that he can \u201cbuild in front of that.\u201d Left-hander Kyle Nelson added, \u201cHe\u2019s got a ton of experience \u2014 fresh experience in the playoffs,\u201d referring to Sewald\u2019s experience in the 2022 postseason with the Seattle Mariners. In addition, according to Nelson, Sewald is \u201ca joy to be around.\u201d<\/p>\n

Thompson, who came to the Diamondbacks in August after spending three and a half seasons with the Rays, has a \u201cquirky angle\u201d in his delivery and brings \u201cthe energy of someone who\u2019s seen things, especially playoff games,\u201d according to Nelson, who added that Thompson pitched in the 2020 World Series. He is someone who can \u201ccome in and go about his business the right way,\u201d according to McGough. Lovullo noted Thompson\u2019s \u201cability to pound the zone\u201d to get both early outs and weak-contact outs.<\/p>\n

Saalfrank, a lefty, was called up September 4 and made his big league debut the next day against the Colorado Rockies<\/a>. He has fit in well with the team, asking questions and soaking up the knowledge. McGough said he\u2019s \u201cdone such a good job as a rookie coming up, looking at what everyone\u2019s doing, and blends in really well.\u201d Nelson pointed out that he tries to \u201csponge a lot of information,\u201d something that is the \u201cbest thing to do\u201d when first coming up. \u201cListen as much as you can,\u201d Nelson said. While on the mound, Saalfrank \u201cattacks you,\u201d in the words of McGough. \u201cHe\u2019s not scared. He attacks.\u201d Saalfrank does so with \u201cswing and miss stuff,\u201d according to both Nelson and Lovullo.<\/p>\n

Looking Ahead<\/h3>\n

Having the best-performing relief unit in the NL over the month of September has kept the Diamondbacks in the playoff hunt. The three newcomers have been a big part of it, not only with their own performance but with what they\u2019ve contributed to their teammates. \u201cI\u2019ve watched their personalities morph and grow as they\u2019ve become more comfortable each day,\u201d Nelson smiled. \u201cIt\u2019s been really nice,\u201d adding that it\u2019s something that\u2019s necessary to have a \u201cgood, functioning bullpen unit.\u201d<\/p>\n

Category Breakdowns<\/h4>\n
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Team-by-team scores in the Clutch category.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Run Prevention scores, team by team<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Baserunner Prevention scores, team by team<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Command scores, team by team<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Main Photo:<\/h4>\n

Embed from Getty Images<\/a>