Closing Time: Who is Ryan Buchter?
On Wednesday night, Ryan Buchter was kicked around for five runs in a horrendous one-third of an inning. ERA fattening, WHIP bloating.
On Thursday, Buchter may have been promoted to the closing role in San Diego.
The save chase, she is a fickle and erratic siren.
The biggest bullpen news from Thursday came in Bordertown, where the Padres traded closer Fernando Rodney to Miami. San Diego picked up pitching prospect Chris Paddack in return, a well-regarded but far-off right-hander who’s still in Class-A.
It’s a mixed bag for Rodney owners; you weep for the saves probably out the window — A.J. Ramos has a firm handle on the ninth inning in Miami — but you’ve already turned a monster profit for whatever Rodney initially cost you. If we consider the 5×5 banked value of relief pitchers who are primary closers, Rodney has the third-best haul to this point (0.31 ERA, 0.87 WHIP, 33 K, 17 SV). Shoot that poisoned arrow through my heart.
Buchter turns 30 next year, but he’s crammed a lifetime of experiences into his 12 years of pro ball. He’s been traded a couple of times, released, worked for five different organizations. He had all of one major-league inning on his resume before 2016, but he’s quickly turned into a gem near the back of the Padres bullpen (2.91 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 50 K against 18 BB over 34 IP).
Buchter is a left-hander, which often works against a potential closing assignment. That said, he’s retired batters from both sides of the plate this year. Righties are slashing .216/.330/.378 against him, while it’s been a full wipeout against the lefties (.136/.250/.227). That’s worthy of the big chair.
The rebuilding Padres would probably like to flip Buchter, too, before the trade deadline. Maybe a few saves on the stat sheet will help accomplish that goal, though a serious contender would probably see Buchter as a situational reliever. Buchter was predictably added en masse after Thursday’s news broke, but he’s still available in 70 percent of Yahoo leagues.
If Buchter doesn’t make it as the closer, perhaps righty Brandon Maurer could get a shot. He’s capable of missing bats (47 whiffs in 37.2 IP), but he’s also toting a 5.73 ERA and 1.43 WHIP. Kevin Quackenbush is also around, he of the 3.55 ERA and 4.89 FIP. His strikeout rate has collapsed in 2016, falling to 4.6/9. That usually doesn’t work at the end of a ballgame, especially when you’re walking 3.5 batters per nine.
• There’s no timetable we can give Clayton Kershaw owners, no specific words of comfort. It’s a hurry-up-and-wait situation. Kershaw has a mild disc herniation in his lower back and landed on the disabled list Thursday; the team has no idea when he’ll be back.
Kershaw received an epidural injection Wednesday, and the club wants to see how he responds to that. The Dodgers are currently on top of the NL’s Wild Card standings (and six games back of the Giants in their division), but the club obviously has to consider long-term affects with any Kershaw decisions. I’m not a doctor and it’s obviously not my back, but i’m guessing Kershaw will be back sometime in the first half of August.
In the meantime, Bud Norris is around to help patch the rotation hole. Norris, acquired from the Braves on Thursday, has been passable in the Atlanta rotation (4.22 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, 3.85 FIP, 7.7 K/9). He’s only 3-7 because he pitches for the sad-sack Atlanta club; while the Dodgers are a team with their own fleas, this is certainly a better spot for Norris, so long as he can stick in the rotation. He’ll pitch Friday against the Rockies, and Wednesday against the Orioles, both turns at Chavez Ravine. Maybe the dulcet tones of Vin Scully will bring out his best.
• About all those nice things we’ve said about Trea Turner this year . . . they might not mean a thing for Fantasy Baseball 2016. Danny Espinosa refuses to go away quietly. Espy cranked a couple of homers and drove in seven runs as the Nats pummeled the Reds on Thursday. He’s still stuck with a .235 average, but a .338 OBP and .449 slugging will play in the middle infield. He’s also on pace for 30 homers and 83 RBIs.
Espinosa’s versatility is a godsend for fantasy owners — you can use him at all four infield spots in the Yahoo game. He’s obviously earned the trust of the Nationals, especially veteran-loving skipper Dusty Baker. Sounds like someone who should be owned in more than 42 percent of Yahoo leagues.
Speed Round — Apparently the Indians are never going to lose again. Carlos Carrasco struck out 14 as the Tribe won their 13th straight . . . Jake Odorizzi was in line for a victory before his gasoline alley mates somehow allowed eighth runs to Detroit in the ninth inning. The Tigers did the damage with six singles, two walks, and one double; egads, that’s an actual rally . . . Buster Posey’s thumb can’t be feeling that bad. He homered and singled in the Giants rout of Oakland, raising his average to .288 . . . Kendrys Morales launched an absurd homer at St. Louis and is on a 23-for-39 binge the last two weeks, with four homers. Somehow, he’s free to grab in 40 percent of Yahoo leagues . . . Jose Bautista (toe) is not expected to return before the All-Star break . . . Miguel Sano (hamstring) is done with his rehab assignment and will rejoin the Twins on Friday; Byung-Ho Park, meanwhile, heads to Triple-A . . . Didi Gregorius homered for the second day in a row Thursday. He’s up to .290/.320/.435 with eight homers and 36 RBIs (a 17-75 pace), but is still unowned in 81 percent of Yahoo leagues . . . As expected, the Tigers will be careful not to overextend Michael Fulmer . . . Alex Bregman had a pretty snappy debut for Triple-A Fresno: four hits in five at-bats, along with a walk. The No. 2 overall pick from the 2015 draft has an excellent chance to debut with Houston later this year. He’s a shortstop by trade, though he did play 11 games at third base while at Double-A. If you’re in a stashing mood, Bregman is unowned in 93 percent of Yahoo leagues . . . A tip of the cap to Wil Myers, baseball’s best offensive player in June. As for the worst offensive players over the last month, I’ll let you discover them yourself (plenty of big names included).
