Bridging the Gap: How Alex Anthoupolous constructed the Braves Bullpen for October
The Atlanta Braves bullpen has always haunted the team in the postseason. Just saying that phrase conjures up images of Craig Kimbrel pacing in the bullpen while Juan Uribe admires his go ahead home run off of David Carpenter in game 4 of the 2013 NLDS.
Well, these aren’t those Atlanta Braves. In all my time being a Braves fan, this is the first time that I haven’t been a nervous wreck when the Braves bullpen was called upon in the playoffs. Even against the mighty Dodgers lineup, I really did not feel that nervous in game 1. That is a feeling I could get used to.
When Alex Anthoupolous took over in 2018, he inherited a bullpen that was lacking an identity. It had a great closer in AJ Minter, but other than him, the pen as a whole was lacking. He didn’t get a chance to do much his first year, but starting last season, he began laying the groundwork for the unit we have today.
Anyone who follows me on twitter knows that I love collecting baseball cards. So, I’ll throw in a few pictures here from my collection to spice the article up a bit. Follow me for Braves rants, sports card stuff, and everything else in between.
Pre 2019
AJ Minter had a breakout season in 2018 as the Braves new rookie closer, making a name for himself that summer. I won’t be talking about him too much here, but he has been a huge part of the Braves bullpen in 2020 after a rough 2019.
One member of the bullpen who does not get talked about much is Darren O’Day. He was an afterthought in the Kevin Gausman trade with the Orioles, a salary dump who was not going to pitch in 2018 due to hamstring issues. He didn’t get to pitch much in 2019, being activated in early September.
However, O Day has been a solid member of the Braves bullpen this season. In only 16. innings, he has 22 strikeouts, a 1.10 ERA, and a .796 WHIP. He is probably considered to be one of the “worst” relievers on this postseason roster. That just shows how much depth AA has built up in his time here.
Sidearm specialist Darren O Day pic.twitter.com/uLFIBph4hH
— Kyle Walter (@kylerulez) October 13, 2020
2019 Trade Deadline
The 2019 trade deadline is probably when AA made the most additions to the current bullpen. I’ll do these in order of significance. First, he dealt away Joey Wentz and Travis Demeritte to Detroit in exchange for Shane Greene, the then closer for the Tigers.
Greene had been an All-Star that season, but underperformed in his 2019 debut with Atlanta. However, this season he has posted a solid 2.60 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, and 21 strikeouts in 27.2 innings pitched.
Next, AA took a trip down to Texas and aquired Chris Martin for Kolby Allard, who admittedly I had not heard of prior to the trade. He was amazing down the stretch in 2019, and sadly had an oblique issue in the playoffs that many saw as a turning point in the unfortunate NLDS with the Cardinals.
This year, Martin has been one of the team’s best relievers, with a 1.00 ERA, 0.611 WHIP, and 20 strikeouts in 18 innings.
In a move many panned due to his high salary, AA traded for Mark Melancon from the San Fransico Giants, in exchange for Tristan Beck and Daniel Winker. As the low cost suggested, this was a salary dump for the Giants, getting rid of the rest of Melancon’s 4 year, $62 million deal he signed before the 2017 season.
Melancon did not pitch very well for the Braves in 2019, but his 2020 showing has been much more encouraging. A 2.78 ERA and 1.279 WHIP are pretty solid numbers for a closer, although his 14 Ks in 22.2 innings could certainly improve. All of these guys are key pieces to this pen, and were picked up for relatively low cost.
The shark, Mark Melancon pic.twitter.com/DJsSm7jGeo
— Kyle Walter (@kylerulez) October 13, 2020
2020 Offseason
Two of the Braves most impactful relievers were added in the 2020 offseason. Early on in the signing period, AA pulled the trigger on signing Will Smith to a 3 year, $39 million deal. Smith has been one of the most effective lefty relievers in the league the last few years, and it was a need for the team.
Smith did not have the greatest regular season, but that can be forgiven since he was out for a long time dealing with COVID-19. In the playoffs however, he hs done exceptional work. That’s why he was signed.
One of the less heralded signings of the offseason was Tyler Matzek. A hghly regarded Rockies prospect, he struggled at the major league level and was out of the pros after 2015. He bounced around in independant league ball for a few years until AA took a chance on him.
Tyler Matzek pic.twitter.com/KNC5yer5Ew
— Kyle Walter (@kylerulez) October 13, 2020
All he’s done is have a 2.79 ERA, 1.138 WHIP, and 43 Ks in 29 IP after not pitching in the majors since 2015. In Game 2, he threw two solid scoreless innings after Ian Anderson came out of the game in the 4th.
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Overall, AA has done a fantastic job constructing this bullpen for October success. Let’s hope that that momentum can carry us to a World Series!