#relief-pitching

#relief-pitching

The Braves will decline their $7MM club option on right-handed reliever Pierce Johnson, reports Jon Heyman of the New York Post. He'll receive a $250K buyout and become a free agent. Johnson is the second affordable reliever whose 2026 option has been declined by Atlanta today. The Braves also opted for a buyout over exercising Tyler Kinley's $5.5MM option. It's a fairly surprising decision regarding Johnson, who's pitched well in two-plus seasons with Atlanta - particularly in 2025.

Shortly after the Dodgers won Game 6 of the World Series, Yoshinobu Yamamoto approached his longtime personal trainer. Lowering his head, Yamamoto said to Osamu Yada, "Thank you for everything this year." Yamamoto figured his season was over. He'd thrown 96 pitches over six innings, and he half-joked in the postgame news conference that he wanted to cheer on his team rather than pitch again the next day. Manager Dave Roberts had the same thought, saying Yamamoto would be the only pitcher unavailable in Game 7.

If this postseason has proved anything, it's that the Toronto Blue Jays made the right decision by signing Jeff Hoffman. His career as a starter didn't work out, and in 2021, he joined the Cincinnati Reds as a bulk reliever who could make a start every once in a while. Hoffman's 2022 with the Reds was solid, but it wasn't until 2023 with the Philadelphia Phillies that Hoffman became a high-leverage reliever.

The exclamation point of his already exceptional campaign was firmly stamped in Fisher's recent dominating performance against the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday. Not only was he thrown into some super high-leverage situations for two consecutive innings, he managed to calmly put out the fire and finished off the Rays to secure the victory in extra innings for the Jays. With that performance, should Fisher get an extended look in the closer's role for Toronto going forward?

Perhaps the Yankees' biggest September call-up of them all is coming in the form of relief pitcher Ryan Yarbrough's activation off the injured list. The Bronx Bombers have the veteran lefty back in their ranks, making the move during their off-day on Monday ahead of Tuesday's series opener against the Astros down in Houston. The 33-year-old has been down since mid-June after suffering an oblique strain.

Jayson Stark was one of the driving forces behind the creation of the Relief Pitcher of the Year Award, and Stark outlined the BBWAA's thought process in a piece for The Athletic. Simply put, "relief pitching now dominates this sport - how it's played, how it's managed, who sprays champagne every fall - in a way it never has before," Stark writes, and thus relievers deserve their own dedicated award to reflect their specific role.

Ryan McMahon was traded to the Yankees, indicating the Rockies are actively selling players as the trade deadline approaches. Colorado is open to trading relievers, including Bird.

McGough, a right-handed pitcher, signed a minor league contract with the Athletics after being outrighted by the D-backs, aiming to revive his career.

The Braves have claimed right-handed reliever José Ruiz off waivers from the Philadelphia Phillies as they continue to churn their bullpen.

I'm just sitting in the room in [Class AA] Harrisburg with my wife, and, like, I don't know what's going on.... I feel like I do as much as I possibly can to try to stay healthy and be on the field.